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, 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...

Please remind your show secretary to keep sending those updates to us and to include the name of the show, date(s), venue and other relevant details.

 DECEMBER 2019

KC Agility Stakes Winners Crowned at Olympia

Congratulations to the winners of this years Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes held at the festive London International Horse Show from 18th- 22nd December 2019. Top handlers competes in five Finals in the Small, Medium, Large, Large Novice and ABC (Anything But a Collie) categories, all judged by Championship Agility judge, Simon Chandler.

The winners of the Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes were:-

• Large ABC – Edit Ratkai with Monkey (Belgian Shepherd Dog)

• Medium – Dawn Weaver with Vegas (Papillon/Collie X)

• Large Novice – Mark Douglas with Chief (Border Collie)

• Large Senior G6-7 – Megan Hunt with Thyme (Working Sheepdog)

• Small – Dave Munnings with Boost (Border Collie/Corgi X)

Due to some confusion during judging of the Large G6-7 Final in the Main Arena, an incorrect result was posted. Following consultation with the judge and judge’s assistant, however, both individuals involved – Nicola Wildman and Megan Hunt – will be invited to represent England at Crufts in the Large Dog International Competition.

William Delamore, Sales and Marketing Director at Skinner’s Pet Foods commented, 'We look forward to Olympia every year and 2019’s competitors did not disappoint. The standard was exceptionally high and we are delighted to be part of such a prestigious event. Congratulations to all the winners for such a fantastic performance and we’d like to wish all competitors the best of luck for 2020.'

Vanessa McAlpine, Events Executive for the Kennel Club said, 'Congratulations to the 2019 winners, and well done to all the competitors who took part. The Olympia Stakes showcased so many talented dogs and handlers who are passionate about agility and they should all feel very proud of their achievements. We’d like to wish all our competitors a lovely Christmas and a successful 2020.,

The Kennel Club Olympia Stakes are held in association with Skinner’s Pet Foods.

UKA 2020 Rule Changes

The 2020 UK Agility rule book has been released and will come into play on 10th March 2020.

The changes are as follows:-

Jump Heights

• Select Heights have been introduced. This allows all dogs to jump one height lower than their measured height, competing against other Select Height dogs ONLY and with full PROGRESSION points.
   

• Due to the introduction of select, Casual will now only offer Micro and Toy heights available to ANY dog. Clear round rosettes will be available for this class.
   

• To read our 'Select height FAQ,' please visit UKA website

Equipment Safety Changes

• The height of the Long Jump has been reduced by 10cm to match international standards.
   

• Tunnels must have a minimum number of holders of one per metre plus one.

Judging

• Refusals will now only be called in the final 3rd using the rule of thirds method.
   

• In Snooker, the refusal criteria has been changed so that no refusals are judged in the opening including for coloured obstacles.

General rules

• Smoking and vaping are not allowed within 5 metres of a ring.

For more details please visit https://ukagility.com/about/rules/ where you will find a full summary of changes as well as the 2020 rule book.

Gold Rush Challenge

Agility Vision is pleased to announce that they are holding a brand new Gold Rush Challenge, sponsored by Chris Adams of Adams Agility Equipment at their 2020 shows. It is open to Large and Intermediate dogs Grades 4-7. For further details and rules, please see schedule on the Agilitynet Show Diary.

Dates for the qualifiers are:-

• 13th April 2020 - Winterton

• 9th May 2020 - Catton Park

• 17th May 2020 - Catton Park

• 27th June 2020 - Catton Park

• 4th July 2020 - Catton Park

• Semi Final 22nd August 2020 - Catton Park

• Grand Final 29th August 2020 - Catton Park

The winner of each Heat Final will receive a Finals rosette, trophy and 1g Gold Bar. The winners of the Semi Final Jumping and Agility Rounds will receive a 1st and 2nd place trophy, rosettes up to 3rd place. The winner of this Final will receive a rosette and trophy. The Grand Final will be awarded with trophies to 2nd place. and rosettes to 3rd place. All other finalists will receive a keepsake of the occasion.

The winner of the Grand Final will also receive one complete set of equipment consisting of:

• 1 x Dogwalk on wheels

• 1 x A-Frame (removable wheels)

• 1 x Seesaw

• 1 x Padded Wall (4 heights)

• 1 x Padded Breakaway Tyre

• 1 x Padded Long Jump

• 4 x Marker Poles

• 1 x 4 Meter Anti-Slip Tunnel

• 1 x 5 Meter Anti-Slip Tunnel

• 10 x Unique Adams Tunnel Braces

• 1 x 12 Competition Weaves

• 12 x Competition Hurdles

• 1 Set of numbers (1-20, Start and Finish)

• 60 x Pegs

• 1x 5g Gold Bar

This brand new equipment, valued at £ 6196.00 will be used throughout 2020 for the duration of the Challenge with arrangements after the Grand Final for collection/delivery.

Showtime Novice Cup 2020 Confirmed

It's been announced that the Showtime Novice Cup will be for all four heights in 2020. Many thanks must go to the host clubs for their continued support. Look out for heats at the following shows

• Kingdom of Fife - April

• Scottish Border Collie Club - April

• Fair City DTC - May

• Gleniffer DTC - May

• Prestwick & District DTC - June

• Bearded Collie Club – July

The finals will be held at Dundee Championship Show in August. Small and Medium will take place after close of show on the Friday while Intermediate and Large will be held after close of show on the Saturday.

Remember to update your dog details on your Showtime account If your dog has been measured as Intermediate for 2020.

New Working Arrangement for Agility Plaza and UK Agility

Statement from UK Agility

In 2020 UK Agility will be amalgamating its systems with its North American business (UK Agility International). This has become necessary due to the growth on the other side of the Atlantic and the need to simplify the business with greater commonality. As a consequence UK Agility will be switching to its own online entry and scoring system.

Over the next few months we will be moving our registration and show entry from Agility Plaza to the UK Agility web page. Our current aim is that all shows from the 20th March will run on the new UK Agility system. We will be posting more updates over the next few weeks to keep all our members informed of the changes.

Together, UK Agility and Agility Plaza have transformed the face of agility in the UK. Whilst our paths are diverging, the collaboration continues and details of our shows, results and other relevant information will continue to be available on their website.

Statement from Agility Plaza

In 2020 UK Agility will be moving to the online entry and scoring system shared with its North American business (UK Agility International). This means that from 1st March you will no longer be able to enter UKA shows on Plaza or update your membership. However, we will be entering into a publishing agreement with UKA so that Plaza can continue to display results and most of the information currently available.

Whilst it is sad to see UKA moving on, it leaves us free to focus on our core Kennel Club business. In 2019 Agility Plaza became the UK’s biggest show processor and for 2020 we have lots of exciting new shows coming on board.

2020 will be a significant year for e-gility too with the launch of our new third generation 'fault tolerant' network. We are so confident in its reliability that we are the first paperless provider to offer show organisers a full money back guarantee. With more and more shows going paperless, e-gility offers complete peace of mind from technology anxiety.

International Tour Judges Line Up

For the answers, click here.

Agility Plaza Promises Paperless Peace of Mind for 2020

Agility Plaza has launched their third generation 'fault tolerant' e-gility tablet system. So confident are they that their network will not let you down that they are backing up this claim with a full money back guarantee and will refund their entire show processing fee if proved wrong.

Says Mike Brickman of Agility Plaza. 'We have spent five years perfecting paperless systems. Our aim has always been to make these as simple to use and as foolproof as traditional paper systems. It is simply unacceptable for a show to come to a halt because of a technical glitch. We have always been ahead of the game as we do not depend upon internet access over which we have no control. During 2019 we have worked hard to develop and test an advanced network configuration that removes all potential vulnerabilities so success could be assured. Finally, we can offer show organisers total peace of mind.'

 NOVEMBER 2019

Teams Wanted for Goodwood Display

The 2020 WAO Wildcard Application Form Has Been Released

Any individual who is not on their country’s team may now apply for Wildcard entry.

Good luck to all applying.

Olympia Countdown

One month to go until the Kennel Club Olympia agility finals which are being held at The Olympia London International Horse Show.

Simon Chandler, who will be judging these exciting finals in December said, 'I am so privileged and excited to be judging at Olympia this year, it is the pinnacle of my judging career to date. I am looking forward to watching some of the best partnerships of dog and handler in the country and indeed the world go up against my courses, with a high degree of skill and speed. I’ve been judging for over 20 yrs and I certainly enjoy it. I cannot wait to go out into the Olympia arena and hear and feel the atmosphere from the thousands of people watching. So to all the lucky ones competing this year good luck and I’ll see you on the start line.'

Kennel Club Reveals 2020 YKC Agility Team GB Squad

The Kennel Club has announced the names of the competitors who will be part of the Young Kennel Club (YKC) Agility Team GB squad in 2020. The team will be selected from the newly announced squad, and will represent Great Britain at the first FCI Junior Open Agility World Championships which will be held in Vantaa, Finland from 9 - 12 July 2020.

The 2020 squad was selected following a successful try-out day on 26 October 2019, whilst the 2019 team were also invited back.  The squad will attend two squad days at Hartpury, as well as a Performance Weekend which is being held at Vale View Equestrian Centre, a new venue for 2020. Following the Performance Weekend, the team will be selected for the championships.

Team Manager, Mark Laker, said: 'It’s really encouraging to see so many young handlers trying out for a place on this year’s YKC international team. The standard at the try-out day held recently was undoubtedly the highest we’ve seen to date across all three height groups. With the additional support and training facilities at Hartpury this year, there are exciting times ahead for these young handlers.'

A spokesperson for Natural Instinct, sponsor of YKC Agility Team GB, said: 'Natural Instinct are very happy to sponsor the YKC Agility Team GB throughout 2020. It has been a joy to support this fantastic team throughout the past year and we are excited to see what the future holds!'

Lucy Bearman-Brown, Senior Lecturer at Hartpury, said: 'It’s very exciting to support YKC Agility Team GB, to have the opportunity to watch them develop and hopefully succeed over the year. Hartpury’s facilities will be available to support the team and will provide some enjoyable days in the heart of the Gloucestershire countryside. We very much look forward to welcoming you all to our beautiful campus.'

The successful handlers and dogs in alphabetical order by first name are as follows:_

YKC Agility Team GB is supported by the Kennel Club, Natural Instinct and Hartpury University and Hartpury College.

