The organisers of the world’s most revered dog show Crufts 2019 promise a better show than the last years. Watch 22,000 pampered pooches as they strut their way to covet the title of Crufts Best in Show. Colloney Tartan Tease, a female whippet, whipped away Crufts 2018 Best in Show.
128th edition of Crufts
Photo Credit: Twitter
This canine event started in 1891, which marks this year as its 128th year of Crufts. It is also recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest dog show in 1991. It earned more than 4.5 million viewers just to cheer and watch a series of dog competitions in a variety of fields including breeding, obedience, agility, flyball, and heel work.
This year, Crufts competition will start on 7 March up to 10 March at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham. The opening time follows 8.15–18.30 in the halls.
Breeds showing off this year
Photo Credit: The Kennel Club
More than 200 breeds will be striding their way with their talents. In comparison to last year’s 20,822 competitors, there are only 20,565 canines this time.
Take a look at the dog breeds that have a significant number of entries in this year’s competition:
- The golden retriever, with 537 entries, is the breed with the most entries just like last year.
- There is a 50 per cent increase on the entries for Japanese spitz, lowchen, Pharaoh hound, and Australian shepherd compared to last year.
- Three new breeds are added on the competition: tan coonhound (12 dogs entered), White Swiss shepherd dog (18), and Russian toy (34). As their first entry, they belong to the Imported Breed Register classes at Crufts.
Crufts 2019 arena programme
Crufts 2019 schedule
1st Day: 7th March – Thursday
Breed showing groups: Gundog breeds will compete on this day.
- Agility – Kennel Club Novice Cup Final (Jumping) (8:45 am)
- Agility – Kennel Club British Open Final (Jumping) (9:35 am)
- Agility – Crufts Team – Large Final (10:20 am)
- East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Display Team (11:05 am)
- Dog Activities Display (11:25 am)
- BREAK (11:45 am)
- Freestyle HTM Competition (12:15 noon)
- Agility – Kennel Club British Open Final (Agility) (1:40 pm)
- Agility – Kennel Club Novice Cup Final (Agility) (2:25 pm)
- Flyball – Team Quarter Finals (3:15 pm)
- West Midlands Police Display (4:00 pm)
- Freestyle Heelwork to Music Competition Winner (4:30 pm)
- BREAK (4:35 pm)
- Eukanuba World Challenge Finals Opening (5:00 pm)
Junior Warrant Competition Final
Eukanuba World Challenge Final
Vulnerable Breeds Competition
Gamekeepers Competition
Gundog Display (Castlemans Gundogs – Philippa Williams)
Group Judging (Gundog Group) and Presentation - End (8:40 pm)
2nd Day: 8th March – Friday
Breed showing groups: Working breeds and Pastoral breeds
- Agility – Crufts Large Novice and Medium ABC Final (Jumping) (8:45 am)
- Agility – Crufts Singles heat – S/M/L (Jumping) (9:25 am)
- Agility – Crufts Team – Medium Final (10:20 am)
- Good Citizen Dog Scheme Display (11:05 am)
- BREAK (11:45 am)
- Heelwork to Music Competition (12:05 noon)
- Rescue Dog Agility (1:35 pm)
- Agility – Crufts Singles Heat – S/M/L (Agility) (2:00 pm)
- Agility – Crufts Large Novice and Medium ABC Final (Agility) (3:05 pm)
- Flyball – Team – Quarter Finals (3:55 pm)
- Heelwork to Music Competition Winner (4:40 pm)
- BREAK (4:45 pm)
- Agility – Crufts Singles Final: S/M/L (Agility) (5:00 pm)
Eukanuba UK Champion Stakes
Breeders Competition Final
Group Judging (Working) and Presentation
Group Judging (Pastoral) and Presentation - End (8:20 pm)
3rd Day: 9th March – Saturday
Breed showing groups: Terrier breeds and Hound breeds
- Crufts – International Invitation – Large – Jumping (8:30 am)
- Agility – Crufts Team – Small Final (9:10 am)
- International Junior Handling Competition (Part 1) (10:10 am)
- Lowland Search and Rescue (11:30 am)
