Crufts Day 4 Show Report
And now the end is near, and so we face the final curtain. Frank Sinatra may have played to some big audiences in his time but did he ever draw a crowd of around 160,000 people to the NEC over a single weekend?
Crufts 2008 drew to a close this evening with an array of bright lights, music and fancy moves that ol’ blue eyes would have been proud of. The world’s greatest dog show finished in fine style, with a wonderful programme of events culminating in the ultimate canine contest, Best in Show.
After the last two places in this showpiece final were decided by the Group judging earlier in the evening, the seven dogs made their way into the ring of the NEC Arena under the watchful eye of judge Clare Coxall. After each was given the full opportunity to show the quality which won them their respective groups, Clare chose the Giant Schnauzer, Ch Jafrak Philippe Olivier owned by Mr & Mrs Cullen from St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex. Philip, as he is known at home, was competing in Best in Show for the third time and it certainly proved lucky for him and handler Kevin Cullen.
As daylight broke over blustery Birmingham, tens of thousands of people were already making their way towards the NEC to enjoy another fabulous day of four-legged fun. The focus in the breed rings at the show today was on the Terrier and Hound groups, with nearly 6,000 dogs due to compete in breed judging.
In the early evening, the final two groups were judged. First up, Bill Browne-Cole had the tricky task of selecting the best Terrier and he plumped for the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Am Ch Caraway Celebrate Life, owned by Dr B Chapman and Dr B Verner from the United States. Then shortly afterwards Zola Rawson oversaw the Hound group and selected the Beagle, Ch Dialynne Maximus, owned by Miss M Spavin from Solihull, raising hopes of a very local win indeed.
Another event to charm the 6,000 dog lovers packed into the Arena this evening was the announcement of this year’s winner of the Friends For Life competition. This award recognises and celebrates the special and unique bond between dogs and their owners, and the winners were 11-year old Harriet Ringsell from Hawridge, Buckinghamshire and her Hungarian Vizsla, Yepa. Harriet was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at just 11 months and Yepa has brought joy and companionship into her life and helped her develop into a confident and spirited girl.
With a wonderful display of Heelwork to Music from perennial Crufts favourite Mary Ray, the judging of the International Junior Handlers and Agility Championships final also taking place during the evening programme, the crowds were treated to a real canine extravaganza.
There was much for daytime visitors to the Arena to enjoy as well, including a special parade of some of the native breeds listed by the Kennel Club as being vulnerable due to low puppy registration figures. The dogs were accompanied by people in fancy dress, representing famous characters which have featured in these breeds’ histories, including Beatrix Potter, the Duke of Newcastle and Queen Victoria’s rat-catcher, Jack Black.
Philip may have been crowned the top dog at the show, but there’s no doubt who the biggest dog here was. The thirty foot inflatable Gromit has sadly now finally left his station in front of the NEC, though whether he was deflated deliberately or has been blown away in the strong winds remains unclear. If it’s the latter, then I might get home tomorrow to discover a rather unusual-looking bouncy castle in my back garden!
And on that hopeful note, I’ll bid you farewell from another wonderful Crufts show. It’s not known as the world’s largest and greatest dog show for no reason, you know. See you all next year.
- Date:
- 09-Mar-08
- Last updated on:
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