Calling all rising
stars of the agility world...
 Celebrating all that is good in the
Agility calendar The Agility Challenge 2021 is one of the 'must try'
competitions for annual finals. With chances to qualify around the country for
Grades 1- 4 Large dogs, the top partnerships from each of the host events will
be invited to the Agility Challenge Grand Final at the Malvern Autumn Show,
Started in 2009, the
Agility Challenge is now open to Grade 4 Large dogs.
This year
there will be eight qualifiers at shows around the country with five
partnerships per heat being invited to compete at the Agility Challenge Grand
Final to be held on Sunday, 26th September 2021 at
the
Malvern Autumn Show,
under the watchful eye of well known Agility judge Selena Bray.
Heats include the following:-
May
2021
June
2021
-
5th June - Agility Hope Challenge at Daventry FC - Daventry,
Northamptonshire [Report]
-
19th & 20th June - Golden Valley DTC - Top Barn,
Worcestershire [Report]
July 2021
-
3rd & 4th July - Dogs Unleashed at Thoresby Park -
Nottinghamshire [Report]
-
9th - 11th July - RVA Championship Agility Show -
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire [Report]
-
31st July & 1st August - Tuffley Championship Agility Show -
Tirley, Gloucestershire
[Report]
August
2021
September
2021
-
4th September - Chatsworth County Fair - Chatsworth,
Derbyshire - CANCELLED
-
26th September - Grand Final at Malvern Autumn Show - Malvern, Worcestershire
[Report]
Rules
-
The
Agility Challenge is a competition for Large dogs Grades 1 – 4, jumping
600mm held using Kennel Club Ltd Rules & Regulations.
-
Once a dog has
qualified (i.e. 5 finalists per heat) this eliminates the dog from taking a
further finalist place at the heat and the next highest placed dog(s) in the
Agility Challenge class will be invited to the Final.
-
Handlers may not
qualify more than one dog for the
Agility
Challenge Final.
-
Any surrogate
handlers must be notified in writing within four days of the last heat. NO
amendments after this date and non-advice
will
disqualify the partnership.
-
Enquiries relating to
each heat should be addressed to the organising club.
Other enquires relating
to the
Agility Challenge Final should be addressed to Agility Challenge,
2 Medley Grove Leamington Spa, Warks CV31 2GA.
Heat 1
Daventry Town FC
2nd May
Well, that's our first show done post Covid lockdowns! It was an
amazing atmosphere at
Daventry Town Football Club
with everyone being socially distance and wearing face masks while walking the
course.
Many remarked on the quality of the ground as both this year's Agility Challenge
and Agility in general gets underway after more than 12 months of enforced
hibernation due to the Corona virus.
With
sensible precautions, bacon sandwiches to hand and acquaintances renewed, battle
commenced under the watchful eye of Judge Jan Manners with both dogs and handlers on occasions far from match fit.
Daventry Town 1 Qualifiers
-
Anne Murray with Diva - 34.749 secs (C)
-
Sally Stephens with Darcy - 37.114
secs (C)
-
Julia Maclean with Yolo
-
37.306 secs (C)
-
Simon Hill with Ink
-
42.183 secs (C)
-
Mary O'Neill with Jack
-
42.763 secs (C)
We
hope everyone enjoyed being back together. Well done to all our winners over the
last two days.
Huge thanks to our judges for their great courses and all our
officials who worked so hard. and a big thank you to all the competitors who
enjoyed the show, listened and followed the rules, it made the show what it was.
Your positive feedback is a much needed boost after some of the comments in the
run up!
Heat 2 sees us return to the football club to find our next five
Agility
Challenge 2021
qualifiers.
Good luck to one and all!
Heat 2
Daventry Town FC
5th June
We
were pleased that Daventry Town FC invited us back for a return match on 5th
June 2021. Building on the experiences of our previous visit, the venue has
proved a hit with the Agility community and more new faces joined us from
further a field.
Championship Agility judge Dave Deauville was in charge on the day.
