Teen continuing family tradition by showing at Crufts

When Elizabeth Chandler, 17, shows at Birmingham next month alongside her eight-year-old sister Catherine and thirteen-year-old sister Alexandra, she will take part in a family tradition that stretches back three generations.

Nicola Calvert, Chandler’s grandma, and Angela Chandler, her mum, have both previously shown at the NEC showpiece.

Immersed in the world of dog showing from a young age, the North Yorkshire native can trace her passion for competition to her great-grandmother.

Elizabeth said: ‘‘My grandma’s mum who’s no longer with us – I never met her – she started dog showing with Great Danes and Pomeranians. 

‘‘That was then passed onto my grandma, so she was always in the dog show world and around dogs. 

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‘‘That was then passed onto my mum and then to me and so it’s not only my grandma, mum and I but also my little sister. She’s also showing and she’s only eight.

‘‘So all my life I’ve been showing because I’ve always been going to the dog show, but I technically started in child-handling when I was six.’’

Elizabeth will be entering a mixture of dogs, including Welsh springer spaniels Spin and Spud, as well as English springer Jessie.

‘‘On the older age of the spectrum, we’ve got Spin, who’ll be 13 in May, which is quite old for a showdog but he’s still going quite strong, and he’ll be there. 

‘‘He’s nearly 13 but he’s still absolutely full of life, loving the showing. 

‘‘You wouldn’t think he was 13 at all!

‘‘We’ve also got Spud, his son, who’ll be two when he goes to Crufts.

Chandler, with her grandmother Nicola Calvert, sister Catherine and mum Angela at last year's event (Image: Beat Media)

‘‘Jessie’s only nine months old but she’ll be ten when she’s there. She’s my own dog and I’ve had some really good results with her so far so I’m excited to see how we do at Crufts.’’

Expressing her enthusiasm for the event, Elizabeth added: ‘‘It’s quite a competitive world but the only time I get a proper adrenaline buzz is when I show at Crufts and I don’t know if it’s because I get nervous or it’s because I’m really excited, probably a mixture of both!

‘‘Some of the older dogs, when you get their coats out, they know that they’re going to a show because they recognise the jacket and they get quite excited and he’ll be like, ‘yes, we’re going to a show!’, 

‘‘Some of the younger ones sometimes, I guess because it’s an environment that they haven’t been in often so when they get to a show, we try not to let them get nervous. 

‘‘We’ll have toys or play with them, give them a walk-around, make sure they’re confident as well. 

‘‘If a dog doesn’t like a show or really doesn’t enjoy it, it’s not for them and we’re not going to force them to do it.’’

Veterans of the dog showing world, Elizabeth and Spin were interviewed by Clare Balding last year, and she highlights that occasion as her favourite moment in competition.

‘‘That wasn’t just a special moment because I was sat being interviewed by Clare Balding, it was because I was sat there doing it with Spin,” she said.

‘‘I was four when he was born so there’s never been a time without him and the fact that I was able to share that moment with Spin and to be on TV with him was so incredibly special.

‘‘I’ll never forget that moment at all.

‘‘The reason we were interviewed was because Welsh springers are a rare breed and to shine a light on that was a phenomenal moment. 

She concluded: ‘‘With the dogs, they’re not just our family pets but they’re our best friends.

‘‘We can also go and achieve things and be proud of them together.

‘‘They’re just like extra family members that we compete with.’’

Crufts, run by The Kennel Club, is a unique celebration of happy, healthy dogs and of the loving relationship that they enjoy with their owners. Crufts is held from 7-10 March 2024 at the NEC Birmingham. Viewers can follow all the action and highlights on Channel 4, and for further information and tickets visit crufts.org.uk