Crufts Dog Show
This year Crufts will take place from March 5th-8th March 2026 at the NEC in Birmingham UK.
Crufts was founded by Charles Cruft. He decided he didn’t want to go into the family jewellery business so he took an apprenticeship as an office boy which led to him to becoming a travelling salesman. He worked for a dog biscuit company called Spratts and made contacts with large estates and sporting kennels. He then organised a canine section at the Paris Exhibition. Charles Cruft founded the first Crufts in 1891 in Islington, London. It originally featured 2,500 dogs.
The first Best in Show when introduced in 1928 was won by a Greyhound called Primeley Sceptre.
The Kennel Club took over in 1948. It was first televised in 1950 moving to Birmingham NEC in 1991. In 1955 it began allowing crossbreeds to compete.
Crufts now features over 20,000 dogs competing in various categories including agility, flyball and heelwork to music.
