The world's premier dog show, Crufts 1999, which took place at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, on the 11th to 14th of March, welcomed an international audience to the largest celebration of dogs on earth.

Innocence Abroad: Our First Crufts
By H. Cavanaugh

Judging

Is judging at Crufts more or less honest than at American shows? Of course, there is no way for an observer to know. Certainly some exhibitors seemed genuinely surprised when they won, although that is no indication of a fair ticket. Indeed, it might even indicate the opposite. Even so, I overheard one Crufts judge say that she believed the high honor of judging at this premier event was her due after spending 20 years in the breed, so she made the most of it by taking half a day to go through her entry of 40, chatting with friends and working the dogs as if it were a field trial rather than conformation classes. It is interesting too that while Westminster BIS judges are sequestered in hotel rooms away from the show site until they are called for the final event, the Crufts BIS judge, Liz Cartledge, was present all four days working in the international visitors' lounge as she does every year, with free access to any of the classes or groups.

Unlike US shows where there are polite thank yous and perhaps a handshake, at the conclusion of a breed's being judged at Crufts, a great deal of judge-hugging and kissing take place. Some judges seemed quite astonished at such exuberance, the English being reputedly more reserved, but an exhibitor who comes forward after defeating three or four hundred dogs or more is understandably excited and apparently ready to hug anybody, even a judge.

More from "Innocence Abroad" ...

Judging
The Exhibitors
Spays and Neuters
Facilities and Amenities
Discover Dogs
Additional Events
Spectators
Cell Phones
Gleaming Brass Horns
Photographers
Final Thoughts
History of Crufts