Monday 13 March 2023

Annual Doggie Extravaganza - Crufts Best in Show 2023



The winner - and 'Best in Show' is.........ORCA!



 And runner-up or  'Reserve Best in Show' is........Blondie


Finishing last night, I watch this event every year as religiously as I do the 'Eurovision Song Contest' and can't think why I've not till now done a blog on it, especially considering there are so many avid dog-lovers in blogland, several of whom I'm delighted to be following. 

Crufts, held every year in Birmingham, claims to be the world's best dog show. Whether it is or not it's certainly the biggest, with multiple thousands of entries from all over the globe, providing four days of quality 'entertainment' in competitions, obstacle courses, tricks, skills, obeying commands, grooming etc.......all of course, presided over by expert veterinary supervisors.

I can't claim to be particularly knowledgeable about dogs (nor cats, for that matter) other than liking them hugely, their honest, uncomplicated emotional responses being the main source of their endearment for me. All on the surface, nothing hidden. But I know very little regarding dog breeds (so many of them, and such variety!) and the niceties of interpreting their doggie language. 

I've never been a dog-owner myself, except when as part of the family we owned one between my ages of around 10-18 - and though all my members of my family were animal-lovers to varying extents it was I who was foremost and closest to 'Candy'. Now, with three cats to care for and coddle (it was they who chose me to leave their homes for and move in here!) and at my advanced age, acquiring a dog, or even another cat, is really out of the question, sadly.

So here are some misc pics from the last few days:-





















Incidentally, I would urge anyone who hasn't seen the Christopher Guest film 'Best in Show' (2000) to take a look. Totally hilarious, with nearly all the humour coming from or directed at the dog-owners rather than the animals. It's one off my all-time favourites and easily one of the funniest films I have ever seen.

Now, to end with, here's last year's champion, and what a fine specimen of the breed he is, you'll agree! And just look at the winning dog he owns too!



12 comments:

  1. This makes me smile. And then I think of all those mutts out there needing love.

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    1. Few things give me as much an internal 'lift' as seeing a happy dog - trotting along proudly with its master, tail up (sometimes wagging), jaws open with tongue hanging out - I feel so happy for it. And the converse, of course, a dog in distress or visibly frightened or scared of its own master, makes me correspondingly despondent.

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  2. Orca's face will have me smiling all day!

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    1. The smile of a 'winner' - and rightly so.

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  3. Agree with you about Best Of Show... pitch perfect. As are these animals... beautiful. I just can't believe all the fuss that goes into the whole thing, though. Poor babies... humans are such odd things, to have created this type of spectacle at the expense of the dogs' natural lives.

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    1. I know. There is always the uncertainty about how the dogs themselves feel about being part of this spectacle. I'd like to think that their minds are not so sophisticated, but one can never be sure.

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  4. I have never seen one of these shows, so it was intriguing to see the photos. I am partial to rescue mutts; they are my favorite.

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    1. It's a MUST for animal-lovers, not just regarding dogs, - but rescued animals do give one that extra emotional tug, and corresponding additional pleasure.

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  5. As soon as I started reading your post, I knew I was going to mention "Best in Show" but you beat me to it. One of our favorite movies that I've watched dozens of time. I do love seeing these beautiful breeds and their amazing poise,but when it comes to "owning" a pet, I am a rescuer at heart.

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    1. The film hasn't been given half the credit it deserves, S/b - often not even an acknowledgement. Yet it's unique as far as I know, in depicting at all this event which means so much to dog-owners and others - and so funny with it.
      I'm with you on rescues. If I had enough money to make drawing up a will worthwhile, animal rescuers would be the number one beneficiary of my charity choices, before all the predictable usual ones for cancer, homeslessness, children, the aged etc.

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  6. Every year when I was growing up we would go to the huge dog show in Philadelphia, PA. Animals were beyond beautiful. I too have rescue dogs, none of which I think would be welcome at that show. But I think some now have special "entries" for mixed breeds, which I think is just lovely as well.

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    1. I've never had the chance to attend one of these shows, Elle, but would love to, though I'd want to take all of them whom with me. Yes, I'm sure they do take certain mixed breeds now, which is good as it's not the dogs' fault.

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