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Agilitynet came into it's own during the Foot & Mouth Crisis in 2002 and has not looked back since. It's been here for you in times of crisis, Covid, show cancellations, changes in rules and regulations, team selection and advances in technology. If it is news, we want to cover it regardless of affiliation. We can't be everywhere at once, however, so we rely on your input - and goodwill - to keep Agilitynet up to date so please email your show news to us as and when.. .
 

 DECEMBER 2023

 
Meet Some of the KC Agility Winners

The 2023 Kennel Club Agility Stakes were held at the London International Horse of the Year show (aka Olympia, not Olympia) at ExCeL London, in association with Skinner’s, from 14th – 18th December 2023.

One of the world’s most prestigious agility competitions of the year, the fInals saw five pairs of dogs and their handlers crowned as winners across different categories – Small, Medium, Intermediate, Large and Large ABC (Anything but a Collie).

Ben Skinner of Skinner’s, commented, 'We are pleased to be supporting this prestigious competition which always brings a great level of excitement and demonstrates world-class agility by all competitors.'

New competitions for 2023 took place in the New Horizon Plastics London Arena including three Crufts Semi-Finals which will see dogs putting their best paw forward to gain a spot in the final, held at the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts, in March 2024. The New Horizon Plastics London Arena will also host finals of the Discover Dogs Small/Mixi Pairs Challenge and The Kennel Club Starters Cup.

Head of Events at The Kennel Club Catherine Guiver said, 'We are excited to host The Kennel Club Agility Stakes again at ExCeL London and we are really pleased to be bringing another five agility competitions to the New Horizons Plastics London Arena for the first time this year. With a total of ten agility competitions, anyone visiting this fantastic London event is guaranteed to witness incredible displays of skill and dedication by both the dogs and their owners, both beginners and very experienced, in both arenas. We wish luck to all those competing and encourage visitors to go and soak up the atmosphere and excitement of these fast-paced and prestigious agility competitions.'

The competitions took place over the five-days as follows:

International Arena

• Thursday, 14th  December – Large ABC Kennel Club Agility Stakes Final
• Friday, 15th  December - Small Kennel Club Agility Stakes Final

• Saturday, 16th  December - Intermediate Kennel Club Agility Stakes Final

• Sunday, 17th  December - Large Kennel Club Agility Stakes Final
• Monday, 18th December - Medium Kennel Club Agility Stakes Final

The New Horizon Plastics London Arena

• Thursday, 14th December - Crufts Medium ABC Semi-Final

• Friday, 15th December - Discover Dogs Small/Mixi Pairs Challenge Final

• Saturday, 16th December - Kennel Club Starters Cup Final

• Sunday, 17th December - Crufts Large Novice ABC Semi-Final

• Monday, 18th December - Crufts Intermediate Novice ABC Semi-Final

 LETS Go Manor to Shut Permanently

LETS Go Manor, situated on the New Forest/Southampton borders, will be closing down from 17th January 2024. They have been consulting with the local licensing authority over the past two years but, despite the history of dog activities on site, they are unable to continue in the current format.

For events booked after this date, please consult with your event organiser before you do anything else.

The LETS Go Manor management said, 'We are grateful for all the suggestions and support offered to us but, rest assured, every possible angle has been explored. We respect the decisions made but sadly the decision is final. We remain eternally grateful for being afforded the opportunity to turn a dream into a reality. It has been hard work, often very trying but ultimately we are extremely proud of all we have achieved - and of those that have shared the journey with us. Thank you all so very, very, much!'

 Wellow Agility Club has trained at LETS Go Manor for nearly  30 years. They want people to know that they will not be closing, just relocating.

13th December 2023

The First WAO Title Sponsor Announced

The World Agility Open (WAO), one of the largest annual international dog agility competitions, is proud to announce that FitPaws has been selected to be the Title Sponsor and will present together for the first time the FitPaws World Agility Open. The 2024 FitPaws World Agility Open will be held at the National Hippic Centre (KHNS) in Ermelo, Netherlands, from 15th May to 19th. The event is expecting 650 competitors from approximately 43 countries. Judging this year's event will be Bonnik Berthelsen, Jan Egil Eide and Natalie Webb.

Beginning in 2011, WAO's focus has been on showcasing the highest level of training, human-canine partnership and athleticism represented by teams from around the world in an environment focused on the sport of agility. Partnerships from each nation will compete for five world championship titles based on performances in Agility, Jumping and Speedstakes, amongst others.

FitPaws combines the art and science of physical training and rehabilitation to design equipment that improves dogs' overall fitness. Founded in 2010, FitPaws equipment is trusted and recommended by top canine fitness and rehabilitation experts worldwide for building strength, increasing flexibility, and improving proprioception.

Ryan DeCaire, CEO of Paw Prosper, the parent company of FitPaws said, 'FitPaws is thrilled to enter into the canine sporting world with such an incredible partner. Receiving this honor of Title Sponsor for the FitPaws World Agility Open reflects our deep commitment to canine physical conditioning and mental fitness, empowering dogs to stay strong, healthy, and reach their highest potential."

'We're extremely excited to announce the FitPaws World Agility Open," stated Greg Derrett, CEO of UK Agility International (UKI) and the WAO. 'FitPaws is a highly respected brand in the canine fitness industry. Their commitment to improving dog's overall fitness aligns with our goal of providing the ultimate global agility competition.'

 NOVEMBER 2023

WAO TEAM WALES

The 2024 Team Wales is now complete. Huge Congratulations to the following team members, new and old.

Thanks to the 2024 Team Wales sponsors - Susan Garrett's DogsThat, Active Agility Events and Fun Shows, SMART Specialist Veterinary Referrals, JR Pet Products and Touchango K9 - Touchango Toys.

20th November 2023

 OCTOBER 2023

IFCS Team GB Selection

The IFCS Team GB management are pleased to announce the Team for WAC 2024 to be held in France on 29th April to 5th May 2024.

New Home for FAB Agility Shows

After over 10 years on the road, the FAB agility shows are finally coming home!  From June 2024 onwards, they will all be held at Freeways Measow, a new and dedicated venue just outside Dorchester.

'I’ve been searching for a permanent show venue in the South of England for some time and have finally found 19 acres of really FAB land which is being specially prepared and seeded just for our events,' explained Dawn Weaver.

Dawn is also taking the opportunity to improve facilities in other areas – for example, large rings with sturdy fencing and plenty of space for camping and exercise.  All the equipment will be new and only used for FAB shows and camps. It will include Galican tunnels and Soft Line  contacts.

At the same time, all the FAB favourites will back including:-

• KC weekends plus FAB Fridays

• IFCS Team GB qualifiers

• FAB Grand Slam qualifiers

• 4 x KC progression classes

• Petite

• Anysize

• Tunnel Exchange

Dawn added, 'This is such a milestone for FAB. I can't wait to get started. All our dates are in the Agilitynet Show Diary and entry is via Agility Plaza.'

Senior Open Agility World Championships

The first edition of the Senior Open Agility World Championships (SOAWC) has been announced. They will take place from 19th-21st July 2024, the same time as the Junior Open Agility World Championships (JOAWC) at the same venue.

There will be two age categories:

• 55-65

• 65+

The organisers said, 'We will do out utmost to make a successful first edition so that they will be come an annual event.'

On Facebook, Jackie Gardner said, 'I'm excited at the prospect, and hopefully you are as well, of being able to send a GB Team to the new FCI Senior Open Agility World Championships. But with all the things that will involve the KC, we need to gauge the interest/support if we want to try and get them involved and back this.'

The rules for this competition are as follows:-

Regulations for the Senior Open Agility World Championship (SO AWC)

• The SO AWC is an agility competition based on the FCI Agility regulations.
   

• The competition is open to all dogs, with or without pedigree.
   

• All National Member Organisations of the FCI or National Organisations with a close relationship to the FCI are invited to participate in this event.
   

• All competitors must be citizens of the country which they represent, or they must have their main residence there. Handlers with dual nationality can register only for one country.
   

• All participating dogs must be licensed by their National Member Organisation of the FCI or a National Organisation with a close relationship to the FCI.
   

• All dogs must be 24 months or older on the day of the competition.
   

• Each handler can compete with a maximum of four dogs.
   

• Each National Organisation has the right to nominate competitors and to send the entries to the Organiser by 31st May at the latest.
   

• Team leaders of the countries will send an information email to the Organiser after which they will receive a confirmation of registration and an entry form.
   

• If countries decide to have a selection process, this must be open to all dogs (with or without pedigree).
   

• All countries participating can enter a maximum of 32 dogs, with a maximum of 8 dogs in any category. The hosting country is entitled to enter an extra team (4 dogs) in each height category.
   

• A list of reserve dogs and handlers can be attached to the entries/ A country can send one reserve dog per four dogs in each category).
   

• The reserve may take the place of an original entry should the original competitor have to be replaced. The reserve may also be allocated an entry in case of an available spot after the closing of entries.
   

