French Bulldog "Cruft´s"

Promoted by Mr. Charles Cruft in 1886, this show has for very many years held a world-wide reputation as the greatest dog show the world over. Cruft´s not only draws entries from the very best kennels in the British Isles, but it also attracts visitors from every country in the world; and each succeeding year sees a greater and more representative gathering of foreign visitors and buyers.
Cruft’s first show was confined to Terriers. There was an entry of 570, quite modest when we consider recent totals. This grew as the years progressed, and in 1914 the entry totalled 4200. This was considered by the knowledgeable Canine Press, and by dog-lovers generally, to be the peak to which a show of this class could hope to attain, but this figure falls into insignificance when compared with the following list of entries over ten years:
1924, 6818
1925, 8188
1926, 9157
1927, 9816
1928, 9466
1929, 9682
1930, 9565
1931, 9389
1932, 9206
1933, 8564
1934, 9363
Charles Cruft, the promoter, is without doubt a great personality. He has been given all sorts of titles at various times, but probably the most apt is that of the Barnum and Bailey of Dogdom, for he is without question the greatest showman we have ever had in canine circles, and had been a publicity seeker he might have been one of the best-known men in the country. He has always however, kept himself in the background, and his constant remark to journalist who have desired information about him has been, “Don´t worry about me, it´s the show that matters”.
The actual start of this greats showman is a romance, for Charles Cruft’s first job was that of office-boy to the late James Spratt, the founder of the firm of dog biscuit.
Mr. Cruft’s progress with Spratts was such that form office-boy he rapidly moved along to more important positions, and later visited owners of shootings, head gamekeepers and others for his firm, and here he no doubt built up the strong and valuable connection he has always had amongst sporting dog owners, for the sporting dog has always been remarkably well catered for at his show. Do not let there be any suggestion, however, that Gun-dogs have better treatment than that afforded other breeds, for this is not so.
Mr. Charles Cruft has always paid great attention to the question of the judges, and none but the very best are ever extended an invitation to officiate at his shows. Neither does he haggle over expense to get the best. We have seen there the most prominent of the Continental judges, as also others from the United States and Canada.
Coming to exhibitors, here again Mr. Cruft has been well honoured, for he has received the entries of kings, queens and princes at his shows, and in old catalogues we find entries from Queen Victoria, the late King Edward and Queen Alexandra, whilst H.M. King George V has shown his Labradors and Cumbler Spaniels, and the Prince of Wales his Alsatian.