Cookie here! Just a year ago, my family discovered the awesome breed, Australian Shepherd, while visiting the Westminster Dog Show in New York. The rest is history, and now here we are, Dear Reader. Clearly Dog Shows are important and enjoyable events that can change lives, both Canine and Human. Today’s post is about one of the biggest and best Dog Shows on Planet Earth. It’s called Crufts and takes place each year in England and is attended by well over 100,000 humans (not to mention the dogs themselves.) The show is being held this year between the dates of March 7-10 in Birmingham, England. Here’s a historic photo from the 1968 Crufts of People with their Bedlingham Terriers….very nice dogs in this pup’s opinion.
Crufts is named after its founder, Charles Cruft. In 1876 a young Mr. Cruft left college and began working with James Spratt who had set up a new venture in Holborn, London selling ‘dog cakes’. Soon Mr. Cruft was a travelling salesman for the business, bringing him into contact with large estates and sporting kennels. His travels for the business eventually took him to Paris, France, where he was invited to organize the promotion of the canine section of the Paris Exhibition. Later back in England, in 1891 that the first Cruft’s show was booked into the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington. Except for a few wartime years, it has been held every year since, and continues to grow.
Today Crufts’ mission included promoting dog health, and encouraging the breeding of healthy dogs in turn. The event also celebrates the unique relationship dogs have with their owners. Crufts also presents a great opportunity to meet and talk to British Kennel Club Assured Breeders, as well as rescue charities and breed experts about how to obtain, care, and live with a dog responsibly. The Show also features fantastic shopping and is a great place to get a present for your dog (hint, hint Mommy…)
Hero dogs, police dogs, and rescue dogs are celebrated at this event, and a Humanitarian Action of the Year award is given through the Friends for Life competition. In 2009, the British public voted Brock, a search and rescue Australian Shepherd dog from Bracknell, Berkshire, Englad, and the Crufts Friends for Life champion, and therefore, Britain’s hero dog. Through his years of service, Brock has changed or saved countless live through air scenting and trailing work that can detect where a missing person was last located. What an Awesome Aussie!
You can watch the show on YouTube as well as follow the show on Facebook and Twitter. History buffs can view catalogues and schedules from the Show that date back to 1886 online at the show’s website. There is also a Crufts magazine which you can subscribe to. Highlights include Flyball, the International Agility Competition (which yours truly will be watching, because there HAS to be some Aussies in it!) and Mary Ray’s Heelwork to Music performances are supposed to be excellent, too.
So make yourself a nice cup of tea, and visit the Cruft Show website, http://www.crufts.org/uk
And long live the Kings and Queens of Canines!
Woofs, Cookie
Cookie of Katonah 