International Tour Heats Announced

The Kennel Club would like to announce that the following clubs have be awarded an International Tour heat in 2020:-

• Cornwall Agility Club

• Dogs in Need

• Down District Dog Training Club

• North Derbyshire Dog Agility Club

• RVA Cambs Dog Training Club

• Scottish Kennel Club

• Scunthorpe Obedience and Agility Training Club

• The Agility Club

• Tuffley Agility Club

• Wallingford Dog Training Club

Details of when and where these tours will be held, as well as a Q&A about the International Tour can be found at https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/international-agility-teams/

WAO Team England Announced

WAO Team England Management congratulate the following handlers and dogs who have been selected to represent England at WAO 2020.

Becky Dixon said, 'We would like to welcome them all to the team and also send our thanks to all those handlers who tried out via our Team Selection procedures.'

CSJ Agility Veteran Handler Stakes Announcement

Due to confusion about the dates of the final heat and Finals at Prestbury Park in 2020 - now definitely 5th-6th September - sadly Angelo  (Doc) Docherty is now unable to judge for us - although hopefully will in 2021.

Event organiser Virigina Harry said, 'As most of my judges all of whom are 60+ want to enter themselves - I decided it would be easier to appoint a younger judge who is yet still mature and experienced. Please welcome Agility Champ judge Andrew Dicker who has kindly stepped in and will now be judging both the final heat and the Finals.'

Crufts Height Confirmation

A message to all agility competitors competing at Crufts 2020.

The jump heights for all agility competitions will be set at 30cm for Small dogs, 40cm for Medium dogs and 60cm for Large dogs.

 OCTOBER 2019

Support the Republic of Ireland WAO Team

The WAO try outs are complete and the full WAO Team for 2020 has been announced as follows:-

400

• Yvonne with Kanzi

• Eilish with Dayzee

500

• Diana with Dazzle

• Laura with Diesel

600

• John with Ben

• Mary with Finch

Preparations will begin in the New Year. Our next goal is that every handler & dog take to the start line in The Netherlands knowing they couldn’t be any more prepared, so for now, we will be busy planning what we need to do to make that goal a reality

CSJ Highland Agility Stakes 2020

The Highland Agility Stakes will return in 2020, kindly sponsored again by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds. The event will comprise heats held for Small, Medium, Intermediate and Large dogs, culminating in a showcase event for finalists at the Scottish Game Fair in July.

Heats will be held at the following Scottish KC Agility Shows:-

• Fife DAC

• Scottish Border Collie Club

• Fair City DTC

• Woodside DAC

• Gleniffer DTC

Rules

1. Five heats for each of the four KC height categories will take place at KC registered shows in Scotland.

2. Heats will take the form of Graded or Combined G6-7 Agility, held under standard KC rules and regulations.

3. Competitors may enter more than one dog in any heat and may qualify more than one dog in any final. Once a dog has qualified for the Final, further heats can be entered for competition.

4. The team (handler and dog) that qualify cannot be changed for either the invitational event or the Final

5. For Small and Medium Dogs - The winner or first previously unqualified dog from each of the five heats will go through to the Final at the Game Fair.

6. For Intermediate and Large Dogs - The first two previously unqualified dogs from each of the five heats will go through to the Final at the Game Fair.

7. The 2018 winners (Small, Medium and Large) will be invited back to defend titles in 2020.

This year’s final will take place at the Scottish Game Fair on Sunday July 5th 2020 at Scone Palace. This will consist of a preliminary round and the final and each will consist of an agility class judged according to KC rules and regulations.

Finalists will be sent invitations in advance of the event with further details.

Organisation

The Highland Finals are being organised by Blair Cochrane and Sara Hawkswell. They said, 'We are grateful to Lisa Duggan for all she has done to make this event a success in past years.'

Any queries regarding the event should be made in the first instance to Sara at sara@dynamicdogs.uk

Kennel Club Reveals the Agility Team GB Squad for 2020

The Kennel Club has announced the names of the competitors who will be part of the Agility Team GB squad in 2020. Two teams will be selected from the newly announced squad, which will go on to represent Great Britain at the European Open Agility Championships at Rutland Showground, UK from 30th July – 2nd August 2020 and the FCI World Agility Championships in Tallinn, Estonia from 10th-13th September 2020.

The 2020 squad was selected following the collection and submission of points from prestige agility events held during 2019. The Squad will attend two training days at Hartpury as well as a Performance Weekend which is being held Vale View Equestrian Centre, a new venue for 2020. Following the Performance Weekend, teams will be selected for each of the championships.

Team Manager, Mark Laker, said: 'I'm sure this year's squad members are as excited as I am to be part of Agility Team GB in 2020 in a very special year for British agility as we host the European Open. I'd like to welcome all the Squad members and I look forward to working with them as they prepare for team selection in March.'

A spokesperson for Natural Instinct, sponsor of Agility Team GB, said: 'Natural Instinct are very happy to sponsor the Agility Team GB throughout 2020. It has been a joy to support this fantastic team throughout the past year and we are excited to see what the future holds!”

Lucy Bearman-Brown, senior lecturer at Hartpury, said: 'It’s very exciting to support Agility Team GB, to have the opportunity to watch them develop and hopefully succeed over the year. Hartpury’s facilities will be available to support the team and will provide some enjoyable days in the heart of the Gloucestershire countryside. We very much look forward to welcoming you all to our beautiful campus.'

The successful handlers and dogs in A-Z order according to first name are as follows:-

Agility Team GB is supported by the Kennel Club, Natural Instinct and Hartpury University and Hartpury College.

KC Development Squad Named

International Agility Festival Refund Update

Gina Sansom of the Kennel Club reports that the KCIAF refunds are in process and you should receive a refund for your entries on the cancelled days (Friday and Saturday).

All refunds should be completed by the end of October to the card which you used to pay for your entries.

If anyone's card has expired or you paid by cheque, FPP will contact you to arrange an alternative method of refunding.

Poodle Training Club Show 2019 Report

The Poodle Training Club had a great day for their show at the Dog Training Barn near Banbury (Oxon.) As always, Poodle antics enlivened the day, with the occasional mad dash around the ring to remind everyone that they are definitely not collies.

Judge Jeff Walton set some terrific courses that challenged the experienced dogs and handlers without overwhelming the beginners. Everyone pitched in with jobs to help keep the show moving along.

A new Special award for Most Entertaining Dog went to Sue Blunden with her Standard Poodle Jack (Maliene Never Been Better.  He’s a lovely young dog and will certainly bring her lots of joy in years to come.

The John Leslie Memorial Trophy for the best Standard Poodle on the day went to our first international competitor, Annelies van’t Hof with the gorgeous Amy (Darla from Quindonmiertiek). Annelies and Amy have twice travelled from the Netherlands for the Poodle Training Club show. We were sad to learn that Amy retires from agility this year though Annelies has plans for new activities for her. Annelies brought lots of delicious Dutch cookies that were being surreptitiously nicked by everyone who could get their hands on them.

The Crystal Hawkes Memorial Trophy for the best Miniature Poodle on the day went to Victory (Etlantis Elegance via Ambien), owned and handled by Linda Mayne. Victory is a super dog, and he and Linda are a great partnership.

The Bob Ratcliffe & Sue Reeves Memorial Trophy for the best Toy Poodle on the day went to Clare Smith with the rocket dog Basil (Sandralenes Tutankhamun).  They are a joy to watch together, and he’s an amazing little dog.

The Camddwr Cup Review

To make way for the new intermediate heats, the organisers of the Camddwr Cup are planning a review of their current heats which may mean that additional heats are available-

The Camddwr cup is a novice competition open to Ggrades 3/5 for Medium Intermediate and Large dogs

Please let us know

• Name of show

• Venue

• Date of show

• How long has the show been established

• Other qualifiers held

Expressions of interest from KC clubs running shows by email please to Sales@camddwrcanine.co.uk

KC Clubs Needed to Hold Qualifiers

The Kennel Club is asking for Kennel Club registered clubs to apply to hold one, or both of the following qualifiers which are on offer.

Olympia Qualifier

An ABC Large 5-7 Olympia qualifier is available. Clubs that wish to apply to host this qualifier must hold their show before 31st July 2020.

• Fully registered club name:
• Date of show:
• Venue including address and region:
• Does your club hold any other qualifier? if so, which ones:

Discover Dogs Qualifier

An Small/Mixi Pairs qualifier is available. Clubs that wish to apply to host this qualifier must hold their show before 10th September 2020.

• Fully registered club name:
• Date of show:
• Venue including address and region:
• Does your club hold any other qualifier? if so, which qualifiers:

The entry deadline to apply for either qualifier is Wednesday, 16th October 2019

Please email agility@thekennelclub.org.uk with the above information.

.

Call for EO 2020 Entries

Entries for the European Open Championships to be held in the UK on Thursday, 30^th July – Sunday, 2^nd August 2020 at Rutland Showground (Leics) will open on 31st March, with a deadline of 31st May 2020.

Gina Sanson of the Kennel Club said, 'If your country is not able to submit entries before the 31st May please email eo2020@thekennelclub.org.uk, stating which date you will be able to submit entries by. We hope to see you there!'

 SEPTEMBER 2019

EO Judge Steps Back from Agility Team Duties

The Kennel Club would like to thank Martin Cavill, Agility Team GB Technical Coach for his service on Agility Team GB.

Martin will be stepping down from Agility Team GB duties until after the European Open Championship due to his judging appointment.

Mark Laker, Agility Team GB Manager said, 'I'm sure the Coaching Team will join me in wishing Martin all the best for his judging appointment at the EO2020. This is a fantastic honour, and we're very proud of Martin's achievement being invited to judge at one of the top FCI Championships.'

GB Agility Team Brings Back Bronze

The GB High Hopes team has won an overall Bronze medal in the Large team competition at the FCI Agility World Championships on Friday, 20th September, after competing against 33 other teams.

Held in Turku in Finland, the World Championships saw hundreds of handlers and dogs from 41 countries - including Australia and Chile - take part over the weekend of 19th – 22nd September 2019  with a variety of breeds competing including 186 Border Collies, as well as an English Toy Terrier, a Lagotto Romagnolo and a Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

Agility Team GB Manager, Mark Laker said, 'I'm very pleased with the Team's performance across all heights at this year's World Championships. Once again the dedication and commitment made by the handlers has been amazing which has been reflected by our results. The handlers and coaching team would also like to thank all our followers and our sponsors who support the team.'

The Team comprised team captain Natasha Wise with her Border Collie, Pebbles, Dan Shaw with his Border Collie, Geek, Dave Munnings with his Border Collie, Fame and Naarah Cuddy with her Border Collie, Lemon.

Proud Team Captain, Natasha said, 'I'm super proud of the effort, determination and cohesion this team showed to achieve this medal. Each team member added value in thei.r own way and this resulted in our podium. All GB dogs shone brightly on the world stage, and it was an honour to build and captain this strong team to the Bronze medal.'

