Watch out! You might get wet...

The Animal Health Company Classic, started in 2014, is a unique event that involves dogs of all three Kennel Club heights competing against each other in a Steeplechase type course. With 12 regional heats were held around the country during the year and the Final held at the Autumn Food & Country Fair event at the Peterborough Arena, this is a competition to watch. Reports from each of the heats by Graham Taylor.

 2017

Heat 1
Scunthorpe O & ADTC

It's not true you know... what they say about Scunthorpe. The sun does shine in Scunthorpe and the ice-cream van seems to have an inexhaustible demand from Agility folk, some of whom took part in the first of the heats to find our Animal Health Company Classic winner for 2017.

With the competition moving into its third year we were delighted that those from the ‘frozen north’ had the opportunity to take part in this fast moving competition under the watchful eye of Championship Agility Judge Charlie Wyatt.

With the competition open to all sizes of dogs there is no guarantee Large dogs will take the top places and last year’s final was won by a Medium sized dog !

Scunthorpe winners qualifying for the final are:-

1. Hayley Laches with Hayleys Comet Uppan Atom - 23.657 secs (C)

2. Sarah Crouch with Batfink Twist of Fate -24.069 secs (C)

3. Amy Pearce with Bumble Bree - 25.617 secs (C)

4. Jackie Smith with Borderstorm Dare to Shock - 25.630 secs (C)

5. Maria Jenkinson with Devongem Freedom of Flyte - 25.913 secs (C)

Heat 2 sees us joining Hatton Festival where we look forward to finding our next five qualifiers for the 2017 final

Heat 2
Hatton Agility Festival

Charlie Wyatt does a bit of judging but what are the chances of him judging both the first heat of the AHC Challenge Cup at Scunthorpe and then the second heat of the Animal Health Company Classic qualifier recently held at Hatton Festival.

Well, that’s what happened! He definitely chose the better Hatton day weather-wise even topping up his tan as he worked his way through 250+ dogs

Hatton Festival winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Jackie Gardner with Jacirra Bertie Boy - 23.996 secs (C)

2. Rebecca Leatherbarrow with Cuppa Teaser Turner - 24.077 secs (C)

3. Emma Gamble with Dynamite Dinky Diva - 24.096 secs (C)

4. Jan Gordon with Lilhaze Nisa By Far - 24.257 secs (C)

5. James Brown with Up An Atom - 24.516 secs (C)

Heat 3 see us heading eastwards to Colchester where we will find our another five qualifiers for the 2017 final.

Heat 3
Stonebridge DTC

For many years, Tatton Park Cheshire used to host both Agility and Carriage Driving which made for a great sporting weekend. It seems the mantle has been taken over by the lovely venue of Ashfield arriage and polo club, where not only can you watch Agility, but see majestic horses and carriages going out on exercise. Located near Colchester this provided the venue for this year’s Stonebridge DTC three day Agility show where we held heat 3 of the Animal Health Company Classic 2017.

Judge Shelly Christmas superbly set out the course with more than 200 dogs having a fabulous time competing Small, Medium and Large all against each other for a placein the grand Final.

As ever, trying to get all the winners in one place for a photo proved impossible here but we have a clearly delighted winner here, junior handler Richard Davies. I am sure he and the rest will be in the right place at the Final later in the year.

Stonebridge winners qualifying for the final are:-

1. Richard Davies with Lunarlight Wotta Sir Prize (Owner Mrs C. King)

2. Tamara Hollands with Jakovall Smith's Tuyere

3. Michele Curtis with Ben

4. Deanne Nash with Fly Bys Limited Edition

5. Rosalyn Tiller with Fizz

Heat 4 sees us heading to the bright lights of Dog Vegas at Matlock where we will find our next five qualifiers for the 2017 final

Heat 4
Dog Vegas

It's not that often Agility is held on a UNESCO World Heritage site. Within the Derwent Valley and in the shadow of Richard Arkwrights’ first water powered cotton mill, the Dog Vegas Road show hosts a five day event alongside the Cromford canal, the M6 of it's day.

Whilst none of our lady qualifiers are a day over 21, there seems to be an 'old fossil' that officiated here and, despite the many efforts of the fellas, it seems only ladies found favour with Kevin’s fast flowing course today with collies to the fore.

Dog Vegas winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Claire Hodkinson with Ear Comes The Kaiser Chief - 26.005 secs (C)

2. Yvonne Horner with Too Hot to Handle - 27.559 secs (C)

3. Lesley Wilkes with Upanova Let Me Entertain You - 28.057 secs (C)

4. Carole Stapley with Spooky Star - 28.079 secs (C)

5. Ande Smith with Mr Jonty Foxtrot - 29.036 secs (C)

 Heat 5 sees us heading across the border to Monmouth where Wye Valley will find our next five qualifiers for the 2017 final.

