The title Best in Show is awarded to the dog chosen as winner of the annual Crufts dog show, according to conformation show rules. This title was first awarded in 1928, the initial winner being Primley Sceptre, a fawn Greyhound. Previously, Crufts had used the title "Best Champion", sponsored by the Illustrated Kennel News, which was awarded from 1905 to 1914. The first winner of Best Champion was Ch. The Sable Mite, a Pomeranian. According to Crufts: The Official History the first winner of that award was the first dog to be considered the "best" at a Crufts show, although it only lists winners between 1906 and 1912.

When Best Champion was introduced at Crufts in 1905, it was seen by Charles Cruft as an extension of the other titles already available at the show. The class was one of several classes reserved for Crufts subscribers at the cost of a guinea per year. Because of the restriction in entry, there were years when the winner of Best Champion was defeated in other classes which were not restricted to subscribers. Crufts was not the first dog show in the UK to introduce this type of title, the first event to do so was at the Cambridge Canine Society Show in 1900.

The change to Best in Show was considered by the press to be of little significance and was not promoted by Charles Cruft, and did not require a dog to have won its Best of Breed class until 1936. It did however remove restrictions on entry, which remained until the mid-1960s when entry to Crufts was restricted to dogs who had already become a champion by gaining championship points at other dog shows.

The most successful breed in the modern era since Best in Show was introduced has been the English Cocker Spaniel. Of the breed's seven show titles, all but one of them were owned and bred by Herbert Summers Lloyd (known predominantly as H. S. Lloyd) from the "of Ware" kennel. Only four dogs have won Best in Show on more than one occasion, and on three of these occasions they were English Cocker Spaniels owned by Lloyd. The fourth occasion was a Labrador Retriever named Bramshaw Bob, owned by Countess Lorna Howe who is the second most successful breeder in the show's history as she also won Best in Show once more with another Labrador in 1937, Ch. Cheveralla Ben of Banchory. Although no dog has won Crufts more than once since H. S. Lloyd's Tracey Witch of Ware in 1950, owner Jackie Lorimer won the title in 1993 with Irish Setter Sh Ch. Danaway Debonair and again with the dog's son, Sh Ch. Caspians Intrepid in 1999.

1905 to 1914

Best Champion at Cruft's
Ch. The Sable Mite, the first dog to win Best Champion at Cruft's in 1905.
Country	United Kingdom
Presented by	Crufts
First awarded	1905
Last awarded	1914
Website	http://www.crufts.co.uk

Best Champion

First awarded in 1905, it was listed as the 51st and last out of the members-only trophies on its introduction in the show schedule. The description of the award read, "AN ANTIQUE SILVER CUP, value FIVE GUINEAS, offered by the Proprietors of the "ILLUSTRATED KENNEL NEWS," for the best Champion of any breed in the Show. To be won outright."

Year	Prefix	Winner	Image	Breed	Owner(s)	Ref(s)
1905	Ch.	The Sable Mite		Pomeranian	Mrs Vale Nicholas
1906	Ch.	Wishaw Leader		Scotch Collie	Mr R A Tait
1907	Ch.	The Sable Mite		Pomeranian	Mrs Vale Nicholas
1908	Ch.	Shelton Viking		Newfoundland	Mrs Vale Nicholas
1909	Ch.	Clareholm Dora		Field Spaniel	Mrs E. Rouse
1910	Ch.	Broadwater Banker		Greyhound	Mrs E. Chapman
1911	Ch.	Collarbone of Notts		Wire Fox Terrier	Mr A.E.G. Way
1912	Ch.	The Pride of Sussex		St Bernard	Mr H Stocken & Miss Samuel
1913	Ch.	Choo-tai of Egham		Pekingese	Miss V. Ashton Cross
1914	Ch.	St. Blaise		Greyhound	Miss D. Beadon

1928 to present

Best in Show at Crufts
Primley Sceptre, first winner of Best in Show in 1928
Country	United Kingdom
Presented by	Crufts
First awarded	1928
Last awarded	Present
Currently held by	Ch. Brighttouch Drift The Line Through Dialynne (Australian Shepherd)
Website	Official website

Best in Show

Introduced in 1928, the prize was first described as "STERLING SILVER GOLD GILT 10-inch REPOUSSE ROSE BOWL. Decorated in flowers on circular base, for the best Dog in the Show. (OPEN TO ALL)".

