Almanza Backseat Driver, Collooney Tartan Tease, Burneze Geordie Girl: What it takes to be crowned Best in Show at Crufts (apart from a very long name)

There are few things more electric in the dog world than the moment the Crufts judge points, the arena holds its breath and one dog becomes Best in Show. It is quite simply, theatre, but it also makes history. For more than a century, Crufts has crowned dogs that go on to shape their breeds' story, popularity and reputation. Ahead of this year’s show, starting on March 5, we are taking a look at the last 10 winners — and the stories behind them.

2025: Una Donna Che Conta, whippet

The whippet is, in many ways, the perfect Crufts winner: elegant, athletic, effortlessly chic — a model performer. Originating in the North of England in the 18th century, the breed was developed by working-class communities who wanted a small, fast dog for rabbit coursing — the ‘poor man’s racehorse’.

Whippets are gentle, affectionate and faintly ridiculous, prone to dramatic sighs and an insistence on sleeping under duvets — the ones I know anyway. They have won Crufts Best in Show four times and yet remain one of Britain’s quieter success stories — never as numerous as labradors, but beloved by those in the know.

2024: Brighttouch Drift The Line Through Dialynn, Australian shepherd

Despite the name, the Australian shepherd is of American origin, developed in the western USA during the 19th century to herd livestock. Highly intelligent, intensely loyal and blessed with extraordinary stamina, they are dogs that need both purpose and people.

Their Crufts win was a landmark moment — the first for the breed — although they have fared better in America, winning Westminster four times. Australian shepherds are increasingly popular in Britain, although their energy levels mean they are best suited to the truly committed or the country.

2023: Kan Trace Very Cheeky Chic, Lagotto Romagnolo

An Italian truffle-hunting dog with a face like a well-loved teddy bear, the lagotto romagnolo dates back to at least the Renaissance era, when it worked as a water retriever in the marshlands of Romagna. When those marshes were drained, the breed found a new purpose sniffing out truffles — a job it still excels at today. This was their first Crufts win and they remain rare in Britain today.

2022: Almanza Backseat Driver, flat-coated retriever

Often described as the ‘Peter Pan’ of dogs, the flat-coated retriever is famed for its refusal to grow up. Developed in Britain in the 19th century as a shooting dog, they combine elegance, irrepressible joy and a natural instinct to, well… retrieve — be prepared to receive many gifts from around the house.

Their numbers declined sharply after the First World War, eclipsed by labradors and golden retrievers, and they remain comparatively uncommon today. They have now won Crufts twice, and those who live with one — me included — tend to insist they are the happiest dogs on earth.

2020: Silvae Trademark, wire-haired dachshund

This week, we announced the launch of our naughtiest dog competition and to help we enlisted a pack of unruly dachshunds. (Few breeds have such a strong sense of self.) Developed in Germany more than 300 years ago to hunt badgers — their name literally means ‘badger dog’ — they are courageous, stubborn and far less aware of their size than they should be. The wire-haired variety, with its expressive eyebrows and beard, has a particularly devoted following.

Dachshunds have won Crufts twice and Westminster three times. They are enormously popular in Britain, for obvious reasons, as anyone who has ever been owned by one (yes you read that right) will attest.

2019: Planet Waves Forever Young Daydream Believers, papillon

Named for the French word for butterfly, thanks to its wing-like ears, the papillon has been a companion to European royalty for centuries — appearing frequently in paintings from the 16th century. Beneath the prettiness lies a sharp mind and surprising athleticism. Papillons have won Crufts once and Westminster twice and remain relatively uncommon in Britain.

2018: Collooney Tartan Tease, whippet

Another victory for the whippet — proof, not that it’s needed, that this most English of breeds continues to embody the Crufts ideal. Everything that makes the breed so beloved — gentleness, elegance, calm, silky beyond belief — on full display. Their success at both Crufts and Westminster reflects their extraordinary balance of beauty and temperament.

2017: Afterglow Miami Ink, American cocker spaniel

Developed in the USA from English cocker spaniels in the late 19th century, the American cocker is smaller, more profusely coated and bred primarily as a companion. Sweet-natured and affectionate, they are dogs who thrive on attention. This remains the breed’s only Crufts win, although they have been hugely successful across the pond at Westminster, with four Best in Show titles.

2016: Burneze Geordie Girl, West Highland white terrier

The West Highland white terrier — or Westie — was developed in Scotland in the 19th century as a hardy hunting dog, its white coat ensuring it could be distinguished from quarry. Westies have long punched above their weight in the show ring. They have won Crufts four times and Westminster once. Their popularity has declined slightly in recent decades, but their charm remains undimmed and adorable as ever.

2015: McVan’s To Russia With Love, Scottish terrier

From Queen Victoria and Franklin D. Roosevelt to Rudyard Kipling and Humphrey Bogart — the Scottish terrier has been winning admirers — and dog shows — for well over a century. Originating in Scotland at least 200 years ago, Scotties were bred to hunt vermin and quickly acquired a reputation for independence and determination. Reserved with strangers, but deeply loyal to their people, they have won Crufts eight times. At Westminster, they are legends — the most successful breed in the show’s history, with eight Best in Show victories. They are quite simply, iconic.

We’ll be reporting live from Crufts on March 6. You can follow along on the Country Life website and on Instagram.