How would you do it?

Move all the trade stands to a hall of their own?

Have, maybe, someone to help the spectators of the breed rings understand what's going on? Maybe before/inbetween/after some classes have someone, or the judge, explain with maybe an unentered dog, what thy are looking for and doing? Have the dog go through the normal stages of a class but just to explain what's going on? Or have a couple of times throughout each day where this happens, maybe in the main arena or the ring in a hall that doesn't get used very often? I know that when I went this year there was a ring that was empty until about 1pm!

Or maybe even have a big stand that people can go to to ask questions about things they see in the catalogues/how things work?

Have exhibitor only walkways?

Move things closer to make it easier for exhibitors to get around?

Ban the public from the benching/grooming areas?

Trade stands and special event rings and DD in dedicated halls and judging rings in other halls. All public entry into the Crufts Event with free entry to breed judging halls if wanted. This will allow dock dogs to compete and should make for a more pleasant exhibitor environment. All exhibitors to have coloured wrist bands issues to allow access to bench areas to aid security of dogs.

> have someone, or the judge, explain with maybe an unentered dog, what thy are looking for and doing?

I think even the experienced exhibitors would sometimes like to know what the judge is looking for :-D

Lol! Oh yes! :-)

No public access to the benching areas at all. You would not expect to have JP wandering all round the stables at a race track so why should they excpect to wander all round the preparation areas at a show.? Plenty of time to chat and look at dogs round the ringside. Give the dogs a place where they can rest without constant patting from JP between classes.
AILEEN

Trade stands and judging in separate halls, and no public allowed around the benches.

Have, maybe, someone to help the spectators of the breed rings understand what's going on? Maybe before/inbetween/after some classes have someone, or the judge, explain with maybe an unentered dog, what thy are looking for and doing? Have the dog go through the normal stages of a class but just to explain what's going on? Or have a couple of times throughout each day where this happens, maybe in the main arena or the ring in a hall that doesn't get used very often? I know that when I went this year there was a ring that was empty until about 1pm!

Separate hall for trade stands yes. The above no way! The last thing we want is MORE non exhibitors around the rings and more noise. Last year I was sat around our ring with a couple of dogs, watching my third in the ring in the challenge, when a family complete with kids appeared and sat in front of us and proceeded to talk loudly and have a picnic. I couldn't see a thing of what went on in the ring!

They DO have talks on what a show judge etc look for. One of my dogs was picked to illustrate a show dog one year, it was in one of the events rings. They went around DD and asked people there if they could borrow a dog and handler as they were talking about different activities to do with your dog.

Separate hall(s) for trade stands. Trade stands to be dog orientated products only.
Benching always nearer the ring.
Exhibitors and dogs to be scanned in on entry and into the ring.
Many more ladies loos.
Id like to say no public around the benches for security and safety reasons but this may defeat the object for many attending.
A well known dog made an appearance in the ring in my breed a couple of years back and his half dozen strong entourage stood IN the ring in front of us so we couldn't see a thing. Having got up at stupid o'clock to watch the judging we were not going to put up with it so they were politely asked to move their butts.

change the rule that you cant leave till 4pm. Long time to wait with one veteran dog in first class at 9pm

Oh yes, I'd go along with that. That rule was there because the dogs were supposed to be on exhibiton to the public. But since the advent of Discover Dogs, whose sole raison d'être is to be on display to the public, that reason has flown out of the window. Dogs should be able to leave after 1pm, as long as they've finished in the ring. It'd be much kinder to the vertan dogs and dog puppies and also avoid the bottleneck of traffic trying to leave the car parks and clogging up the motorway.

The whole keeping trade stands away from the rings isn't ever going to happen.
Crufts is a money making venture, trade stands are big earners and the public can do whatever they like because they are a massive revenue source.

The Little old dog show and its participants are pretty secondary.

id like more space around the rows of benching (id like it at all shows to be honist). Have had it happen a few times trying to find our bench had dogs going nuts at my girl as we walk past, one dog even jumped off its bench and almost landed on my girl, it realy spooked her. Had a couple of dogs snapping as we went past (same breed at two shows so I think they were the same dogs). At another show I had to get my girl to jump over a dog who was laying across the entrance to our benching row as the owner refused to move the dog after I politely asked her twice if she could move her dog so we could get to our bench. I so felt like accidently stepping on it just to make a point.

"Many more ladies loos."

As someone who has to wait for ages while the OH queues surely it's about time they made all the loos at the NEC unisex for Crufts?

That'd make it more interesting when all the ladies are changing into their ring clothes! ;-)

The men squeeze into the cubicles - don't the ladies?

I'd let exhibitors leave after their dogs have been shown, not make us wait until 4pm and maybe stop public access to the benching area

id like more space around the rows of benching (id like it at all shows to be honist).

We're lucky, in both my breeds -bags of space. I can see how very frustrating it must be for breeds not tucked away where few of the public go. I do think it could work to not allow the public around the benches, or at least have some sort of system for it.  I.e. I wouldn't want to stop puppy buyers, past or future, from coming along to say hello, or indeed foreigners that have the breed, but as it is now people can wander past and have no interest in the breed, often don't even know what it is. Again it's not really a problem for us, such a quiet and large area tucked away, but I have seen what it can be like around other breeds. As has already been mentioned, people can now wander through DD and see and meet all the breeds. Way better than walking past dogs asleep on the benches with owners eating or reading or chatting to friends.

More space and access to electricity.
Normally I don't mind not having access to electricity at champ shows despite always using it in the States, but Crufts is the one place where not having it drives me nuts. This probably doesn't bother most people but I hate the idea of bringing a dog in the ring with wrinkled feathering/furnishings from being stuck on a bench all day and if the dog gets caught in the rain when I take them outside for a toilet break I want to be able to dry them properly. We work hard for Crufts all year and it's the one time I do want my dogs looking absolutely perfect. Or even just be able to charge my phone after I've been stuck there all day would be nice.

I don't mind exhibitors coming into the benching area. I keep my dogs in crates on the bench so they can relax and would much rather have them approach me and meet my dogs there/ask questions then do it when I'm about to go in the ring. Some exhibitor and dog-only aisles to the rings and between halls would be lovely, and a ban on spectators standing at the ring entrance.

More ladies' loos is definitely a necessity as well.

A temporary 'changing room' would be useful as well, it would free up the toilets for those who actually need to go!