Heat 5
Wye Valley DTC Premier Show

Ellie Curtis and her dog Cacciatore Greenfinch had a good day at Wye Valley Premier Agility Show held within spitting distance of a lazy flowing River Wye. A member of the YKC Agility Team GB for the European Open Junior Championships 2017, Ellie took 4th place in Animal Health Company Classic class. She finished the day in style by winning another qualifier at the show so that’s another day Mum and Dad will be up early!

Seen here are some of his winners is our judge today, David Sweeney, with Monmouth’s famous church spire glistening in the sunshine. Top placed winners receive vouchers with others bags of Westcotts Dog Food which is hypoallergenic, pro biotic and has no added flavourings or preservatives and produced from quality ingredients helping dogs with a sensitive palate.

Wye Valley winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Rhianedd Thomas with Llandyfodwgs Ci Cil Fach - 23.051 secs (C)

2. Gill James with Meisterwerk Kia - 23.591 secs (C)

3. David Carlile with Heidron High Perfection -25.743 secs (C)

4. Ellie Curtis with Cacciatore Greenfinch - 26.022 secs (C)

5. Aimee Kerton with Basilea Little Lionheart - 26.514 secs (C)

 Heat 6 see us heading back over the border to see if we can ride a cock horse to Banbury cross where we will find our next five qualifiers for the 2017 final.

Heat 6
Chipping Norton DTS Premier Show

We arrive at Chipping Norton’s Premier Agility Show for the halfway point in the 2017 Animal Health Company Classic competition with some 30 of our finalists now found.

Judge Malcolm Jones set a course which used the Westcott's water jump three times. This seemed to cause a problem or two amongst the assembled multitude although, as you can see, some familiar faces took centre stage today.

Chipping Norton winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Jane Chenery with Blackengine Dusk

2. Jane Everett with Rosmarinus Shooting Star

3. June Ashfield with Lottie

4. Rebecca Leatherbarrow with Seren

5. Sue Culmer with Little Black Bugetty Boo

Heat 7 see us heading eastwards to Just Dogs Live where we will find our next 5 qualifiers for the 2017 final.

Heat 7
Just Dogs Live Agility Show

Horses sweat, men perspire and ladies glow is what they say and judge Kim Taylor, looking every inch the man in charge, did all three as he worked his way through the dogs in the Animal Health class at Just Dogs Live the East of England Showground. The rest of us took every opportunity to remove as much as possible!

The fellas held the day with young Fred Adams showing just how well the younger Agility generation can do. With the benefit of last year's experience at the Final, he is bound to be one to watch at the Grand Final on Sunday, 8 October 2017 with Championship Agility Judge Alan Mitchell in charge at this years Animal Health Company Classic Final. RVA hold their second show over the same weekend and are joined on Sunday by The Autumn Food and Country Fair so a great day out for all the family to watch the final.

Just Dogs Live Agility Show winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Fred Adams with Georgie Porky Puddin N Pie

2. Jason Theobald with Caramel Casey

3. Andy Mayes with Lancaster Jack

4. Emma Conslisk with Make It So Danny Boy

5. John Foord with Detania Rules The Waves

 Heat 8 see us heading westwards about as far as we can go to Pembrokeshire County Show where we will find our next five qualifiers for the 2017 final.

Heat 8
Pembrokeshire by The Pond

Gentleman’s Day at the County Show awaited our competitors at Pembrokeshire by The Pond where the Feature Ring hosted heat 8 of the Animal Health Company Classic. Judge Robin Gretenkort even managed to get some fellas in the line up as well although the experience of Julie Dowle held off all the competition today to take the winning place.

Pembrokeshire By The Pond winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Julie Dowle with Dreamorox Dare to Dream - 23.780 secs (C)

2. Rowena Lawrence with Pieddefer Elderberry - 25.529 secs (C)

3. Joe Barnsley with Molteni Ice - 26.214 secs (C)

4. Jason Rogers with Beauchlen Le Petite Monstre - 26.214 secs (C)

5.  Lorraine Abbott with Bailstrails Cleopatra - 26.398 secs (C)

 Heat 9 keeps us in Wales as we join the Welsh Kennel Club at their Championship Show for Agility, Breed and Obedience at Builth Wells where we will find our next 5 qualifiers for the 2017 final.

