And The Kennel Club wants to hear from those competing at the event
Entries have opened today, 19 November for Crufts 2025, which is taking place at the NEC in Birmingham from Thursday 6 – Sunday 9 March next year. Tickets are also now on sale via Crufts.
Crufts 2025 will showcase over 200 pedigree breeds, beginning with the Terrier and Hound groups on Thursday 6 March, Utility and Toy groups on Friday 7 March, Gundog group on Saturday 8 March and concluding with the Working and Pastoral groups on Sunday 9 March. Elsewhere, the Junior Warrant final and Breeders competition will also take place on the Thursday, and the Joe Cartledge Memorial International Junior Handling competition and Vulnerable Breed final on the Friday.
Last year saw over 19,200 dogs competing for Best in Show, with the most overseas dogs entered than ever before – 3,700 dogs from 50 countries. At Crufts 2025, the Polish Hunting Dog will be in the Discover Dogs area for the very first time as a newly recognised breed. There will also be celebrations too for the Young Kennel Club (YKC), formerly known as the KCJO, as the organisation celebrates its 40th anniversary.
To enter Crufts 2025, or to find out more about qualification, visit Crufts website. Postal entries close on 6 January 2025 and online entries close on 20 January 2025. The schedule is available through Fosse Data services and The Kennel Club would like to thank Fosse Data for running Crufts entries. Exhibitors are asked to note that digital catalogues will be available this year. However, there will be the option to order a printed version if preferred, but they must be pre ordered on the entry form and collected at the show by 12 noon on the day they are valid.
The Kennel Club is also calling for anyone competing at Crufts – in any activity or discipline – to help to promote the benefits of dog ownership, dogs in society and taking part in canine activities. The organisation is looking for inspiring dogs and owners with interesting stories that it can communicate to the media in the run up to Crufts and during the show itself.
To give competitors at Crufts the potential opportunity to tell their dog’s story to the wider world, The Kennel Club has set up an online form, which can be filled in by visiting Crufts website.
Examples of stories that might be of interest are:
- Dogs that have changed their owners’ lives, or positively impacted the lives of others
- Dogs and/or owners or handlers that have overcome the odds
- Dogs with jobs outside of the show ring, or the canine activity they take part in
- Oldest and youngest Crufts competitors
- Two or more generations of the same family competing at Crufts
- A family with a very long association with Crufts
- Competitors who found love through their dog
Tom Mather, Crufts Chairman, commented: “Every year we look for remarkable stories that show the wide range of people who enjoy taking part in dog showing and the many other canine activities and disciplines, to showcase the impact that dogs have on our lives and to share some amazing stories of what goes on outside of the show ring.
“If you are competing at Crufts 2025 and have a good story to tell or an interesting history with Crufts that you are happy to be shared with the public, then let us know by filling out the online form and help us to show the world just how wonderful our dogs are.”
Across the four days of the show, Crufts welcomes nearly 20,000 dogs, 160,000 people and sees over 8 million TV viewers tune into the Channel 4, More4 and All4 broadcast. All the main arena action is also live streamed on the official Crufts YouTube channel which in 2024 saw just under 3 million views.
More information and tickets for the event are available on the Crufts website: Crufts.org.uk. Tickets are free for under 8s, and advance tickets start at £15 for children (aged 9-15) and concessions, and £22 for adults (fees apply). Please note that tickets are only available through our official ticketing partner AXS.
