The Real Thing vocalist Chris Amoo’s Irish Wolfhound wins spot in Crufts Best in Show finale

The Real Thing vocalist Chris Amoo’s dog was among the winners at day three of Crufts yesterday.

The hound, named Paris, won its Best in Group competition and now has a spot in the Best in Show finale, which takes place at 8:30pm tonight.

Paris is a five-year-old Irish Wolfhound – the biggest of all breeds of dog – and was described by Mr Amoo as ‘very special’ and ‘one in a million’. 

Mr Amoo told BirminghamLive: ‘We are so proud of him. When the judge points to you, you can’t really believe it and it only starts to sink in when you are doing your lap of honour.’

Proud owners have now arrived for the competition’s fourth and final day.

Among the winners of day three of Crufts was The Real Thing vocalist Chris Amoo’s Irish Wolfhound named Paris

A dog dressed in a pink jumper and hair bobble arrive for the final day of this year’s Crufts

Wearing a pink and purple collar, a stylish pup arrives with its owner to get groomed for the final day of the dog competition

Mr Amoo last won Best in Show at Crufts 36 years ago and said he doesn’t take holidays as showing dogs is his pleasure. 

Paris, from Warrington, Cheshire, snatched one of just seven places in the finale this evening after winning Best in Group. 

Vanessa McAlpine, Crufts show manager, gave her congratulations to Mr Amoo and Paris, describing earning a spot in the Best in Show finale as an ‘incredible achievement.’

‘The pair should be extremely proud of the hard work and wonderful bond they demonstrated this evening,’ she added.

Also announced for the finale taking place this evening was Wire Fox Terrier Blanca, who was bred in Germany and has the registered name is Ch Blanca Vd Schoenen Bergen. 

Blanca won the Terrier category yesterday with her handler Juraj Sokolic from Croatia. 

As the final day of the dog show kicked off, pups and their owners arrived at the NEC Birmingham. 

Dogs in jackets, jumpers and booties were seen arriving outside the venue, wrapped up to protect them from the cold. 

From an angry-looking blow-dried Miniature Schnauzer to a stylish Standard Poodle, owners were pictured getting their dogs ready for the day four extravaganza.

A fluffy Japanese Spitz was also pictured getting ready for the final day, gazing into the camera, while a Japanese Akita Inu was caught letting out a yawn as owners prepped it.

Mr Amoo’s dog Paris won a spot in the Crufts Best in Show finale, which takes place today at 8:30pm

Mr Amoo, from Cheshire, with Paris yesterday before they won Best of Breed and snatched a spot in the Best in Show final

Mr Amoo, who is now in this year’s final, last won Best in Show 36 years ago with his Afghan Hound (pictured)

Paris and Mr Amoo before being crowned Best of Breed. The pair will be in today’s finale

A fluffy Japanese Spitz was also pictured getting ready for the final day, gazing into the camera

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Two small pups were seen arriving for the final day of competition, one of which was wearing an orange jumper

An angry looking blow-dried Miniature Schnauzer as it gets groomed for day four of Crufts

A stylish Standard Poodle wears a gold necklace as it is prepared for day four of Crufts

Other dogs spotted being groomed for the day ahead were a Miniature and Toy Poodle.

And even love was in the air, as a man yesterday dressed as a dog to propose to his girlfriend in front of a sold-out Saturday crowd.

Alasdair Newport appeared dressed in a dog costume on day three of the competition before getting down on one knee for Stacey Irwin-Burns. 

Ms Irwin-Burns has competed at Crufts for nearly a decade, being awarded several honours in that time – YKC Small Agility category in 2014, YKC Dog of the Year in 2015 and then competing for Great Britain in 2022

Her partner Mr Newport thought the puppy extravaganza was the perfect place to pop the question – to which the dog agility handler said yes. 

A Lhasa Apso with green hairbands in ready to be judged on Crufts’ final day of 2023

A a fluffy dog and its owner arrived looking excited to compete for a final day 

Many pups arrived in jackets and booties to keep them warm in the cold temperatures

A Miniature Poodle being prepared for competition and getting its hair brushed

Juraj Sokolic and Blanca the Fox Terrier after winning Best in Group and securing a spot in the Best in Show finale

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Mr Sokolic, from Croatia, and Blanca seen during their competition yesterday

A Japanese Akita Inu was caught letting out a yawn as owners prepped it for the day of competition

A Miniature Schnauzer begrudgingly getting blow dried as its owner prepares it 

A Standard Poodle is readied for the day, complete with blue hair bobbles 

Mr Newport told Wales Online: ‘Stacey competes here, her world is dog agility.

‘It’s not mine but I met her at her own dog agility show, so it seemed that Crufts would be the best place that would mean so much for her when we look back on it.’

The pair live in Pyecombe, Sussex, and met in 2018 at Ms Irwin-Burns’s own dog show.

Crufts, which is currently run by The Kennel Club and was first held in 1891, opened on Thursday and will conclude today – and, of course, it will all be broadcast on TV for fans to watch.

The show is also split into four main categories: gundog, working and pastoral, terrier and hound, and utility and toy.

Hosted by Clare Balding, Crufts will also take a look at the serious side of dog breeding and ownership, with an emphasis on health and welfare. 

When the competition began in 1891 it was founded by Charles Cruft, a dog biscuit salesman.