Another highlight over the weekend was Euan Paterson and this Border Collie Crazee winning 1st place in the Large Agility round, beating 130 other agility handlers and dogs with a time of 35.63 seconds. It was the first year that Euan and Crazee have competed in Team GB and only the Second time that a Scot has represented GB at the Worlds.

    He said. 'I honestly believe if you set yourself realistic goals and you have the belief and determination then anything is possible. I'm so grateful to have such a talented dog. Crazee is what makes this possible..

After close competition, Team GB were also awarded fourth overall place in the Small dogs with Lauren Langman and Cocker Spaniel, Blink, placing 15th in Jumping and 11th in Agility. Lauren and Blink narrowly missed out on an overall Bronze medal by one hundredth of a second.

Proud of their achievements, Lauren said, 'Blink is a dream come true, a dog in a lifetime and my best friend. Team GB has always been a goal for me and Blink makes this all so achievable. I'm so grateful for the opportunity and would like to thank everyone involved.'

Members of Agility Team GB were chosen following this year's squad selection process, which concluded at the Performance Weekend held at Arena UK, Grantham in April.  Agility Team GB attended the European Open Agility Championships in the Netherlands at the end of July where all three Large dog/ handler teams made it through to the Team Large final, a first in Agility Team GB's history. GB All4One placed 5th overall, whilst GB Darkside and GB High Hopes respectively placed 10th and 16th overall.

A spokesperson for Natural Instinct, sponsor of Agility Team GB, said, ' On behalf of the team here at Natural Instinct, we'd like to congratulate everyone on their results at the Agility World Championships. We are very proud to sponsor this fantastic team and are excited to see what the future holds for these amazing athletes!'

Agility Team GB is supported by the Kennel Club, Natural Instinct and Nottingham Trent University.

Thank you to the coaching team which consisted of Mark Laker (Team Manager), Becky Sargent (Team Assistant), Martin Cavill (Technical Coach), Maria Johnston (Team Physiotherapist), Hana McNicholas (Team Vet), Ruth MacGill (Fitness coach/handler) and Gina Sansom (Kennel Club Senior Events Coordinator) who travelled to Finland with them.

Kennel Club International Agility Festival Update

The Kennel Club will be issuing full refunds to all competitors on the cancelled days of the show (Friday and Saturday) which will be processed in the next few weeks. There is no need for competitors to apply for a refund.

Next year. Kennel Club International Agility Festival will be held on 6th-9th August 2020 at Rutland Showground. The European Open will be held there just prior to KCIAF.

Any questions, please email agilityfestival@thekennelclub.org.uk

Kennel Club Seeks Agility Ring Party for Olympia

The Kennel Club is looking for individuals to join the Ring Party for The Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes Finals on site at the London International Horse Show at Olympia from 17th-22nd December 2019.

Individuals should have the following skills:

• Ring party experience

• Course building experience

• Understanding of course design

• Be able to work in a high pressurised environment

It would also be advantageous if individuals have experience of attending or competing at prestigious events previously.

If you would like to apply for the role please email agility@thekennelclub.org.uk by 30th September with a covering letter and your relevant experience.

Agility Team GB Announce Hartpury Partnership

The Kennel Club is delighted to announce a new partnership between Agility Team GB and Hartpury University and Hartpury College.

As one of the leading education providers in agriculture, animal, equine, sport and veterinary nursing, Gloucestershire-based Hartpury University and Hartpury College joins the Kennel Club and Natural Instinct in supporting Great Britain's top dog agility team, ahead of next year's European Open 2020, which will be held at Rutland Showground in Leicestershire from Thursday, 30th July – Sunday. 2nd August 2020.

As well as their support for Agility Team GB, through the provision of the venue and facilities for both squad and team days, the partnership will also see a collaborative approach to sports science research in competitive canine activities. Providing opportunities for research and evidence-based practice that will benefit both dogs and human athletes, the relationship between the two organisations will bring together the Kennel Club's commitment to dog health, welfare and training with Hartpury's reputation in cutting-edge animal and sport research.

Kathryn Mansfield, Kennel Club Secretary, commented, 'Agility Team GB represents the highest standard of agility on a global stage, as well as showcasing the benefits of the sport which caters for all breeds and all ages of handlers. We are delighted to have Hartpury as a new partner, their support will provide the team with the opportunities to flourish and develop, as well as advancing research into canine activities and sport as a whole.'

Commenting on the new partnership, Lucy Bearman-Brown, Senior Lecturer at Hartpury University, said, 'The partnership with the Agility Team GB and the Kennel Club is very exciting for everyone at Hartpury, especially our students. To see the country's best handlers and dogs training on Hartpury soil will provide exciting research opportunities and contact with the best coaches and trainers through guest lectures. Working with an industry like this is at the heart of what we do here, so to expand this to our new partner really enhances our teaching and research opportunities.'

Team Manager, Mark Laker added, 'This new partnership with Hartpury marks a really exciting new chapter for Agility Team GB. Having the opportunity to train and develop alongside world-class researchers and academics will benefit not only the team, but ultimately the sport as a whole.'

For further details regarding Agility Team GB, please visit the Kennel Club website.

Call for Clubs to Host International Tour Heats

They are looking for eight Kennel Club fully registered clubs that hold a licensed show to host a heat in 2020. If your club is interested in hosting one of these heats, please note the following:

• Clubs can hold this qualifier alongside their KC licensed show
• The Tour consists of a jumping round, followed by an agility round with combined results of both rounds
• Your show must be held before the end of September 2020
• You will require a dedicated ring measuring 40m x 25m
• Clubs must provide FCI specific equipment (jump heights to be set at 30cm, 40cm and 60cm) - refer to FCI site for further details
• The International Tour Management Team will advise on judges/courses
• The Kennel Club will provide rosettes from 1st-6th place for each class as well as rosettes from 1st-3rd for the overall results in each height.
• Show secretaries must email results 1st-20th for Large dogs, and 1st-10th for Small/Medium dogs from each round AND a copy of the combined results into the Kennel Club office 14 days after the show.

Clubs are expected to follow the guidelines outlined in the Show secretary's information which can be found at this link;

If your club is interested in hosting one of these qualifiers please email gina.sansom@thekennelclub.org.uk with the following information:

• Club's fully registered name
• Date of show
• Venue address
• Region
• Do you hold any other Kennel Club qualifiers
• Proposed equipment supplier for show

All applications must be received by Monday, 23rd September 2019.

 AUGUST 2019

High Winds Blast Gleniffer Show

The Kennel Club's Eventful International Festival

Despite extreme weather conditions causing the majority of events at the Kennel Club International Agility Festival on Friday, 9th August and Saturday, 10th August to be cancelled, handlers competing in the Olympia Agility Stakes were still able to participate, with the quarter and semi-finals relocating to nearby Rutland Showground, Oakham, enabling competitors to secure a place for the prestigious competition held at Olympia in December. Normal service resumed on Sunday, 11th August, which saw successful dogs and their handlers qualify for the British Open Final which will be held at Crufts 2020.

Competitions that were unable to go ahead over the weekend included the Starters Cup, the Novice Cup, the Championship Classes and the International Young Handler Classes. However, the top number of competitors for both the Starters Cup and the Novice Cup, based on the combined results from the first day of competing on Thursday, 8th August, will be invited to compete at Discover Dogs in London (Starters Cup) and Crufts in March (Novice Cup).

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'Once again, we were delighted to see so many dogs and handlers competing in the International Agility Festival, having travelled from all over the world as far as Australia to attend. The safety of both dogs and handlers are our top priority, and as such, cancelling the events on Friday and Saturday was a tough but necessary decision. However, whilst the appalling weather may have provided an unwelcome hurdle to proceedings, it certainly didn't dampen the spirits of our competitors. We would like to thank Rutland Showground for hosting the Olympia qualifiers at such short notice as well as both volunteers and everyone attending the festival for their support and understanding.

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

The Kennel Club Olympia ABC Agility Stakes Semi-Finals

    Large Semi-Final

1.  Sue Mosedale with Another Bad Hair Day
2.  Sarah Woodley with Basileas Yabba Dabba Doo
3. Andy Brown with Munchanga's Ghost

    Medium Semi-Final

1.  Dalton Meredith with Fandabidozi Munchykin Jive
2.  Dawn Weaver with Galaxy's Ace of Spades
3.  Naomi Read with Little Miss Jumping Jinx

    Small Semi-Final

1.  Dawn Weaver with Ag.Ch. Galaxy's Dream Summer
2.  Dave Munnings with Boost Bite
3.  Lauren Langman with Maesydderwen Shine Bright at Devongem

The Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes Quarter-Finals

    Large Novice Quarter-Final

1.  Shannon Springford with Castomya Love is Gifted at ShansDream
2.  Tracy Moerel with Zhanisgo Otto is The Motto
3.  Robyn Barclay with Elswish Dark Jester

    Large Senior Quarter-Final

1.  Naarah Cuddy with Lilhaze Dark Pleasure
2.  Euan Paterson with Devongem Quick Time
3.  Natasha Wise with Ag.Ch. Nedlo Flipping Shiny Pebble

The Kennel Club Special International Final

    Large Final

1.  Nicola Giraudi with – Gran Funk to Shark Zanzibar

2.  Carla van Adrichem with Kyla vom Thurnhof
3.  Jordi Boix Baró with Vipper Rainbow

    Medium Final

1.  Jessica Garcia with Noa a Dream Come True

2.  Sharon Broeders with Utopia Blue from Marmorea's Shelter

3.  Javier Dalmau with Thor

    Small Final

1.  Michèle Taffijn-du Bois with Total Touch Don't Stop me Now

2.  Montse Canalda Moreno with Rei de Can Canalda
3.  Michèle Taffijn-du Bois with Little But Brave Dark as the Night

Kennel Club British Open Semi-Final (Crufts qualifiers)

    Large Semi-Final

1.  Naarah Cuddy with Lilhaze Dark Pleasure
2.  Marita Davies with Lalapaws Taken by Surprise
3.  Georgina Baker with Borderstorm Freak Out 

    Medium Semi-Final

1.  Blyth Fox with Devongem Golden Moment
2.  Abigail Doxford with Annervalley Cassie
3.  Caclin Alexandre with Gallway Link

    Small Semi-Final

1.  Bonny Quick with Ag.Ch. Goldheart Trail of Flames

2.  Lucy Norton with Ag.Ch. Radajasa's Whirlwind Fling
3.  Sarah McLean with Milo'd of Mischief

Kennel Club Nations Cup

    Large Nations Cup

1.  Wales 2 – Martin Cavill with Raeannes Apollo, Michelle Sturge with Benjamins Gwter Goch AW/B, Curtis Alway with Welshspel Hurricane Ace

