nieuws - 12/03/2016
Crufts 2016 Day 4 - Verenigd Koninkrijk
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door Karl Donvil
CRUFTS 2016 , looking back to 125 years of dog tradition
Britain has always been a dog minded country and Charles Cruft is maybe the best example. If he would know how famous his show is now, 125 year later, he would be enormously proud. His first show in 1891 had an entry of 2437 dogs. However, he was known to bump up the numbers and there were for example several stuffed dogs on display. Now, 2016, there are almost 22,000 dogs entered.
Around 22.000? What about exact numbers? This proves that it all depends from what angle you look at it. For the show itself 21.866 dogs were entered but dogs can participate in more than one class, all the dogs participating in the sports competitions can be taken into account, and what about the cross breeds, junior handling,...that would bring us much further than 22,000 dogs. One thing is clear, it is the biggest dog show in the world, maybe beaten in numbers of dogs entered for the show (France?) but it is the most known in the world, attracting record numbers of visitors, offering the most diverse trade stands, covering the largest space for a dog show, probably the most diverse in numbers of nationalities etc.
This year was an important anniversary, 125 years of Crufts, and one would expect some special things to happen but it was business as usual. It gets more and more difficult to invent new things. Maybe one thing is worth mentioning; on Friday, when only one group, the Gundogs, was on term, there was a new competition, the vulnerable breeds. Interesting as this brings some rather rare breeds into focus and that might help as people like to have something special and unusual. Two new breeds were new on the list, the English Setter and the Irish Terrier and the Bedlington was put on the watch list. The lists contain only English and Irish breeds, including the Bloodhound that is in fact a Belgian breeds stabilized in Britain. The most vulnerable breed is undoubtedly the Otterhound with only 34 registrations. Compared to the most popular breeds, the Labrador with 32.507 pups and the Cocker Spaniels with 22.577, it is a huge difference.
Every day has a nice and entertaining program on offer for the spectators and new items for the main ring are not needed in fact, Thursday the Young Kennel Club Agility Dog of the Year and the Junior Warrant Competition, Friday Agility, Gamekeepers Competition, Gundog display and the Vulnerable breeds, Saturday has Agility international, Heelwork to Music, International Junior Handling, and Sunday of course many more things like Friends for Life, Mary Ray and the Police demonstration. There would not be much more possible if not it would end much later. In fact, in the arena you can take a seat at 9 and leave late in the evening and all the time you would have doggy entertainment. Crufts is a total spectacle and you are forced to make choices, or shopping or seeing a few breeds in the ring or the arena program, it's only possible to experience Crufts but missing nothing is impossible.
Thursday and Friday seemed much more busy than usual and many stand holders agreed with me. Perhaps this had to do with the rescheduling of some groups. The Gundogs were on Friday, last year on Thursday, Toys and Utility was now on Thursday and maybe this attracted more visitors on those days. More and more visitors come from overseas, some to visit some to participate. This year 3396 dogs from other countries came over to Birmingham, 14% more than last year. There were dogs entered from Peru, Japan, Mexico, Venezuela, the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, each time one or two. 47 Dogs from the states were entered. France was best represented with 428 entries, followed by Italy with 382, the Netherlands with 347, and Ireland with 301. Sweden had 209 at Crufts, more than double of the next Nordic country and Russia was represented by 200 dogs. But so many foreign visitors means so much more hotel bookings and the prices are going higher and higher each year. Nearby the halls it is as good as impossible to find a room below 100£ a night. The only option to have it cheaper is take the train to Birmingham or Coventry. A weekend Crufts becomes a very expensive holiday. But if you come as a visitor, I would advise to buy the Show Guide instead of a catalog as all dogs can be found online. This Show Guide is, and I keep on repeating it every year, one of the best things to buy and keep. It is so well organized and holds so much interesting information for novices as well as for professionals.
The Cirneco Dell'Etna and the Lagotto Romagnolo, two Italian Breeds, are now accepted, while the Azawakh, Hungarian Pumi and the Picardy Shepherd dog are accepted in any variety class. And that brings us to the judges. For them, the Kennel Club has started the Kennel Club Academy. Breed and specialty clubs can, with the help and finances of the Kennel Club, make a documentary about breeds, showing all aspects of the breed, possible problems, faults and peculiarities and this in order to instruct judges and aspirant judges. It would be a great idea if this could be done in collaboration with the FCI and AKC in order to prevent certain breeds to deviate from the original. New too, is that from April 6 on, all dogs in Britain need to be microchipped. Still Britain, notwithstanding a dog loving people, has its problems, just as much as anywhere else in the world. Dogs that suffer, crossbreeds dropped in shelters, etc. This microshipping could make a difference although it will never completely stop the problem. The Kennel Club took several initiatives to cast the Crufts Spotlights on these dogs too. There is the Scruffts Crosbreeds competition and Friends for life is often also a matter of non-showdogs. But Friends for Life hype is slowing down, at least that's how it looks. It looks like the stories are more common, more like thousands of dogs do every day in caring for their masters and bringing comfort into their lives. In fact they all deserve a medal. The stories behind the nominates look more common, more like so many dogs. Instead of choosing a winner by voting it would maybe be better to just nominate 5 dogs that stand for all the dogs that do exactly the same every day, a celebration of dogs that sacrifice their lives for mankind. Crufts could be the ideal means to bring the work of our beloved dogs into the spotlights and that is more than taking care of its master in need. So many people have no idea what some dogs to do for us, including searching cancer. Maybe Friends for live should get a facelift, a new formula. But it's without any doubt a great initiative.
