The Royal Kennel Club will introduce a third judge for Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers at Crufts 2027, following the consistently high entry numbers received for both breeds.
The change has been made to help streamline the judging process, significantly reducing the overall time required to judge these popular breeds. The additional judge will help alleviate pressure on judges and stewards, create a more manageable schedule, and provide a better experience for exhibitors and their dogs.
By sharing the judging workload across three judges, the improvement hopes to reduce the need for very early starts and ensure judging is completed more comfortably within the day, while maintaining the highest standards of competition.
The third judges (Miss A G Cooper for Golden Retrievers and Miss M A E Persson for Labrador Retrievers) will oversee the following classes:
- Good Citizen Dog Scheme
- Minor Puppy
- Puppy
- Field Trial
- Special Working
The principal judges, Miss M Neil (Golden Retriever Dogs), Mrs S M Zubair (Golden Retriever Bitches), Mrs L Tooth (Labrador Retriever Dogs) and Mrs L Heron (Labrador Retriever Bitches) will continue to judge the remaining classes for their respective sexes:
- Junior
- Yearling
- Undergraduate
- Graduate
- Post Graduate
- Mid Limit
- Limit
- Open
- Veteran
Winners from all classes will then compete for the Challenge Certificate in each sex, with the Challenge Certificate and subsequent awards being decided by the two scheduled judges in the usual way.
Both breeds will be allocated a third ring which will be in close proximity to the usual two large rings.
This decision follows careful consideration by the Crufts Committee, which has long been aware of the substantial entries attracted by Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, as well as the challenges associated with judging such large numbers within the available timeframe.
The introduction of a third judge is intended to ease the demands placed on judges and stewards while providing a more positive experience for exhibitors and their dogs.
Crufts Chairman, Tom Mather, said:
"The introduction of a third judge will help reduce the overall length of judging for these breeds, making the day more manageable for everyone involved. We hope the decision will lead to a happier, less stressful day for judges, stewards, exhibitors and, most importantly, the dogs. By reducing the need for a very early start, we can improve the overall experience while ensuring the judging process continues to run efficiently and to the high standards expected at Crufts."