The Royal Kennel Club is delighted to announce that nominations are open for the prestigious Young Kennel Club (YKC) Young Person of the Year Award 2026, celebrating the remarkable achievements of young people who are making a difference in the lives of dogs and inspiring others to join the dog world.
This annual award recognises outstanding members of the YKC who have gone above and beyond - whether through mentoring, training, fundraising, competing, or creative expression. Each nominee shares one common goal: a passion for improving the lives of dogs and encouraging others to do the same.
Faith Windsor, 17 years old, from Crewe, Cheshire was awarded YKC Young Person of the Year at Crufts in 2025. Faith and her Autism Dog, Ember, a St Bernard, worked together to educate and raise awareness of the work that Autism Dogs do, through school visits, at dog shows, and through speaking to members of the public when out and about. Ember is by Amber’s side throughout the day and helps to calm her down. Faith also has a fainting condition which impacts her daily life and Ember has learnt when an episode is coming so will make sure Faith is safe, and will help her following the episode as well as alerting Faith’s mum.
Award categories
For 2026, nominations are invited across five inspiring categories:
- Inspiration – Honouring a young person and their dog who have inspired others through their journey or community impact.
- Teamwork – Celebrating partnerships that have overcome challenges and achieved success together.
- Talent – Recognising exceptional skill and dedication in handling, training, or competing with dogs.
- Creative – Showcasing creativity through art, photography, writing, or social media that highlights a love of dogs.
- Awareness – Awarding those who actively promote animal welfare, rescue work, or awareness campaigns.
How to nominate
Nominations are open online now and the closing date for submissions is 30 January 2026. Each member may be nominated in one category only, and self-nominations are not permitted. All nominees must be current members of the Young Kennel Club.
Category winners will be announced early in 2026, after which the public will have the opportunity to vote for the overall YKC Young Person of the Year. The winners of each category will be invited to Crufts 2026, where the overall award winner will be revealed. The winner will receive £200 thanks to a donation from the Kennel Club Educational Trust. Each category winner will be awarded £100.
Submit Your Nomination
Nominations are now open at: royalkennelclub.com/young-kennel-club/events-and-training/young-person-of-the-year-award/