Dog Photographer of the Year Competition

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

The popular Dog Photographer of the Year competition is being launched at Crufts 8th - 11th March 2012, NEC Birmingham - and for the first time it is completely free to enter!

This year the Kennel Club, which runs the competition, has waived the entrance fee to encourage entries from all budding and professional photographers.

The competition officially opens on Monday 12 March 2012

The Dog Photographer of the Year competition has grown beyond belief since it was introduced eight years ago. In the last couple of years acclaimed photographers including Tim Flach and Martin Usborne have helped judge the competition, along with well known dog lovers such as Dame Jenni Murray. Weaves Crufts

Each year we see so many fantastic images and we hope to see even more this year. The competition is open to anyone around the world, and there is a special category for children aged 16 years and under.
We see some amazing shots from both amateur and professional photographers. In 2010 the overall competition was won by the 16 and under category winner, Jennie Shelton, so it really is a competition open for all.
This year we have added a new category to the competition, specifically for images of puppies, and I am particularly looking forward to seeing the entries for this.
Ciara Farrell, Kennel Club Library and Collection Manager

The competition has five main categories for entries, plus one especially for children, as follows:

Dogs at Work
Dogs at Play
Dog Portrait
Man's Best Friend
Puppies
I love dogs - open for children aged 16 and under

Visit the Kennel Club Library and Collections Stand at Crufts (Hall 2, Stand 9) for more information.
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/dogphotocompetition

Did you know?

Crufts began in 1891
In the last ten years, Crufts has raised £135,000 for the Kennel Club Charitable Trust from dog exhibitors alone. The KCCT distributes money to dog re-homing and assistance dog charities, and funds research that helps with the understanding and prevention of dog diseases. For example, donations from the KCCT have helped create a DNA test that has eliminated CLAD, a disease that caused early death in Irish Setter puppies. The KCCT has committed £1.2 million over five years to fund the Kennel Club Genetics Centre which is researching the cause of 25 conditions and developing DNA tests to detect them.
Hundreds of crossbreeds take part in Crufts, through Agility, Flyball, Obedience and Heelwork to Music competitions.
The Best in Show prize has been awarded for the past 84 years. There have been 42 different breeds which have won the Best in Show title over the years.
The English Cocker Spaniel has won the most Best in Show titles, with seven wins, followed by the Irish Setter and Welsh Terrier which have won on four occasions.
The first Best in Show was won by a Greyhound.
Vulnerable British and Irish native breeds have won Best in Show at Crufts a total of eight times.
Crufts covers more than 25 acres of the NEC in Birmingham. This includes 5 halls, the Pavilion and the Crufts Best in Show Arena.

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