• If countries choose to have a selection process, this must be open to all dogs (with or without pedigree).
   

• The winners (same dog and handler) in Individual (Small – Medium – Intermediate – Large) of the previous SO AWC may register to defend their title. These dogs will simply be added on to the number of dogs allowed for their country.
   

• A country may exceed its quota and additional dogs beyond the maximum will go on the waiting list.
   

• After the closing date for entries, the Organisers may select dogs from the waiting list. Only dogs already on the waiting list will be entered by the Organiser.
   

• The maximum number of entries is 700.
   

• The names of the three or four participants making up each team must be sent in before 15th June at the latest.
   

• After this date, the Ooganiser will combine the remaining participants who are not a member of any team into new teams.
   

• The entry fees are €30,00 for Individual or Team, €45,00 for both competitions.

    Veterinary inspection, identity check and height measuring

• During the attendance check, the identity of each dog will be checked. Each competitor will submit a document with their photograph confirming the date of birth.
   

• The dogs that fail the veterinary inspection are not allowed to take part in either practice or the competition.
   

• All dogs which have not been measured at previous FCI World Championships, European Open or Junior Open Agility World Championships will be measured to check whether the dog is entered in the correct category. Dogs entered in the wrong category will be removed from the competition.

    SO AWC Age Classification

•   U66 – 55 to 65 years old  O65 – over 65 years old It is the year in which the handler has a birthday that is taken into account, not the actual date of birth.

    SO AWC - individuals

• The Individual competition is held in the categories Small, Medium, Intermediate and Large, divided into U66 and O65.
   

• There are two rounds: the first one is the Jumping round, the second is the Agility round. The second round is run in the reversed order according to the results from the first round. The winner is the one with the best total result from both rounds and will gain the title SO AWC 20XX Winner U66 or O65 respectively in each height category.
   

• A handler with more than one dog should have minimum 20 dogs between each dog (if possible by the number of competitors).

    SO AWC – Teams

• The Team competition (mixed U66 and O65) is held in the categories Small, Medium, Intermediate and Large.

• The teams in all four categories consist of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4 dogs. There are two rounds in this competition. The first one is the Jumping round, the second is the Agility round. The 3 best results of each team will count. The team with the best overall result will gain the title "SO AWC 20XX Winner in Team" in each height category.

Prize Giving Ceremony

The prize giving for the SO AWC finals will be held on Sunday, after the completion of all final runs. First the top three placed Teams of the SO AWC Team Finals in all categories (S, M, I and L) will be announced, the anthem of the winning country will be played. Should the winner be a Mixed Country Team, then the European Anthem will be played. Thereafter, the prize giving for the SO AWC Individual Finals will take place. The top three places of the final round in all categories will be announced, the national anthem of each winning country will be played.

12th October 2023

FMBB World Championship 2024 - Verona (Italy)

The BSDA of GB and WBSDS are pleased to announce that Team to represent GB at the FMBB World Championship to be held at Bovolone in Italy from 23rd -28th April 2024 has been selected.

Following a successful selection day, held at Woof & Go in Buckinghamshire on 23rd September and judged by Rogue Agility's Jenny Kimber, the following handlers and dogs have been chosen.

Teams & Individuals

• Edit Ratkai with Monkey (Malinois)

• Tina Simpson with Phoenix (Tervueren)

• Helen Postle with Vesper (Malinois)

• Mags Hayden-Smith Malinois)

Individuals

• Sharyn Hall with Shumi (Groenendael)

• Grace Blackmore with Amie (Malinois)

• Neil Bennison with Lillie (Tervueren)

Tony Parmiter - FMBB GB Agility Team Manager

11th October 2023

 
Agility Team GB Celebrates Historic Wins at FCI World Champions

Other achievements for team members included Laura Chapman with Border Collie, Leebeardream Come True (Endeavour), won 2nd place in the Medium Individual Agility competition while Marita Ogilvie with Border Collie, Darleyfalls Cryptic Enigma (Cicada), achieved 3rd place in the Intermediate Individual Agility competition.

Agility Team GB Manager, Greg Derrett said, 'I am overjoyed for the whole team. It has been an incredibly successful year so far for Agility Team GB, breaking the teams records and topping the medal tables at the Junior Open Agility World Championships, European Open Championships, and now the Agility World Championships. Every dog and handler really gave it their all on every day of the competition, with an impressive display of skill and determination, but they also show remarkable dedication behind the scenes in their training throughout the year.'

Agility Team GB consisted of 22 dogs, including reserves who were selected from the Agility World Championships Tryout Day held at Dog Sports Derby in March 2023.

Phil Keen, Managing Director from Natural Instinct, sponsors of Agility Team GB, said, 'On behalf of Natural Instinct, we’d like to congratulate Agility Team GB on bringing home five medals at the Agility World Championships this year. It has been an impressive year for Agility Team GB and we are so proud to sponsor this fantastic team of dogs and handlers!'

The Kennel Club said, 'Thank you to the Agility Team GB Management Team for making Agility Team GB's dreams come true. Greg Derrett (Team Manager, Matthew Goodliffe (Senior Coach), Anthony Clarke (Junior Coach), Christina Davies (Results Analyst), Victoria Fraser (Team Vet), Ann Roberts (Safeguarding & Support Officer) and Simon Peachey (Team photographer.) Without you all, this would not have been possible, so thank you for all of your hard work that you have put into the team and their success. We are already looking forward to 2024.

A final thank you goes to Agility Team GB sponsors . Your support to the team over the years is much appreciated.'

• #NaturalInstinct

• #galican

• #dogsportsderby

The 2024 FCI Agility World Championships will be held in Belgium from 1st – 6th October 2024. The European Open Agility Championships 2024 will be hosted by The Kennel Club at Dallas Burston Polo Club, Southam from 1st – 4th August.

 Information about Agility Team GB can be found at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityteamgb

Photos: Simon Peachey

11th October 2023

 SEPTEMBER 2023

Crufts 2024 Schedule

Crufts 2024 will take place from 7th – 10th March at the NEC, Birmingham. Groups are scheduled as follows:-

7th March  –  Utility and Toy

8th March  –  Gundog

9th March  –  Working & Pastoral

10th March  –  Terrier & Hound

Online entries will open on 13th November, but in the meantime, The Kennel Club would like to announce that the following competitions will take place at Crufts on these dates:

Thursday, 7th March

• Crufts Novice Cup Agility

• Crufts Agility Championship (Small and Medium height dogs)

• Junior Warrant competition final

• Vulnerable Breeds competition

• Heelwork to Music competition

• Young Kennel Club (YKC) Agility Jumping Cup

• Flyball team competition – Last 16

• Inter-Regional Rally competition

• Obreedience competition

Friday, 8th March

• Joe Cartledge Memorial International Junior Handling competition

• Crufts Medium ABC/Intermediate and Large Novice ABC Agility

• Crufts Singles Agility

• Flyball team competition – Last 16

• Breeders competition

• Freestyle Heelwork to Music competition

• Inter-Regional Obedience competition

Saturday, 9th March

• Crufts International Agility competition

• Scruffts Semi-finals and final

• Freestyle Heelwork to Music International competition

• YKC Agility Dog of the Year finals

• Flyball – Quarter finals (including YKC finals)

• Obedience Championships - Dogs

• Good Citizen Dog Training scheme Special Pre- Beginner Obedience Stakes Grand Final

Sunday, 10th March

• Crufts Agility Championship (intermediate and large height dogs)

• Flyball – Semi-finals and finals

• The Kennel Club Hero Dog Award

• Obedience Championships – Bitches

• Good Citizen Dog Training scheme Special Pre-Beginner Obedience Stakes final for YKC members

Further competition times and events are still to be announced. For up-to-date information, please visit the Crufts website.

Results from Kennel Club Stakes Qualifiers

Congratulations to all those who have qualified for the Semi-Finals and Finals which will take place at The London International Horse Show at the ExCel from the 14th - 18th December.

The qualifiers took place on 16th September at Vale View under the watchful eye of  judges Connor Harley and Assistant Judge Ryan Hennessey.

However, they will be looking to run KC shows 28th October and also on 11th and 12th November They will be putting the schedules out shortly for these.

Show Administrator Kristen Cutler said, 'Once again, we would like to apologise for any inconvenience the cancellation has cause you. Like you, we were looking forward to a wonderful weekend of fun, so appreciate your disappointment. We now have the enormous and sad task of packing away the site that we have been setting up the last two days and are sorting all of the required admin out.

Many of you, I am sure, will have questions about what the cancellation means for you. Because it is a KC show, we must fully abide by the set rules when it comes to a show cancellation.

The rules state that we must refund all entry fees, minus any non-recoverable expenses that we have incurred. We will not make any profit from this cancellation. We need to draw up accounts and send these off to the KC for their approval prior to doing the refund. So everyone who had entered will get a refund, although given the very short timescale until the show was due to open, we have incurred considerable costs already such as the portaloos which are already onsite, equipment hire, processing costs etc. Our processors will be in contact with you once we have an update on this.

