10/03/2026
Making us proud….twice!
March of the year 2000, the NEC Arena in Birmingham was buzzing with activity, thousands of dogs participating at the World’s greatest dog show, Crufts. Amongst all the breed competitions taking place that year, a particular and very prestigious competition was held during that show, the Joe Cartledge Memorial International Junior Handling final, in which the top Junior Handlers from around the World compete for the coveted prize of Top Junior Handler.
Amongst the 39 contestants representing their Countries, Malta was being represented by its reigning top junior handler of that year, a mischievous 16-year-old charming young lad with an infectious smile, Adrian Hili from Hamrun. Accompanied by his parents and numerous Maltese enthusiasts, together with officials from The Maltese National Canine Federation, who had just secured a historical reciprocal agreement with the World’s largest and most prestigious Kennel Club, the British Kennel Club, (now known as the Royal Kennel Club), Adrian Hili, wearing a royal blue suit entered confidently in the ring handling a black & white Pointer which he only met a couple of minutes before.
That was Malta’s 11th participation in this event, the first one being in 1989, and Adrian Hili’s second attempt at this event. Up to that point, the best placing a Maltese Junior Handler had achieved was that of Alison Navarro’s 3rd place in 1993. At those days, everybody thought that the chances Malta would get any higher placing then that were very slim, considering that Malta’s dog show calendar during those years had only 8 shows a year, giving our youngsters a very limited 8 occasions to compete in each year, whilst the other international juniors had hundreds of opportunities every year because of the large quantities of dog shows they had the chance to compete at in their countries. But, despite Malta being considered as the underdog in this competition, Adrian Hili managed to surprise everybody by snatching the top prize, throwing the Maltese contingent present there in an unforgettable euphoria. I, myself, being present on that occasion both as a friend and also as a representative of the MNCF, consider that occasion as one of the most emotional occasions I had in my many decades involved in the Maltese dog scene. Adrian Hili had managed to make us proud and put Malta on the World’s map of International Junior Handling.
That success was repeated 3 years later by 13 year old David Mercieca from Naxxar.
Who would have told us back then, that 26 years later, in March 2026, Adrian Hili would make us proud again by becoming the first International Junior Handler winner to be invited to judge this event at Crufts. It was indeed an honour and a proud moment for me to accompany Adrian again during this most memorable occasion for the Maltese dog scene, and an even bigger memorable achievement for Adrian himself. Smart as always and still carrying that radiant smile, Adrian gave a good performance, judging the participating Juniors to every detail, awarding the top spot to 17 year old Megan Slack from the United Kingdom.
Frank Borg.
Chairman.
The Maltese National Canine Federation.
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