History of Crufts
Crufts arena
Crufts today
Crufts is one of the largest dog events in the world. No longer purely a dog show, Crufts celebrates every aspect of the role that dogs play in our lives.
It has changed in ways that couldn’t possibly have been imagined when the show was set up in Victorian times by the late Charles Cruft. Although it was a very different event in 1891 Charles Cruft was a great showman and would surely have enjoyed the size and scope of the event today, which is an essential date in any dog lover’s calendar.
The dog show is still an important part of the event, celebrating the unique relationship that dogs share with their owners. Judges are trained to ensure that only healthy dogs win prizes, which in turn encourages the breeding of healthy dogs. But the event is now about so much more besides.
A celebration of dogs
Crufts is ultimately a celebration of all dogs. It celebrates working dogs, which are fit and healthy enough to perform the jobs for which they were originally bred, such as those in the Gamekeeper classes or which line up for the Police Dog Team Operational and Humanitarian Action of the Year award, and it hails hero dogs through the Friends for Life competition. Rescue dogs are celebrated in the rescue dog agility competition and the speed and agility of dogs is celebrated in the ever popular competitions of Flyball and Heelwork to Music.
For prospective dog owners and dog lovers, Crufts is a prime opportunity to talk to Kennel Club Assured Breeders, rescue charities and breed experts about how to responsibly buy, train and enjoy life with your dog. And of course, with hundreds of trade stands selling anything and everything for dogs and dog lovers, it is a shopping extravaganza!
The show is held at the NEC in Halls 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and the Arena.
Please note that advance sales for Crufts have now ceased. Tickets will be available on the door at the “door rates” quoted below.
Best in Show advance tickets are still available.
Click here to buy now.
Show opening times each day: 8:15 – 18:30.
Door ticket prices:
Thursday and Friday – Adults £18/Concession* £14
Saturday and Sunday – Adults £20/Concession* £16
Under 12s go FREE
(*Concession: Child 12-15, Senior Citizen over 60, Student, Disabled)
Join us for a show stopping, fantastic family day out:
Shopping Heaven – over 400 stands with special treats and offers for you and your dog.
Fantastic Family Fun in the Arena – jam packed with agility, flyball, displays and competitions including the Scruffts final!
Eukanuba Discover Dogs – come meet, greet and discover over 200 breeds.
Best in Show – over 22,000 dogs striving for the title of Crufts Best in Show 2016.
What’s on at Crufts 2016
Day 3 – Saturday 12 March
Programmes subject to alteration.
Please note breed judging starts from 9am. Times for each breed’s judging are subject to change.
Jump to:
Arena Programme
Obedience Programme
Good Citizen Dog Scheme Ring Programme
Young Kennel Club Programme
Go to: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 4
Arena Programme
0830
International Junior Handling Competition
1030
Crufts – International Invitation – Large – Jumping
1110
Agility – Crufts Team – Small Final
1210
Dog Activities Display
1230
BREAK
1300
Heelwork to Music – Freestyle International Competition
1425
Agility – International Invitation – Large (Agility)
1510
RAF Display
1530
Flyball – Team – Semi Finals
1620
West Midlands Police Display
1640
Southern Golden Retriever Display Team
1655
BREAK
1720
Agility – International Invitation – Large – Agility Finals
1750
Heelwork to Music – Freestyle International Winner
1755
International Junior Handling Competition – Final Judging
1815
Scruffts Final
1835
Obedience Winners 2016
1855
Group Judging (Working) and Presentation
1945
Group Judging (Pastoral) and Presentation
2035
Programme Ends
Obedience General Schedule Day 3:
Obedience Championship (Bitches)
The Obedience Championships are the highlight of the obedience year when the best of UK obedience dogs and their handlers compete for the title of Crufts Obedience Champion.
One day is for bitches the other for dogs. Throughout the year there are 46 Championship shows around the UK that host qualifying classes for the Crufts Obedience Championships.
All dogs will have successfully competed to win their way through the class levels to qualify to compete in the Championship Class C. All those who win this class will qualify to compete in the Obedience Championships the following March.
Obedience (Starts at 4pm)
Each team will comprise four handlers and four dogs of the same breed who will take part in two rounds of competition. The first section will see all four dogs complete a round of heelwork together as a group, with the dogs being assessed on their ability to complete different moves whilst remaining synchronised with their team mates.
The second section will feature four different Obedience style exercises, each of which will be completed by a different team member. The test consists of a Retrieve (handler’s own article), Send to Bed, Stop the Dog and Scent over articles.
Good Citizen Dog Scheme Ring Programme
0900
Pre-Beginner Stakes Parade
0915
Stakes Final – 20 competitors
1200
Star Citizens Heelwork to Music
1230
KCAI Presentation
1245
Southern Golden Retriever DT
1305
Puppy Foundation Display
1320
Bronze Factor Challenge warm up
1330
Safe And Sound
1345
Silver Award Display
1405
Manchester Dogs Home
1415
Gold Award Display
1435
Dogs for the Disabled
1500
Bronze Factor Challenge Test
1530
Temptation Alley
1545
Puppy Foundation Display
1600
Safe And Sound
1615
Silver Award Display
1635
Gold Award Display
1655
Star Citizens- Heelwork to Music
1710
All Teams Down Stay
1715
Finish Star Citizens
Young Kennel Club Programme
0830
Flyball
1030
Handling 17-24 years
1130
Handling 12-16 years
1200
Cinnamon Trust Volunteer Award
1215
Jumping Under 18 Years
1400
Small ABC Agility
1430
Handling 6-11 years
1500
Heelwork To Music (Heelwork)
1545
Agility Presentations
1600
Stakes Semi Final
Day 4 – Sunday 13 March
Programmes subject to alteration.
Click to view Terrier breeds and Hound breeds.
Please note breed judging starts from 9am. Times for each breed’s judging are subject to change.
Jump to:
Arena Programme
Obedience Programme
Good Citizen Dog Scheme Ring Programme
Young Kennel Club Programme
Go to: Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3
Arena Programme
0900
Agility – Championship – Round 1 – Jumping
1010
Good Citizen Dog Scheme Display
1030
Southern Golden Retriever Display Team
1045
Safe and Sound
1105
Agility – Championship – Round 2 – Agility
1220
Flyball – Team Final
1240
West Midlands Police Dog Display
1300
Gundog Display (Adrian and Caroline Slater)
1320
RAF Display
1345
Heelwork to Music Display
1400
Programme ends and Arena to be cleared
1530
Doors open to ticket holders
1655
Agility – Championship Final
1730
Presentation to Agility World Cup Winning Team
1735
Eukanuba Friends for Life
1755
YKC Stakes Final and Presentation
1805
Group Judging (Terrier) and Presentation
1850
Presentation of Painting to 2015 Best in Show Winner
1855
Group Judging (Hound) and Presentation
1945
Heelwork to Music (Mary Ray)
1950
Interval
2000
West Midlands Police
2020
2025
Presentation of the Police Dog Team Operational and Humanitarian Action of the Year Award
Stage Set for Best in Show
2030
Best in Show and Presentation
Obedience Day 4 General Schedule:
Obedience World Cup
This is an international team event that was first staged in 2004. This year will see 6 teams competing representing England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Germany. This event is a combination of exercises from UK, USA and European (FCI) obedience.