The Young Kennel Club (YKC) has announced the winners of its annual Artist of the Year competition, with a young dog lover from Salisbury scooping second place.

The popular art competition invited YKC members to express their creativity and showcase their dog photography skills, with all entries required to feature a dog and to fit one of three themes: “Your everyday dog”; “Your competing dog”; or “Your working dog”.

The creativity and originality of all the entries impressed the judges, but coming in a close second was Harris Dickenson, aged 24, from Salisbury, with his image of his three-year-old intermediate Xoloitzcuintli, titled “Flying Xolo”.

Speaking of his achievement, Harris said: “I’m overjoyed, it’s really helped my self-confidence. To not only get acknowledgement but to be awarded second place really makes me feel validated.”

Vanessa McAlpine, Kennel Club events and youth development executive added: “Very well done to Harris, his picture was fun and dynamic, and he is clearly very talented at photography.

“We would like to congratulate not only Harris, but all of our members who entered. The standard was incredibly high this year and we are so proud to have such creative young members.”

Young Kennel Club membership is for anyone aged 6-24 years (with or without a dog, pedigree or crossbreed).
It aims to educate young people in the care and training of dogs, and encourage young adults to enjoy participation in, and management of, all activities connected with dogs.

The YKC provides and promotes activities that enable members to train, compete and socialise with like-minded youngsters.

The winner and runners up of the Young Kennel Club Artist of the Year competition were as follows:

1st place: 15-year-old Emily Moores from Horsham, West Sussex, for “Autumn Magic”
2nd place: 24-year-old Harris Dickenson from Salisbury, Wiltshire, for “Flying Xolo”
3rd place: 24-year-old Rachel Dutton from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, for “A Pixie in the Woods”
Special mentions were also given to 13-year-old Ella Wakerly for “Two Golden Retrievers Staring into the Camera” and 21-year-old Elise Finney for “The Path to Happiness.”

All five photographs will be displayed in The Kennel Club Art Gallery in Mayfair, London, as part of the organisation’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

For young dog lovers interested in joining the Young Kennel Club, visit www.ykc.org.uk.

For more information on the winning photogrpahers, visit thekennelclub.org.uk/ykcartistoftheyear.