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If there is one dog show in the world that every American dog show fancier should visit in their lifetime, it would be Crufts. This world-famous event has been held in the UK every year since 1891, first in London and now in Birmingham at the NEC (National Exhibition Centre). I remember going to dog shows when I still lived there as a teenager. They were held at the old Olympia Exhibition Centre which opened in London in 1895. That is where the old Pathe newsreels were filmed, which we often now see shared online. We had visited long before I had any idea that I would ever be showing dogs myself, and many times thereafter. It was a center for overseas visitors even then, with regular attendees from the US and Europe, but nothing like it is today. The show outgrew the London site and moved to the newly built NEC in Birmingham. It is now held over four days and includes Conformation, Obedience, Agility, and other activities.
There were more foreign entries in 2024 than at any previous shows, with 3,676 dogs from 49 different countries, coming from as far away as Australia and Uzbekistan! Sixty-five of these dogs came from the US, and the American contingent went away with many awards and trophies. The system in the UK is different; the best dog and bitch in each breed are awarded a Challenge Certificate, with a reserve CC awarded to the runner up in both sexes. A dog must win three challenge certificates under three different judges to qualify for the title of champion. The class winners all compete against the others in that sex, including champions, to win a coveted CC. There is no champion class; the two CC winners compete for Best of Breed. American dogs and bitches took home many of these awards, which was a great testament to their quality.
RBCC AM GCH Vykon’s Sausin I do This Often A’Mahya (owned by Miss M. Sage)
AM CH Holdsway Lion King (Imp.) (owners Coad & Sanghoon Lee & Lam)
BOB & BCC AM CH Chadwick’s Trivial Pursuit (owners Ms. C. A. and Dr. M. Eckersley and Reed)
BOB & BCC AM CH Sundance Be Still My Heart (owners Croft-Elliott & Wilson & Vanoplynes & Price). DCC AM GCH Blu Skyy’s Ziggy Stardust, (Croft-Elliott, Wilson & Wilson)
BOB & BCC AM CH Kamgaard Klementina (S. Simmonds & M. Mott)
RBCC Polar Light Pride Of America (Imp. USA) (L. Holmes & S. McBain)
BOB (no CCs) AM GCH Aegis Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (Allen, Kopfer & Krumpe)
BOB and DCC Selah Chiaroscuro (Os & Persinger)
BOB & DCC AM CH Cross The Rubicon Omen (Kunze) Res. DCC AM CH Sheep Creek Outlander Jamie (Imp. USA) (P. Smith)
BOB & DCC M And M’s Stellar Mayhem And Madness (Imp. USA) (Cadmore & Moore & Hayes)
DCC, BOB Gr 3rd CH AM CH Hallifax Hightide Hedonist At Afterglow (Imp. USA) (Galloway, Lynn & Isherwood)
BOB & BCC AM GCH Sweet Aico Miss Yoyo At Piedmont (Drewett-Barlow) RDCC AM CAN CH Mikasa Magic Star (Marchal)
Portuguese Podengo (Warren Hound)
RBD (no CCs) & Best Veteran Houla’s American Boy (Imp. USA) (Watts & Pedder)
BOB & DCC AM GCH Kriskots He’s A Rebel At De La Pomme (Jaruthavee, Huber, Krisco, Cross & Cross)
BCC, BOB Gr 4th Am.Gr.Ch. Barnstorm One Chance Fancy by Dzine (Blanche, Denardo, Cook & Demers).
The overall message that I can report is that everyone agreed they had a wonderful time; the events, the trade exhibits, and the people they met. One person in particular was amazed with the reception from the exhibitors in her rare breed. The other exhibitors went out of their way to welcome her, explained how everything worked at shows in the UK, and the NEC in particular. This is the kind of thing we all want to hear, no matter where we come from or where we are going to. Let us all try to do our part!
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