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 DECEMBER 2017

Olympia Agility Stakes Winners Crowned

This year’s winners have been crowned at the Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes which were held, in association with Skinner’s Pet Foods, at the London International Horse Show from 14th-18th December 2017.

The prestigious event saw the stars of agility compete in five finals in the Small, Medium, Large, Large Novice, and Large ABC (Anything But Collies) categories as part of the London International Horse Show at Olympia.

Each competition was judged by Kennel Club Championship Agility Judge, Lynne Shore.

This year agility trainer, Dave Munnings won the Small final with his four year-old Border Collie/Corgi X Boost Bite and the Large final with his six year-old Border Collie, Comebyanaway Reddy for Fame. Dave joins only a handful of competitors to win two titles in the same year. 

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

• Large ABC – Tracy Moerel with Deutschlander Schnapps (German Shorthaired Pointer)
• Small – Dave Munnings with Boost Bite (Border Collie/Corgi X)
• Large Senior – Dave Munnings with Comebyanaway Reddy for Fame (Border Collie)
• Large Novice – Sara Bacon with Tynevermoor Torque (Border Collie)
• Medium – Linda Cummings with Ag.Ch. Urban Myth Noworries (WSD)

Will Delamore, Sales and Marketing Director at Skinner’s, commented, 'Skinner’s had an amazing time at Olympia 2017. The standard of handlers and dogs was higher than ever. The amount of time and effort it takes to train the dogs is simply amazing. I would like to congratulate everyone who competed and wish them all the best of luck for 2018!'

The full results for this year’s Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes can be found online at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/agility-at-olympia/

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'Congratulations to everyone who competed at Olympia, especially this year’s great winners. We see so many talented dogs and their handlers qualify for the event and it’s a real testament to how popular agility is as a canine activity. We hope that all our winners and competitors have a lovely Christmas and a successful 2018.'

JDA January Show Cancelled

Due to errors on the part of The College Equestrian Centre at Keysoe, the arena booking for the JDA KC Limited Sow on 13th - 14th January is not being honoured. With no alternative dates and no other suitable arena locally, we unfortunately have no choice but to cancel the show.

James Greenhow said, 'We are extremely disappointed to have been let down like this and ask that you bear with us while we sort things out, we will arrange full refunds for everyone who has entered the show. Our sincere apologies, and thanks to everyone who has supported this show.'

If you have any queries, please get in touch with James at: jdadtc@outlook.com .

 
Agility Team GB Team Assistant Steps Down

BSD Worlds Team Announced

The WBSDS and BSDA of GB are pleased to announce that the following Handler/Dog combinations have qualified to represent Great Britain at the FMBB World Championship to be held at Ajdovščina in Slovenia between 23rd and 29th April next year:

Team + Individuals

• Tony Parmiter with Ebony (Groenendael)
• Paul Sensky with Tiber (Groenendael)
• Sue Cuddon with Mischief  (Tervueren)
• Gill Raddings with Zero (Tervueren)

Individuals

• Pen Sensky with Tribble (Tervueren)
• Enid Rennie with Milan (Tervueren)

    GB Team Manager Tony Parminter said 'Many thanks to everyone who attended and helped at the Selection Day and especially Andrew Dicker for setting and judging challenging FCI Courses.

 NOVEMBER 2017

Photo: Stuart Doughty
KC Olympia Stakes Finalists Revealed

This year’s finalists of the prestigious Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes finals have been announced. The country’s most talented agility dogs and handlers have been competing in qualifying heats at agility shows across the country in an attempt to gain a place in the finals, which take place from 14-18 December 2017 as part of the London International Horse Show.

The Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes are held in association with Skinner’s pet foods and will see dogs and their owners compete in five finals in the following categories: small, medium, large, large novice and large ABC (Anything But Collies). There will also be two semi-finals, for the large and large novice dog categories, which will see 40 dogs in each category whittled down to ten who will go on to compete in the grand final. For medium, small and ABC dogs, ten dogs for each category have already qualified for the Olympia finals.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: 'We are really looking forward to Olympia this year as it’s one of the highlights of the agility events calendar. It’s been an amazing year for this canine activity, and Olympia is a fantastic way to round off the year’s success.

Each year thousands of people turn up to support the talented agility dogs and their handlers; it’s a great day out for the whole family with plenty to see and do. The atmosphere at Olympia is electric, and it’s clear to see why agility is the most successful canine activity when you visit. The standard of the competitors continues to grow, which really shows the strength of the bond between dog and handler. We want to wish all finalists the best of luck for another excellent event.'

The judge for the 2017 Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes will be Kennel Club Championship Show and agility judge, Lynne Shore.

The dates for the competitions will be:

• Thursday, 14 December – Large ABC Grade 3 – 7 Final
• Friday, 15 December – Small Grade 3 – 7 Final
• Saturday, 16 December – Large Grade 6 – 7 Final
• Sunday, 17 December – Large Grade 3 – 5 (Novice) Final
• Monday, 18 December – Medium Grade 3 – 7 Final

The semi-finalists and finalists for this year’s Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes are as follows:-

The Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes are held in association with Skinner’s pet foods.