With
Stuart Harmes incapacitated on the day, Bam Bam got a new handler. Despite a
fright from Steve Seale, it proved a successful trip for Ann Harmes, winner of
this heat.
Daventry Town 2 Qualifiers
-
Ann Harmes with Bam Bam - 35.559
secs (C)
-
Angela Williams with Scuba - 37.028
secs (C)
-
Michael Adams with Chase - 40.016
secs (C)
-
Alison Gayton with Stan - 45.450
secs (C)
-
Steve Seale with Be B - 32.657 secs
(5f)
Heat
3 sees the Agility Challenge move to Top Barn in Worcester where Golden Valley
is holding their summer show.
Heat
3
Golden Valley DTC Summer Show
19th & 20th June
Despite what you might think, it's not true – there were lots of people at Top Barn
for the Golden Valley Summer Show. As everywhere else, not 'as full' as
previous times with the Top Barn venue happily absorbing the Agility
partnerships in pretty good weather for most of the weekend.
The
judge was David Sweeney.
Both
Karen Whitehouse and our winner Yvonne Croxford have joined us with previous
dogs joined us at the September final.
Golden Valley Qualifiers
-
Yvonne Croxford
with
Reme Grande Meister - 35.996 secs (C)
-
Alan Score
with
Trubon Ganari
Tryak - 40.713 secs
(C)
-
Sam Davies
with
Into The Woods -
44.450 secs (C)
-
Karen Whitehouse
with
Kazanpaul
Crème de la Crème - 44.824 secs
(C)
-
Lyn Gibson
with
Mossylawn White
Rapier - 47.838 secs (C)
Heat
4 sees us nearly 'Up North' with a move to Dogs Unleashed at Thoresby Park.
Heat
4
Dogs Unleashed
3rd & 4th July
I
doubt there is any record of my first visit to The Great Oak in Robin Hood
Country more than half a century ago, which is well signposted on the way to
Thoresby Park in the heart of Nottinghamshire where this year's Dogs Unleashed
was held.
It
was a celebration of all things canine, and an appreciative audience provided a
great backdrop to those who achieved a finalist place today.
Our
judge Tony Butcher set a great course of 136m with a 52 secs course time. Both
Sarah Naylor & Anna Auster gave Steve Seale a bit of a fright with faster times,
albeit with just a fault along the way. As Steve had already qualified with B
Be, Claire and Weiser made the cut, rewarding the fastest time of the class.
Dogs Unleashed Qualifiers
-
Diane Graves with
Winter Crag Flint at Fellspirit - 28.849 secs (C)
-
Sarah Naylor with
Dans Woolstone Jack - 26.428 secs (5f)
-
Anna Auster with
Astra Zeus - 27.192 secs (5f)
-
Nici Milner with
Lottie Does the Twostep - 44.082 secs (5f)
-
Claire Thurlby with
Cherryhog Arkansas Black - 24.005 secs (10f)
Eastwards we go to our next destination, the historic Fenland town of Ramsey for
the RVA Champ show to find our next quintet of finalists for the 2021 Agility
Challenge.
Heat
5
RVA Championship Agility Show
9th - 11th July
Ramsey was a new venue for this experienced club. With the Champ
classes all comleted on Friday,
centre
stage was set for the the Agility Challenge on Saturday.
This heat, kindly judged by Sheila Taylor, holds the 2021
distinction that all top 10 partnerships had clear rounds although the time
difference was near 20 seconds. The length of the course was 184m and the course
time 66 secs.
RVA Qualifiers
-
Nic Jones with Omega
Taken at Flickflack - 31.490 secs (C)
-
Rebecca White with
Darleyfalls Talihina Sky - 34.717 secs (C)
-
Raine Wellman with
Lalapaws Don't Stop Me Now - 35.708 secs (C)
-
Karen Gittoes with
Dreamorox Repeat Secret - 37.351 secs (C)
-
Sarah Bowyer with
Hollytarn Russet - 37.988 secs (C)
Going West to Tuffley
Championship Agility Show will find our next finalists for 2021 Agility
Challenge.