2.  England 2 – Gemma Haycock with Lalapaws Turn Up The Jukebox,Steve Seale with Devongem Try Fleck, Sophie Balchin with Mirramay Fairey Flycatcher
3.  Rest of World 3 – Cranford McCartney with Grenaby Seven's Best, Michael McCartney with Haligalli Theatre of Dreams, Sergio de Sousa with Doubleuse One in a Million

    Medium Nations Cup

1.  England 2 - Rachel Ward with Ivormyth Double or Nothing AW/B, Blyth Fox with Devongem Golden Moment, Louise McMahon with Charterwood Danita AW,G

2.  England 1 - Aemillia Nicholson with Little Miss Woo Woo, Hannah Thorp with Izzie Catch a Falling Star, Elise Finney with Rose of Whitethorn
3.  Rest of World 1 - Javier Dalmau with Thor, Elisenda Riba with Drac de Sant Jordi, Sharon Broeders with Utopia Blue from Marmorea's Shelter

    Small Nations Cup

1.  Rest of the World - Michele Taffijn-du Bois with Total Touch Don't Stop me Now, Bronagh Walsh with Fearnach God of Thunder, Montse Canalda Moreno with Rei de Can Canalda

2.  England 2 – Dawn Weaver with Dulcet Painted Cherokee, Lucas Irwin-Burns with Lucas's Little Soppy Sam, Angela Madigan with Only Juan Don

3.  England 1 – Dawn Weaver with Galaxys Dream Summer, Ashleigh Butler with The Closet Monster of Ashpen, Lucy Norton with Radajasa's Whirlwind Fling

William Delamore, Sales and Marketing Director of Skinner's Pet Foods, said, 'Many congratulations to all the winners and competitors at this year's Kennel Club International Agility Festival. We are proud to sponsor the Festival and we were incredibly impressed by the commitment and dedication displayed by the competitors. Congratulations to all of the winners at this year's Festival, they should be very proud of their achievements.'

For the full list of results, please visit http://results.firstplaceprocessing.com/

Gillingham (Dorset) Show News

Gillingham Committee are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone to their show on 7th and 8th September this year. Please remember you are welcome to come on Thursday, 5th September for those of you able to avoid the traffic and do so, but please contact our Show Manager, Tony Griffin, on 07743 655311 to let him know you are coming!

Despite our entries being a little lower than last year, the Committee made the decision to give a 1st place trophy in each of our 170 classes whether graded or combined, Full Height or Low Height (all separate awards) and whether there are large entries in the class, or only one entry!  To enable our small Club to run a show of this size, we have allocated every competitor to a ring on one day – if you could give just an hour of your time during the course of that day it would be very much appreciated.

We will also have a Kennel Club measuring session on both days, these are normally held around lunch time each day, and booking in sheets will be on the Secretary's table.

KCI Refunds

Following the cancellation of the KCIAF show on Friday and Saturday, the International Agility Festival Working Party will be considering all circumstances surrounding this unfortunate situation, including the matter of entry refunds.

CSJ Highland Agility Needs New Admin

After running this event for the past eight years, Lisa Duggan has come to the sad conclusion that she won't have the time to do this to the standard she would wish in 2020.

She said, 'It's been great fun and it's been a great experience but it's time for me to step back. As far as I know, the sponsor, venue and host clubs for qualifiers are all still on board so should anyone wish to take it on she'd be more than happy to pass on contacts etc

PM if you would like more info on what's involved in running the event.

CSJ Agility Veteran Handler Stakes Announced for 2020

CSJ Canine Feeds is delighted to announce the launch of a new agility competition being held next year at ten Kennel Club agility shows throughout the country, with Finals at the prestigious Premier show, Prestbury Park, August 2020. Aimed at a much under-rated audience, The CSJ Agility Veteran Handler Stakes is open to handlers aged 60 and over on 1st January 2020, and Grade 4-7 dogs across all four heights. For the first year, at least, all the judges will be over 60, too.

A prolific sponsor of many dog sports, especially Agility, CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds has, for several years, invested heavily in agility by sponsoring The CSJ Agility Grand Prix at UKA shows, the UKA Grand Finals, the CSJ Agility Open and the World Agility Open and, until last year, the KC International Agility Festival. The event will also be supported by The Canine Massage Guild and Norton Rosettes.

CSJ founder Ceri Rundle says, 'We have been considering how we might bring a more personal presence to KC agility shows, and this competition will support local CSJ stockists who will be invited to attend. Many of today's 60+ handlers have been in the sport since its inception. We would like to acknowledge them and give them an opportunity to compete against their peers. Above all, we hope it will be a fun competition that will see the return of the banter and laughter that I hear was once prevalent around the rings at agility shows!'

Natalie Lenton, Director of The Canine Massage Therapy Centre and founder of the internationally-acclaimed Canine Massage Guild also comments, 'We're so very excited to be involved with The CSJ Agility Veteran Handler Stakes. Thousands of handlers of Agility and sporting dogs use Guild Therapists to optimise their dogs' physical condition, rehabilitate them from injury and maximise endurance, power and mobility. The positive shift in attitude towards Clinical Canine Massage Therapy, not something even heard of when Agility began, has been supported by veteran handlers across the country; they've made this sport what it is today and that's something that should be celebrated so we are thrilled to be a part of it.  Guild therapists will be in attendance at each heat to provide free muscular health checks for the dogs and to chat with handlers about ways to keep their dog in peak condition. It's going to be lots of fun.'

The Heats and Final

First heat for 2021

About CSJ
Using only top quality, natural ingredients, the extensive range of CSJ has been developed to meet the specific needs of dogs of all ages - from conception right through to 'retirement'.

By working closely with many well-known breeders, competitors, trainers, large kennel owners and show-bench exhibitors – as well as behavioural trainers, CSJ products are continuously monitored and developed with the help of vets, herbalist and the UK's leading animal nutritionist. As well as a unique range of natural canine feeds, CSJ also offers a diversity of herbal supplements and treats to meet the requirements of all working dogs and has now become the first choice for many of the top sporting dog handlers.

For further information, please see the CSJ Agility Facebook Group or email vharry@btinternet.com .  For more info on CSJ products visit www.csjk9.com or ring 01745 710470.

 JULY 2019

Up Contact Judges Introduced to UK

The Kennel Club would like to announce that an 'up contact' judge will be appointed for all Kennel Club prestige agility events such as Discover Dogs, Olympia and Crufts.

Five is the Lucky Number at the EO

The Kennel Club would like to congratulate Agility Team GB for their performances at the European Open Agility Championships in Arnhem, The Netherlands over the weekend of 25th-28th July. The team of 24 dogs and handlers were chosen following this year's squad selection process, which concluded at the Performance Weekend held at Arena UK, Grantham in April.

For the first time in the team's history, all three GB Large dog and handler teams made it through to the Team Large final, competing against 109 other teams from around the world in qualifiers which took place on Thursday, 25th and Friday, 26th July.

GB All4One, comprised of Jo Tristram (Team Captain) with Brite, Euan Paterson with Crazee, Jo Gleed with Scooter and Megan Hunt with Tyme came 5th overall with GB Darkside and GB High Hopes respectively placing 10th and 16th overall.

Additional Team GB efforts saw 5th place awarded to

• Sam Lane with Ninja Zippy (Cocker Spaniel) - Small Individual
• Hayley Telling with Teal (Shetland Sheepdog) - Medium Individual
• Natasha Wise with Pebbles (Border Collie) - Large Individual

Agility Team GB experienced additional challenges during their time in The Netherlands due to the adverse hot weather conditions, with the Championships having to be held overnight to ensure the health and welfare of those competing were not put at risk.

Team Manager, Mark Laker commented, 'The European Open 2019 will be remembered as EO by night! Although the team is coming home without silverware, they responded admirably to the changes in the programme caused by the extreme heat and put in consistent performances, making this one of the most successful European Opens for the overall team.'

Agility Team GB is supported by the Kennel Club, Natural Instinct and Nottingham Trent University.

Emma Cooper, Marketing Assistant 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!'

For the full list of results, visit https://www.eo2019.eu/results/

Next year the Kennel Club will host the European Agility Championships which will be held at Rutland Showground in Oakham, Leicestershire, from Friday 31st July until Sunday 2nd August 2020. More information can be found by visiting https://eo2020.com/.

The squad qualification process to try out for the 2020 Agility Team GB can be found on the Kennel Club website: www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/international-agility-teams/.

If you are a Team Leader / Team Assistant, please register your information on the Team Leaders form at https://eo2020.com/ The organisers are also looking for volunteers. What a great way to watch and get involved.

Any inquiries, please email eo2020@thekennelclub.org.uk

More than 3000 Dogs Race to Rockingham for KCIAF

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival will host over 3,000 dogs from at least 14 countries across the globe as they head to Rockingham Castle this summer for the world's largest agility festival, taking place from 8th – 11th August 2019.

Competitors travelling from countries as far-flung as Australia, all fighting to win their individual competitions and take home the Nations Cup,  a team event where three dogs representing their country will complete a jumping round with a final agility round to decide the overall winners.

Held across 18 rings with over 200 separate classes, the Festival will feature dogs of all agility grades competing. 72 judges will be attending over the four days, awarding everyone from novice handlers to top agility competitors and their dogs.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'The Kennel Club International Agility Festival is one of the most highly-anticipated events in the agility calendar and every year we look forward to welcoming competitors from all over the world. It's a fantastic weekend or day out for all of the family, with something for everyone on offer. There's a wide range of competitions for beginners and seasoned professionals alike, ranging from the Starters Cup to Championship Classes, as well as the Nations Cup team competition. As the most popular dog sport in the UK, agility is a brilliant way to keep fit and healthy and have fun with your dog.'

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival is supported by Skinner's Pet Foods

Flyball Back on the Crufts 2020 Schedule

The Kennel Club would like to announce that the Flyball Competition at Crufts 2020 will be an invitational competition. A cross association Working Party, supported by both the BFA and UKFL, have agreed the process of selecting the teams and the same principle will also be implemented for the YKC Flyball competition.

If you would like more information regarding the invitation event, please contact Steve Leek and the Crufts Flyball Working Party on crufts@kcflyball.org.uk

Intermediate Agility Qualifiers Confirmed

The Kennel Club has announced that dogs measured into intermediate for agility will be able to compete in Kennel Club qualifiers from January 2020.

It has also been confirmed that the Crufts Committee has reviewed the agility competitions held at Crufts, and the Board has agreed that the following competitions will continue during 2020 with semi-finals at Discover Dogs 2020 and finals at Crufts 2021.

