Crufts is one of the world's largest and most prestigious shows. But how does your dog actually qualify? And how does the show take place? Here you can find the answers to some of the most common doubts in relation to Crufts.
Your dog can qualify in several ways:
1) Every spring, DKK hosts 2 Crufts-qualifying shows. Here, the best male and best bitch (BOB/BOS), as well as best junior male with Excellent and best junior bitch with Excellent, qualifies for Crufts the next year. In 2021, the Crufts-qualifying shows are on 9 May in Roskilde and on 20 June in Vejen.
2) All dogs that have attained the title 'International Champion', C.I.B or C.I.E, are automatically qualified.
3) The winners of the previous year's World Dog Show and European Dog Show are qualified. This includes the CACIB-winners of both sexes, as well as best junior male and junior bitch. At the European Dog Show, the best veteran male and best veteran bitch also qualify.
4) Selected foreign shows, only 2 per country. Here, the same rules apply as at the Crufts-qualifying shows in Denmark.
5) Dogs, exported from Great Britain and with an original UK-registration number, are automatically qualified, if they attain the title of national champion in a country that the British Kennel Club has a collaboration with.
6) Crufts-qualifying shows can also be found outside of Europe.
It is only the breeds, recognised by The Kennel Club that can qualify and enter at Crufts. This means that not all breeds, recognised by the Danish Kennel Club, can be shown in Britain. That is due to The Kennel Club not being a member of FCI and, therefore, they have their own criterial and rules for recognizing breeds.
At Crufts the show is not run in the same way as in Denmark. Some of the differences are e.g. that you do not line up in the order of your numbers, but instead you line up in whatever order you wish. Furthermore, everyone has to stay in the ring until the class is finished.
The dog is judged in the same way as in Denmark, but after the individual judging you do not receive a degree of quality (as in Denmark: Excellent, Very Good etc.). The judge places no 1 first, then no 2, no 3, and so on. The judge usually places five dogs in a class.
The dogs placed 1-3 gets a written critique and therefore has to stay in the ring after the placing for the writing of the critique. The dogs are stacked in front of the judge's table and the judge dismisses the dogs one by one, as he/she has finished the critiques. These critiques are not given to the owners, but published in the English magazine Our Dogs.
When finding best male or best bitch, all the class winners are called into the ring. These can only be so-called "unbeaten dogs". In Great Britain, you can enter your dog in more than one class, thus if a dog wins one class but is placed second in another, the dog is no longer "unbeated". Best of sex wins a Challenge Certificat, which is the English certificat and is given to the best male/bitch. After finding the winner of the Challenge Certificat (CC), the winner of the reserve CC is to be found. For this, the second placed from the CC-winner's class comes in to compete and the winner of the res. CC is selected from other 'unbeaten dogs' and the second placed. Note that only the CC-winner and the res. CC-winner is found.
Best of Breed takes place in the same way as in Denmark.
Crufts is a so-called 'benched' show. This means that all exhibitors and shown dogs must stay at the show until 4 p.m.
You can read about the show course and entry in Crufts' International Exhibitor Guidance here.
In order to show at Crufts, your dog needs a so-called ’Kennel Club Registration Number’ or an ’Authority To Compete Number’ (ATC). This registration usually needs to be settled at least 3 months in advance, but it can be a good idea to apply in due time, in case there is a delay. You can apply for these numbers online via a link you find on Crufts’ webpage, which will open about 6 months in advance.
There are plenty of different activities at Crufts - also many activities that we do not usually find in Denmark.
Crufts takes place over four days and all four days contain different activities and competitions. There are e.g. agility, dog dancing, obedience, flyball, grooming competitions, junior handling, Police Dog display and much more. There are international competitions in agility, dog dancing and junior handling.
Furthermore, Crufts offers 5 halls filled with stands, where you can buy anything your heart could desire - and then some.
You can find much more info about Crufts here: www.crufts.org.uk
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