This is certainly not the way we wanted to spend our weekend, but, as always, we will bounce back and we look forward to putting on the future shows for you. I will post further messages for you as soon as I have any updates.'

Team T&A

Agility Team GB Selection Dates

Due to feedback received following The Agility Team GB Try Outs, the Management Team has decided to amend the dates for the 2024 process to allow a more time between events for recovery and preparation.

A key decision has been to only adjust this slightly, to maintain the selection process over a short period of time, based around Crufts.

Agility Team GB 2024 Selection events will now take place on the following dates:-

• 2-4 February

• 16-18 February

• 16-17 March

• 23-24 March

An announcement will be made shortly (before 1st May) outlining which Agility Team GB events will happen on which dates and setting out any changes to the selection process. In the meantime, please save these dates into your diaries.

Details about the 2024 process can be found at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityteamgb

If you have any questions, please direct these to agility@thekennelclub.org.uk

7th September 2023

 AUGUST 2023

Agility Nexus Announcement

Neil Ellis and Dave Munnings have announced that they will be starting a brand new, independent agility organisation - Agility Nexus - from 2025.

In their video on Facebook, they proudly said, 'We are passionate about safety through reviewed course design, the best equipment, the best venues and the most modern ideaa. The shows will run throughout the year with Championship classes, finals and a goal of progressive agility in mind.'

Registration will be opening in early 2024.

Watch this space

30th August2023

Ogilvie Dogs Bringing World-class Indoor KC Shows to Lincolnshire

Ogilvie Dogs were awarded a KC license to hold shows at their 20x54m indoor Astroturf venue in Bourne (Lincs.) earlier this year. They will be holding one show a month from September to February, each catering for a different grade, but all heights are offered at each show.

The shows are indoor so no need to worry about the weather, on running on a Juta Astroturf surface and using the very best Galican soft line equipment.

Marita Ogilvie said. 'The line-up of judges is impressive. September kicks off with Neil Ellis and after that there are many top names including European Open winner Dalton Meredith, Dan Hodson, Dave Munnings, Lucy Norton and Helen Postle.'

We aim to provide quality courses with safe lines that make sure you have a good time running your dog.’

If you win a class, there is a choice of prizes – either a trophy, training bag, free hire or money back on your Agility Plaza account as well as a rosette.

Marita added, 'Every detail will be considered for these shows, making sure they are efficient, fun and allow competitors to have the show experience they deserve.’

For more information, email or go to the Ogilvie Dogs website.

25th August 2023

Longines Global Champions Tour Comes to London

The glamorous Longines Global Champions Tour of London kicked off in spectacular fashion on Thursday, 10th August at the iconic Royal Chelsea Hospital in London.

2023 saw British Agility partner with the Longines Global tour to showcase the British Agility Grand Prix. Nine dogs and handlers battled it out over two rounds to try and take the top spot on the Longines Championship podium in front of a full stadium of sporting enthusiasts.

A heart-pumping first round saw the London crowd up on their feet cheering and shouting for their favourite partnership. The unique rules were designed by both British Agility and the Global Tour directors to showcase the very best of Dog Agility during this event. It was fast and furious with a variety of different breeds and size of dog from the smallest, a Miniature Pinscher to the largest being the Belgium Malinois.

The Longines Global Champions Tour of London is not only a celebration of equestrian athleticism but also an embodiment of a luxurious lifestyle. The event drew a constellation of VIPs, including celebrities and notable figures, who eagerly awaited the stunning performances and unforgettable moments. Watching on from hospitality were media personalities including Sarah Cox and Chris Hughes, adding a touch of glamour and excitement to the proceedings.

Speaking to several of the Grand Prix competitors, Sarah Cox went on to tell them that 'It’s always been an ambition to have a go at agility with one of my dogs.’

The star of the show was Chica, the Miniature Pinscher who not only was the smallest dog on the day but was the only dog,  along with handler Lee Gibson, to complete both Championship rounds without recording any faults at all.

Lee went on to say 'It was a great day in London. Weighing just 3kg, Chica had to work very hard as she was up against a variety of larger breeds. To win at the British Agility Grand Prix at the Longines Global Champions Tour is really something fantastic for Chica and something we are both very proud of. The crowds were amazing, and their cheering really helped me and Chica run faster! A huge thank you to everyone who supported us and made the day possible. It was amazing to see our sport of Dog Agility featured at such an iconic event in amazing surroundings!’ Anthony Clarke, British Agility Director, added, 'There have been months of planning this event alongside the Global Tour team and for the event to finally take place and for it to be so well received by the audience really make it a special day, not only for the competitors and their dogs, but for the team behind the scenes who made this event happen. I'd like to thank our sponsors Cotswold Choice Grain Free Dog Food and Longines for their continued support.'

Next up Is the Yumove British Agility Championships in November. Entries will go live in August. This year’s Championship will host qualification rounds for the England World Agility Open (WAO) Team.

Longines showcases the very best of Show Jumping within the horse world at 16 iconic venues around the world as far away as Doha, Miami, Paris and London.

25th August 2023

News of All Kennel Club Agility Qualifiers from 2025

The Kennel Club has decided to conduct a review of the allocation of all Kennel Club Agility qualifiers from 2025 onwards. This means that all Kennel Club fully registered agility clubs, whether they already hold qualifiers or not, will need to apply to host KC agility qualifiers from this date as these will be redistributed across the country. This is also an opportunity for clubs who do not currently hold qualifier to apply.

It has also been agreed that an agility season for prestige event qualifiers will be put into place from 1st March until 31st October (except for The Kennel Club Agility Stake qualifiers which will be from 1 March until 31st July due to the quarter and semi-finals.

If your club is interested in submitting an application to host one or more agility qualifiers from 2025 then please submit an online application by Monday, 4th September. Clubs which have been awarded qualifiers will be confirmed later in September.

If you have any questions, please direct these to agility@thekennelclub.org.uk

17th August 2023

Photo: Eleanor Riley

KCIAF Main Competition Results

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival concluded four impressive days of agility excellence on Sunday, 13 August 2023. The Festival saw thousands of dogs and their handlers, from across the UK and overseas, compete in over 200 competitions at Rutland Showground, Oakham.

The festival, welcomed dogs of every size, shape and breed to take part in competitions across four size categories, 18 rings and 200 classes. Competitors displayed high levels of skill and training, navigating through courses with various obstacles including hurdles, poles, tunnels and more. 

Competition was tough, and some lucky dogs and their handlers are now celebrating qualifying for agility competition finals which will be held at The London International Horse Show in December, and at the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts, in March 2024.

Ben Skinner, of Skinner’s who supported the Festival, said, 'Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and competitors of The Kennel Club International Agility Festival. It is wonderful to see everyone enjoying competing at the festival again this year and we are always proud to sponsor this incredible event. It is inspiring to see the dedication and skill displayed by all the competitors and their dogs. Everyone who has taken part should be very proud of their achievements in the ring.'

Catherine Guiver, Head of Events at The Kennel Club, added, 'Congratulations to all the winners at this year's International Agility Festival. We look forward to seeing many of them return to further competitions at The London International Horse Show and Crufts. And well done to all the dogs and handlers who have competed and shown great skill and confidence i the rings over the last few days.''

The top three placings in each of the main competitions at the festival were as follows:-

Kennel Club Championship Finals
With first place Championship winner in each height category qualifying for Crufts

Large Kennel Club Championship Final

• 1st – Dave Munnings with Ag.Ch. Comebyanaway Wot a Legacy (Legacy)
• 2nd – Chris Kerton with Infinity Runners Shanap (Copernicus)
• 3rd – Michelle Waugh with Chazak Dream a Little Dream (Alvin)

Intermediate Kennel Club Championship Final

• 1st – Toni Smith with Cherryhog Bright Future (Febe)
• 2nd – Amanda Ellerton with Cherryhog Discovery (Pepe)
• 3rd – Steve Seale with Devongem Try Fleck (Flec)

Medium Kennel Club Championship Final

• 1st – Liz Carpenter with Ag.Ch. Moseleywood Maggie AW (Maggie)
• 2nd – Ruby Strutt with Klairella Enchantment (Miley)
• 3rd – Ande Smith with Bramleycott Charleston (Gertie)

Small Kennel Club Championship Final

• 1st – Martin Reid with Ag.Ch. Get It with Eager to Work (Selfie)
• 2nd – Rachel Ward with Devongem Sweet But a Syko (Pecan)
• 3rd – Chloe Cooper with Aint He Sweep (Sweep)

Kennel Club Starters Cup Semi-Final
With the top six in each height category qualifying for the final held in the new London Arena at The London International Horse Show

Large Kennel Club Starters Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Sam Clayson with Clatterhack Astronomical (Astro)
• 2nd – Sally Stephens with Hartson Red Cloud (Inca)
• 3rd – Thomas Lejasmeiers with Coedylan Tarquin (Nero)