With arrangements for the Final nearly in place and over half of
qualifiers over, watch out for the Malvern schedule coming soon. Invites to
follow shortly.
If you have qualified already, please put Sunday, 26th September, the
date of the 2021 Final, into your diary now.
Heat
6
Tuffley Championship Agility Show
31st July & 1st August
After appalling weather previous day and heavy rain overnight, Judge Laura
Bentley was lucky to keep dry all day. She went one better than RVA with her
rising stars getting 14 clear rounds compared to 10 at RVA.
With
a course of 171m and 63 seconds on the clock, Sara Bacon and Bliss gave Mike
Bendall and Falcon a real fright until the judge's hand was raised.
Tuffley Qualifiers
-
Mike Bendall with
Lookylooky Blue Falcon - 28.977 secs (C)
-
Abigail Phillips with
Mash or Smash - 31.978 secs (C)
-
Tori Brand with
Kiozac Reach for the Sky - 32.385 secs (C)
-
Jilly Holness with
Foxtwist Fantastico at Lookylooky - 32.874 secs (C)
-
Harriet Harding with
Lalapaws Ever Irrational - 33.100 secs (C)
Yet
further west we go to The Welsh Kennel Club Championship Show to find the last
finalists for 2021 Agility Challenge.
Heat
7
Welsh
Kennel Club Championship Show
20th - 22nd August
The
‘usual suspects' did very well in the final heat of the 2021 Agility Challenge
which reflects the consistency and experience of the handlers involved and will
make for an interesting September Final.
Judge today Joe Honeyman laid a course of 175 metres with a 58 second course
time with Suba's winning time a shade over 30 seconds being in a league of its
own.
Welsh Kennel Club Qualifiers
-
Gilli Sayer with Scott to Be
Morgansr - 38 .367 secs (C)
-
Kate Partridge with Aeron Ellan -
95.529 secs (C)
-
Donna Black with Seahaven Limited
Edition - 49.942 secs (C)
-
Jane Sutton with Mr Flick Be Quick -
33.372 secs (5f)
-
Janine Barlow with
Arakisis Lunae Luceat - 33.825 secs (5f)
-
Jo Gleed with
Devongem Ready To Steal - 35.864 secs (5f)
With
the almost inevitable cancellation of 2021 Chatsworth Country Fair we have
decided to take an extra qualifier from each heat so we have seven surprised and
delighted partnerships all ready to do battle in the Top Dogs Arena on Sunday,
26 September at The Malvern Autumn Show.
https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk
The 2021 Finalists
26th September
Congratulations to all the 2021 finalists. Your audience awaits at the Top Dogs
Arena on Sunday, 26 September at The Malvern Autumn Show and with more than £100
of prize money on offer makes a great day out.
Agility Challenge Qualifiers 2021 (In A-Z order)
-
Micheal Adams with
Cloud City Destroyer
-
Anna Auster with
Astra Zeus
-
Jenny Bar with
Banking on Bob
-
Janine Barlow with
Arakisis Lunae Luceat
-
Mike Bendell with
Lookylooky Blue Falcon
-
Donna Black with
Seahaven Limited Edition
-
Sarah Bowyer with
Hollytarn Russet
-
Tori Brand with
Kiozac Reach for The Sky
-
Yvonne Croxford with
Remy Grande Meister
-
Sam Davies with Into
the Woods
-
James Emsley with
Fancy That Frank
-
Alison Gayton with
Stan Peed
-
Lyn Gibson with
Mosseylawn White Rapier
-
Karen Gittoes with
Dreamorox Repeat Secret
-
Jo Gleed with
Devongem Ready to Steal
-
Diane Graves with
Winter Crag Flint at Fellspirit
-
Harriet Harding with
Lalapaws Ever Irrational
-
Ann Harmes with
Darleyfalls Bam Bam
-
Simon Hill with
Splashes of Ink
-
Jilly Holness with
Foxtwist Fantastico* at Lookylooky
-
Nic Jones with Omega
Taken at Flickflack
-
Julia Maclean with
Freyasway Emerald Yolo
-
Nici Milner with
Lottie Does the Twostep
-
Anne Murray with