The Junior Handling competition has a kind of strange overcast the last years. Although 46 countries compete it is no longer a headlight. In the website it is hard to find any information about it. One would suppose to find something about it in the Press Pack, but no. Under the" What's on" button you can find a link. It looks like the Kennel Cub no longer wants to bring this under the attention. Isn't that strange? A more international competition is hard to find at Crufts, and still? But no other competition has been more the subject of discussion, maybe that's what the Kennel Club is afraid of. More and more shows in the world drop the Junior Handling competition, probably for the same reason. First there is here at Crufts the handicap for the handlers that they are not able to chose their dogs. How fair is that? Some dogs are nervous, don't like strangers, etc. Most of the kids are used to certain or even only one breed and suddenly they are supposed to handle a completely different kind of dog, that is not their own, etc , etc. In a couple of minutes they make the dogs get crazy as the judge makes the kids turn in all kinds of ways, turning around the dogs while keeping an eye on the judge. Imagine what goes on in the head of the dog? And then when finally they maybe get a little at ease they are given to another kid! Is that the way we teach children to handle dogs? And there is the competition factor that teach the children, often pushed by the parents, to have only one objective, to win. Kids are kept away from school and are learnt to ask money, black money, for handling dogs on shows. And what about the countries in competition? Some children represent countries they even are not able to point on a map. It would be better to start learning Geography at school. And if you hear the comments, they all want to become a vet, doctor, engineer, etc. Sometimes you hear an honest comment "X wants to be a professional handler later...". If kids want to handle and show a dog, no problem. Let them participate in the show, let them have showtraining and compete in the normal judging where the dog is judged, not the kids. If talent floats, it will also float without Junior Handling competition. It will finds its way also without. Junior Handling has become a circus, at least that is how I see it.
As mentioned before in this article, Thursday started with the Toy and the Utility Group. The Toy group had 2909 dogs, 3182 entries. As everywhere the Chihuahua , Chinese Crested, the Papillon and the Pug were most popular in this group, all with over 200 entries. There were 269 Pugs and 429 Chihuahuas, both short and long coats. Mrs.Valerie Blore was the judge and she chose the Pekingese Ch. Yakee Ooh Aah Cantona as BIS. Reserve was the Havanese Ch Larwinsca Lady Guinevere. The Utility Group was judged by Mrs.Mary Deats. There were 3012 dogs in this group, good for 3311 entries. The Bulldogs were leading here with 245 dogs. The Tibetan Terrier seems to be very popular here as this breed came second with 235 dogs entered, beating the Dalmatian and the French Bulldogs with 228 and 219 dogs respectively. Ch.Longdale's Jen You Win, a German Kleinspitz, won the group and was runned up by the Japanese Shiba Inu Ch.Vormund Leonardo Di Caprio.
Only one group was on term on Friday, the Gundogs. This biggest group had 4957 dogs and 5838 entries and was judged by Mrs. Di Arrowsmith. This group has many very popular breeds. The Labradors are the top breed here with 588 dogs, followed closely by the Golden Retrievers with 569. The English Cockers are ranking on the 3rd place with 403 specimen and then you have the Flat Coats with 334 and the Irish Setters with 314. Amazing numbers! And it is not over, 236 Pointers, 203 Welsh Springers, 200 English Setters and 192 Gordon Setters. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers follow next as the first non-British breed in this group with 169 of them. It was a Gordon Setter, Ch.Lourdace Fulcrum, who was given the ticket for the finals. Runner up was the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Ch.Arnac Bay Exe.
Friday is the most relaxing day ending at 19.25. Saturday ends more than an hour later. The Working Group and Pastoral Group were on term now. The Working group had 2566 dogs and 2788 entries. Mr.Kari Jarvinen from Finland had the honor to judge them. The Boxers were the most popular breed in his group with 236. The Bernese Mountain dogs seem to be popular over here too, 221 were in competition. The Newfoundland was just below 200, 198 to be precise. And of course also very numerous and popular are the Rottweiler and the Dobermann with 193 and 179 respectively. Mr.Jarvinen chose the Bouvier des Flandres, Ch.Liskport Lord of the Rings, as his winner, a very nice dog fitting the continental standard perfectly. The Bullmastif who was second came from Italy, Angel's Phoenix The Devil's Advocate. Mr.Frank Kane was the judge of the Pastoral Group that had 3077 dogs and 3497 entries. The Border Collie caps the other breeds here with 359 dogs. The Bearded Collies came next with 299, followed by the Shetland Sheepdogs with 282 and the Rough Collies with 269. The Samoyeds counted 168 dogs and was won by a dog handled by a 9 year old girl who was showing absolutely amazing and professional. She was placed 4th. The Groupwinner was the Border Collie Ch.Simaro Cold As Ice, he won from the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Multi CH.Vi'Skaly's Harlem Shake. Unfortunately the website is not giving information about the countries the dogs come from, but I presume many of the winners are foreign dogs.