Intermediate Kennel Club Starters Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Chloe Powling with The Veloci Cassie Raptor (Cassie)
• 2nd – Jill Lowe with Panaqua Colour of Love (Wispa)
• 3rd – Caitlin Wells with Lalapaws Darling Violet (Apple)

Medium Kennel Club Starters Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Lara Staplehurst with Tribal Instinct (Apache)
• 2nd – Lisa Perry with May The Fourth Be Binky (Binky)
• 3rd – Elizabeth Naylor with Kentwone The Brave One at Hornspike (Nala)

Small Kennel Club Starters Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Isabella Cox with Isabelora Steal My Girl (Fidget)
• 2nd – Ian Law with Kellandbrook Mojito of Wynfaest (Zennor)
• 3rd – Karl Weiss with Lady Ruby Red (Ruby)

Kennel Club Novice Cup Semi-Final
With the top six in each height category qualifying for Crufts)

Large Kennel Club Novice Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Laura Murphy with The Harpoon (Harper)
• 2nd – Jen Slade with That’s Why as Bold as Brass (Brokkoli)
• 3rd – Lindsay Bentley with Darleyfalls Cruise Control (Cruz)

Intermediate Kennel Club Novice Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Bernie Jobbins with Aurora's Flaming Magic (Roari)
• 2nd – Olivia Patz with Comebyanaway a Ton of Jewels (Oodles)
• 3rd – Laura Murphy with The Honey Badger (Indy)

Medium Club Novice Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Lily Woodford with Devongem Spider Beside Her of Chilternlily (Sparrow)
• 2nd – Aimee Bingham with Oatily Totally In Sane (Otis)
• 3rd – Michael Green with Tuftihed Born to be Wild (Bebe)

Small Club Novice Cup Semi-Final

• 1st – Ellie Campbell with Fern Flying Fantasy AW (Fern)
• 2nd – Steven Swankie with Sheltiefire All Eyes on Me (Bug)
• 3rd – Rachel Ward with Ambiens Black Ice AW (Summer)

Kennel Club Special International Final
With the winners in each height qualifying for the Crufts Singles competition)

Large Kennel Club Special International Final

• 1st – Desiree Snelleman with Ignited Reach for New Heights (Peak)
• 2nd – Shelby Tilden with Power Tripp's Room to Grow (Moss)
• 3rd – Danielle Scott with Sagehill Full Moon Fever (Moon)

Medium Kennel Club Special International Final

• 1st – Carlos Passarinho with Goma (Flowet)
• 2nd – Irena Hofmanová with Helen of Troy of Darknes (Naf79383)
• 3rd – Jurgen Smit with Vintage Bi From Marmorea's Shelter (Sonic)

Small Kennel Club Special International Final

• 1st – Sam Sanchez with Devongem Pride Rock (Taxi)
• 2nd – Heather Witt-Sullivan with Foxpoint Ash and Elm and Rowan Too (Rowan)
• 3rd – Michèle Taffijn-Du Boise with Dutch Replay (Dutch Replay)

For more information on The Kennel Club International Agility Festival, please visit thekennelclub.org.uk/IAF

Find the full list of results at agilityplaza.com/competition/1662995563/results

FMBB World Championship 2024 Verona Italy

The BSDA of GB and WBSDS would like to invite owners/handlers of currently competing Belgian Shepherd agility dogs to register interest in selection for the GB Squad for the FMBB World Championship 2024 to be held in Verona, in the north of Italy from 23rd to 28th April 2024.

To be eligible, your dog must be pedigree with all necessary documentation, Kennel Club registered and competing KC G4-7 or G3 with at least one progression win. The cut-off date for achieving G4 is 31st December 2023.

The Selection Day will be held at Grendon Underwood(Buckinghamshire) on Saturday, 23rd September and will include FCI A3 World Championship format Agility and Jumping courses.

Only apply if you are available to be away from 21st to 30th April, are prepared to attend designated Squad Training if chosen, be a Team Player, able to Self-Drive and part-fund.

For an application form. please send your details and those of your dog by email to Tony Parmiter, FMBB GB Agility Team Manager.

A £15 entry fee, subsidised by the BSDA of GB, will apply per handler/dog team. Completed forms will need to be returned by Friday, 25th August 2023.

8th August 2023

Health & Welfare Offers at KCIAF

For more information about The Kennel Club International Agility Festival, please visit thekennelclub.org.uk/iaf.

4th August 2023

 JULY 2023

Agility Team GB Tops the Medal Table at EO Champs

The Kennel Club would like to congratulate Agility Team GB on an unforgettable weekend, topping the medal table  at the European Open Agility Championships (EO) in Hoersholm, Denmark on 21st – 23rd July 2023.

With  challenging courses and ever changing weather conditions, the Team had to be on their toes throughout the Championships and they certainly delivered on all three days of competition. Handlers handlers and their dogs showed an impressive level of skill across both team and individual competitions. Agility Team GB won a total of six medals as well as several round wins across the Individual and Team events in previous days which is the most the team have brought home from the EO in their history.

Medals were won in the following competitions:-

Gold Medals:

• Martin Reid with Ag.Ch. Get It With Eager to Work (Selfie) - Small Individual

• Dalton Meredith with Ag.Ch. Fandabidozi Eclipse of Dust (Clippy) - Intermediate Individual

Silver Medals:

• Team GB Cool Name Pending won Silver in the Large Team Finals. The Team included Martin Reid with Ag.Ch. Lilhaze Spring Into Shape (Shape), Sian Illingworth with Ag,Ch. Zhanisgo’s Secret Agent (Agent), Naarah Cuddy with Ag.Ch. Lilhaze Dark Pleasure (Lemon) and Karen Marriott with Comebyanaway A Touch Crazy (Trio)

Bronze Medals:

• Team GB Replay won a Bronze in the Medium Team Finals. The Team included Steven Richardson with Sanscott Midnight Mist (Willow), Lily Dakin with Wavesong Honky Tonk Blu (Scout), Stephanie Best with Z-Atomic Spice Koryfej (Skedaddle) and James Adams with Devongem Tiz Gold Standard (Willow)

• Euan Paterson with Ag.Ch. Devongem Quick Time (Crazee) - Intermediate Individual

• James Adams with Devongem Tiz Gold Standard (Willow) - in the Medium Individual

Agility Team GB Manager, Greg Derrett, commented, 'I’m delighted with the performance of all 28 partnerships that represented Great Britain at this year’s EO, bringing home so many medals, from all four heights and in both the Individual and Team events. It shows great progress for Agility Team GB since 2022. We still have many more targets to strive towards and I’m excited for the future of the team with our next event, the FCI Agility World Championships in the Czech Republic from 5th – 8th October.'

On Facebook, Matthew Goodliffe said, 'Despite the inclement weather, it’s been a great Championship and I'm incredibly proud to be British and part of Team GB. I'm not going to lie, being part of the team management entails long hard days, on the spot decision making, constant counting down running orders, checking checking and more checking of schedules, whilst trying to think of the right things to say at the right time, or not say, as the case may be! You can go from an almighty high to an incredible low within minutes and still have to remain composed to support members of the team in the build up to their runs. Fortunately, I get to work with an amazing group of people and I thank Greg Derrett, Ann Roberts, Anthony Clarke, Tina Davies, Vicky Fraser, Alex Paisey, and Gina Sansom for their support, laughs and insight.'

Next year will see The Kennel Club host the European Agility Championships, which will be held at Dallas Burston Polo Club, Southam.

Agility Team GB is supported by The Kennel Club, Natural Instinct, Dog Sports Derby and Galican.

Phil Keen, Managing Director from Natural Instinct, said, 'On behalf of Natural Instinct, we’d like to congratulate everyone on their results at the European Open Agility Championships. We are proud to sponsor this fantastic team and are excited to see what the future holds for these amazing athletes!”

The Team were chosen following this year’s European Open Tryout Day, which was held in March at Dog Sports Derby.

For the full list of results, visit: https://eo2023.dk/

For those interested in finding out more about qualifications for the Senior Try-outs, details can be found on The Kennel Club website: thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityteamgb

More information about dog agility and how to get involved is available at the Kennel Club website.

CSJ Highland Finals Report

CSJ Highland Agility Final took place on 2^nd July 2023 at the GWCT Game Fair in the breathtaking setting of Scone Palace. Nestled amidst picturesque landscapes, this historic venue adds an extra touch of grandeur to the event. Soak in the beauty of the surroundings as you cheer on the participants and marvel at the incredible skills on display. Whether you are a seasoned agility enthusiast or new to the sport, the CSJ Highland Agility Finals at Scone Palace was an unforgettable experience for everyone.

