Photos of Crufts by Eugene Zaphiris

We have just returned from four great days at Crufts. I am a firm believer that in order to fully appreciate the meaningful aspect of Crufts as both a breeder and competitive individual in the conformation world just watching your own breed and leaving without going the other three days is a giant mistake. Furthermore it takes more than one trip for the magnitude of the event to sink in. And if you come expecting or insisting that the only way to run a show is by American standards you'll never come to understand Crufts. And I must admit it took me three or four shows in a row to become a “Cruftsophile,” and candidly, with each passing year my respect and admiration for the event grows. That doesn't mean by a long shot do I consider it to be a perfect “10,” nor that at times the judging doesn't frustrate the hell out of me but it does mean there truly is nothing like it year after year in the dog world. It may lack the group drama and glitter of Westminster, and the breed judging is limited due to the large entries, insofar as observing different breeds is concerned. Nonetheless there is a certain je ne sais quoi about the proceedings which is unique unto itself and makes it stand out head and shoulders above most every other show for sure.
We arrived in Birmingham on Wednesday where we visited the Overseas Vistors Lounge which again DOG NEWS sponsored. First person we saw was the new show chair Eric Smethurst, who with his charming wife Louise visited every ring each day to greet the breed judges and the stewards. This was a touch appreciated by one and all. People in the press office were very gracious and sent us to see the overall person in charge of setting up the show the hard working and unflappable Vanessa McAlpin. What a show super she would be here in the States! The Overseas lounge was moved once again this year opposite where the Kennel Club and Pet Insurance luncheons were to be held due to the NEC turning the old kitchen area and dining rooms into offices for the NEC. Then over to the Metrople where we do not stay. We stayed at the nearby Crown Royale – for a visit with Sue Sampson who charms the pants right off of you. Chairman Ronnie Irving is always a pleasure to see and he certainly has raised the bar at the Metrople that's for sure. Ran into a number of fellow Americans at the Metrople bar but the overall number of Americans in attendance was down, I thought, no doubt due to the dollar which is worthless in the UK. If you get 43 cents on the pound consider yourself lucky!!
Thursday morning were Toys and Utility (Non Sporting to us). Took in a few breed classes. Concentrated on Charlies as per usual, saw an exciting open Pug dog class with 40 open dogs (12 from foreign countries). Ellis Hulme adjudicated upon them and did his usual 'sterling’ job. I make Mr. Hulme one of the world's leading judges on an international basis. The first night of Group judging the arena was anything but crowded although for the last two nights finding an empty seat was nearly impossible. Activities prior to the groups run the gamut from agility events to dancing dogs to Gameskeeper classes to breeder events to "Friends for Life" tributes to obedience to you name it – a total and complete menu of anything which affects dogs and the lives we lead with them. This is in total contrast to Westminster which is of course totally channeled to the conformation competition whereas the Invitational which is broader in scope than Westminster apes quite successfully the more rounded presentation of Crufts.
The first group of the week Utility was awarded to a Shiba Inu. There were some lovely dogs in this Group which of course has many exhibits we see in other groups. Their group alignments are quite different than ours in many instances – I'm not commenting upon who is right and who is wrong if there is such a distinction only on the fact that the differences exist. And not just on the group level either – I mean the Best in Show judge the charming and knowledgeable Claire Coxall was seen everywhere during the proceedings – our BIS judge at both the Big W and Invitational is sequestered, ridiculously so. There was a lovely TT, a nice Tibetan Spaniel, an American bred and owned and handled Standard poodle whose brother won the dog ticket as well, an outstanding showy Dalmatian. Oh well onto the Toy Group where a Chihuahua from Gibraltar took the top honors. I was not as impressed with the Toy Group as I usually am at Crufts. The Japanese Chin which placed second looked very impressive from afar, both the Pug and the Papillion which looked real nice too seemed to have an unhappy moment or two on the table which was unfortunate as they both looked like above average exhibits
Thursday was Gundog day and I must admit to thinking that this Group was unusually strong The winner was an American bred and titled American Cocker Spaniel. The judge had great authority going over the exhibits and truly looked the part. This was a strong group in my opinion which certainly from ringside looked to have many top exhibits. The ones I really admired were the Red and White Setter, the Lab, the Golden Retriever, the English Springer Spaniel (I love their type), the Flat Coat which I am told is not as racy as they like them to be, the Welsh Springer and of course the German Wire haired Pointer to name but a few which come to mind. So far I must admit to have not fallen in love with any of the group winners. All three looked to be fine exhibits basically but in my opinion in each and every group there were far superior exhibits to the ones which won. There I've gone and said exactly what I promised myself I would not do. But that's how I felt then and feel now too.
