Page 113 - Aussie Magazine - 2023 Issue 2

History
Crufts is named after its founder Charles Cruft. In
1876, a young Charles left college with no desire
to join the family jewellery business. Instead he
took employment with James Spratt who had
set up a new venture in Holborn, London selling
'dog cakes'. Charles Cruft was ambitious and a
relatively short apprenticeship as an office boy
led to a promotion to travelling salesman. This
brought him into contact with large estates and
sporting kennels. His next career move with
Spratts saw him travelling to Europe and here
in 1878, French dog breeders, perhaps seeing
entrepreneurial talents in Cruft, invited him to
organise the promotion of the canine section of
the Paris Exhibition. He was still just two years
out of college. Back in England in 1886 he took
up the management of the Allied Terrier Club
Show at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster. It was
in 1891 that the first Cruft's show was booked
into the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington with
2437 entries and 36 breeds and it has evolved
and grown ever since.

The first Best in Show competition was in 1928,
when Greyhound Primley Sceptre was crowned
the first Best in Show champion. Since then, there
have been 78 Best in Show winners, with 43
different breeds taking home the trophy. One and
only aussie BIS winner was in 2006 handsome
bluemerle boy Chance - Caitland Isle Take a
Chance who arrived from California, USA with
his owner Nancy Resetar and handler was Larry
Fenner. You can find out more about “Chance” in
another article in this magazine – Legends.

2001 was the first year for Australian shepherds
at Crufts and BOB winner between 20 entries
was male CH TRI-IVORY MOJO FLAIR aka Mojo,
imported from USA. This year the Show was later both BOB´s he was group placement what make
in the year due to the foot and mouth outbreak in him the most successful Aussie at Crufts. Bitta
the U.K. Ten years after there were 160 Aussies did three times BOB in Aussies and always also
entered, interesting how popularity was growing. group placing. But probably the most successful
Very unique success have had in 2008 Mrs Bitta handler is Mrs Melanie Raymond (Spavin) who
Wöhliche from Denmark. She won dog CC & won four times BOB at Crufts with three different
bitch CC for father – daughter, so her dogs took it dogs. Interview with Mel you can find in this
all! Her male Thornapple After Shock won twice magazine. Here is the list of Aussie´s BEST OF
BOB and three times dog CC at Crufts – and with BREED winners over the years:

A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 2/2023 | 113