They were thrilled to have Jim Flood, preside over the event. With his wealth of knowledge and expertise, you can expect fair and insightful judging that truly celebrates the skills and talents of the participants. The GWCT Game Fair is not just a competition. It is a celebration of the incredible bond between humans and their working dogs. Witness the agility and teamwork as these talented canines showcase their abilities in various challenging tasks. These dogs are true masters of their craft! 

The winners and runners up of the Final are.

I would like to finish by saying huge thanks to our sponsor CSJ with support from Showtime Online and Norton Rosettes. Also thank you to Kevin Mackintosh for supplying the equipment and, thanks to Fiona Flood for the photographs and the ring party for giving up there day to make it such a memorable day for the competitors.

Agility at Discover Dogs

The Semi-finals of the Large Novice, Intermediate Novice and Medium ABC competitions will take place at Discover Dogs with a grand final taking place at Crufts 2024. We also have the finals of the Small/Mixi Pairs competition which will take place at Discover Dogs 2023. This event will be held alongside The London International Horse Show at London, ExCel from 14th-18th December.

Main Judge: Paul Hinchley
Assistant Judge: Leslie Osborne

Competition dates at The London International Horse Show 2023:

• Thursday, 14th December - Crufts Medium ABC Semi-Final

• Friday, 15th December - Discover Dogs Small/Mixi Pairs Challenge Final

• Saturday, 16th December - Kennel Club Starters Cup Final

• Sunday, 17th December - Crufts Large Novice ABC Semi-Final

• Monday, 18th December - Crufts Intermediate Novice ABC Semi-Final

Read more on the Crufts website.

Photo: Simon Peachey

Great Results for GB Team at JOWC 2023

Amazing news... Agility Team GB have achieved several medals at The Junior Open Agility World Championships (JOAWC). Congratulations to all dogs and handlers/ What a great achievement!

This is the first time the UK has held the competition and heralds the first of two events to be hosted by The Kennel Club, with the European Open Championships due to be held at the same venue in 2024.

Individuals

Thank you to Agility Team GB sponsors Natural instinct and Galican Dog Sports Derby for their support.

Hatton Agility Festival Show Information

With bad weather expected over the weekend of15th-16th July, a decision has been made to move the Hatton Agility Festival Open Agility Show to the Dog Barn, Banbury (OX17 2PW.)

While this location may not suit all competitors, it offer fantastic facilities in a purpose-built venue with hard standing car park for the venue and indoor facilities. The classes and other details will continue as previously stated.

Organiser Luke Taylor said, 'Apologies it is such short notice, but we feel the best decision has been made.'

Luke Taylor

Accredited KC Trainers Sought for Judges

The Kennel Club is seeking to recruit Accredited Trainers for judges of agility, in order to meet the demands of Britain’s largest canine activity.

The successful trainers will be well established within the agility community, with an excellent knowledge and understanding of current Kennel Club rules and regulations. They will have good presentation skills using a range of different media, and an understanding of the different learning styles of individuals with the ability to engage with the participants.

They will be expected to plan seminars using course information provided by The Kennel Club; all seminars will consist of a range of presentation methods, including PowerPoint, group and interactive sessions, practical discussions and demonstrations and practical assessments. They will be expected to review and analyse participants’ courses, critique them and provide constructive feedback.

They will also be expected to participate in the mentoring scheme for newly qualified judges, carry out Continual Personal Development (CPD) assessments on established judges and provide support and constructive feedback to the individual and The Kennel Club.

Additionally, they will be required to attend the annual Accredited Trainers Seminar at The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, in October.

Applicants will need to submit a CV to demonstrate that they meet the following criteria:-

• Five or more years of regular judging experience

• Judged at Grade 6 or above

• Good presentation and teaching skills

• Attended and passed the exam for the Agility Regulations and Judging Procedure seminar and attended and passed the Course Design and Judging Seminar; or passed the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination on the Kennel Club Academy and attended and passed an Agility Judging Seminar

• Willing to travel to deliver seminars

• Have a commitment to mentor newly qualified agility judges for their initial judging appointments

• Willing to carry out CPD assessments on established judges

Those interested should send their applications to the Working Dog Activities Team via email to agility@thekennelclub.org.uk. The deadline for applications is Thursday, 3rd August 2023. If you have previously applied, please either resubmit your application or send an email to confirm you would still like to be considered.

All applications will be reviewed and short-listed and the successful candidates will be invited to an assessment day to be held on Tuesday, 12th September 2023 at The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh.

UK to Host FCI European Junior Worlds for the First Time

The Kennel Club is preparing to welcome over 300 dogs from all over the world to Warwickshire next month, ahead of the Junior Open Agility World Championship.

The Championship is one of the world’s most prestigious international dog agility competitions, and will take place between 14-16 July at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Southam. The event will see an action-packed three days of dogs and their handlers, aged 18 and under, competing in agility with the UK represented by the Young Kennel Club (YKC) Agility Team GB.

This is the first time the UK has held the competition and heralds the first of two events to be hosted by The Kennel Club, with the European Open Championships due to be held at the same venue in 2024.

The Championships will host a total of 363 dogs competing, from the following 18 countries:-

• Austria
• Belgium
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Hungary
• Italy
• The Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Slovakia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• United States

Helen Kerfoot, Chief Operations Officer at The Kennel Club said, 'We are honoured to be hosting such a renowned competition and to have the privilege of welcoming so many skilled young agility stars who are already competing at such a high standard. Agility is a fantastic activity to take part in with your dog, which helps to keep both dog and handler active as well a strengthening the bond between the pair and, as these youngsters demonstrate, it’s never too early to get started.'

Janet Hughes, Commercial Director and Head of Sustainability at Agria Pet Insurance added, 'We are proud to be sponsoring the Junior Open Agility World Championships as it is hosted in the UK for the first time. The competition will showcase some of the very highest level in agility, and with so many talented young handlers and their dogs from all over the world taking part, we are in for a very exciting few days. We would like to wish all those competing the very best of luck.'

The Championship is sponsored by Agria Pet Insurance, Galican, and South West Agility Goods.

More information on the Junior Open Agility World Championship can be found by visiting joawc2023.co.uk

Further details on the YKC Agility Team GB, can be found by visiting thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityteamgb

 JUNE 2023

UKA Rebrand

From 1st January 2024, UK Agility (UKA) will be changing it's name to Agility 4 All (A4A) to signify the transfer of ownership that took place last year.

For the remainder of 2023, shows will still be called UKA Bark Side, but for all shows from 1st Janaury 2024, they will be called, for example, A4A Bark Side.You may have noticed Agility 4 All already being used in the schedules as the BACs name and as the co-sponsor for the Nationals class at UKA Nationals this year.

In a statement on Facebook, owners Holly, Georgia and Karen said, 'We feel that this name represents UKA as an organisation, and demonstrates what we want to be - an agility organisation for all dogs. Thank you all for supporting us so far!

30th June 2023

New Chapter for Country Shows Agility

He said, ' I am pleased to say that our winter shows will continue as these have traditionally always been well supported. One of Dad's favourite events was Chatsworth which is now in it's 29th year. It would be great to see old and new faces, so why not try something a little different this year. The schedule out now on Agilitynet and Plaza.

30th June 2023

A Fidos First

Fidos Agility has announced that they will be holding their first KC Open Agility Show at Fidos Training Centre, Binfield, Berkshire for one day on Saturday, 17th September 2023.

The show will be held in two fully enclosed rings - one Indoor arena and one outdoor grass arena and will be offering Graded Classes 1-2 and G3-5 in all heights in Agility, Jumping and Steeplechase, with some lovely judges confirmed. There is plenty of space for parking and dog walking. Trade stands with include a food van - and hopefully an ice cream van, too.

 Hayley Hawkins said, 'We hope that agility competitors will support Fidos Show by entering to enable future shows to be available for handlers in the Berkshire area.

 MAY 2023

Highland Agility Stakes Finalists Announced

Congratulations to everyone who has qualified to take part in this year’s CSJ Highland Agility Finals.

The Finals are held on Sunday, 2nd July at the Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace in the main ring. There is a preliminary round in the morning to get everyone warmed up and then the finals are held in the afternoon.

Finalists will soon receive their formal invitation by email.

Team Leader Linda Croxford has announced a phenomenal UK Team for the 2023 Par Agility World Championships, taking place in the Netherlands in August this year. This year the UK is proud to be able to enter our highest number of par agility handlers since the UK hosted the event in 2018.

Whilst PAWC members do not have to go through the same selection process as do the IMCA team members), they do have to complete an application form which has to be endorsed by a medical professional and submit three videos of them in competition with their dogs. Their applications are checked and then forwarded to the Championship board members for their review and decision. At the time, the team is awaiting completion and decision on two of our final applications.

Linda said, ' It is a credit to all of our 17 handlers who compete at such a high standard against able-bodied handlers at every show to when most of the time no one would know that they are having to deal with various additional health pressures and pains. So, congratulations to all this year’s team members, who I am sure will be keeping everyone updated on their achievements at the event.