Heat 9
Welsh Kennel Club

Claire Hannaford set a very fast course at the Welsh Kennel Club and there was less than a second and a half between our finalists today.

Welsh-based Lorraine Abbott bettered her PBTP placing as well and Curtis proved last year's placing was no fluke so all set for another five to join us at the Grand Final on Sunday 8 October 2017 with Championship Agility Judge Alan Mitchell

Welsh Kennel Club Championship Show winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Richard Davies with Find The Spec -22.153 secs (C)

2. Curtis Alway with Welshspell Hurricane Ace - 22.156 secs (C)

3. Lorraine Abbott with Bailstrails Cleopatra - 23.415secs (C)

4. Sue Cooper with Blackthorns Cocoa Nut - 23.678 secs (C)

5. Becci Chant with Heikym Rumba - 23.686 secs (C)

Heat 10 takes us across the country to the Summer Show in East Anglia where we will find our next 5 qualifiers for the 2017 final.

 Heat 10
The Summer Show

We are told that Christine Stratford does not judge in the wet and, happily the very aptly named Summer Show, which hosted Heat 10 of the Animal Health Company Classic, definitely delivered. Joining our winner James McClelland is Animal Health Company's Sales Manager Jennie Westcott all of them 'catching the rays,' as they say.

Ian Stowers must have been very pleased with his venue find for the Summer Show this year as there was nothing but good comments about it. No doubt others will check out the facilities.

Summer Show winners qualifying for the final are: -

• James McClelland with Rock on Ruby Two Shoes

• Chris Allen with Bennaton Lady Red Kite

• Ken Whittington with Tri Dean Ben

• Helen Sargent with Rosemarinus Brogue

• Jenny Brightling with Hattie What Happened

 Heat 11 at the North Derbyshire Champ show awaits us all at Southwell where we will find our penultimate set of qualifiers for the 2017 final.

Heat 11
North Derbyshire

The Animal Health Company Classic class formed the finale to another successful North Derbyshire Show, and it seemed everyone really had to get their skates on if they wanted to join us at the final.

Judge Steve Hutchinson decided speed was everything and again our five qualifiers all within a second of each other today with Lee managing to hold off a quality field of the Midland’s speed merchants.

Lee Lainton's He Is Marvellous is going to need to be in top form next month when on Sunday 8 October 2017 The Autumn Food and Country Fair hosts the Animal Health Company Classic Final kindly judged by Championship Agility Judge Alan Mitchell.

North Derbyshire Show winners qualifying for the final are: -

1. Lee Lainton with He Is Marvellous - 17.425 secs (C)

2. Claire Hodkinson with Ear Comes The Kaiser Chief - 17.484 secs (C)

3. Jackie Kenny with Black Mountain Laddie - 18.082 secs (C)

4. Emma Nicholson with Castomya New Edition - 18.124 secs (C)

5. Emma Gamble Dynamite Dinky Diva - 18.392 secs (C)

 Heat 12 takes us to the Garden of England at Paws In The Park where there is the final chance to qualify for the 2017 final.

Heat 12
Paws in the Park

This year we started our search for the winner of the Animal Health Co Challenge in the Scunthorpe sun. Six months later there we were in Kent at Paws In The Park where participants were warmed in the Kent sunshine for the last heat of the Animal Health Company Classic for 2017.  

With Liz Brown in charge today it seemed so fitting that a small, medium and large dog took the first thee places showing once again how ‘levelling’ this unique Agility competition can be.

So with our 60 finalists now found, invitations will soon hit the mat to attend the Grand Final on Sunday 8 October 2017kindly judged by Championship Agility Judge Alan Mitchell. Held in the feature ring as part of The Autumn Food and Country Fair on Peterborough Showground may we take the opportunity to congratulate all the finalists on their achievement.

Similarly can we thank all the hard working show secretaries; judges and ring parties and host venues for their support in 2017. 

With the competition open to all sizes of dogs there is no guarantee large dogs will take the top places and 2016 winner was a medium sized dog so we wish them Good Luck next month.

Paws In The Park winners qualifying for the final are: -

• Thomas Adams with Just Alan -  21 329 secss (C)

• Denis Colthup with Olly Born to Run - 21.501 secss (C)

• Emma Llewellyn with Fireman Tiger - 21.690 secss (C)

• Judith Faulkner with Ted Harved - 21.804 secss (C)

• Sara Gilding with Rykas Flexi Lexi - 21.873 secss (C)

Next stop... the Final at the RVA Agility show at the Autumn Food & Country Fair, judged by Champ judge Alan Mitchell. Good luck to all.

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