21 awesome photos of Crufts from 1914 to 1957 before the dog show moved to Birmingham NEC

Crufts is returning to the NEC for 2023 on March 9 to 12 - here a look back at some of the earlier days of the world’s biggest dog show

It’s the biggest annual dog event in the world.

Each year thousands of people visit the NEC with their prized pooches with their amazing skills and talent. It’s a fantastic opportunity to stock up on the latest doggy goods too - with so many exhibitors with some great products.

The dog show was originally set up by Charles Cruft in 1891. The first shows took place at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London. There were 2,437 entries and 36 breeds at the first one.

It moved to Olympia in London in 1948 and to Earls Court in 1979. It finally moved to its present home - the NEC - in 1991 where it’s Centenary Show was celebrated.

There have been so many developments since then. There are some p-awesome photos that provide a fascinating insight into the show that has captured the imagination of the world.

And there’s one thing that hasn’t changed throughout time - Crufts is a celebration of dogs!

Here are 21 pictures from 1914 to 1957:

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