Junior Handling at European Dog Show

For three days, the show will be filled with canine joy, skill, and optimism for the future as young handlers from across Europe demonstrate their abilities in the ring.
Junior Handling is more than a competition. It is a gateway to the future of the dog world. Among these dedicated young people are tomorrow's breeders, judges, club leaders, and event organizers. Don't miss the opportunity to watch and cheer on these impressive young talents!

Proud organizer of this competition:

Sveriges Hundungdom

Qualifying competitions with 188 entries

Interest in this year's competition has been strong. A total of 188 entries have been registered for the qualifying competitions, with participants from 16 different countries.

Final Featuring Europe's elite

The grand final will take place on Sunday, 6 September.

The best handler-and-dog teams from the qualifying competitions will compete alongside the junior handlers who have already qualified through their national kennel clubs, all of which belong to the FCI European Section.

We already know that competitors from at least 20 European kennel clubs will take part in the final. The countries that have already selected their finalists are:

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Croatia, Latvia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Hungary.

Sweden's representative has already been decided. Stella Näslin, who won the national youth championship title at the Swedish Junior Championship (Ungdoms-SM) 2025, will proudly represent the host nation on home soil.

Judges

We are incredibly pleased and proud to present a top-class judging panel consisting of four knowledgeable, dedicated, and inspiring individuals, all passionate about the young stars of the dog sport:

• David Alcorn, United Kingdom (qualifying round Friday)
• Charlott Sandberg, Sweden (qualifying round Saturday)
• Markus Gisslén, Sweden (qualifying round Sunday)
• Gerard O’Shea, Sweden (grand final Sunday)

Competition Format

The competition is open to young people aged 10 to 18 and takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (4-6 September).

Qualifying Competitions (4–6 September)

• One qualifying competition per day
• Different judges each day
• The judge selects the day’s Top 3
• These three handlers advance to the semi-final before Sunday's final
• Participants who have already qualified for the final may not compete in any further qualifying competitions on subsequent days. 

The Final – 6 September

Before Sunday’s final, a semi-final will be held in which all competitors who qualified through the qualifying competitions on 4-6 September compete against one another.

From the semi-final, five handlers will advance to the grand final and compete against the internationally qualified finalists.

The final competition will take place after Sunday's qualifying competition, and the winner will be crowned Europe's Top Junior Handler.

Sunday’s grand final will be held after that day’s qualifying round, and the winner will be crowned: 2026 European Winner in Junior Handling!

The final therefore includes:

• Directly qualified junior handlers representing Europe's kennel clubs (belonging to the FCI European Section).
• Handlers who qualified through the competitions held on 4-6 September

Read the rules:

FCI Guidelines for World and Section Junior Handling Competitions

Welcome to a memorable weekend!

Junior Handling at the European Dog Show 2026 will be an event filled with dedication, joy, and community spirit. We look forward to celebrating Europe's future stars of the dog world together.

On 6 September, we will find out who earns the right to lift the trophy and claim the title of Europe's Top Junior Handler 2026.

Come and cheer on our talented junior handlers as Europe's finest young handler is crowned!

Do you have any questions?

We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Email us: handlingeds2026@skk.se