Should There Be Changes To Crufts Qualifications?

I was just wondering what people's opinions were on this. I personally think there should be. At the moment its 1st, 2nd & 3rd at a Champ show qualifies you, but i really think that should be dependant on entries personally. I have 3 different breeds all with varying entries. The tollers usually only have one or two in a class so you're guaranteed a qualification for turning up really! The pugs usually have about 8 or 9 in a class, our first show had about 13 in Lil's classes so that wasn't too bad. But then with Labs we've been in puppy classes with up to 40 entries, and the same qualifications apply for that!!

I really believe it needs rethinking. With Labs you often get the 'faces' with inferior dogs and lots of good dogs are overlooked, and with tollers, which in my opinion the judges should be more picky with such a rare breed, i was shocked at the poor quality of dogs at crufts this year, some which would not have been allowed to show at all in other countries had qualified for one of the biggest shows in the world!! Madness

So wha6t does anyone else think?? I dont know enough about showing to have any idea how they might go about changing it so everyones happy, but i think something needs to be done...

No I don't think that the rules should be changed but I DO think that judges should be more willing to withhold qualifying places from animals that they consider of poor quality

Judges can and will withhold 1st and 2nd place if they do not think the dog is good enough to be entered for crufts I have seen this happen (not my own dogs I have not showed a dog yet) so regardless of size of class you are not guarenteed a 1st. I do agree its easier to qualify for crufts with a rarer breed obviously with less competion it will be, dont think theres alot you can do about that!

No need to change to system, it is up to the judge to decide if the animal is worthy of a place, if it is not then the judge will/should withhold the award.

Wish someone would sort out a system for the stalls in order to limit them and dare I say it the GP and their children.

the change I would most like to see at crufts is a way handlers can bring their dogs in and out of the halls without having to go through the crowds risking their dog/s being trampled on those packed crowds are no place for dogs its not fair!

Think that since the Discover Dogs has been included at Crufts the benching should be off limits to the GP too, around the rings ok but disturbing dogs on there benches no.

I agree too many people just aproaching dogs they dont know without asking, personally think its a long and borring enough day for the dogs without adding extra stresses and if the stands were off limit to the gp owners wouldnt have to stay til 4.30pm (or whatever time it is) before they can leave being an attraction of the show making it a very long day! For us last time I went we left at 3.30-4am and didnt get home til 9-10 (if I remember rightly) very long day!

I know that judges CAN withold awards but have very rarely seen it done. Dogs are qualifying with serious faults (in most breeds i think) and as i said, the toller at Crufts had a serious fault according to the breed standard. Labs are shown with yellow colouring in their coats and some of those have also qualified for crufts, i saw one with yellow legs (black dog!!) that had apparently qualified.

I do agree that judges should withold prizes more often though, but sometimes i think they dont just to avoid offending people?

Not sure I would call yellow flecks in a black coat a serious fault, structure is more important, but no doubt dogs with faults do get through as judges are human and they like everyone else make mistakes. I still would not change the system as if you tighten up too much all the dogs at Crufts will be Champions or dogs from abroad and even then there will be some people who will say the dogs are not good examples.

No I definately don't think that the qualification criteria needs changing. It was brought in simply to restrict the numbers, not for any other reason. So remembering that, there is a need to restrict the numbers in popular breeds like Labradors, but no such need to restrict the numbers in Tollers and Pugs.

In either case, I firmly believe that if a dog is worth it, it'll qualify eventually, if it's not good enough, or, if it's always up against a flyer, and is unlucky, it won't.

I too have sometimes spent all year trying to get that qualification, I also have a very popular breed, and one not so popular, and you pay your money and take your chance.

Dawn R.