- Southern Golden Retriever Display Team (11:50 am)
- International Junior Handling Competition (Part 2) (12:10 noon)
- Heelwork to Music – Freestyle International Competition (1:00 pm)
- RAF Display (2:25 pm)
- Agility – International Invitation – Large (Agility) (2:55 pm)
- West Midlands Police Display (3:45 pm)
- Flyball – Team – Semi Finals (inc YKC Flyball) (4:05 pm)
- BREAK (4:55 pm)
- Agility – International Invitation – Large – Agility Finals (5:10 pm)
Heelwork to Music – Freestyle International Winner
International Junior Handling Competition – Final Judging
Scruffts Final
Obedience Champion (Dog) and Reserve (Dog) Display
Presentation of Painting to 2018 Best in Show Winner
Group Judging (Terrier) and Presentation
Group Judging (Hound) and Presentation - End (8:20 pm)
4th Day: 10th March – Sunday
Breed showing groups: Utility breeds and Toy breeds
- Agility – Championship – Round 1 – Jumping (9:10 am)
- Dog Activities Display (10:20 am)
- Good Citizen Dog Scheme Display (10:40 am)
- Agility – Championships – Round 2 – Agility (11:00 am)
- Lowland Search and Rescue (12:15 noon)
- Heelwork to Music (12:40 noon)
- Gundog Display (Castlemans Gundogs – Philippa Williams) (12:45 noon)
- Southern Golden Retriever Display Team (1:05 pm)
- Flyball – Team Final (1:20 pm)
- RAF Display (1:40 pm)
- Programme ends and arena to be cleared (2:00 pm)
- Doors open to ticket holders (3:30 pm)
Agility – Championship Final
Friends for Life
Eukanuba Pup of the Year
YKC Stakes Final and Presentation
Group Judging (Utility) and Presentation
Group Judging (Toy) and Presentation
Interval
West Midlands Police
Presentation of the Police Dog Tram Operational
Humanitarian Action of the Year Award
Stage Set for Best in Show
Best in Show and Presentation - End (9:00 pm)
Please note that indicated times may be subject to change.
Check out this link from time to time.
How to get Crufts 2019 tickets
Crufts 2019 ticket prices start at £15 with additional £2 for fulfilment fee. Tickets with the exemption of Best in Show and Obedience Ring include general admission to the canine event.
Note that there will be no other dogs allowed into the show except those that are invited by the Kennel Club and assistance dogs.
How to get to NEC, Birmingham
By train
Direct services by train run the all day. Birmingham International Rail Station is the nearest train station to Birmingham NEC. However, if you are travelling from a greater distance, you might have to travel through a connecting train at Birmingham New Street. There is only a fifteen-minute journey from both stations.
By bus
Plan your journey early on with these express bus options:
By car
It is wise to plan your travel ahead of time with the latest traffic information in mind. As for the parking space, there are over 16,500 spaces available at the NEC.
Payments can be done through a variety of payment methods:
- Express parking
- Prepaid parking
- Standard parking (pay on the day)
- Disabled prepaid parking
- Disabled parking
Check out prices here.
Where to stay
Check out hotels near National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham. These hotels are within a mile of NEC:
- Barncroft Luxury Guest House
- Broadwell Guest House
- Copthorne Hotel Birmingham
- Elmdon Lodge
- Jurys Inn Birmingham
- Hilton Birmingham Metropole
- Langley Cottage Guest House
- Stayford Apartments – Meriden
Check out more hotels here.
As most of the hotels near in NEC may have been fully booked, check out other options. Hotels near Birmingham International Rail Station include:
- Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham
- Novotel Birmingham Airport
- Genting Hotel at Resorts World Birmingham
- Ibis Styles Birmingham
The UK Pets team will also attending Crufts, so we will see you there!
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