The Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes Finals 2006
Supported by Pedigree

From its humble beginnings as a demonstration event at Crufts in 1978, dog agility has seen huge growth in popularity and is now a worldwide sport. Part of the initial success of dog agility was without doubt the Agility Stakes Finals, held at the London Olympia International Horse Show. This event started in 1979 with a demonstration of dog jumping and has since grown into one of the most prestigious Singles Agility Finals in the world, equalled only by Crufts itself, fittingly sponsored by The Kennel Club and supported by Pedigree and Premier Showjumps.

The finals will be taking place at the Olympia International Hose Show on 14-18 December. As usual, we have five separate finals taking place, one on each day from Thursday to Monday.

Thursday
The first of these finals is Medium Dog Agility for those dogs measuring 35 -43cms at the withers. 20 heats were held at Kennel Club licensed shows throughout the UK with the top two going forward to a semi final held at Tatton Park, Cheshire in June and the top ten from this event are competing in the Grand Finals at Olympia.

For mini portraits of some of the dogs competing at Olympia this year with comments from their handlers, click here.

Last Minute Changes at Olympia 2006

In The Kennel Club Large Dog Agility Stakes on Saturday monring, Jane Seller with The Skye at Night (WSD) will now take the place of Ray Ellerton who recently lost of his dog Lightning Delph. On The Agility Forum, Dave Ray said, 'It is a sad loss of a very talented dog.'

Dianne Talbot has pulled out too, and is being replaced by Blair Willis with Alsorts of Magic (WSD)

Running order (below) is unchanged as the reserves will run in the slot that the previous handler would have run in.

Important Programme Changes
Unfortunately, the Olympia website is showing the incorrect times. These time changes are particularly important to the Novice handlers on Sunday. The major change is for novices on Sunday morning. Please, please ensure that you allow enough time to get there.  If you are not there in time, you may have missed it!

They're in the Post

All the envelopes to competitors will be in the post first class by Monday, 5 December. Sorry to say that Dianne Talbot has withdrawn. Her place will be taken by Blair Willis, the first reserve at the Semi where she qualified.

The Kennel Club Medium Dog Speed Jumping
Running Order

The Kennel Club Medium Dog Agility Stakes Grand Final
Running Order

Friday
On the Friday, it is the finals for Small Dogs which have to measure 35cms or under at the withers and this year we have a variety of breeds competing from Jack Russells to Poodles. Eleven heats were held at Kennel Club licensed shows and from these, the top two dogs from each heat went forward to a semi final at the City of Birmingham Championship Show. Then from this semi final, the top ten have been invited to compete at Olympia. What they lack in size, they certainly make up in personality, ability and speed!

The Kennel Club Small Dog Agility Pairs Relay
Running Order

The Kennel Club Small Dog Agility Stakes Grand Final
Running Order

Saturday
On the Saturday morning at Olympia, it is the finals of the original Kennel Club Agility Stakes competition - or perhaps we should say semi final as we have to start the morning off with a semi final. Thousands of dogs enter the 14 nationwide Kennel Club heats for this competition, the top ten competitors from each heat are invited forward to one of the seven semi finals and the top five from each semi final are invited to compete at this prestigious event at Olympia.

With 35 dogs coming forward to Olympia on the Saturday morning in the Main Arena we have a semi final, the top ten of which qualify for the Grand Finals on the Saturday night with the next ten being invited to compete in another event on the Saturday afternoon. So you can be sure of one thing - you will be seeing the very best of the UK’s senior and advanced dogs competing!

This competition is open to dogs measuring over 43cms at the withers and almost all the dogs will be Border Collies or Working Sheepdogs. These really are the athletes of Large Dog Agility so it is sure to be one of the most exciting finals this year.

The Kennel Club Large Dog Agility Stakes Semi Final
Running Order