A TEENAGER from Bromsgrove has won a prestigious award from the Kennel Club and performed well at Crufts with dogs that she had trained.
Grace Rutherford, 17, won the Kennel Club’s Young Person of the Year Award for Inspiration.
The citation praised her ‘natural ability to build trust with any dog, regardless of age, handling them with calm confidence and always putting the dogs first’.
It added: “Her quiet approach brings out the very best in every dog she works with.
“Beyond the ring, Grace also inspires young people entering the world of dog showing.
“She willingly helps, trains, and encourages newcomers, supporting them as they build their skills and confidence.”
Grace was just six years old when she began training dogs and competing in shows and Young Kennel Club (YKC) events.
She said she was grateful to even be nominated for her latest accolade and was delighted to win the Inspiration section.
She added she had received a lot of guidance and support from others and was now passing on the same inspiration to younger members who were starting their own journeys.
She added: “Seeing them grow in confidence and ability is incredibly rewarding.”
One young handler said: “My mentor Grace helps me with my handling skills at shows and always buys me chips.”
Grace has her own corgi called Brioche but, when she went to Crufts at Birmingham’s NEC, Brioche was in season so she took along other dogs she trains – a pug named Edna, a Jack Russell called Roo and a collie called Keah – to compete.
She came first in the YKC Toy Stakes with Edna and also won another category with Roo.
And she finished third in ‘handling’ with Keah.
