A four-year-old clumber spaniel named Bruin has been crowned best in show at Crufts, the prestigious dog contest held at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. Owner Lee Cox described Bruin as 'a dog of a lifetime' after the victory, which was met with roaring cheers from the audience.
'It's just amazing,' Cox said. 'I can't believe it. It's just wonderful for this breed. For the first time in my life, I'm speechless. He's a dog of a lifetime ... he's just wonderful. He's a bit of a diva, a bit like me, he likes to have his own way. He's very chilled but would never, ever let me down.'
This year's event, which ran from Thursday to Sunday, attracted more than 18,600 dogs, including a record-breaking 4,299 international entries. The best in show prize is awarded by expert judges based on health, structure, movement and temperament, with the winner selected from the top dogs in seven group categories: working, pastoral, terrier, hound, toy, utility and gundog.
The reserve best in show was Meghan, a petit basset griffon vendéen. Other finalists included Viking the Tibetan mastiff (working group winner), Hazel the Welsh corgi (pastoral group winner), and Dublin the cavalier King Charles spaniel (toy group winner). Freddie the lakeland terrier won the veteran dog competition.
Bruin's breed, the clumber spaniel, is classified as a 'vulnerable native breed' by the Kennel Club, with fewer than 300 puppies registered annually. Fans celebrated the win on social media, with one Instagram user writing: 'Yay!!! So happy to see a clumber win Crufts! Congratulations to Bruin.'
Last year's best in show winner was Miuccia, a whippet from Venice, marking the first time a dog from Italy won the title. Crufts, which began in 1891, also features competitions in agility, obedience, flyball, and a dance routine to music, as well as a contest for young dog lovers.