The 2023 PAWC Team consists of:

Entries Open for 18th KC International Agility Festival

Online entry is now open for The Kennel Club International Agility Festival, the world’s largest agility festival for dogs and their owners, which will return to Rutland Showground, from 10th – 13th August 2023.

During the Festival, 18 rings will be set up to host the competition, which will feature dogs of all agility grades and sizes, from all over the world, with over 200 separate classes taking place.

Classes include:=

• The British Open is for all FCI G3 dogs, British or Irish Grades 6 or 7 dogs or dogs holding a Masters or Championship Title in the USA. The top seven Large dogs, seven Intermediate, seven Medium and seven Sall dogs, together with the top overseas based competitor from each size group, will compete for the British Open final which will be held on Sunday, 13th August at the International Agility Festival.

• The Special International Class is open to all overseas dogs that are eligible for FCI Grade 3 classes (or equivalent), dogs holding a Masters or Championship Title in the USA. Only dogs that reside outside the UK are eligible for this class, with the winners in each height (Large, Intermediate, Medium and Small) subsequently invited to compete in the Crufts Singles at Crufts 2024.

• The Novice Cup is open for dogs G3, 4 and 5. Dogs and handlers who qualify for the semi-final from this qualifier, and qualifiers across the country, will compete in the Semi-final on Saturday, 12th August, with finalists going on to compete at Crufts 2024.

• The Starters Cup is for all Grade 1 and 2 dogs. The top six Large dogs, six Intermediate, six Medium dogs and six Small dogs from the Semi-final round of The Kennel Club Starters Cup will be invited to compete at the final being held at The London International Horse Show in December 2023.

• The Young Kennel Club (YKC) Pairs is open to YKC members only, aged between 6 and 24 years. Pairs must both use the same size dog. Once a qualifier has been entered, members may not switch dogs or handlers. The pair who are placed first in each category will qualify for Crufts 2024.

• The Young Kennel Club Agility Dog of the Year and Under 18 Years Jumping are open to all YKC members aged 6-17 years. If a member and dog combination accumulate 30 points or more, they will qualify for Crufts 2024. Please note that members may only compete with one dog. Should a member qualify with more than one dog, then only one can compete, with the other only used as a reserve in the event that the first choice is unavailable.

The Festival welcomes all dogs and entries can be submitted online at agilityplaza.com, with payment open until 7 June 2023.

Further information on entering Young Kennel Club agility competitions can be found online at thekennelclub.org.uk/YKCCompetinginagility. 

Ben Skinner of Skinner’s said, 'We are proud to be returning as the headline sponsor for the International Agility Festival. Both our Field & Trial and Get Out & Go! ranges have been nutritionally formulated to support active dogs and are ideal for performance dogs that compete in agility. Our team will be on hand to offer nutritional advice to competitors and visitors at Rutland Showground from 10 – 13 August 2023. Until then, we would like to wish all of those competing and training for the event the very best of luck.'

Vanessa McAlpine, Events Executive at The Kennel Club said, 'The Kennel Club is once again excited to be opening entries to dogs of all ages and breeds looking to compete at this year’s International Agility Festival. It is wonderful opportunity for all returning dogs and their owners to display the hard work they’ve dedicated to agility training over the last year or for beginners to experience running in a competition ring. With so many rings and a wide variety of competitions, there really is something for every ability, from returning professionals to beginners – there is no better way to get started in agility than at the world’s largest agility festival!'

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival, which will be returning for the 18th time, is once again supported by Skinner's, who are set to continue to sponsor the event until at least 2024. 

More information on The Kennel Club International Agility Festival can be found at thekennelclub.org.uk/iaf or via The Kennel Club’s dedicated Facebook page: 

 APRIL 2023

IMCA UK 2023 Team Selection

The team selection for IMCA 2023 took place over two days at the beginning of April at Dog Sports Derby. With 125 dogs entered, they had the biggest entry yet.

There were four four Agility and two Jumping classes over the weekend with courses designed and judged by Lucy Norton. She researched the championship judges course traits and designed her courses to ensure some of the judges more regular course scenarios were included in her own courses. They were all fantastic not only to run but also to watch.

  Finally my thanks must go to the “Top Table Ladies” being Sarah Baker who scrimed both days, Jean Harman who did all the scoring, Sarah Fenby and Louise McMahon that wrote on nearly 700 courses what happened for every handler and wrote some of the funniest coding for me to consider on my return home!.Linda

The Teams
The IMCA and PAWC team this year will consist of close to 50 dogs, possibly one of the biggest teams ever to represent the UK thus far. Lucy Norton has been drafted in to help with the management and support to team members whilst they are at the Championships.

The PAWC Team will be announced soon.

Linda said, 'I am sorry for those people that didn 't get on the team this year but really hope you will try out again next year. So finally, I am pleased to announce that the following competitors are the IMCA UK TEAM 2023 and I would like to personally wish them all the best of luck, success and enjoyment at this very special event.'

Thank you

Finally Linda said, 'I can 't thank those people enough who took the time to message and email me after the weekend to advise how much they enjoyed it and that they will be back to the 2024 try out weekend (6th& 7th April 2024). Finally my thanks must go to the 'Top Table Ladies' being Sarah Baker who scrimed both days, Jean Harman who did all the scoring, Sarah Fenby and Louise McMahon who wrote on nearly 700 courses what happened for every handler and wrote some of the funniest coding for me to consider on my return home.

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Championship (AWC) Reserves Picked

Congratulations to the following dogs and handlers who have been selected as reserves to represent Agility Team GB this year.

Large dogs

• Karen Marriott with Trio (EO reserve)

• Shannon Springford with Ferny (EO reserve)

Intermediate dogs

• Laura Wilson with Nova (EO reserve)

• Steven Richardson with Future (EO reserve)

Medium dogs

• Jennifer Kent with Newt (EO reserve)

• Liz Carpenter with Maggie (EO reserve)

Small dog

• Richard Leadbetter with Ziggy (EO with AWC reserve)

  ---

 MARCH 2023

The Kennel Club Announces YKC Agility Team GB 2023

The Kennel Club has announced the Agility Team GB members who will represent Young Kennel Club (YKC) Agility Team GB at the Junior Open Agility World Championships, which will be held in the UK for the first time, at Dallas Burston Polo Club, Southam from 13th - 16th July. The successful handlers and dogs were chosen following two try-out events, which concluded at Dog Sports Derby, on 26 March.

Greg Derrett, Agility Team GB Manager said, 'The depth in talent has certainly grown this year in the Junior team, which is great news for British Agility. We are extremely pleased with the partnerships that have won on to, and been selected for, this year's teams and we look to build on the success of the 2022 championship.This year's selection process comprised of some very challenging courses from the Junior Open Agility World Championship 2023 judges and I would like to congratulate all the junior handlers on their performances.'

This year there were opportunities for win-on places for the Junior Open Agility World Championships, with successful young handlers and dogs being selected through a statistics-driven process. Two selection days were held at Dog Sports Derby, which consisted of both agility and jumping courses, with the squad competing alongside the senior Agility Team GB. Handlers had the opportunities to progress from the pre-selection qualifier to the Junior Try-Out weekend.

The Kennel Club congratulates all the handlers who have been selected to represent YKC Agility Team GB this year. Those winning the coveted spots were:-

Phil Keen, Managing Director of Natural Instinct, added, 'We are extremely proud to be sponsoring Agility Team GB. We have been supporters for a number of years now and to be part of the events taking place this year is really exciting. We would like to wish everyone competing the best of luck.'

Full results from the try-outs can be found at results.firstplaceprocessing.com

More information on the qualification process for 2023 can be found at thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityteamgb

Agility Team GB 2023 Announced

The Kennel Club has announced the agility teams which will represent Great Britain at the European Open Agility Championships in Denmark from 20th - 23rd July, and the FCI Agility World Championships in Czech Republic from 4th - 8 October. The successful handlers and dogs were chosen following two try-out events, which concluded at Agility Team GB sponsor, Dog Sports Derby, on 26th March.

The Kennel Club congratulates all the handlers who have been selected to represent Agility Team GB this year. In addition to being sponsored by The Kennel Club and Dog Sports Derby, the team is also kindly supported by Natural Instinct and Galican.

This year there were opportunities for win-on places for both the European Open Championship team, and the Agility World Championship team in both individual and team competitions.

Greg Derrett, Agility Team GB Manager, said 'As a management team, we believe we have some really strong medal contenders in this year's European Open and World Championship teams. We are looking forward to working with both previous and new team members in 2023. The selection process has seen some very difficult courses designed by the Championship judges which certainly tested a vast array of skills. I would like to congratulate and thank everyone for the effort and work they have put in to preparing over the past few weeks and months.'

Those winning the coveted spots were:-

European Open Championship – Team and Individual competitions

FCI Agility World Championship

The teams selected are as follows:-

European Open Championships

All competitors at the European Open will compete in the Individual competition and be part of a team. Teams will be confirmed nearer the time.