• Crufts Singles for Small, Medium, Intermediate and Large dogs – the top eight dogs from each height, with the highest accumulation of points, will be invited to compete in the Crufts final.
   
• ABC competitions for Medium, Novice Intermediate and Novice Large dogs – the top 15 dogs (subject to breed restrictions) will be invited to the semi-finals at Discover Dogs with the top eight dogs from each height qualifying for the finals at Crufts.
   
• The Small / Mixi Pairs will be expanded to include Intermediate height dogs, so each pair will need to have a Small dog and the other dog may be Medium, Intermediate or Large.
   
• The Kennel Club Starters Cup, Novice Cup and British Open at the Kennel Club International Agility Festival will also include classes for Intermediate height dogs.
   
• Championship classes will be held for Intermediate height dogs from 2020. Dogs must qualify to compete in championship classes at full height. The Championships at Crufts will be held over two days from 2021 with the Small and Medium categories being held on one day and the Intermediate and Large categories on another day.

Unfortunately, it has been decided that the team competitions will not be held from 2020 onwards.

Competitors are reminded that any dogs currently competing in large have until 31 December 2019 to be measured if they wish to be included in the intermediate height.

Societies hosting large qualifiers will be given first refusal for the relevant intermediate qualifier and will be contacted shortly by the Kennel Club in this respect.

All queries regarding agility should be sent to agility@thekennelclub.org.uk.

Photo: Simon Peachy

Success for YKC Handlers at European Junior Champs

The Junior European Open Agility Championships which took place between the 12th-14th July in Switzerland attracted nearly 500 dogs and handlers from all over the world, with countries represented at the competition including the USA, Japan and Finland. This was the fourth time a junior team from Britain made up of YKC members competed at the Championships.

Successes for YKC Agility Team GB included:-

• Taylor Lyon (10) and her Border Collie Tariq took 4th place in the Large Under 12 Individual competition. She also placed 7th in the Large Under 12 Agility round and 3rd in the Large Under 12 Jumping round, earning the pair a Bronze medal.

• Team GB Blue, made up of Lucy Lightowler, Rory Tidmarsh, Thomas Shaw and Emily Rice-Stringer, won a Gold medal in the Large Team Agility round.

• Rory Tidmarsh (15) and his Border Collie, Mr Red, won a Silver medal in the Large Individual U19 Agility round

• Team GB Union Jacks, consisting of Stacey Frost, Sarah Kirk, Jack Ryan and Millie Sawyer placed 7th overall in the Small Teams competition

• Lucas Irwin-Burns and Taylor Lyon, as part of International Team 2, were awarded a Bronze medal for their Medium Team Jumping round.

Agility Team GB Manager, Mark Laker said of their achievement, 'I'm thrilled that the YKC Agility Team GB have had another successful Championships against some of the top young handlers in FCI competitions. Achieving clear rounds at this level is a big achievement and winning podium places is like a dream coming true. Rory, Taylor, Lucas, Lucy, Emily and Thomas performed extraordinarily well. Winning at this level is a team effort. All the handlers brought their own unique characters and support to this successful team who have been fantastic to work with.'

The coaching team consisted of Mark Laker (Team Manager), Josie Spurling (Team Coach), Rachel Mowbray (Team Vet), Ann Roberts (Team Liaison) and Jen Slade (Team Assistant) who travelled to Switzerland with them.

YKC Agility Team GB is sponsored by the Kennel Club, Natural Instinct and Pet Rehab.

Emma Cooper, of Natural Instinct, sponsor of YKC Agility Team GB, said, 'On behalf of Natural Instinct, we'd like to congratulate everyone on their results at the EOJ. We are proud to sponsor this fantastic team and are excited to see what the future holds for these amazing athletes!'

The European Open Junior Championship will be held in Finland in 2020. Details of the squad selection process can be found on the Young Kennel Club website - https://www.ykc.org.uk/.

Announcing the 2020 CSJ Agility Open Judges

• Ivan Amez Alvarez (Spain) - Ivan has been working with dogs since 2009, when he and his wife opened their own Centre for Dogs in Asturias in the north of Spain. Their goal was to promote Dog Agility in this region of Spain. In the last several years, they have celebrated two Spanish Championships and other important national competitions in this region that have been attended by a lot of competitors. The World Agility Open was held in Asturias in 2013 which he was involved with as well as working in the organisation of the FCI AWC in Spain in 2016. He started to compete in agility with his German Shepherd Charly in 2009 and now has a Spanish Water dog.

• Jason Bartram (England) - Jason began training his first agility dogs when he was just six years old, and has since competed with a variety of breeds in all the available heights. He has competed at Champ level at UK Agility shows with his rescue dog Chip, and has also competed at the UK Agility Grand Finals. He began judging in 2012, but he began judging at more prestigious events such as the UKA Masters Series, the UKA Grand Finals, and the British Agility Championships at the beginning of 2017 when he became a Global Judging Programme Approved Judge. In addition to his passion for competing and judging, Jason enjoys being a full-time agility instructor, coaching handlers from entry level to Grade 7 at Celestine Dog Training near Bristol.

• Mark Bruce (Scotland) - Mark started Agility in 2006 and is currently competing with three dogs all of whom are KC Grade 7, achieving Agility Champion with one.  Nationally Mark has competed at Crufts and Olympia as well as representing Scotland at the World Agility Open in 2012, 2013 & 2015. Marks judging career began in 2011 and he is now a KC Championship judge and has judged Masters level at UKA.  He has judged throughout the UK and Ireland and attended a GJP seminar in 2017 to further expand his knowledge on judging. He lives in SCotland with his wife and seven JRTs.

• Jen Lewis (England) - Jen has doing agility for nearly 20 years, having taken all her competing dogs to the highest competition levels in the UK. She has successfully competed lly at international level, gaining medals at IFCS in 2015 and 2017. She has been a judge for over 15 years and is qualified as a UKA, GJP Approved judge and UK Kennel Club championship judge and Judge's Trainer. She has judged heats for all the major KC qualifiers.

Save a Life

Following the collapse of a club member with a heart attack whilst the Tenterden & DIstrict DTC show was being set up last year, the Club decided to invest in an external defibrillator. First aid was administered immediately and happily the member made a full recovery.

Mike Jackson said, 'The Club has now taken delivery of a Zoll Fully Automatic External Defibrillator which will always be available when we are training although we hope that we never have a need to use it. In addition, we will have the unit with us at some of the shows that we attend and will make it known to the Show Secretary that we have a defibrillator on site. Hopefully, it will never be needed but, if it saves just one life, it will have been more than worth the cost.

 JUNE 2019

Four More Handlers Join the Agility Team GB Development

Congratulations to the following dogs and handlers for securing their place onto the Agility Team GB 2019 Development Programme:

• Camryn McLeod with Ruby

• Jessica Clarehugh with Dora 

• Lauren Burns with Zebedee 

• Walter Dingemanse with Dice

IMCA & PAWC Team 2019 Changes

There have been a couple of changes to this years selected IMCA team GB due to unforeseen circumstances. Summer Clark with Ethel and Sammie Towie with Frankie will be joining the 2019 team in place of Louise Eden and Nicole Turner who have sadly had to give up their team places.

On FB Sammie said,  'It's with great excitement that I can now announce that Franky and myself have been invited to represent Team UK at the IMCA/PAWC event in Spain this August! He has big footsteps to fill from his big sister Penny but this is how her international career started back in 2015 and i am ecstatic I get to follow the tradition through with him and use the incredible experience for his development.'

On her FB page, Summer added, 'Super excited to announce that Ethel and I will be travelling to Spain to represent Team UK at the International Mix & Breed Agility Championships 2019 this summer! Can't wait to represent the UK at this incredible event for the second year in a row! Bring it on!'

Congratulations and welcome to the team @Summer Clark & @Sammie J Towe

Demo Team(s) Wanted for Country File Show

The Kennel Club is looking for KC registered clubs who are interested in putting on an agility display at Countryfile Live from 15-18 August at Castle Howard in Yorkshire. Clubs are welcome to apply for one, two, three or all four days.

The KC will provide the agility equipment along with a sandwich lunch and drinks as well as camping facilities, if required.

If you are interested, please email Sue Sampson by Monday, 17th June at the Kennel Club.

Dog Vegas Tannoy System Announcement

It has been rumoured that there is a PA restriction on a up coming show Dog Vegas Show at The Ramsey Camp, due to alleged misuse at their recent Dog Vegas show at the venue.

On FB Hazel Bew said, 'Those of you who were at the show will know that, as respect to the neighbours, we barely use the PA and rely mostly on the FPP live updates and walkie-talkie announcements. The PA is only used for emergency and a few random announcements.

'I have also been in contact with the site manager at The Ramsey Camp just to make sure that they haven't had any complaints from us - allegedly complaints of swearing over the PA from neighbours - and he has confirmed that he is very happy with everything that we do and the lack of issues they have with us and that there hasn't been any complaints from any of our shows. So if you do hear this, it isn't true. Life is too short - enjoy your dogs!'

Scottish Agility Dog of the Year 2020 News

The final of The Scottish Agility Dog of the Year Competition, an annual event organised by The Scottish Kennel Club, will be held at the SKC August Show each year with the winners in each height category being awarded the title Scottish Agility Dog of the Year (height category). In 2020 the finals will be held for Small, Medium, Intermediate and Large height categories.

Qualification for the Final will be decided by an accumulation of points at heats. To qualify for points, the dog must have been clear in the class i.e. that is having incurred no course or time faults.

To be eligible to compete, the handler must reside in Scotland and the dog's owner be resident in Scotland whenever points are gained. If the dog/handler are not eligible for points (i.e. they are not both resident in Scotland) then the points will move down the places and be allocated to the next Handler / Dog team who are eligible for points.

Heats held between 8th July 2019 and 31st December 2019 will be for Small, Medium and Large Dogs only (competing at Full Height). Heats held after 1st January 2020 will be for Small, Medium, Intermediate and Large. For the 2020 Finals, points for Large and Intermediate will be awarded for 1st - 4th places (8, 4, 2, 1) Points for Medium and Small will be awarded for 1st - 3rd places (4, 2, 1)

If a dog has competed in Large during 2019 and then competes in Intermediate from 1st January 2020 any SADOTY points that this dog has already accrued in Large will no longer count and the dog will be eligible to compete in Intermediate qualifiers. Please note that points accrued by a dog in Large that moves to Intermediate will not be reallocated.

There are four heats for the 2020 finals held during 2019. These are at the following Agility Shows:-

• The Bearded Collie Club (Scottish Branch)
• Granite City Dog Agility Club
• Dundee Alsatian & Training Club
• Excel Dog Agility

A full list of heats for all four heights in 2020 will be released shortly.