Valgray's Irresistible Diva
-
Sarah Naylor with
Dans Woolstone Jack
-
Mary O'Neill with
Jumping Jack Flash
-
Sheenagh Parsons with
Noddy's Best Mate
-
Kate Partridge with
Aeron Ellan
-
Abigail Phillips with
Mash or Smash
-
Helen Sargent with
Ostenhaus Yobi
-
Sara Reed with
Naughty But Mouse
-
Gilli Sayer with
Scott to be Morgansr
-
Alan Score with
Trubon Ganaki Tryak
-
Steve Seale with
Devongem Be Ballistic
-
Sally Stephens with
Weircourt Darcey
-
Jane Sutton with Mr
Flick Be Quick
-
Spencer Thomas with
Proforza Parallel
-
Claire
Thurlby with Cherryhog Arkansas Black
-
Raine Wellman with
Lalapaws Don't Stop Me Now
-
Rebecca White with
Darleyfalls Talihina Sky
-
Karen Whitehouse with
Kazanpaul Crème de la Crème
-
Angela Williams with
Scuba at Firebolt
Good luck to all.
Many thanks to all host clubs, judges and hard working officials
which has had some challenges this year.
https://www.malvernautumn.co.uk
The Grand Final
The
Malvern Show
26th September
As we all restore a degree of
normality to Agility life, qualifiers for the Agility Challenge were held with
the Malvern Autumn Show throughout the spring and summer of 2021all around
the country, providing an exciting end to the competition by showcasing the 2021
final for the rising stars of the Agility world.
Some of the UK’s highest
flying, rising stars had qualified, with dogs at Grade 4 and below eligible to
take part in what has become a staple of the agility calendar and for some of
the dogs taking part, this was their first taste of an agility final!
Throughout the morning, the
finalists gathered in the Top Dog arena for a few warm-up runs to get used to
all the hustle and bustle of the showground before the afternoon’s big event,
judged by well known Agility Judge Selena Bray.
She said, 'The
Agility Challenge once again provided fantastic entertainment at Malvern
Autumn Show for competitors and spectators alike. It was brilliant to be in
prime location to witness incredible dogs and awesome handling skills. The
arena never failed to draw a crowd of lovely people all eager to watch and
get behind the dogs and their handlers.
My congratulations
goes to all who competed because there were some very close unfortunate
eliminations and faults who could have taken the top place, but it goes
without saying Jo Gleed’s immaculate, well planned route and calm demeanour
secured the win with her young uprising star.
My thanks go to the
show organisers and my ring party for providing a truly remarkable show and
final.'
Agility Challenge
Winners 2021
-
Jo Gleed with Devongem Ready to Steal - 29.840
secs
(C)
-
Abigail Phillips with Mash or Smash -
31.630 secs
(C)
-
Julia McClean with Freyasway Emerald Yolo
- 35.590 secs
(C)
-
Kate Partridge with Aeron Ellan - 43.330
secs
(C)
-
Nici
Milner with Lottie Does the Two Step - 48.850 secs
(C)
-
Donna Black with Seahaven Limited Edition
- 53.610 secs
(C)
-
Mike Bendall with Lookylooky Blue Falcon
- 28.120 secs
(5f)
-
Steve Seale with Devongem Be Ballistic -
30.040 secs
(5f)
-
Angela Williams with Scuba at Firebolt -
33.920 secs (5f)
-
Gilli Sayer with Scot to Be MorgansR -
38.570 secs
(5f)
As ever,
we must endorse Selena thanks and make special mention of the team behind the
scenes for all their help throughout the day and also to all the handlers for
their continued support for this competition.
Plans
are well afoot for the 2022 Agility Challenge.
Agility Challenge, 2
Medley Grove, Leamington Spa, CV31 2GA 01926 315335 Email
rover.pro@outlook.com
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