World Championships

Team and individual places will be decided at a later date.

Managing Director of Natural Instinct, Phil Keen, added, ''We have been supporters for several years now, and we are incredibly proud and pleased to continue sponsoring the Agility Team GB.'

Full results from the try-outs can be found at results.firstplaceprocessing.com/

More information on the qualification process for 2024 can be found at thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityteamgb

The Future of Discover Dogs

The Kennel Club has announced that the London Discover Dogs event will not be taking place in 2023. It will take a break for a year with the aim of bringing it back with a refreshed and reinvigorated new look in 2024.

Discover Dogs has been a feature at Crufts since 1991 and will continue to be so. In 1996 it was brought to London as an additional event in its own right. The event grew in numbers and popularity over the years and moved location from Earls Court to London ExCel in 2015. In more recent times, however, numbers attending the London event have declined and regrettably it sustained a significant financial shortfall in 2022.

Both at Crufts and in its stand-alone format Discover Dogs is very much seen as an important information tool for The Kennel Club – helping to educate prospective dog owners to find the right breed for them and also promoting responsible dog ownership and dog health, as well as showcasing pedigree dogs.

The Kennel Club is delighted that all agility competitions – including the Crufts Medium ABC Semi-final, Crufts Large Novice ABC Semi-final, Crufts Intermediate Novice ABC Semifinal, as well as The Kennel Club Starters Cup and Discover Dogs Small/Mixi Pairs final – which have been previously held at Discover Dogs, will be held at The London International Horse Show in December 2023. This event already hosts The Kennel Club Agility Stakes finals.

Simon Brooks-Ward, Show Director of The London International Horse Show said, said 'The Kennel Club Dog Agility has been a part of London International Horse Show for many years, and we are delighted to be able to welcome the additional agility classes to our programme. In 2023 the London International Horse Show is expanding its activity, and the agility classes will be taking place in the new London Arena. Dog Agility is a firm favourite for our 70,000 plus audience, and I know that this will only add to their enjoyment of visiting the pre-Christmas show.'

Further announcements on The Kennel Club Junior Warrant semi final, National Junior Handler final and Scruffts heat that normally take place at Discover Dogs will be made in due course and news about Discover Dogs 2024 will be released later this year.

Kennel Club Large ABC Agility Stake & Crufts ABC Changes

The Kennel Club would like to thank those who completed a recent agility questionnaire which was advertised in January. The Prestige Events Working Party have reviewed your comments, and they will be implementing a change with immediate effect in The Kennel Club Agility Large ABC Stake rules as well as the Crufts Medium ABC, Crufts Intermediate and Large Novice ABC rules.

Currently these events only allow a certain number of breeds to be invited to Discover Dogs Semi-final and The Kennel Club Agility Stakes Final. Going forward this rule will be removed, thus ensuring that the top dogs are being invited to these events.

The Prestige Events Working Party will continue to review the feedback which has been received and will announce further changes in due course.

25/03/23

Wessex AC Show Announcement

We are very sorry to hear from Helen Saunders that, due to health reasons, she will not be able to fulfil the role of Show Manager at our upcoming show at Ardingly on 14th-16th April. We will sorely miss her expertise and her cheerful disposition in the Secretary's Tent, but we wish Helen well and we hope to see her back as SM at our future shows.

Our Show Manager will now be Bill Chaffe. We are extremely grateful that Bill has agreed to set aside his judging appointment to manage the show for us. Kate McLaren will now be judging those classes that were allocated to Bill.

Three New Agility Champions Crowned at Crufts

Large, Intermediate, Medium and Small top dogs from all over the country with at least one Agility Challenge Certificate met at Crufts to contest the prestigious Championship classes. The prize on offer was two Agility Championship Certificates. Any dog winning their class automatically becomes earns the right to use the title of Ag.Ch.

The Champ class was judged by Gary Murphy.

On Facebook he said, 'It was a great honour to be invited to judge the Championship Classes of 2023. Due to the Covid Pandemic, this was a deferred appointment so it was two years since I last judged a Champ class. At last, O was able to judge the 'elite' of the 'elite.'

Many handlers held it together in a pressurised environment and provided the audience and TV viewers with an amazing spectacle. I wish to congratulate all competitors for qualifying and applaud the way they attacked my courses. I was in awe of the performances. Great handling and phenomenal dogs. There was a great depth of talent on display. And to all the winners... Wow. Well deserved.'

Large & Small

Martin Reid did the double, winning not one but two Champ classes, specifically the Small dogs with Selfie (Get It with Eager to Work), a Shetland Sheepdog and the Large dogs with his Border Collie Shape (Lilhaze Sping into Shape.}

He told The Kennel Club, 'It's pretty amazing. I am still in a bit of disbelief from winning the Large Agility the other day so today has made it even more wild. It was really close, but I didn't watch anyone else. I was just focusing on myself. Winning feels amazing. It's perfect and unexpected. I've competed here for many years, but we've never won any of the big events here. It feels crazy, I'm still in disbelief. It's amazing to compete at Crufts. It's been really busy and lots of cheering from the crowd which is good.'

Medium

Toni Dawkins won The Kennel Club Agility Championships for Medium dogs with Tiger (Bachero Cross My Heart), a Minature American Shepherd

Toni said, 'To win here is always amazing! I've won Crufts with two different Collies in the past, so this is my third dog to win here. It feels just as special, especially with a new dog that has never been here before to run this class. Tiger is amazing at agility. She gives you 100% and she is the same to live with. Shes noisy and crazy but makes up for it.

'I love being one of the older competitors because I still feel like agility is for everybody. I've been involved with agility for 30 year. My mum who is now 72 years old and still doing it got me into it. I've kept doing it because there is a thrill every time you get on the line to run a dog. It's the excitement of running. It's just mad and it is better at Crufts than anywhere else!'

Intermediate

Steven Richardson with his Border Collie Gamble (Ag.Ch. Moel Gamble Demonic Risk) won The Kennel Club Agility Championships for Intermediate dogs.

Steven, who has been attending Crufts since 1999 when he was six years old, said, 'I'm over the moon. I can't believe it. It's one of the events I've never won on the agility calendar, so to come here with Gamble our second time together, it feels amazing. Gamble loves it. She doesn't want anything other than to run as fast as she can all the time.'

Vanessa McAlpine, Crufts Show Manager, added her congratulations to all four winning dogs and their owners for their fantastic performance in the arena saying, 'All of the finalists that have taken part in the Agility Championships this year should be extremely proud of all their accomplishments in reaching this stage in the most prestigious of all the agility competitions at Crufts, and all showed high level of skill in their performances.'

For more information and results from the show, visit crufts.org.uk

Matthew Burdett & Bru	Stephanie Best & Skedaddle	Marita Ogilvie & Cicada	Nicola WIldman & Panache
Photos: Beat Med

Novice Cup Semis Winners

The top six dogs in each of the following height categories - Large, Intermediate, Medium and Small - at the Semi-final Novice Cup competition, held at The Kennel Club International Agility Festival last August, were invited to took part in the Kennel Club Novice Cup at Crufts.

Small

Medium

Skedaddle and Stephanie Best won The Kennel Club Novice Cup for Medium dogs.

Thrilled Stephanie said, 'I feel amazing! This is Skedaddle's first time here. I'm really proud of him. This is the pinnacle event, the highest you can get to and it's just a lot of fun. It's really cool to be here. It means a lot.'

Intermediate

Large

A proud Nicola WIldman won the Large Novice Cup with two year old Border Collie, Panache.

She said, 'I love competing at Crufts. It's always amazing to be at the biggest dog show in the world, doing what we love and showcasing it to other people. I am an agility trainer full time, and what I really love is how agility builds the bond with a dog.'

Crufts Show Manager Vanessa McAlpine said, 'Congratulations to the four winning dogs and their owners in The Novice Cup final and for their truly fantastic performance in the ring. Well done to all those that made it to the final at Crufts> All of the competitors should feel very proud of their achievements. We wish them the best of luck for the future.'

For more information and results from the show, visit crufts.org.uk.

Left to right:... Dave Munnings. Laura Chapman, Nicola Wildman and Daton Meredith

Crufts Agility Singles Winners

The Kennel Club Singles Agility winners have been crowned at this year's Crufts, in the Large, Intermediate, Medium and Small dog finals, judged at the NEC, Birmingham.

In front of the crowds at the world's greatest dog show, Crufts, the four competitors won after competing against three Large, three Intermediate, three Medium and three Small dogs in the agility final. To compete at Crufts, the winners had either qualified by gaining points at heats held at Kennel Club licensed shows throughout the country or through gaining 1st place in the special international competition at The Kennel Club International Agility Festival in August 2022.

Singles Agility Large

Dalton Meredith and Clippy, a Border Collie, took the top prize on Friday, 10th March, winning The Kennel Club Singles Agility Large final.

