Leading the way: Sunset Vine gives Crufts the major sports event treatment Paws' for thought about the production team that brings the world's biggest dog show to our screens By Michael Burns
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 - 17:30
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Even those with only a peripheral interest in dog shows know Crufts. The annual event, run by The Kennel Club since 1891, draws entrants from across the world. Returning after two years due to pandemic lockdowns, Crufts 2022, which took place from 10 to 13 March, saw over 20,000 hounds competing. The live broadcast came from Birmingham's NEC to an international audience on Channel 4 and the event's YouTube channel, and enjoyed the same production values and attention to detail as any major sporting event.
The latter is not surprising as the OB is produced for The Kennel Club by Sunset Vine, better known on these pages for its coverage of rugby, cricket, sailing, riding, football and other sports events.
According to Jeff Foulser, chairman at Sunset Vine Productions, the relationship between Sunset Vine and The Kennel Club goes back 12 years, when the production company streamed coverage of the main arena and the judging live on YouTube. A year later Channel 4 took some of the content, including the culmination event, Best in Show, for its main channel.
It's just grown from there, says Foulser, speaking to SVG Europe at the end of day one of the show. The channel has been incredibly supportive of Crufts and The Kennel Club, and The Kennel Club is a very loyal client [to Sunset Vine]. It's a fantastic relationship, and the contract has just been extended until 2024.
This is the 11th year that Crufts has been on Channel 4, he continues. It's become a big part of their schedule and it rates really well. In terms of production, this year is the biggest one we've ever done. We've got more than 16 hours of coverage across Channel 4 and More4.
This compares to a major OB sports event in terms of production; the approach has some familiar points too.
We tackled it initially in a similar way to sports, in that we have what we call the match truck, the event truck, which covers all the happenings in the main arena, says Foulser. We've got three trucks from EMG UK via CTV OB; the event truck for the arena, one with all the gear to do the presentation areas for Channel 4 and we've got a separate truck with four edit suites. We've got a good timing system in place, with graphics provided by AE Live and Odata from Germany providing all the timings for the arena.
We cover Crufts all day separately for The Kennel Club YouTube channel and then events like the flyball, agility and all the group judging that happens go on to the Channel 4 programme, he continues. We've also got a digital team, separately engaged by The Kennel Club, and they go around shooting content for social media such as TikTok.
All in all there are 135 crew no small amount on any event and this year it includes 10 students from various universities and colleges in the West Midlands.
Events such as agility are treated almost like a live sports event
The main studio is at the back of the arena, out of the way of the crowds, says Foulser.
When you're on the air late in the evening all the halls are empty. So, this year for the first time we've got a separate [additional] studio in hall three, which is right in the middle of all the action, he explains. During the afternoon show, when it's all going on, we do a lot from there. It's got a real buzz about it.
There are eight cameras in the main arena, including a jib. This year for the first time we've got a two-point wirecam system from Batcam, and that's really raised the level of coverage, Foulser says. We have three cameras in the second studio and then we have three crews running around shooting features and additional concepts. It's a big operation.
Running to time
The old TV adage is never work with children and animals', but Foulser feels Sunset Vine has refined the process for Crufts. I think we work incredibly well with the event team at The Kennel Club. In terms of the timings, of us joining in the arena, that's really well thought through and co-ordinated. Flyball is a live event, for example. While for Best in Show, we must get the timings right because it's on the main channel and we've got to be off the air by nine o'clock. So, it's crucial that the event runs to Channel 4 timings. We can put breaks in when we want to and all that, so it's a very much a co-ordinated effort between our team and The Kennel Club.
Clare Balding, returning to the show for her thirteenth year, hosted daily highlights live from the NEC and was joined by a team of reporters including Radzi Chinyanganya and Crufts newcomer Sophie Morgan, along with canine experts.
We have top talent covering the show, says Foulser. Claire Balding is the main presenter, she's supreme, she really loves the dogs. For the commentary we brought in sports TV legend Jim Rosenthal a few years ago - he's given that a whole new lift. He's doing the commentary along with Graham Partridge and they're a terrific double act.
Jim Rosenthal and Graham Partridge a terrific double act'
Because of our sporting background, people do ask, why are you doing Crufts? It's so different from covering rugby or cricket or football', says Foulser. But in a way, there are lots of similarities. It's a big event, with things going on in an arena. Our director who covers the main arena is Daniel Hudson, who's one of our rugby directors; he directed the Rugby World Cup finals in 2019.
We've got some absolutely top people. Our executive producer is Gary Francis who was behind all the Channel 4 cricket
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Leading the way: Sunset Vine gives Crufts the major sports event treatment Paws' for thought about the production team that brings the world's biggest dog show to our screens By Michael Burns 
