Why Scruffs made Crufts rather grrruff
(Eastern Daily Press, 08 August 2009)
One is aimed at the cream of the pedigree world and is officially touted as "the world's greatest dog show", attracting nearly 28,000 dogs and their owners.
The other is a fun afternoon held in a Norfolk country field and designed to attract a few score of rather more average canines - mutts and mongrels included.
The problem is, the latter has ruffled the pampered fur of the top-dogs of the Kennel Club. It's called Scruffs Crufts and is being held at Happisburgh tomorrow.
The Kennel Club runs the official Crufts event in March and is not amused by the naming of the Norfolk event. Officials say the name Crufts is theirs and shouldn't be used elsewhere.
Tomorrow's event aims to raise cash for the locally-important cause of lobbying - led by the Happisburgh-based Coastal Concern Action Group (CCAG) - on coastal erosion, climate change and compensation for those who stand to lose their homes to the sea.
But the Kennel Club isn't having any of it. When it learned of the mention of Crufts, the phone calls started.
"They rang me up and said it was against their trade mark," said Glenn Berry, who is organising the show with his wife Jo from the site of his animal feed and bedding business, Hall Farm Forage, at Happisburgh.
He said: "We were asked if we could remove the word completely or cover it over on the promotional material.
"We think we might cover everything in labels and write over the top 'Due to Kennel Club heavy-handedness.'"
And, despite all the fuss, Mr Berry said he would still enjoy the day along with his two pointers and terrier called Reggie.
CCAG coordinator Malcolm Kerby is puzzled by the Kennel Club's stance on the matter, not least because of the media-bashing it has received in recent months.
Not only did the BBC decide to pull out of broadcasting the event (although coverage has now been superseded by More 4), but the fur flew when the welfare of pedigree dogs was questioned.
A BBC documentary suggested that some of the club's standards were effectively encouraging dog owners to breed disorders, such as epilepsy and cancer, into their animals.
Mr Kerby, pictured below, added: "This is the major fundraiser of the year and enables CCAG to keep the campaign not just going but at the level and at the pace at which it currently operates - meetings in Europe and Westminster and engagement with MPs and other communities in a similar position around the country.
"We are extremely sorry if we have caused upset, but, having said that, is this not political correctness gone mad? I can only think of sledgehammers and cracked walnuts! I would have thought, with the negative press coverage they have had over the alleged inappropriate breeding, they would have had bigger fish to fry."
He pledged that the Happisburgh event would carry on as a fun, family day.
"It's in its second year now, and it's a show which proves that your scruffy old mongrel is as good as any pedigree animal. None of this will ruin our day: it will be splendid," he added.
Kennel Club spokesman Caroline Kisko said: "Though it may sound as if we are being uncharitable, Crufts is indeed our copyright and we would not condone its use in this way.
"There are many, many ways in which we are very happy to support local dog shows; indeed, we also own the Scruffts brand and would have been more than happy to have worked with them if they had wanted to hold their show as a local Scruffts."
Whatever the Norfolk event ends up being called, it starts at 1pm tomorrow, and the 41 classes include prettiest bitch, best six legs (dog and owner) and best family of three or more dogs.
More details at www.hallfarmforage.co.uk