During World War II, Crufts was not staged and in 1954, the dog-based competition was not held because of the electricians’ strike. In 2001, the canine festival was held in May, two months later than planned, because of the foot-and-mouth disease. The show was not held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Year	Prefix	Winner	Breed	Group	Owner(s)	Ref(s)
1928	–	Primley Sceptre	Greyhound	Hound	Mr Herbert Whitley
1929	–	Heather Necessity	Scottish Terrier	Terrier	Mr Robert Chapman
1930	–	Luckystar of Ware	English Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Mr H. S. Lloyd
1931	–	Luckystar of Ware	English Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Mr H. S. Lloyd
1932	–	Bramshaw Bob	Labrador Retriever	Gundog	Countess Lorna Howe
1933	–	Bramshaw Bob	Labrador Retriever	Gundog	Countess Lorna Howe
1934	–	Southball Moonstone	Greyhound	Hound	B Harland-Worden
1935	–	Pennine Prima Donna	Pointer	Gundog	Mr Arthur Eggleston
1936	Ch.	Choonam Hung Kwong	Chow Chow	Utility	Mrs. Violet Mannooch
1937	Ch.	Cheveralla Ben of Banchory	Labrador Retriever	Gundog	Countess Lorna Howe
1938	–	Exquisite Model of Ware	English Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Mr H. S. Lloyd
1939	–	Exquisite Model of Ware	English Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Mr H. S. Lloyd
1940	Competition not held due to World War II and ownership change from the family of Charles Cruft to The Kennel Club.
1941	Competition not held due to World War II.
1942	Competition not held due to World War II.
1943	Competition not held due to World War II.
1944	Competition not held due to World War II.
1945	Competition not held due to World War II.
1946	Competition not held due to World War II.
1947	Competition not held due to World War II.
1948	–	Tracey Witch of Ware	English Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Mr H. S. Lloyd
1949	Competition not held.
1950	–	Tracey Witch of Ware	English Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Mr H. S. Lloyd
1951	–	Twynstar Dyma-Fi	Welsh Terrier	Terrier	Capt. & Mrs I Morlais Thomas
1952	Ch.	Noways Chuckles	Bulldog	Utility	Mr John T. Bernard
1953	Ch.	Elch Elder of Ouborough	Great Dane	Working	Mr Bill G. Siggers
1954	Competition not held due to electricians’ strike
1955	Ch.	Tzigane Affri of Nashend	Poodle (Standard)	Utility	Mrs. April Proctor
1956	–	Treetops Golden Falcon	Greyhound	Hound	Mr. Judy de Cassembroot and Miss Bobbie Greenish
1957	Ch.	Volkrijk of Vorden	Keeshond	Utility	Mrs. Rene Tucker
1958	Ch.	Chiming Bells	Pointer	Gundog	Mrs. Bill Parkinson
1959	Ch.	Sandstorm Saracen	Welsh Terrier	Terrier	Mrs. D M Leach and Mrs. Margaret Thomas
1960	–	Sulhamstead Merman	Irish Wolfhound	Hound	Florence Nagle and Marion Clark
1961	Ch.	Riverina Tweedsbairn	Airedale Terrier	Terrier	Mr Pat McCaughey and Mr Mac Shutch
1962	Ch.	Crackwyn Cockspur	Wire Fox Terrier	Terrier	Mr. Harry L Gill
1963	–	Rogerholm Recruit	Lakeland Terrier	Terrier	Mr. Bill Rogers
1964	Sh Ch.	Silbury Soames of Madavale	English Setter	Gundog	Mrs. Ada Williams