 MAY 2019

PAWC Team 2019 Selected

The following competitors will be part of the 2019 PAWC team travelling to Spain this August subject to all health conditions allowing them to do so.

• Milie Roberts
• Zoe Fillery-Hammond
• Beth Rachlis
• Janine Greenwood
• Maggie Chauvin
• Sue White
• Lisa Jordan
• Sarah Hamblin
• Hayley Laches

Whilst we are missing a lot of the 2018 team due to up and coming operations and health issues we hope and look forward to them joining us again in 2020.

More Dogs and Handlers Chosen for Agility Team GB Squad

The Kennel Club has announced 23 new dogs and 19 handlers who have been selected onto the 2019 Development Programme for Agility Team GB 2020 Squad. They were chosen to train towards a place on the 2020 squad from those who competed exceptionally, as well as those who showed potential as up-and-coming dogs and handlers at the Performance Weekend which was held in April at Arena UK, Grantham.

The coaching team will now work with the Development Squad to support their progression as they prepare for the team selection in November.

Mark Laker, Agility Team GB Manager said, 'Following very positive feedback from the handlers on last year's development programme, I'm pleased we're able to continue building on the idea of bringing new up-and-coming handlers and dogs into Agility Team GB. These handlers have been given a unique opportunity to be supported by the coaching team as they prepare for possible 2020 team selection.'

Emma Cooper, Marketing Assistant from Natural Instinct, added, 'Natural Instinct would like to express a massive congratulations to the handlers and dogs who have been selected onto the Agility Team GB Development Programme. We look forward to welcoming them onto the 2020 Squad.'

The participants in the development programme include:-

The next opportunity for handlers and dogs to be invited onto the Development Programme will be in August, followed by a final opportunity in October. This year, Agility Team GB will be competing at the European Open Agility Championships in the Netherlands from 25-28 July, and the FCI Agility World Championships in Turku, Finland from 19-22 September.

The team is sponsored by the Kennel Club, Natural Instinct and Nottingham Trent University

The squad qualification process to try out for the 2020 Agility Team GB can be found on the Kennel Club website

Intermediate Champ Correction

The Kennel Club would like to advise competitors that an FAQ regarding eligibility for Intermediate Championship classes was included in error.

Eligibility for Intermediate dogs to compete in Championship classes has not as yet been confirmed by the Committee. More details will be available in July.

The Kennel Club apologises for any confusion caused.

Scottish Junior Final Change of Venue

Ayrshire DAC has kindly agreed to host the 2019 Scottish Junior Dog final at their September show. Historically this event was held at Gleniffer but this year running a large Championship show and trying to organised the SJDC Final was proving too difficult so Ayrshire came to the rescue.

Dawn Gilmour admitted, 'Realistically I felt I could not give it the commitment it deserved. Therefore, we took the decision to move it. We would like to thank Gleniffer for hosting this for us over the years. We hope you will come along and support our Scottish Juniors who have worked hard to make it to the final. They are a great bunch with amazing positive attitudes. Good luck to all the SJDC members at this years qualifiers and look forward to seeing you in the Final. 

We would also like to thank Avon, Fair City, Gleniffer and Beardie for hosting our qualifiers for us for several years now. We appreciate your support.'

Further details will follow prior to the event.

The WAO England Junior Selection for the 2020 WAO

Announcing the qualification process for the World Agility Open 2020 England Junior Team, sponsored by Agility for Juniors.

Each country may bring one Junior handler per height to the 2020 event. Full rules will be released in June 2019. However, it has already been announced that all Junior handlers will run in the three individual events (Biathlon, Pentathlon & Games) and are also eligible for the Team event.

The Junior handlers who will represent England will 'win' their way onto the team. It will not be an opinion-based selection

To ensure a level of consistency, results will be taken from;

• The UKA Junior League 2019
• The UKA Junior Masters Final 2019
• The Biathlon at OJAC 2020

Points will be awarded in the following way from each of the three events.

• 1st = 15

• 2nd = 12

• 3rd =  10

• 4th = 8

• 5th = 7

• 6th = 5

• 7th = 4

• 8th = 3

• 9th = 2

• 10th 1

Please post any questions below and please share so that this information reaches all the Junior Handlers in England.

 APRIL 2019

Kennel Club Names Agility Team GB 2019

The Kennel Club has announced the agility teams which will represent Great Britain at the European Open Agility Championships in The Netherlands on 25th-28th July, and the FCI Agility World Championships in Turku, Finland from 19th-22nd September 2019

The successful handlers and dogs were chosen following this year's squad selection process, which concluded at the Performance Weekend, held at Arena UK, Lincolnshire from 5th-7th April.

This year's Performance Weekend was judged by Bonnik Berthelsen from Denmark and Paul Hinchley from the UK. Courses were designed to test dogs and handlers on speed, fitness, consistency and accuracy.

In addition to the places won from the team runs, the coaching team this year brought back the 'win-on' place for the European Open Championships, which means an opportunity was given to one handler and dog from each of the heights (Small, Medium and Large) to be automatically selected onto the European Open team, after being the top performing dog and handler in a final round held at the Performance Weekend.

Those winning the coveted spots were:-

• Euan Paterson with Devongem Quick Time - Large

• Hayley Telling with Ag.Ch. New Illusions Bi Enchantment of the Five Colors - Medium

• Ashleigh Butler with The Closet Monster of Ashpen - Small

Mark Laker, Team Manager said 'Congratulations to all the handlers who have been selected for this year's teams. Selecting teams when there are so many top dogs and handlers on the squad is always going to be tough and this year was no different. I know how hard the squad has worked and how committed they are to Agility Team GB and I hope that being part of this year's squad has been a fantastic experience for everyone. I'm looking forward to working with the two selected teams as they prepare for this year's international competitions.'

 In addition to being sponsored by the Kennel Club, the team is also kindly supported by Natural Instinct and Nottingham Trent University.

Emma Cooper, Marketing Assistant from Natural Instinct, commented: 'Natural Instinct is thrilled to be sponsoring the Adult Agility Team GB for the 2019-2020 season! We are proud to fuel many of the Agility Team GB dogs and we receive some great testimonials. Together with the Kennel Club and Nottingham Trent University, we look forward to supporting the team. On behalf of Natural Instinct we'd like to wish Agility Team GB all the luck for the events taking place over the next couple of years!'

The Kennel Club congratulates all the handlers who have been selected to represent Agility Team GB this year.

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.

Full results from the performance weekend can be found at http://results.firstplaceprocessing.com/ more information on the qualification process for the 2020 squad can be found at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/international-agility-teams/.

Agility Team GB is sponsored by the Kennel Club, Natural Instinct and Nottingham Trent University.

The WAO Junior Handler World Championships

As part of their 10th anniversary celebrations, The World Agility Open is proud to introduce the Junior Handler World Championship.

In addition to the permitted three dogs per height in each event, countries will be able to enter one Junior handler in each height to compete in all three individual events. Their individual results in the Pentathlon, Biathlon and Games will be combined to produce the WAO Junior World Champion. Each height will have a separate competition.

Juniors must be under 19 on the Friday of the WAO competition weekend that year. These partnerships will also be eligible to run in the team events for their country.

On Facebook, WAO organiser Greg Derrett said, 'We have released this exciting information in advance to allow team managers to plan for their potential Junior handlers' selection process. We look forward to seeing some world class juniors recognised.'

Full rules will be announced following the 2019 event.

WAO  2021 News

Greg Derrett has announced the 2021 judges for the World Agility Open in The Netherlands on 13th - 16th May.

• Petr Pupík from Czech Republic

• Andre Landry from Canada 

• Jason Bartram from England

For more information on the three plus sample courses, please visit www.worldagilityopen.com/judges-2021/ You have two years for you to study their courses!

Gillingham Schedule Amendments

Following the announcement by the Kennel Club last week regarding the changes in the Olympia qualifying competitions, Gillingham has had to amend their schedule to reflect these. 

Listed below are the changes that have been made:-

• Class 12 is no longer a qualifier and will run as a Large Combined G3-5 Agility class. It has been opened up to include LHO with separate awards.

• Class 38 - The KC Olympia Stakes Qualifier can now be entered by Large Grade 5 dogs as well as Large Grade 6-7 dogs. Please note that dogs may be entered in a maximum of three classes on the Sunday with Large Grade 5 dogs now having a choice of three from four.

If you have already entered the show and have a Large Grade 3-5 dog and wish to edit your entries,l you may do so up to the closing date.

This is an important notice to all competitors attending the Whizz Dogs Agility show on 17th - 19th May.

Please note that as the owners of the show venue are proposing using a greater area of land this year to grow hay, there will not be enough room to accommodate the space that we need to hold this year's May Whizzdogs Agility Show.

Organiser Roger WIlkin said, 'We have been very fortunate in finding a new venue that will be pleased host the show for us. They have agreed with the processors and The Kennel Club that the closing date can be extended to Tuesday, 23rd April 2019. We look forward to welcoming you to our show next month.'

The competition will now take place on the same dates at the following location:-

Snowden Sport Field
Thorney Road
Crowland Village
Nr Peterborough
Cambs PE6 0AL

 The village is sited to the east of Peterborough. It's location is north of the A47 and the A16 runs past the village.

Agility Arrangement Announced for Crufts and Olympia 2020

The Kennel Club has announced arrangements for agility at Crufts and Olympia in 2020.

For Crufts 2020, special dispensation has been granted for any dog which has been measured into the new Intermediate height category by 31 December 2019, but which has qualified to compete in Large at the show, to still compete in the Large finals. It should be noted that they may not compete in any other Large dog competition from 1 January 2020.

The Kennel Club has also reviewed the agility finals for Olympia following concerns for a number of years that the Small and Medium classes were open to Grades 3 – 7, making it difficult for judges to set appropriate courses. With new dogs starting in Grade 2, it was agreed it was an ideal opportunity for this review. It has been agreed that for the heats and finals at Olympia 2020 onwards, all finals will be open to Grades 5 – 7. The finals will be for Small, Medium, Intermediate, Large and Large ABC.

The current Novice competition will cease after the 2019 final but Grade 5 dogs will still be eligible for the Large dog finals. Societies currently holding Novice qualifiers will be given first refusal for the new Intermediate finals.

It has also been confirmed that qualifiers for Crufts 2021, including Championship classes, will be held during 2020. More details will be announced concerning these in July 2019 after the next meeting of the Crufts Committee.

There is an FAQ document regarding these latest arrangements which can be viewed at bit.ly/2D8Hv76. Any queries should be sent to agility@thekennelclub.org.uk.

