Now she is sponsoring Defa's Award and looking for one dog out of the hundreds of dogs registered on the League to be the recipient of the prize.

This award is not based on points or placings. In fact, the winner may not have even had a clear round yet! It's meant to acknowledge a special dog which has overcome whatever difficulties it's had in the past a dog has overcome up to the point where is it now able to do agility with its new owner.

That special dog/owner partnership could be you or someone else you know who may not realise how amazing their part has been in giving their dog a great future! All you have to do is write your/their story in as much detail as you think relevant and click on Patch's name at the bottom of the News page on the DARL web site.  There is no real maximum length. Just tell the story as it happened.

The award is a large trophy which will be engraved for the winner. Their dog's story and pictures will go on the webpage along with whatever Karen puts on for the other award winners.

Defa's Story

Defa was bought from a breeder but had difficulties in his home from the start. His family, despite owning him for a year, did not realise he had been born deaf. They approached a rescue, saying he 'unruly and ignorant, unresponsive to commands, and very demanding'. It was there that his deafness was confirmed. With the words uttered, 'Deaf dogs are useless,' poor Defa was left there and then. His lead was dropped and the family he had grown up with simply walked away.

The rescue took him in and set about finding him a home. Many were interested, but after a year of being shunned and pushed away for not doing anything asked of him, he was quite a handful. No one could communicate with him.

After ten months in rescue, the rescue organisation approached Patch as she already had a deaf dog. She agreed to give him a home, sight unseen. When he arrived, she was stunned by how lovely but thin he was. The stress of not having a permanent home had taken its toll. He had severe stomach problems and could not absorb his food properly.

Gradually, as Defa realised he really was home, he started to relax and grew in confidence. His compromised digestive health, then his weight, improved steadily and we were well on the road to losing his insecurities. His training then really came easily. All he wanted in life was to communicate and be understood and to be given guidance and love. He craved learning.

Eventually, I found an Agility club and he took to it like the proverbial duck to water. Within a month, he was taking part in displays, often being the dog the audiences most wanted to meet. He is such a crowd pleaser – and boy does he know it! We began competing, and, though I make plenty of handling errors which rob him of the placings he might have been able to achieve otherwise, his own achievement is far greater in that he, as well as all the other deaf dogs in agility around the country and abroad, has been among the number of great ambassadors to show that deaf dogs really can shine like any other dog.

If you registered with the League but have not yet submitted any points, you still have time to enter points from the 2006 season. The deadline is 21 December 2006.

The winners of the first DARLeague Finals were:-

• Large Elementary - Rachel Bignall with Ready Jedi
• Large Starters - Sally Rhoda with Pocket Poacher
• Large Novice - Bob Sharpe with Flynn's Little Sweetheart
• Large Senior - Rita Johnson with Gotta Go Jo Jo
• Medium Novice - Kimberley Hampsheir with Ted The Terror
• Medium Senior - Heidi Windheuser with Cody's Countless Capers
• Small Novice - Gill Zuckowska with Maggot Racer
• Small Senior - Mandy-Sue Sarti with Teararound Tilley

The Final took place at the Paws in the Park show at The Hop Farm, Kent on 24 September. It was an invitation event based on the points gained up to the end of September. Report to follow.

The Agilitynet 'Rescue Me' special award will go to the highest-placed dog in the Rescue Agility League which was homed via the Agilitynet 'Rescue Me' page. League points will be taken at 31 December 2006.

It has taken a while but after months of trying Karen Fuller has have secured a venue to host a Final for the DAR League The Finals will be held at Paws in the Park, The Hop Farm, Kent.

Although the location may not be ideal for everyone being located so far south, but after quite a few rejections, it was looking as if a Final was unlikely this year. It may be worth the trip though as there is a KC licenced show being run, Clever Dogs, lots of other dog activities and lovely exercise areas for the dogs.

Qualification for Invitation will be based on points which must be entered/submitted from Kennel Club Shows up to and including the 31 August 2006.

If any one can help with sponsorship or donation, please contact me at karen.fuller@tiscali.co.uk

Current League Leaders
July 2006

The online points system has really got underway now and the current leaders in the large categories are as follows:-

Large Elementary

1. Magic Millie (WSD) - Peter Edney = 206
2. Breezer Teaser (Dobermann) - Andrea Cutler = 146
3. Topsy Turvy Tess (X) - Laura Drysdale = 124

Large Starters

1. Ripster Pipster (WSD) - Steve Hoddinott = 315
2. Rabbie Border Rebel (Border Collie) - Pam Parry = 186
3. Wild Gossamer (ESS) - Becky Atkinson = 174

Large Novice

1. Persian Spice (WSD) - Brad Moyler = 263
2. Chaffords Hyper Connection (WSD) - Leah Gardner = 210
3. Blighty Bhaiti (X) - Brad Moyler = 191

Large Senior/Advanced

1. Super Sensational Stubby (WSD) - Phil Robinson = 324
2. Omni buzz (WSD) - Sue Marsh = 282
3. The Dark Dasher of Clybonn (WSD) - Marc Saunders = 215

There are now over 250 registrations for the RDA League. Anyone wanting to register for the league please could you do so sooner rather than later as it would be a great help to me with the admin. You can register online by going toe RDA web site.

Due to some interest amongst junior handlers, there will be a Junior Section for dogs registered with the League. Email Pam Ellwood pamellwood@aol.com for details.

New Agility League for Rescue Dogs Launched

A new agility league specifically for rescue dogs has been announced. Its aim is to celebrate the achievements of re-homed dogs in agility.

To be eligible for the league, your dog just has to have been re-homed - it does not have to have come from a rescue organisation. Many dogs are re-homed throughout the agility world by word of mouth so the only criteria is that 'if you did not have it, where would it be now?'

It is planned to have awards at every level and a 'special' award for dogs re-homed through the Rescue Me page on Agilitynet, sponsored by (who else) Agilitynet. In addition, each month a different rescue dog of the month will be featured on the web site.

Depending on how popular the league becomes there may even be a chance to compete for a place in a Rescue Dog Agility Final - it really depends on the number of people who register. So if you compete with a 'reject mutt,' however you came to own it, please make sure you register, using the form below.

And watch this space.

Any donation, however small, would be welcome. Please make any cheques payable to 'The Rescue Dog Agility League'.

To enter, please complete the form on the Rescue Dog Agility League site, where you'll also find details of the League rules, the points system, and news on what's happening including BBC filming for Crufts and the first two stories of top-performing rescue dogs in agility.

Thank you to Gina Graham for designing the new Rescue Dog Agility League logo.