1965	Ch.	Fenton of Kentwood	German Shepherd	Pastoral	Sonnica H Godden
1966	–	Oakington Puckshill Amber Sunblush	Poodle (Toy)	Utility	Mrs. Clare E Perry
1967	Ch.	Stingray of Derryabah	Lakeland Terrier	Terrier	Mr. Wilf and Mrs. Betty Postlewaite
1968	Ch.	Fanhill Faune	Dalmatian	Utility	Mrs. Jean Woodyatt
1969	Ch.	Hendrawen's Nibelung of Charavigne	German Shepherd	Pastoral	Mr Edwin and Mrs Shirley White
1970	–	Bergerie Knur	Pyrenean Mountain Dog	Working	Mr Fred and Mrs Constance Prince
1971	Ch.	Ramacon Swashbuckler	German Shepherd	Pastoral	Prince Ahmed Husain
1972	Ch.	Abraxas Audacity	English Bull Terrier	Terrier	Violet Drummond-Dick
1973	–	Alansmere Aquarius	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	Toy	Mr Alan Hall and Mr John Evans
1974	Ch.	Burtonswood Bossy Boots	St. Bernard	Working	Marjorie Hindes
1975	Ch.	Brookewire Brandy of Layven	Wire Fox Terrier	Terrier	Mr Giuseppe Benelli and Mr Paolo Dondini
1976	Ch.	Dianthus Buttons	West Highland White Terrier	Terrier	Mrs Kath Newstead & Mrs Dorothy Taylor
1977	Sh Ch.	Bournehouse Dancing Master	English Setter	Gundog	Mr Gordon F Williams
1978	Ch.	Harrowhill Huntsman	Wire Fox Terrier	Terrier	Miss Evelyn Howles
1979	Eng Am Ch.	Callaghan of Leander	Kerry Blue Terrier	Terrier	Wendy Streatfield
1980	Ch.	Shargleam Blackcap	Retriever (Flat Coated)	Gundog	Pat Chapman
1981	Ch.	Astley Portia of Rua	Irish Setter	Gundog	Colette and Mary Tuite
1982	Ch.	Grayco Hazelnut	Poodle (Toy)	Utility	Mrs Lesley A Howard
1983	Ch.	Montravia Kaskarak Hitari	Afghan Hound	Hound	Pauline Gibbs
1984	Ch.	Saxonsprings Hackensack	Lhasa Apso	Utility	Jean Blyth
1985	Ch.	Montravia Tommy-Gun	Poodle (Standard)	Utility	Mrs Marita Gibbs
1986	Ch.	Ginger Xmas Carol	Airedale Terrier	Terrier	Miss Alessendra Sommi-Livraghi
1987	Ch.	Viscount Grant	Afghan Hound	Hound	Mr Chris and Mrs Julie Amoo
1988	Sh Ch.	Starlite Express at Valsett	English Setter	Gundog	Mr Joe W and Mrs Val Watkin
1989	Ch.	Potterdale Classic of Moonhill	Bearded Collie	Pastoral	Brenda White
1990	Ch.	Olac Moon Pilot	West Highland White Terrier	Terrier	Mr Derek Tattersall
1991	Sh Ch.	Raycrofts Socialite	Clumber Spaniel	Gundog	Mr Ralph Dunne
1992	Ch.	Pencloe Dutch Gold	Whippet	Hound	Morag Bolton-Lockhart
1993	Sh Ch.	Danaway Debonair	Irish Setter	Gundog	Jackie Lorrimer
1994	Ch.	Purston Hit and Miss From Brocolitia	Welsh Terrier	Terrier	Mrs A. Maughan
1995	Sh Ch.	Starchelle Chicago Bear	Irish Setter	Gundog	Mrs Rachel Shaw-Rainey and Mr Tony Rainey
1996	Sh Ch.	Canigou Cambrai	English Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Tricia Bentley
1997	Ch.	Ozmilion Mystification	Yorkshire Terrier	Toy	Osman Sameja
1998	Ch.	Saredon Forever Young	Welsh Terrier	Terrier	Judith Averis
1999	Sh Ch.	Caspians Intrepid	Irish Setter	Gundog	Jackie Lorimer
2000	Ch.	Torums Scarf Michael	Kerry Blue Terrier	Terrier	Mr Ron Ramsay
2001	Ch.	Jethard Cidevant	Basenji	Hound	Mr Paul Singleton
2002	Nord Ch.	Topscore Contradiction	Poodle (Standard)	Utility	Mr S and Mrs K Glenna
2003	Ch.	Yakee A Dangerous Liaison	Pekingese	Toy	Mr Easdon and Mr Martin