Dalt explained, 'We were runners-up last year in the same event, so to win it this year is even more special. It takes a lot of work, but then when you come here, it can all be over in one jump and to win just makes it extra special.'

Singles Agility Intermediate

Zest, another Border Collie, and Nicola Wildman have also won The Kennel Club Singles Agility Intermediate final.

An overjoyed Nicola said, 'It feels amazing to win, I wasn't sure if she'd be able to win. She's a super dog. She tries her heart out. I love competing at Crufts. It's always amazing to be at the biggest dog show in the world!''

Singles Agility Medium

Laura Chapman and Border Collie Endeavour won The Kennel Club Singles Agility Medium final.

Delighted owner Laura told us, 'It feels amazing! It is my first time at Crufts this year, so I'm so incredibly pleased with her! She is just an amazing dog! It is absolutely amazing to be here, I love it here!

Singles Agility Small

Experienced competitor Dave Munnings won The Kennel Club Singles Agility Small Final with Boost, his Border Collie x Corgi.

He said, 'It feels really cool to win. Boost won last year, and he is an awesome dog! As he a rescue dog, and he's not been easy. He has to be managed but he has got better and agility makes him great. We love Crufts, it is one of our favourites!'

Vanessa McAlpine, Crufts Show Manager, said, 'Congratulations to all the winners of the Singles Agility competitions. Every dog and their handler demonstrated the hard work and effort they have put into training throughout the year. The Singles Agility finals are a prestigious competition and qualifying to take part is an incredible achievement that all competing dogs and handlers should be incredibly proud of.'

For more information and results from the show, visit crufts.org.uk

 FEBRUARY 2023

FPP Sold to Agility Plaza

Agility Plaza Limited has announced that it has purchased First Place Processing. They will continue to operate the existing First Place Processing website in the short term for shows that are already live, but going forward the remainder of their shows will be available to enter on Plaza.

IFCS Team 2023 Selection

Dawn Weaver and Dave Rusell are pleased to announce the GB team for IFCS 2023 at Oakridge, Newark from 2nd - 6th August. Thanks to everyone who took part in the selection process and congratulations to those who have progressed into Team GB.

As the championships are taking place in the UK, spectator tickets will be available soon.

If any one would like to volunteer to help at the event, please email

The International Agility Festival - Team Qualifier Axed

The Kennel Club has announced that, due to the reduction in teams entering The International Agility Festival Team qualifiers, they have decided to bring this competition to a close. This means that this year's final at The International Agility Festival will be its last. We would like to thank all The Kennel Club registered clubs who have hosted heats throughout the years.

In light of this news, The Prestige Events Working Party are reviewing all agility qualifiers in March. They would like to hear from you as to what you think about the current Prestige Event qualifiers. Please complete a short questionnaire https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/.../agility-qualifier.../by Friday 24 February.

If you have any questions, please direct these to agility@thekennelclub.org.uk

SWAT South West Junior Challenge 2023

The dates of the remaining heats for the SWAT 2023 Junior Challenge, sponsored by Skinners, have been announced. The aim of this competition is to promote agility and encourage Junior Handlers in the South West.

Heats are held at various shows in the South West over the year including:-

• SWAT - 27th - 29th May

• Blackdown - 3rd June

• Severnside - 24th - 25th June

• Cornwall - 6th - 9th July

• Pawsability - 22nd July

• SWAT - 4th - 5th August

There will be a separate competition for Under 9s and, 9 and over up to 16. Under 9 Handlers may run dogs also entered in Anysize or Veteran class(es), so that they can run dogs who already know their job and will help build confidence. 

All heats and the Final will consist of a Jumping Course for all heights and with all heights competing against each other. The 1st and 2nd placed handler and dog from each qualifier will be invited to compete at the Final on 5th August 2023.

Thank you to all the clubs who support us in helping the future of Agility.

Crufts Takes Over TV Takeover

Dog lovers will be treated to a record-breaking 16 hours and 30 minutes of Crufts coverage as the world's greatest dog show returns to Channel 4 and More4 this March. With an additional 15 minutes more coverage than last year and over 100 minutes more than the 2020 show, viewers can look forward to a total of nine and a half hours of Crufts on Channel 4 alone! 

With Clare Balding at the helm once again, Channel 4 and More4 will broadcast all the action from the show, leading up to the grand finale on Sunday when Best in Show will be crowned.

The details of times and channels are as follows: -

Thursday, 9th March

• 15.00-16.00 – Channel 4

• 18.30-20.00 – More4

• 20.00-21.00 – Channel 4

 Friday, 10th March

• 15.00-16.00 – Channel 4

• 18.30-19.30 – More4

• 19.30-21.00 – Channel 4

 Saturday, 11th March

• 15.00-18.00 – Channel 4

• 19.00-21.00 – Channel 4

 Sunday, 12th March

• 15.00-17.30 – Channel 4

• 19.00-21.00 – Channel 4 - Crufts 2022: Best In Show Live

Clare will host daily highlights of the world's most famous dog event live from the NEC, Birmingham and will be joined by a team of reporters including Radzi Chinyanganya and, returning for her second year, Sophie Morgan, along with canine experts who will be covering the show.

Vanessa McAlpine, Crufts Show Manager, said: 'We are delighted that Channel 4 and More4 will be offering viewers at home the opportunity to enjoy this year's Crufts, with more coverage than ever. The event celebrates everything that we love the most about dogs and highlights the benefits that dogs bring to our lives, so it's no surprise that it holds such a special place in dog lovers' hearts.

'Viewers can look forward to not only exciting dog activities such as agility and flyball, but also the chance to see the vast and diverse range of wonderful dog breeds there are, including some of the more unusual breeds that are not often seen in the streets and parks across the country, through the dog show aspect of Crufts. There is something for everyone, with topics about choosing, caring for and enjoying life with dogs, as well as different issues affecting dog owners in the UK.'

All of Channel 4 and More4's coverage of Crufts will be produced by Sunset + Vine. 

The Kennel Club Wants to Hear from You

Now is a really important time for The Kennel Club to listen to what dog owners, breeders and members want and need from us, so we can make things better for the future. We would like to hear your thoughts and experiences around dog events and activities. The survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete and as a thank you for your time, you can opt into a prize draw for the chance to win an Amazon voucher worth £250. Terms and Conditions. The closing date is 15 February 2023.

Complete the survey today at: www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities

2nd February 2023

 JANUARY 2023

FCI Worlds Update

Preparations for the 2023 FCI World Agility Championship in Liberec (Czech Republic) from 4th-8th October 2023 are in full swing. You can you look forward to hundreds of teams from 55 countries, thousands of visitors from the Czech Republic and abroad and a unique atmosphere of the world competition in the Home Credit Arena.

The judges have been announced.

Judges & Their Classes

Judges Announced for the Junior Open Agility World Championships

The Kennel Club is pleased to announce that the FCI has formally approved the following people to judge at the Junior Open Agility World Championships which will take place 12th – 16th July at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Southam.

Lee Gibson and Natalie Webb from the United Kingdom, Jirina Mackova from Czech Republic and Kurt Ove Steinset from Norway have been appointed as agility judges for the Championships which is one of the world's most prestigious international dog agility competitions. It is open to competitors aged 18 and under with both pedigree and non-pedigree dogs that have been selected to represent their country.

This is the first time the UK has held the competition and heralds the first of two events to be hosted by The Kennel Club with the European Open Championships in 2024 due to be held at Rutland Showground in Oakham (Rutland.)

Vanessa McAlpine, Events Executive at The Kennel Club, said, 'The Kennel Club would like to congratulate the judges on their appointments at the Junior Open Agility World Championships in July. We look forward to welcoming them to this prestigious event and working together closely to make this a fantastic event for handlers, dogs and spectators alike.'

For more information about the Junior Open Agility World Championships judges, please visit JOAWC

IFCS Squad 2023 Selected

IFCS Agility World Championships 2023 held in the UK!

Following the Skills Day in November, the squad for IFCS Championships 2023 has been announced. From this group, the final team will be picked. Reserves and development dogs will be selected once the organisers have announced the finalised jump height categories.

The following partnerships have been selected for the squad:-

If anyone is interested in offering help at the event please get in touch.

Crufts Case Study Shout Out

Calling Crufts 2023 agility competitors, who want to tell their story about their amazing dog and their road to Crufts! 

The Crufts Press Team is looking to publicise inspiring, interesting and quirky stories about your Crufts dog and your journey to Crufts. This might include topics such as

• The oldest and youngest Crufts competitors

• People whose lives have been turned around by their dog or whose dog has overcome adversity to get to Crufts

• Crufts dogs who do amazing deeds or have jobs outside of the show ring

• Multi-generational families who will all be showing together

Head of Public Relations at The Kennel Club Heidi Ancell-Day said, 'Please tell us your great Crufts tale. We will use these case studies to promote the sport and the journeys to Crufts of those taking part.'

Go to https://www.crufts.org.uk/crufts-stories

 4th January 2023