Dreams Can Come True Hard work, a willingness to learn and a love of dogs are the qualities that Morgan Tait-Shoosmith – winner of Groomer of the Year at this year’s Young Kennel Club (YKC) competition at Crufts – has in bucket loads.
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he 14 year-old from Herne Bay in Kent was crowned Groomer of the Year at Crufts with her Cockerpoo, Stitch. This was not her first success at the well-known show, for Morgan had already made her mark as an 11 yearold when she won the YKC Groomer of the Year in 2019. Morgan also won the highly acclaimed Crufts Handler of the Year title – an award based on successful dog handling throughout the four day show. To achieve such great overall success took her by surprise. She said: “I was delighted to win and never dreamt that I would as the standard was so high.” Good grooming is probably in Morgan’s genes as her mother Allison, has her own successful dog grooming business in their home town of Herne Bay. Allison commented: “Morgan is very gifted in the way she handles the dogs and has a deft touch when it comes to grooming them. “Her industry role models are Alison Rogers, Georgia Ashton Fuller, Kirsty Young and Fiona Brook. Fiona was her judge in the competition and heaped more pressure on Morgan, so it was a massive achievement for her.” Morgan suffers from ADHD and sometimes struggles with being in the spotlight. Allison explains: “She was diagnosed with ADHD when she was five and we struggled to get her focused on anything at that time. Getting involved with the dogs proved
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Morgan Tait-Shoosmith with Stitch
the best medicine and has given her a new lease of life. She doesn’t like a lot of attention, so I was delighted when she told me she felt confident enough to enter the competition. Winning at this level has given her an enormous boost
and we are both overjoyed.” We wish Morgan every success for the future. She has just been confirmed as an ambassador for Wow grooming.
