Crufts Dog Show Results 2016: Thursday Winners, Updated Schedule and TV Info
The 2016 Crufts Dog Show, the largest in the world of its kind, kicked off with the utility and toy groups on Thursday. German Spitz (Klein) Ch Longsdale's Jen You Win emerged victorious in the utility group, and Pekingese Ch Yakee Ooh Aah Cantona ran away with the toy group. Â
Ch Yakee Ooh Aah Cantona took the Best of Breed title and finished as a reserve in the toy group in 2014, but he finally got over the hump this year, keeping his chances at the Best in Show title alive.
The results from Thursday's action:
| Best of Group | Ch Longsdale's Jen You Win | German Spitz (Klein) |
| Reserve | CR Vormund Leonardo Dicaprio AW'14 | Japanese Shiba Inu |
| Third | CH Aedan Talk of Town | Poodle (Toy) |
| Fourth | CH Forochel Fjord | Lhasa Apso |
| Best of Group | Ch Yakee Ooh Aah Cantona | Pekingese |
| Reserve | CH Larwinsca Lady Guinevere | Havanese |
| Third | Florita Tueletta | Italian Greyhound |
| Fourth | N UCH/SE UCH/ DKCK Alpha Lyrae's Be My Lover | Pomeranian |
Here's a look at the schedule for Crufts 2016:
| Friday, March 11 | Gundogs |
| Saturday, March 12 | Working Dogs, Pastoral Dogs |
| Sunday, March 13 | Terriers, Hounds, Best in Show |
The entire event is broadcast on Channel 4, while Crufts also provides a live stream via its official YouTube channel.
Recap
Anticipation surrounding the start of this year's Crufts event was high, as organisers opted to schedule two groups for the opening day as opposed to one like they did in the past. The utility group in particular tends to be one of the most tightly contested, although Thursday's winner was never a question mark.
Before the judges got to do their thing, dog lovers got to immerse themselves in the world of Crufts, and TV presenter Tess Daly loved it, per The Kennel Club:
Meanwhile, Channel 4's Clare Balding couldn't help but admire the contestants:
Mary Deats was put in charge of the utility group, and from the start of the contest, it was clear Ch Longsdale's Jen You Win would run away with the title.
The German Spitz has been a regular contestant in these competitions for years, and she entered the arena with perfect fur and impeccable composure, stealing the show from start to finish. Dog World shared this image of the final, with the winning dog visible on the left:
Ch Longsdale's Jen You Win is a strong candidate to take the overall title this year, as the champion of Longsdale's stable, per its official website. After winning 10 of her 11 puppy classes, the Crufts Best of Show title appears to be the next logical step.
Meanwhile, favourite Ch Yakee Ooh Aah Cantona walked away with top honours in the toy group, as the record-breaking Pekingese added to his impressive tally of wins.
Per Dog World, he set the challenge certificate record in 2013 and followed it up with a Best of Breed win in 2014. Last year, he finished fourth in the toy group, so Thursday's win marks the first time he qualified for the final day of Crufts.
Via Dog World, the winner can be seen on the left:
It was an excellent day for the home favourites, as British dogs dominated the podium in the utility group. They weren't as lucky in the toy group, but with Ch Longsdale's Jen You Win, there will be at least one British dog in the Best of Show contest.
Friday's action will be all about the gundogs before the working and pastoral dogs take centre stage on Saturday. Crufts 2016 will reach its conclusion on Sunday.
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