Northants Youngsters head to Crufts 2024

The Northants Falcons are no strangers to Crufts. They have been senior quarter finalists, semi finalists and finalists on several occasions but this year will be a new experience for them. This year, their starting line up will include two junior handlers. Both Sienna Mabbutt, who will turn 12 just before Crufts, and Isobel Mellor-Coleman, 14, have represented the Falcons in the Young Kennel Club ring but this will be the first time in the main arena for both girls.

Flyball competitions take place around the country all year but, at Crufts, it takes centre stage in an exciting main arena competition. Flyball is a relay race for dogs - six dogs can be named and alternated on the team but only four will race at a time. The dogs must jump four hurdles and trigger a box at the end of the run which fires a tennis ball. The dogs must catch the ball and return over the hurdles and the next dog is released. The fastest team with no mistakes wins the leg. There is a separate competition for under 18s run in the Young Kennel Club ring.

Sienna, who will be running her own Top Gun Maverick, better known as Fiddy, will be leading the team out as their start dog and is quite possibly the youngest handler competing in the senior competition. However, Sienna is well known for her excellent starts as a regular member of the Falcons’ top team and is excited to make her green carpet debut. Sienna will also be making it a family affair, competing in the team alongside her mother, Katie (Northants Falcons’ captain), who will be racing Quinnkais Reckoning Storm, better known as Thor, and Katie’s partner Luke, who will run She’s Sweet but a Psycho, better known as Pace.

Isobel, who has been playing flyball for nearly seven years, will be partnered by Lucious Lola, better known as Lola. Isobel and Lola competed in the Falcons’ YKC team last year and were Division 3 Junior Singles Champions at the UKFL Championships last summer. Isobel has been competing Lola regularly over the last eighteen months and has been built up a wonderful relationship with her.

The Falcons will be racing last year’s runners up, Tails We Win, in Friday’s quarter final. Win or lose, both girls will be giving it everything and you will certainly hear them calling their dogs back.