Kitty if you do go along you will have fun but I would try and get to a breed club open or championship show for a better representation of the breed and what it is capable of.
I don't rate Crufts in terms of being a good breed selection tool - two of the three GSDs who won BIS at Crufts back in the day threw epilepsy! Go to the British Sieger instead
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Ah so not a good place to find out about the breed and training etc?
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Quite the contrary it is an excellent place to find out about the breed. Most breeds are represented in the Discover Dogs section and the breed stands are often manned by people who are not "show people" or even breeders but genuine lovers of their breed. Go along, find your breed and talk to them. You will find out about breed clubs, health, etc. My breed we don't even display show pictures, all photos are of the dogs doing "normal" daily life stuff. And have a great time and enjoy it.
Discover Dogs is excellent for fact finding but the actual show
Best bet is to take yourself off to different breed clubs and see what suits you best - FI some clubs to flat ring training, some do obedience, some do trialling, mine does all three
Not going, but got a few to trim the day before that are heading over! Although it won't be the first time i've been talked into going to tickle them on the day...lol
The GSD club of Wales is based in S. Wales, not sure if they have obedience classes but expect they will. If everything goes to plan they would be a good contact.
In answer to oP, not going this year, and haven't exhibited there for years, but do tend to agree with Gazeys view of it, though in all fairness I have never shown at the NEC it was Earls Court in my day.
However, the stands are great, and Discover Dogs good for finding out about various breeds, although each breed stand is only as good as the people on it. Was a bit disappointed by the person on the GSD stand once, tbh they were talking a load of tripe