How Brexit Affected IMCA Team Selection

The IMCA Team selection day for the International and Mixed Breed Championships in Silla, Spain in August 2019 took place on Sunday, 18th March at Willow Farm in Faversham.

 This year there were 75 entrants which was fewer than last year when the event was held in the UK but still included a lot of talented dogs and handlers.

The selection process is a full on task.
There is the arrangement and running of the selection day, movement of all equipment to the venue, copying the courses for every dog, recording notes on all the rounds where things were done brilliantly or where things didn't go quite to plan and then finally lots of reviewing and discussions with other parties to decide on the final team.

Linda Croxford, IMCA /PAWC Team Leader, admitted 'I think this year was the hardest to date. Some people performed as expected and others who we hoped would do well, didn't quite achieve our expectations on the day. However, I am confident that the team selected will do us proud in Spain in August.

Each country is limited to a maximum of 15 dogs with no more than seven dogs in each height category in the Individual event. On top of this, any overall Champions from the previous year are allowed in addition to the above numbers to defend their title and, in the team event, one team per height is allowed. As Lucie Hinchley was the overall Large Champion last year, the UK was allowed 16 dogs in the individual championships.

Added to the selection process was the need for speed of decision to be made due to Brexit! 

Linda said, 'Normally I would watch possible team candidates at shows in April / May but due to the possibility of us leaving without a deal the passport required timescales were going to be tight for everyone to ensure their rabies vaccination process were to be completed in time.  If the UK left on a no deal basis, then dogs have to have their rabies vaccine, followed by a blood test, no less than 31 days after the vaccine and upon the positive results of the blood test confirming the dog has enough antibodies in their system their passport can be issued.  However, there then has to be a period of three months before a dog can travel. So, not only do we have Brexit to deal with but, as the event is in a coastal town of Spain, not far from Valencia, finding a hotel which will have around 25+ bedrooms available, which will accept dogs in the rooms over the August Bank Holiday week is a challenge in itself!

Linda Croxford congratulated everyone who made the 2019 IMCA selection in either the Individual and Team or both events and said that he expected IMCA / PAWC, which run alongside each other, will be a truly magical international event which all team members will find inspiring.

PAWC team members will be announced shortly.

Good luck to all team members and here's hoping for another successful and enjoyable year.'

 The Team

Small

• Lucy Norton & Ag,Ch. Radajasa's Whirlwind Fling (I & T)

• Louise Eden with Obay the Boyz High Voltage (I & T)

• Apryl Britton with Never Let Go of the Five Colours (I & T)

• Abby Blythe with Smarties are Ablast (I & T)

• Helen Roberts with Our Little Pop of Gold (Ind)

Medium

• Hannah Payne with Dash the way to do it (I & T)

• Harriet Harding with Little Miss Izz (I & T)

• Charlie Grundy with Tisane Puss in Boots (I & T)

• Ryan Hennessy with Shandons Crazy Little Swayze (Ind)

• Louise McMahon with Charterwood Danita (Team)

Large

• Lucie Hinchley with Ag.Ch. Borderspirit Bright Star (I & T)

• Leah Gardner with Chaffords Chaos Theory (Ind)

• Leah Gardner with Chaffords Harli Quinn (Team)

• Stuart Doughty with Nedlo Calculating Risk (I & T)

• Annette Parker with Smoketrail Coco Chanel (Ind)

• Nicole Turner with Lily's Gift for Valentines (Ind)

• Lila Zachwatowicz with Hayley from Shepherds Own (Ind)

• Nicky Holden with Rosmarinus Smoke & Water (Ind)

• Final team position - TBC

YKC Coaching Assistant Announced

Jen Slade has been appointed as YKC Coaching Assistant for 2019. She will be joining the YKC Coaching Team at the EOJ in Switzerland in July and helping the team prepare at team days leading up to the Championships.

On Facebook, Jen said, 'This is a huge opportunity that I'm greatly looking forward to getting involved with, Can't wait to support the Juniors and the rest of the coaching team in Switzerland and throughout the year

Team Manager Mark Laker said, 'Jen applied for the YKC Coach role earlier in the year and has remained actively working with junior handlers including at Crufts YKC ring. I look forward to working with her and the rest of the YKC Coaching Team as the team start their training and preparations at the Performance Weekend this week.'

FAB Web Site Change

Due to circumstances beyond their control, the information on the FAB website has become inaccessible and is irrecoverable, so Dawn Weaver has decided to just have everything on her original www.dawnweaveragility.com website.

She said, 'I am really looking forward to the new-look FAB Shows this year using the e-gility electronic system. Plus we have a fab new venue in Wiltshire, near Longleat, for two shows, one of which will host the FAB Finals. There are lots of new benefits for all helpers too (see schedules for specific details) plus a helpers' draw with fab prizes.'

Schedules are available on the Agilitynet Show Diary. All shows can be entered by post or online at www.agilityplaza.com

 MARCH 2019

YKC Agility Team GB Announced for the 2019 Euros

The Kennel Club has announced the names of the members of the agility teams who will represent Young Kennel Club (YKC) Agility Team GB at the European Open Junior Agility Championships in Switzerland from 12th - 14th July 2019.

The successful young handlers and dogs were chosen following this year's squad selection process. Two selection days, consisting of both Agility and Jumping courses, were held at Nottingham Trent University, and the squad trained alongside the Senior Team GB. Handlers invited to both selection days competed on four courses in total, giving the handlers plenty of opportunity to impress. The top handler in each height qualified automatically, adding an extra element of excitement to the competition and ensuring some fantastic runs. Consideration was also given to those handlers who competed at Crufts in the Agility Dog of the Year competition.

The selection days were judged by Martin Cavill and guest judge Ron van Straten from the Netherlands. The coaching team was made up of Mark Laker (Team Manager), Josie Spurling (Team Coach), Ann Roberts (Team Liaison) and Rachel Mowbray (Team Vet) who assessed the competitors' course performance, attitude, fault recovery and the health of the dogs.

The Kennel Club congratulates all the handlers who have been selected to represent YKC Agility Team GB this year, which is supported by Natural Instinct and sponsored by the Kennel Club.

Agility Team GB Manager, Mark Laker said, 'This is the fourth year we've taken a Junior team to the European Open and the standard is higher than ever. We've seen 67 young handlers try out and the level of agility and depth of competition across all three heights has been very impressive. We've selected a very strong team which I'm looking forward to working with as we start the preparations for the European Open for juniors in Switzerland this July.'

Emma Cooper, Marketing Assistant at Natural Instinct, said, 'Natural Instinct are thrilled to be sponsoring the Juniors Agility Team GB for the 2019-2020 season. We are proud to fuel many of the Agility Team GB dogs and receive some great testimonials. Together with The Kennel Club and Nottingham Trent University, we look forward to supporting the team' On behalf of Natural Instinct we'd like to wish Agility Team GB all the luck for the events taking place over the next couple of years!”

The teams selected are as follows:-

2019 WAO Wild Cards Announced

The WAO Organising Committee has selected the 2019 Wildcards, seven individuals per jump height from around the world who are not on their country's team, for the World Agility Open in Ermelo, Netherlands in May 2019.

You can watch them in the ring on Facebook

The very best of luck to all our British competitors and everyone e lse.

 
Crufts Singles Winners

The Kennel Club Singles Agility winners have been crowned at this year's Crufts, in the Large, Medium and Small dog finals. To compete at Crufts, the winners had qualified by gaining points at heats held at Kennel Club licensed shows throughout the country.

In front of the crowds at the world's greatest dog show, Crufts, the three competitors won after competing against sixteen large, ten medium and ten small dogs at Crufts in both jumping and agility and then in an agility final.

Singles Agility Small

Britain's Got Talent's Ashleigh Butler and Sully, a Collie X, took the top prize on Friday 8th March, winning the Kennel Club Singles Agility small final. Proud owner Ashleigh said: 'Sully was super, he was a good boy. 'It was a very fast course, over and done with very, very quickly. It's always a surprise when you win, but it's obviously amazing to get to Crufts in the first place.'

Singles Agility Medium

Vegas, a Commission Collie cross and owner, Dawn Weaver took the top prize on Friday 8th March, winning the Kennel Club Singles Agility medium final. Delighted owner Dawn said: 'Vegas is amazing. He already won the Olympia just before Christmas so it's just amazing to win both. He is an incredible little dog.'

'It seemed a long way round but the course was great so thanks to the judges for that. He is just a phenomenal little dog.'

Singles Agility Large

Pebbles, a Border Collie and owner, Natasha Wise took the top prize on Friday, 8th March, winning the Kennel Club Singles Agility large final.

Thrilled owner Natasha said: 'I am so happy. She was just phenomenal. She doesn't care about the crowd. I'm going to give her loads and loads of cuddles and affection tonight!'

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: 'Very well done to all of the winners on their exceptional achievement at Crufts. It was great to see the bond between the pairs and there was some fantastic team work on display. We wish them the best of luck for the future. 'The Singles Agility finals are a wonderful competition and even qualifying is an amazing achievement so well done to every dog and their handler for competing.'

Missing trophy from Chipping Norton Show 2018 Found

The magnificent silver salver perpetual trophy for the Sharon Rowe Memorial Power & Speed has been found.

Thank you from all at Chipping Norton.

End of an Era at Blackdown Agility Society

The names Rhona Birbeck and Wendy Sadler are very well known in the world of SW agility. These two indefatigable ladies were behind the idea and formation of Blackdown Agility Society.

They have worked tirelessly to get the Blackdown shows organised and on the road and have been the driving force behind the club since it was conceived back in 2004 for the sole purpose of running shows in the South West. It was formed at a time before UKA and other types of independent shows became established because it was realised that to compete at a goodly number of events, competitors in the Devon, Somerset and Cornwall corner of the country often had to travel a long way out of the region to do as many shows as they would like to do.

Many of us can remember Rhona greeting us at a show somewhere and being asked if they wanted to become a member and, in my case, would I join the committee and oh, whilst I think of it, would you care to be chairman lass?

Both ladies have put so many hours into making arrangements – finding an booking judges, organising the trophies, rosettes, balancing the books and sorting all the paperwork and finances, and that's just for starters. If they could reclaim this time, they'd each be five years younger! As it is, both have decided that it is time to take things easy and retire from their positions of Secretary and Treasurer and from the Committee.

We thank these good and very hard working duo for the hours they have given and commitment they have shown to provide more competitions in the SW. They have earned their retirement and then some. The club and committee offer their hearty thanks and wish them well and hope to still see them 'on the circuit.'

Judges Confirmed for 2020 Euro Championships

The Kennel Club is pleased to announce that the FCI has formally approved the following judges to judge at the European Open Championships in 2020.

