IT’S showtime. But not just any show, it is the biggest dog show on Earth – the world famous Crufts.


Jules, Lenny and Daisy who have all qualified in their classes As thousands of dogs converge on the NEC at Birmingham for the show’s 125th year, south Cumbrian competitors are starting to feel the excitement.

At 12-years-old, Sussex spaniel Daisy is a veteran of the ring and owners Tom and Jane Graham say she knows something is up even from the peace of their Askam home.

She has had her first bath and trim - a sure sign something big is happening. 

Jane said: “You can tell she knows something is up especially now she has had her first bath and trim. She will have a second grooming session before Friday show day.”
Daisy 

Daisy will not be on her own for the trip, she will be sharing room in the Graham's car with 14-month old Lenny and two-year-old Jules, both Welsh spaniels.

Jules won Best in Breed (Puppy) last year while this will be Lenny’s first Crufts.

While the show itself starts today, the Grahams won’t go until tomorrow.

It is an early start for everyone, but for the dogs that is no problem because they will get into the car and go straight back to sleep!


Jules on show Jane said: "They will start popping their heads up when we are close to their destination. They almost seem to be saying ‘are we there yet?’". 

Describing show day, Tom said: “We leave home around 3.30am with the aim of reaching the NEC for 7am. 

"It is so well organised that I can drop Jane off with the dogs before parking the car. Crufts has a drop-off system which you have to book in advance and judging starts at 8.30am.”

Dogs have to be six months old before they can be entered into any show and a lot of training goes into getting them ready. To get to Crufts dogs have to have been big winners at other shows first but when they come to the Birmingham arena they know it is something special.

Tom said: “They know it is a big occasion. Crufts is the only show where everything is covered in green, like a big green carpet everywhere and they seem to notice the difference from normal shows.

“The green seems to lift them and they notice the atmosphere and they get excited.”

Jane said if the dogs weren’t happy doing this they couldn't show them - they have to want to do it. 

While class sizes differ in the actual show, all dogs are judged to breed standards which is the guideline that describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. Different judges will see different points in each dog and possibly have something in particular they favour, but each dog must be judged on the criteria and the standards are the same the world over. 

Judges are allowed to go over each dog for up to three minutes, see the dog walk around, stand them up and see them move around in a triangle. 

Tom has been judging dog shows for more than 30 years and he has owned 17 dogs who have become show champions which he says is a wonderful feeling. Jane is also a show judge and said she loves both showing and judging and would not want to just specialise in one area. 

Tom has judged Welsh springer spaniels in 2008 for Crufts and has been invited back in 2019 to judge Sussex spaniels. Jane would also love to step into the Crufts ring as a judge. 

Breeds are divided into dogs and bitches and then classes are broken up into ages. Judges then choose the best dog from the dog classes and the best bitch from the bitch classes and from these two the judges choose a best in breed. 

How do Tom and Jane find life competing? They both agreed: “Everyone wants to win, but the spaniel is a good breed to be in and we all get on really well. 

“It is a social event for the dogs and us and we have friends in the shows and like meeting up.” 

Judging usually winds up around 4.30pm each day, but no matter what time it is Tom and Jane, along with the dogs, will head back home tomorrow night. For them the show is over - until next time.