It’s a dog’s life for the Crufts contestant who has been entering her pets for more than 60 YEARS
A woman famed for her love of Cocker Spaniels has become the longest-running competitor at Crufts after entering her dogs in the prestigious competition for more than 60 years.
Jennifer Lloyd Carey, 73, started showing the breed at Crufts in 1948 when she was just 11 and her involvement in the contest has now spanned an incredible eight decades.
Over the past 63 years she has shown 40 dogs, won classes and been a judge three times.
Walkies: Jennifer Lloyd Carey will be proudly showing off her Cocker Spaniels Lizzie (left) and Eska at Crufts, which starts on Thursday. Over the past 63 years she has shown 40 dogs, picking up numerous awards along the way
Walkies: Jennifer Lloyd Carey will be proudly showing off her Cocker Spaniels Lizzie (left) and Eska at Crufts, which starts on Thursday. Over the past 63 years she has shown 40 dogs, picking up numerous awards along the way
She is the third generation of her family to show at Crufts and her dogs are all bred from a line started by her grandfather Richard Lloyd, who won a first prize at the very first Crufts in 1891.
A woman's best friend: Jennifer Lloyd Carey, aged 16, with one of her beloved Cocker Spaniels. She has become the longest-running competitor at Crufts after entering her dogs in the prestigious competition for more than 60 years
A woman's best friend: Jennifer Lloyd Carey, aged 16, with one of her beloved Cocker Spaniels. She has become the longest-running competitor at Crufts after entering her dogs in the prestigious competition for more than 60 years
She said: 'I have entered at least one dog almost every year apart from three when I was a judge and two when my father was a judge.
'I always look forward to going. It is the most prestigious dog event in the world and attracts huge crowds.
'It's lovely to see all the different dogs and to meet up with old friends, some of whom I may not have seen since the last competition.'
Jennifer's first Crufts event was at Olympia in 1948, when the show was taken over by the Kennel Club.
She was just 11 and attended with her father Herbert Summers Lloyd, who became the most successful owner at winning Crufts and famously won the Best in Show six times with his Ware Cocker Spaniels.
Two years later, at the age of 13, she started showing and handling her own dogs and she has entered at least one in almost every show since.
'As a young child Crufts was a very exciting place to be as there were such big crowds,' she said.
'I loved going along with my dad and it was great when I then got to enter my own dogs.'
Mrs Lloyd Carey, from Iver in Buckinghamshire, has won lots of class prizes over the decades and been asked to judge three different breeds of Spaniels because she is considered such an expert on the breed.
She said: 'In 1964 I had a strikingly-coloured orange and white dog who won his class, then he and his sister won as a matching pair in the brace class. It was a very exciting moment.'
Sadly the show was cancelled in 1954 because of the electrician's strike.
They refused to remove the wiring from the stalls at the previous exhibition at Olympia so Crufts could not take place.
Best in show: Crufts veteran Jennifer Lloyd Carey is known as a feared and respected judge having started showing Cocker Spaniels at the prestigious show in 1948 when she was just 11
Best in show: Crufts veteran Jennifer Lloyd Carey is known as a feared and respected judge having started showing Cocker Spaniels at the prestigious show in 1948 when she was just 11
It's a dog's life: Jennifer Lloyd Carey, aged 12, pictured with a family pack of Cocker Spaniels. Her dogs are all bred from a line started by her grandfather Richard Lloyd, who won a first prize at the very first Crufts in 1891
It's a dog's life: Jennifer Lloyd Carey, aged 12, pictured with a family pack of Cocker Spaniels. Her dogs are all bred from a line started by her grandfather Richard Lloyd, who won a first prize at the very first Crufts in 1891
Mrs Lloyd Carey, who still continues to breed dogs, said: 'It was hugely disappointing as we were planning to enter four dogs that year.'
Masterful: Since entering Crufts for the first time at the tender age of 11, Jennifer Lloyd Carey has become an authority on Cocker Spaniels and has even written a book on the breed
Masterful: Since entering Crufts for the first time at the tender age of 11, Jennifer Lloyd Carey has become an authority on Cocker Spaniels and has even written a book on the breed
In 1982 the show was extended to three days and in 1987 an extra day was added.
'The show has changed over the years, but it is still as prestigious and popular as ever,' she added.
'I plan to continue going to Crufts for as long as I possibly can.'
This year Mrs Lloyd Carey will be joined by her daughter Paula Carey, who is the fourth generation of her family to enter the contest.
A spokeswoman for The Kennel Club said: 'Jennifer has been showing her dogs at Crufts since 1948 and we do not know of anyone who has taken part in more events over the past 63 years.
'It is a great achievement and goes to show how addictive and fun dog showing can be.
Crufts was named after its founder, Charles Cruft.
In 1886, Cruft's first dog show, billed as the 'First Great Terrier Show', had 57 classes and 600 entries.
The first show named 'Cruft's Greatest Dog Show' was held at the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, in 1891.
It was the first show at which all breeds were invited to compete, with around 2,000 dogs and almost 2,500 entries.
Crufts 2011 starts on Thursday at the NEC in Birmingham.