Come Saturday and the NEC was so crowded you couldn't see straight. Over the four days over 160,000 spectators attended this event which set a new record for Crufts. This is Working and Pastoral (Herding to us) days. The Working Group was handily won by a prior winner two time winner the Giant Schnauzer looking better than I have ever seen him look. I made him an easy winner from ringside and liked particularly the Tibetan Mastiff and Neapolitan Mastiff as I recall. The Dobe and Boxer looked interesting as did the Alaskan Malamute and Black Russian Terrier. Next came the Pastoral Group and Zena Thorne Andrews whose husband Terry had recently retired as show chair of Crufts due to bad health did her usual good job of judging. I love the Great Pyrenees which placed fourth but the Sammy (yes, both are in the Pastoral group there) won the day. The American Welsh Corgi which placed third at Westminster also placed third at Crufts making it the only Welsh Corgi to place at both shows ever. He looked royally the part as did the lovely Australian Shepherd which took second place. There was much talk about the German bred GSD in the breed ring but I thought it sort of lost it it that large group ring.
Final night is Terrier and Hound and once again the Americans topped the Terrier Group with the American bred, shown and handled Soft Coated Wheaten terrier looking the part. The top winning terrier in the UK for 2007 was the Australian Terrier which managed to lose not only the ticket but reserve ticket too. I found that hard to do but then again I wasn't judging. Peter Green's WFT, he was the judge and will be doing Best in Show at Crufts next year was a neat looking wire and there was a top notch Norwich in competition as well. The Border Terrier looked nice and from an American standpoint we were represented with an Irish and a Smooth as well as the Wheaten. Have I forgotten an American winner – I hope not. Now comes the Hound group and don't you know it but another Beagle is pointed to!! Totally different to Uno is this dog but then again our beagles and theirs are totally different for sure. Bred from one of the most famous beagle kennels and by one of the most respected ladies in the UK this was a popular personal win. I thought the Otterhound to be outstanding, the Swedish whippet absolutely top notch, the American Basenji in a class by itself while the Norwegian Elkhound too was most competitive. The Hound group was one of the strongest of the four days.
Come to best and I made it between the Giant Schnauzer and the Soft Coat. The judge who is the person who counts in this case chose the Giant with the Sammy as her runner up.In this line up there was no denying the Giant all the way. Mrs Coxall was clever and gracious in her statements afterwards. She looked lovely and understated in her outfit and handled the ring with the aplomb one has come to associate with her general attitude about dogs. It was a great ending to four great days of conformation competition.
Some general comments I thought the groups were stronger this year in most instances than ever before which must have meant the breed judging was better than ever. The group judging however in too many instances left me a bit chilly to be nice about it. The show itself cannot be beat on any level. The hard working Staff which puts on this show has my unending admiration. Ronnie Irving and Rose Smart are always a pleasure to be with and how they can appear so unfrazzled with all that is going on truly is amazing. Eric Smethurst does a great job as chairman even though I know he does it with a heavy heart due to Terry's bad health. One final note of thanks to all the Ladies headed by Liz Cartledge in the Overseas Lounge where our Dog News booth is located. Without their morning greetings and help throughout the day I doubt either Gene or I could survive the long pleasant ordeal called the Crufts dog show, indeed the greatest dog event in the world.