Sunday, day of the finals, is the most stressing day, and it will not be over before 21.00, at least if you are not press and need to wait till you can take the famous BIS pictures. The main program starts at 16.55, which means that you have your paid seat in the arena for 4 hours. Fortunately there is enough of entertainment to keep you busy without noticing the hours go by and there are two groups to be done before the BIS can be chosen. The first group is the Terrier group, the smallest, judged again by a foreign judge, Mr. Dan Ericsson from Sweden. He had the best in front of him out of 2307 dogs and 2496 entries. The Staffordshire Bull Terriers are far out the most popular with an entry of 410! Strange enough, at least for European standards is the popularity of the Border Terrier who came second with 239 specimen. His winner was the West Highland White Terrier Ch.Burneze Geordie Girl. He won from 147 competitors. Runner up was the best Border Terrier Ch.Brackenfell Bok To Bach. The last group before BIS judging was the Hound group, 3038 Dogs and 3350 entries. They were judged by Mr.Jeff Horswell. Most popular were the Whippets who showed up with 397. The Beagles are also very popular, they were with 253 and then there is the popular Afgan Hound, on this edition 232 were in competition. The Rhodesian Ridgeback was the last breed in this group with over 200 dogs, 201 in fact. With surprise I note that 162 Irish Wolfhounds were entered, a high level of popularity! Winner in this group was the whippet Ch.Nothing Compares to You at Crosscop.
The only difference in the Best In Show program for this 125th anniversary were the 3 singers that were supposed to sing live but they had back luck, their microphones got stuck. Some people joked about it aloud, but I felt sorry for them especially as they continued courageously to sing live and received a big applause. After Mary Rays performance and the West Midlands Police demonstration the lights dim, the fanfare of the Royal Marines open the finals and Mr.Derek Smith, the Best In Show judge is introduced. 7 Nice dogs are coming up, one by one and judging starts. 25 Minutes later Mr. Smith is making a last check, the dogs make a last round and then he goes straight to the West Highland White Terrier, choice of Mr. Dan Ericsson and seconds later to the runner up to BIS, the whippet. For both dogs it must have been a most exciting day, winning the breed, then the group and finally ResBIS, all the very same day. The whippet is co-owned by MRS L D, MR G M & MISS C MORRIS, WADDELL & DONALDS. Our Westie , Burneze Geordie Girl, is owned by Miss M & Mrs A Burns. Geordie's photo will show in next year's Show Guide and this year is hundreds of magazines, blogs, Facebook pages etc. This cute little bitch is born in june 2014 and now, not even two years later, she is a world famous diva.
In a couple of months many people start longing again to go to Crufts next year, victims of a strange attraction. It's like a soccer game, you can see it much better on television, but witnessing it live is beyond comparison. See you there next year!
Text and photos Karl DONVIL
Results BKC
Crufts 2016 Results
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Best In Show Judge: Mr Derek Smith
Best In Show CH BURNEZE GEORDIE GIRL West Highland White Terrier
Owner: MISS M & MRS A BURNS
Res BIS CH NOTHING COMPARES TO YOU AT CROSSCOP JW Whippet
Owner: MRS L D, MR G M & MISS C MORRIS, WADDELL & DONALDSON
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Terrier Group Judge(s): Mr Dan Ericsson [Sweden]
BEST OF GROUP CH BURNEZE GEORDIE GIRL West Highland White Terrier
Owner: MISS M & MRS A BURNS
RESERVE BEST OF GROUP CH BRACKENFELL BOK TO BACH JW Border Terrier
Owner: MR C & MISS L HALL & ELLIS
THIRD OF GROUP IR CH IRISBLU JACK OF DIAMONDS Kerry Blue Terrier
Owner: MR H & MRS H QUIGG
FOURTH OF GROUP CH KINSRIDGE TOP TIP Norfolk Terrier
Owner: MISS D JENKINS
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Hound Group Judge(s): Mr Jeff Horswell
BEST OF GROUP CH NOTHING COMPARES TO YOU AT CROSSCOP JW Whippet
Owner: MRS L D, MR G M & MISS C MORRIS, WADDELL & DONALDS
RESERVE BEST OF GROUP CH SILVAE SOLO Dachshund (Wire-Haired)
Owner: MR D C & MRS K D MCCALMONT
THIRD OF GROUP CH KINABULA BIN THERE DONE THAT Rhodesian Ridgeback
Owner: MRS M L FARLEIGH
FOURTH OF GROUP CH PRAMADA'S XAVIER WITH JORDDACHS Dachshund (Long-Haired) Owner: MISS M PEAT
Text and Photos: Karl DONVIL
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