2004	Ch.	Cobyco Call the Tune	Whippet	Hound	Mrs L Yacoby-Wright
2005	Am Ch/Ch.	Cracknor Cause Celebre	Norfolk Terrier	Terrier	Elizabeth Matell, Pam Beale and Stephanie Ingram
2006	Am Ch.	Caitland Isle Take a Chance	Australian Shepherd	Pastoral	Nancy Resetar
2007	Ch/Am Ch.	Araki Fabulous Willy	Tibetan Terrier	Utility	Mr John Shaw and Mr Neil Smith
2008	Ch.	Jafrak Philippe Olivier	Giant Schnauzer	Working	Mr and Mrs Cullen
2009	Ch.	Efbe's Hidalgo at Goodspice	Sealyham Terrier	Terrier	Marjorie Good
2010	Sh Ch/Aust Ch.	Hungargunn Bear It'n Mind	Hungarian Vizsla	Gundog	Mrs N and Mrs K Craggs and Armstrong
2011	Sh Ch.	Vbos The Kentuckian	Retriever (Flat-Coated)	Gundog	Jim Irvine
2012	Ch.	Zentarr Elizabeth	Lhasa Apso	Utility	Margaret Anderson
2013	Ch.	Soletrader Peek A Boo	Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen	Hound	Sara Robertson and Wendy Doherty
2014	Ch/Am Ch.	Afterglow Maverick Sabre	Poodle (Standard)	Utility	Jason Lynn, John Stone and Sandra Stone
2015	Ch.	McVan's To Russia With Love	Scottish Terrier	Terrier	M L Khenkina
2016	Ch.	Burneze Geordie Girl	West Highland White Terrier	Terrier	Marie Burns
2017	Sh Ch.	Afterglow Miami Ink	American Cocker Spaniel	Gundog	Jason Lynn and R Da Silva
2018	Ch.	Collooney Tartan Tease	Whippet	Hound	David and Yvette Short
2019	Akc/Se/Hr/Pl/Fr Ch.	Planet Waves Forever Young Daydream Believers	Papillon	Toy	K. Roosens & J. Goessens
2020I	Ch.	Silvae Trademark	Wire-haired Dachshund	Hound	D. McCalmont and K. McCalmont
2021	Competition not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022	Int Ch/Nord Ch/Dan Ch/Norw Ch.	Almanza Backseat Driver	Retriever (Flat Coated)	Gundog	R. Ulin and P. Oware
2023	Am Gch.	Kan Trace Very Cheeky Chic	Lagotto Romagnolo	Gundog	S. Zdunic Sinkovic and A. Lucin
2024	Ch.	Brighttouch Drift The Line Through Dialynne	Australian Shepherd	Pastoral	M. Raymond, J. Shaw and K. Kirtley

Most successful breeds

As of 2024

Number of wins	Breeds
7	English Cocker Spaniel
4	Irish Setter, Standard Poodle, Welsh Terrier
3	English Setter, Flat Coated Retriever, German Shepherd, Greyhound, Labrador Retriever, West Highland White Terrier, Whippet, Wire Fox Terrier
2	Afghan Hound, Airedale Terrier, Australian Shepherd, Kerry Blue Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Pointer, Scottish Terrier, Toy Poodle
1	American Cocker Spaniel, Basenji, Bearded Collie, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chow Chow, Clumber Spaniel, Dalmatian, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Hungarian Vizsla, Irish Wolfhound, Keeshond, Lagotto Romagnolo, Norfolk Terrier, Papillon, Pekingese, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Sealyham Terrier, St. Bernard, Tibetan Terrier, Wire-haired Dachshund, Yorkshire Terrier

Most successful groups

As of 2024

Number of wins	Groups
26	Gundog
22	Terrier
13	Utility
12	Hound
6	Pastoral
5	Working
4	Toy

See also

• List of Best in Show winners of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
• List of individual dogs
• Dogs portal