Competing in Young Kennel Club heelwork to music competitions

YKC member competing in heelwork to music
There are various heelwork to music competitions held throughout the UK each year, a full list that can qualify you for Crufts will be updated shortly. For further information on these shows you can find out more on Find a Show.

Crufts

The Young Kennel Club features two competitions at Crufts that do not have specific qualifying classes.

To enter these competitions, Young Kennel Club members must submit their highest score in standard Kennel Club classes. These classes are as follows:

  • Heelwork to Music Freestyle
  • Heelwork to Music Heelwork

Crufts 2025 qualification

To qualify for YKC HTM at Crufts, YKC members may submit their highest single score (out of 30) that they achieved during the qualifying year 

  • The mark must have been awarded at a Kennel Club licenced show in a standard class. 
  • The mark must have been obtained both; 
  • between 01-Jan-2024 and 31-Oct-2024 for qualification to Crufts 2025. 
  • By the YKC member and dog combination looking to qualify. 
  • After the closing date for submitting scores has passed, two leaderboards will be created; 
  • One for HTM Heelwork and one for HTM Freestyle 
  • The highest 8 submitted scores on both leaderboards will be invited to compete at Crufts 2025. 
  • This will NOT be further subdivided by level or age, instead, all members who submit scores will be placed in the leaderboard together. 
  • The points will be submitted on the YKC website via a form (available from Oct 2024 onwards). 
  • A Dog may only appear on each leaderboard once. 
How many dogs can I qualify?

The YKC will allow you to submit points for up to 2 dogs in for each leaderboard (4 dogs total). 

  • The YKC will add your dog with the highest submitted points to the leaderboard first 
  • If, after everyone’s highest scoring dogs have been added, there are still spaces left to fill on that leaderboard, the YKC will add YKC members 2nd highest points to the leaderboard until all spaces are filled. 
  • A handler is only allowed to swap dogs if they submitted points for a second dog, and that second dog was above the HTM points threshold, in this case, they may swap to the other qualified dog. 
  • This must be reported to the YKC at the earliest opportunity. 
  • Any member submitting points for 3 dogs for a single leaderboard will have the dog with the lowest points removed from the entries. 
How do I send in my points?

Please send 1 email per person and dog to the YKC inbox. Within this email please enter the following:

Subject Line: “YKC HTM:Heelwork/Freestyle(delete as appropriate) Crufts 2025 Points submission: [Handler Name] & [Dog Pet Name]

Email body:

YKC member’s name: XXXX

Dog pet name: XXXX

Dog’s KC Name: XXXX

Highest Score in 2024: [between 1 & 30]

Which Show was this score at:

What date was that show:

Which class Heelwork or Freestyle:

Which level was the class:

End of email

Deadline for submission: 15 December 2024