Crufts celebrates 75 years of dog shows
Last Sunday saw the conclusion of the 75th edition of Britain’s best-loved dog show, Crufts.
The much-loved event was once again held at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and saw thousands of competitive canines from all over the world appear at the four-day event.
The 2025 edition of the show saw over 150,000 people attend and featured displays from West Midlands Police dogs, including the latest puppy recruits. For the first time, it also included the Polish Hunting Dog as a new breed.
Organised and presented by The Kennel Club, Crufts featured over 200 dog breeds and culminated in its crowning glory, the “Best in Show” competition.
This year, a whippet from Italy named Miuccia took the coveted title. The four-year old from Venice bested over 18,000 dogs to win, making a dream a reality for Giovanni Liguori, her handler. He commented:
“I am truly overwhelmed. Miuccia performed her best”.
The elegant whippet, who belongs to owner Enrico De Gaspari, was praised for the grace she displayed in the ring. Crufts show manager, Helen Kerfoot, said that Miuccia and her handler deserved to win, commenting that they were fantastic together.
This year, the reserve prize was awarded to a Tibetan Mastiff called Viking who travelled from Romania to compete. Last year, an Australian shepherd from Solihull of the same name took home the Best in Show title.
A historic moment for Crufts, Miuccia’s victory marks the first time that a dog from Italy has been awarded “Best in Show”. The title also comes with a small cash prize and a trophy.
A dog owner since the early 80s, after convincing his parents to buy a Yorkshire terrier named Sadie, Darren created Dream Dogs so dog owners could find the best dog related information on the Internet.
