Crufts is well-known by dog owners and dog lovers across the globe. An annual event that attracts thousands every year, Crufts is not just another dog competition but rather a community of dog lovers. But there is more to Crufts than meets the eye. Here are 25 interesting facts you might not know about Crufts!
1. What Is Crufts?
Crufts is not just a celebration of dogs but a community of dog lovers from around the world coming together each year. This 4-day event has a wide range of dog competitions. From agility to heelwork to music, flyball and, of course, Best in Show, Crufts is a well-rounded show with something for everyone.
2. When Did Crufts Start?
The first Crufts event was held in 1891 at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington.
3. What Does Crufts Stand For?
Crufts was named after Charles Cruft, the founder of Crufts. Charles Cruft was inspired by his previous role as the general manager of a dog biscuit factory, which involved visiting different dog competitions, so he decided to create his own dog competition.
4. What Time Does Crufts Start?
Crufts is held in early March over the span of four days. The first show of each day starts at 9 am so it is advised you aim to get to the venue as early as possible to avoid missing the beginning of the show.
5. Where Is Crufts?
Although the first Crufts event was held in London, Crufts now takes place in Birmingham at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC). The event has been held at this location since 1991.
6. What Dog Won Crufts?
In terms of Best in Show, the winner of 2024 was the Australian Shepherd, Viking. Previous winners include Orca the Lagotto Romagnolo, who won in 2023, and Baxer the Flat-Coated Retriever, who won the Best in Show award in 2022.
7. Crufts Wasn’t Always Named The Greatest Dog Show
Even though Crufts is now known as Crufts the Greatest Dog Show, Crufts was originally named the First Great Terrier Show as it was initially a dog competition aimed solely at terriers. This event was first held in 1886 and was later changed to Cruft’s Greatest Dog Show in 1891.
8. Queen Victoria Had Winning Dogs!
Even the Royals have had a taste of Crufts victory! At the first Crufts event in 1891, Queen Victoria entered her dogs into the competition and three even won. Darnley II the Collie and two of her Pomeranians won their respective competitions.
9. The First Crufts Was A Success
The first Crufts event drew in 2437 entries with a diverse mix of 36 breeds in 1891, kickstarting the beginning of a successful dog competition.
10. Retrievers Have Had the Most Entries
Out of all the hundreds of breeds that have entered Crufts, Retrievers make up a large portion of entrants. At the 2024 Crufts, 538 Golden Retrievers and 519 Labrador Retrievers were entered into the competition. Cocker Spaniels were the third most popular breed, with 421 entrants.
11. Cocker Spaniels Are In The Lead
With almost 100 Best in Show winners, Cocker Spaniels have by far been the most awarded breed with 7 wins! It’s not a coincidence that all but one of these winners were from the same owner either - Herbert Summers Lloyd.
12. What Does The Crufts Winner Get?
You may think with all the prestige surrounding Crufts there would be a grand prize for winning the whole competition. Well, surprisingly, there’s not! Of course, there are perks to being a Crufts winner, such as bragging rights, but the Best in Show winner only gets £200.
13. What About The Crufts Trophy?
The large shiny trophy you see the Crufts winners pose with is made from solid silver, so it’s no surprise that the winner doesn’t actually take this trophy home. Don’t worry, though. The winner does receive a replica!
14. Best In Show Wasn’t Always A Competition
Although Crufts is best known for its Best in Show competition, this hasn’t always been the case. In fact, the Best in Show competition wasn’t introduced until 1928! The first winner of the Best in Show prize was Primley Sceptre, a Greyhound.
15. The Best In Show Stats
There have been 78 Best in Show winners, with 43 different breeds winning the grand prize. Additionally, only four dogs have ever won Best in Show more than once!
16. Other Breeds To Watch Out For
Although Cocker Spaniels are leading the pack with the most Best in Show wins, there are many other breeds that have had multiple successes. Welsh Terriers, Irish Setter and Poodles have had 4 wins each!
17. Not Just A Show For Pedigrees
Crufts might be the most famous dog competition for pedigrees, but have you heard of Scruffts? In 2000, The Kennel Club hosted the first Scruffts, a dog show for crossbreeds. Some of the competitions held in this event include Most Handsome Dog, Prettiest Bitch, Child’s Best Friend and Golden Oldie.
18. The Oldest Dog To Win Best in Show
Age is just a number when it comes to winning the Best in Show competition. The oldest dog to win Best in Show at Crufts was Jet the Flat-Coated Retriever who was 9 years and 195 days old.
19. The Youngest Dog To Win Best in Show
From the oldest to the youngest, a Bulldog was crowned the winner of Best in Show at only 1 year and 115 days old, making them the youngest pup to win the event as of 2024.
20. A Great Turnout For Crufts 2024
Crufts 2024 had one of the best turnouts in Crufts history. With over 24,000 entries and 220 dog breeds, Crufts was bigger than ever this year. Additionally, there were also more overseas entries than in previous years with a total of 3,766 dogs.
21. It’s A Big Clean Up Job!
Around 350kg of dog hair will be cleaned from the exhibition halls of Birmingham NEC!
22. There’s A Reason It’s The Largest Dog Show In The World
With so many pups to house as well as visitors and owners, a large area is needed to host Crufts. Luckily, the Birmingham NEC is pretty big. Crufts spans over 25 acres of the NEC. That’s 5 halls and the Resort World all taken over by Crufts for 4 whole days.
23. Crufts Hasn’t Been Held Every Year Since 1891
Crufts has only not been held a handful of times. Between 1918-1920 and 1940-1947, Crufts was postponed due to the two world wars. Crufts has also not been held in 1954 due to an electricians’ strike and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
24. Crufts Was Once Cruft’s
Originally, Crufts was actually Cruft’s (with the apostrophe!). However, even though it is grammatically incorrect, the apostrophe was dropped in 1974 during its rebrand.
25. It’s Not An Open Show
In order for your dog to compete in dog shows, including Crufts, your pup must be registered with The Kennel Club or have the authority to compete from The Kennel Club. To qualify for Crufts, you must win best in show, reserve best in show, or best puppy in show at a general or group open dog show.
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Crufts FAQs
Why is it called Crufts?
You may be wondering, “Why is Crufts called Crufts?”. Well, Crufts is actually named after the founder of the dog event - Charles Cruft. It was originally named the First Great Terrier Show but was later changed to Cruft’s Greatest Dog Show in 1891.
When does Crufts start?
Crufts takes place in early March each year spanning four days. The first event of each day starts at 9am.
Can any dog go to Crufts?
Crufts is not an open show. This means only dogs that have qualified through winning best in show, reserve best in show or best puppy in show at a general or group open dog show can enter into Crufts.
If you are visiting Crufts, you cannot bring your own dog unless they have been invited by The Kennel Club or are an assistance dog.
