Off to Crufts
Created | Updated Mar 6, 2002
Today I am off to Crufts, the Dog Show, and Shazz in her infinite wisdom suggested that I write an article for The Post, so I, in my equally infinite wisdom, decided to write two. The first, this being the first, and not the second, so don't get confused, is about the History of the Crufts, the second will be a sort of journal of my time at the dog show, and that will hopefully appear in The Post next week.
Crufts 2002 is open for business on Thursday 7th until Sunday 10th March at the NEC Birmingham. It is, one can claim, the world's greatest dog show, with over twenty thousand top pedigree dogs competing for the prestigous title of, 'Best In Show'.
Crufts is named after its founder Charles Cruft. Upon leaving college, Charles went to work for James Spratt, selling 'dog cakes' in London. He was quickly promoted to Travelling Salesman, which
saw him travelling to France where, in 1878, he was asked to organise the Canine Section at the Paris Exhibition.
He then, in 1886, went on to manage the Allied Terrier Club Show at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, where he held the first ever Crufts Dog Show in 1891. It was quite succesful and he went on to hold many more.
Charles Cruft died in 1939, and his widow carried on the dog shows, but ultimately found the job too much for her so, in order to keep the name of the now-famous Dog Show going, she asked the Kennel Club to take over the running of it. They agreed, and it was sold to them. In 1948, at Olympia, the Kennel Club held it's first Crufts Dog Show, which proved an immediate success.
In 1979 the venue was changed from Olympia to Earl's Court, when it was found that Olympia could not deal with the increased entries as the show became more popular. In 1982 the show ran for three days and in 1987 it was increased to four days as the show became even bigger.
The Crufts Centenary Show in 1991 was held at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre (the show being moved once more); it has been held there ever since.
Crufts 2002
There are over 190 different breeds of dogs shown at Crufts. Above you can see a picture of two Chesky terriers. This is only the second year that Chesky's have been shown at Crufts. Both Kea and Brona, the dogs in the picture, can be seen on Friday (Terrier Day). A full list of all dogs that you might see, can be found here, they are divided up into seven different groups, Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy. Each group will have its day in one of the 34 rings at the NEC.
Thursday - Working and Pastoral
Friday - Terrier and Hound
Saturday - Toy and Utility
Sunday - Gundog
For more information about Crufts, and up to the minute results from the various rings go to the official web site Click Here For Crufts. Oh and don't forget, if you see that an orange and black, rather rotund, but really rather pretty little cat wins 'Best in Show' this year, then try not to show to much surprise. It will only be me...
Greebs