Martin Cavill and Dave Jolly from the United Kingdom, Sasha Grunder from Switzerland and Jari Suomalainen from Finland have been appointed as Agility judges, with Neil Ellis and Gary Murphy from the United Kingdom approved as the Up Contact Judges.

The Championships, which is one of the world's most prestigious international dog agility competitions, is open to both pedigree and non-pedigree dogs that have been selected to represent their country and will take place from Thursday, 30th July – Sunday 2nd August 2020 at Rutland Showground in Leicestershire.

In recent years, the competition has welcomed teams from countries such as Russia, Venezuela, Greece, South Africa and the USA, whilst the UK has sent Agility Team GB to the European Open for over ten years. 

The Kennel Club also holds the International Agility Festival at Rockingham Castle, Market Harborough, which attracts over 3,000 dogs from all over the world. In 2020, the European Open will finish shortly before the start of the Kennel Club International Agility Festival on Thursday, 8th August. The two competitions are a mere 13 miles away from each other and camping for the festival will be open earlier to competitors and spectators who want to attend both events.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said, 'The Kennel Club would like to congratulate the judges in their selection to judge at the European Open Agility Championships in 2020. We look forward to welcoming the appointed judges 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 European Open, how to become an Agility Team GB member, and details of other international agility events held or supported by the Kennel Club, please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/international-agility-teams/.

 FEBRUARY 2019

Crufts 2019 on Telly

Around 27,000 dogs of all shapes and sizes are heading to Birmingham in a couple of days to take part in Crufts, the greatest dog show in the world. 

Just under 21,000 dogs from 220 different breeds will be competing for a chance to win Best in Show, 20631 of these dogs will be travelling to the NEC from 44 different countries securing Crufts as a truly international event.

More than just a dog show, Crufts celebrates the many diverse roles that dogs play in our lives, and sees competitions such as the Friends for Life final for hero dogs, the Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year competition, Obreedience, in which different breeds compete against each other in teams to prove who is the most obedient, and the ever popular fast-paced agility and flyball competitions.

Dog lovers can look forward to 13 hours of television coverage when Crufts returns to Channel 4 and More4 this March to celebrate the world's greatest dog show. With Clare Balding at the helm, 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.

Channel 4 will be also broadcasting a one-hour programme, Crufts 2019: The Daily Show, from Thursday to Saturday inclusive.

Thursday, 8^th March

• 1500-1600 – Channel 4     Crufts: The Daily Show
• 1830-2000 – More4          Crufts 2019
• 2000-2100 – Channel 4     Crufts 2019

Friday, 9^th March

• 1500-1600 – Channel 4     Crufts: The Daily Show
• 1830-1930 – More4          Crufts 2019
• 1930-2100 – Channel 4     Crufts 2019

Saturday, 10^th March

• 1600-1700 – Channel 4     Crufts: The Daily Show
• 1900-2100 – Channel 4     Crufts 2019

Sunday, 11^th March

• 1900-2100 – Channel 4     Crufts 2019: Best In Show Live

Clare will host daily highlights of the world's biggest dog event live from the NEC and will be joined by Radzi Chinyanganya who will be reporting from the show. The team will be supported by Peter Purves and dog reporters and breed experts Jessica Holm and Frank Kane. 'Supervet' Professor Noel Fitzpatrick will also be returning on the Saturday.

All of the arena action from the show will be shown every day live on the Crufts YouTube channel.

Caroline Kisko, Secretary of the Kennel Club, which runs Crufts, said, 'We are delighted that Channel 4 and More4 will be offering viewers at home the opportunity to enjoy this year's Crufts, as well as those who don't want to miss a thing by watching the live streaming on YouTube. The event holds such a special place in dog lovers' hearts because it celebrates everything that we love most about dogs, and the programmes will reflect on the benefits dogs bring to our lives and the many fascinating aspects of Crufts.

The TV coverage will not only bring exciting sports such as agility and flyball into people's homes, but will enable people to see the diverse range of wonderful dog breeds, 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. It will also cover 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.

• Three new breeds at Crufts; the Black and Tan Coonhound, Russian Toy and White Swiss Shepherd.

• The most popular breed of dog at Crufts the Golden Retriever and least popular breed the Belgian Shepherd Laekenois.
   

• Some of the other breeds that will be at the show, from the vulnerable Irish Red and White Setter, the Italian Lagotto Romognolo, the German Weimaraner, the Dutch Keeshond and the French Bichon Frise.  

As well as the competition side, Crufts also features the Discover Dogs zone, where visitors can meet and greet around 200 breeds, speak to experts in each breed about what they are like to live with and care for, and find out which breed might be best suited to their lifestyle.

www.crufts.org.uk

International Tour Heats & Judges Announced

Congratulations to the all clubs that have been awarded a KC International Tour qualifier. The judges and assistant judges for each heat have now been confirmed.

Dog Vegas 'FCI Style' Courses 2019

Following months of planning and the recent Agility Team GB press release, Dog Vegas will be running one 40x32m ring of KC classes in an 'FCI style' at their May show at Onley. Pending Kennel Club approval, they are hoping to run FCI courses under FCI rules and at FCI heights with UK and already secured International judges at their shows at Onley in August which will be directly after KCI and Southwell in September.

If approved by the KC, these courses will take the form of special classes and be in addition to the four KC progression classes available to every Grade and height. This will give everyone the opportunity to run actual FCI courses in an ordinary show environment.

Karen Hugo said, 'Dog Vegas is proud to embrace those who are happy to enjoy Agility for it's fun side and enjoy the sport at grass roots level. However, we are now looking forward to actively supporting those handlers and judges who wish to expand their experience for their own benefit and for that of Agility in the UK and on the international stage.

Hannah Grantham will be setting and judging the FCI style courses. Classes will be in a 32 x 40 ring and will fully comply fully KC regs. Exactly what the differences will be are up to Hannah as she has attended the training and has said she is looking forward to putting it into practice.

There have been lots of comments on social media about what 'FCI style' actually means and asking why Dog Vegas is introducing FCI style courses at their shows. Agility Team GB has collected substantive data over the last three years to support the evidence that courses set in the UK are not conducive to preparing UK handlers for competing on the international stage which is why Team GB is running their FCI series at Premier shows. They hope to identify more potential dogs and handlers to represent their country.

The Dog Vegas May Onley schedule is currently out. Why not give it a go?

Vote Now for YKC Young Person of the Year

The Young Kennel Club (YKC) has announced the five finalists for the next YKC Young Person of the Year, an award that recognises and celebrates the achievements of inspiring and innovative young people who are making a difference for dogs. The award has five categories including Young Braveheart, Champion Volunteer, Good Buddy, Sporting Talent and Fundraiser of the year. The overall winner who will be announced at Crufts on Sunday in the YKC ring at 11.40am.

Vote now.

European Open Agility Championships 2020 Clarification

A recent post on FB released the names of the European Open Agility Championships 2020 Judges and we wish to clarify the official position regarding this post.

At the FCI Agility Commissions meeting on 2nd-3rd February 2019, the following people were recommended as the home Country Judges for this competition:- Martin Cavill, Dave Jolly, Gary Murphy and Neil Ellis.

Many congratulations to them. However, it should be stressed that this decision has yet to be ratified by the FCI board and when this happens an official press release will be made.

 JANUARY 2019

Agility Team GB Dates and Data

The Kennel Club has announced the dates and judges for the Agility Team GB Squad Performance Weekend, which will be held at the Arena UK, Grantham. (Lincs). The event will be held from Friday, 5th - Sunday to 7th April 2019 and the judges have been confirmed as Bonnik Berthelsen from Denmark and Paul Hinchley from the UK. The Up Contact judge will be Ryan Hennessy (UK).

Team GB Squad The Performance Weekend (PW) is a final opportunity for the 2019 squad to compete together before selection of the 2019 teams. It is also an opportunity for the Coaching Team to see the squad working on courses designed and judged by an international judge. The final team selections will be based upon the dog and handlers overall performance over the selection period (9th December to 7th April). Handlers should be aiming to put on their top performances and be best prepared for the PW. The final teams will be announced by Monday, 22nd April.

Dogs and handlers who are not part of the 2019 squad may enter on Friday, 5th and Saturday 6th April to gain experience on courses designed and judged by an international judge.

The coaching team will be looking for dogs across all three heights from the International Tour competition to be invited on to the Agility Team GB Development Programme.

Non-squad classes will be capped at 200 dogs in total, ideally a maximum of 100 large, 50 medium and 50 small. Dogs must be competing at grades 4 or 7. 
Entries can be made on-line at First Place Processing where a copy of the schedule is available to view.

The closing date for entries is Friday, 15th March 2019. Please email all enquiries direct to Gina Sansom at the Kennel Club.

Agria Backs Agility in 2019

Agria Pet Insurance will support the Agria Agility Challenge in 2019. With its regional heats for dogs at Grades 1- 4, this competition is for standard height Large dogs during the spring and summer, culminating in a thrilling final in September in the Top Dogs Arena at The Malvern Autumn Show.

Tom Vaughan, Head of Marketing at Agria Pet Insurance, said, 'We're delighted to announce continue Agria support of Agility in 2019.  It's fantastic to see the speed and skill of the rising stars of the Agility world and we cannot wait to watch their progress through to what no doubt will be thrilling final in September.'

Looking for International Champions Tour Hosts

The Kennel Club would like to announce a new competition as part of the Agility Team GB squad qualification process - The International Tour - to be held under FCI rules. This series of heats will give UK competitors the chance to compete on FCI courses in an attempt to accumulate points and be considered for Agility Team GB squad selection.

We are looking for six Kennel Club fully registered clubs to host a heat in 2019. If your club is interested in hosting one of these heats, please note the following:-

• Clubs can hold this qualifier under their current KC show license.

• The Tour consists of a Jumping round, followed by an Agility round with combined results of both rounds

• Your show must be held before the end of September 2019.

• You will require a dedicated ring measuring 40m x 25m.

• Clubs must provide FCI specific equipment (jump heights to be set at 30cm, 40cm and 60cm) - refer to FCI website for further details.

• The International Tour Management Team will advise on judges/courses.

• The Kennel Club will provide rosettes from 1st-6th place for each class.

• Show secretaries must email results 1st-20th for Large dogs, and 1st-10th for Small/Medium dogs from each round AND a copy of the combined results into the Kennel Club office 14 days after the show.

More information regarding the International Champions Tour can be found on Mark Laker, Agility Team GB Manager's blog 

If your club is interested in hosting one of these qualifiers please email  Gina Sansom with the following information:-

• Club's fully registered name:

• Date of show:

• Venue address:

• Region:

• Do you hold any other Kennel Club qualifiers:

All applications must be received by Friday, 25th January 2019.