Will Delamore, Sales & Marketing Director for Skinner’s said, 'Skinner’s are excited to be back for the 2017 Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes finals. I attended the semi-finals earlier in the year and had a great day watching each of the fiercely fought competitions. I am sure the quality and standard of competitors are getting better and better every year. I am really looking forward to watching the finals next month. Good luck to all the handlers and dogs.'

Footnote:
How things have changed. 1998 Qualified for Agility at Crufts - free passes, car parking, sweatshirt and hold-all with year printed on. 2017 qualified for Agility at Crufts - £20 entry fee and pay for parking. Sigh- miss the good old days. Vanessa Hardin.

The UK to Host IMCA & PAWC Championships in 2018

The UK is hosting the IMCA & PAWC Championships for the first time next year. The show will take place at the Wood Green Animal Shelter on 23rd – 26th August 2018, attended by competitors from countries all over Europe.

This is an event which which is divided into two separate competitions. The International Mix & Breed Agility Championships (IMCA) is for top handlers and dogs which ParAgility World Championship (PAWC) is for those handlers who compete with some form of disability.

In the UK, there are many handlers who compete each week with varying degrees of disability. Some may clearly be noticeable as they may be in a wheelchair or purely walking around a course. However, there are many that have some form of a disability that we would never be aware of to watch them in the ring such as cancer or blindness.)

If you are a handler with a form of disability, then why not consider applying to join Team UK at the above Championships. All that is required is an application form signed by your doctor /hospital and information as to why your conditions put you at a disadvantage compared to an agility handler with no disabilities. You then have to send three video’s of you handling a dog in a match / competition environment for the Event Board Members to assess to aide them allocating you to the correct group. Applications for new handlers that have competed at the show before must be submitted before 1st April 2018.

There are seven groups within the competition as follows, based on disability, not on the size of the dog(s) including:-

• Group 1: Participants with the aid of a battery-powered vehicle such as an electric wheelchair or scooter.
• Group 2: Participants with a manually powered vehicle i.e. Manual wheelchair
• Group 3: Participants who are moderately disturbed as a result of their disability in the quality of walking as compared to a non-disabled.
• Group 4: Participants who are highly disturbed by their disability in the quality of walking.
• Group 5: Participants whose quality of walking is greatly disturbed by their disability.
• Group 6: Participants whose main problem are in an area of the body that does not affect movement of legs, but are clearly at a disadvantage compared to non-disabled (e.g. vision)
• Group 7: Participants who have a mental disability as a result of their disability. In consultation with the contact of the PAWC, they can use an accompanying person at the race track.

Event organiser and Manager of the UK Team said, 'We hope that many agility handlers will come to watch and support the UK IMCA & PAWC team next year. You will be truly inspired by not only some of the top handlers in Europe but also by the amazing determination and bond with their dogs that the PAWC handlers have.'

If anyone is interested in applying for a place on the PAWC team, email Linda Croxford on linda@petlodge.co.uk

For able bodied handlers, the UK Team try outs for the 2018 team are taking place in Faversham, Kent on Sunday, 18th March. Should anyone be interested, please see the try out schedule on the Agilitynet Schedules page or contact Linda Croxford on linda@petlodge.co.uk

Kennel Club Reveals Agility Team GB Squad for 2018

The Kennel Club has announced the names of the agility competitors who will be part of the Agility Team GB squad in 2018.

Two teams will be selected from the newly announced squad, which will go on to represent Great Britain at the European Open Agility Championships in Vienna from 27-29 July 2018 and the FCI World Agility Championships in Kristianstad, Sweden from 4-7 October 2018.

The 2018 squad was selected following the collection and submission of points from prestige agility events held during 2017. The squad will attend two squad days and a performance weekend which is being held at Nottingham Trent University. Following the performance weekend, teams will be selected for each of the championships.

Agility competitors not part of Team GB will also get the opportunity to compete at the performance weekend, to give them an opportunity to practice on European style courses judged by an overseas FCI judge. The schedule will be released before the end of the year.

Team Manager, Mark Laker said, 'This year’s squad includes ex-juniors and handlers in the development squad. Bringing on new potential to the team has been one of our objectives, and it’s great to see these initiatives coming to fruition. I know the coaching team will be equally excited as me to be working with all the new squad in 2018.'

CSJ's founder Ceri Rundle said, 'CSJ are delighted to sponsor Agility Team GB again next year, and want to wish everyone on the squad the best of luck at the squad days and performance weekend. We’re looking forward to another year of outstanding agility.'

DOG StreamZ founder Matt Campbell commented, 'DOG StreamZ are delighted to be announced as one of the official sponsors of the Agility Team GB squad. We are committed to ensuring our natural technology benefits the entire squad, to ‘make a difference’ and help win medals.'

The successful handlers and dogs are as follows:-

Large squad

• Alan Short with Ag.Ch. Give it Some Juice Irn Bruce
• Annette Parker with Smoketrail Coco Chanel
• Anthony Clarke with Rujaff Fatel Protest
• Chris Kawecki with Ozzy the Thunderpup from Khaoskye
• Dan Shaw with Ag.Ch. Comebyanaway Redefined
• Danny Ewing with Lucky Ball Bailey
• Dave Munnings with Ag.Ch. Comebyanaway Reddy For Fame
• Euan Paterson with Clan Chieftain MacSweep
• Greg Derrett with Devongem Rehab Sproglett and Nedlo Addicting Sproglett
• Heidi Clelland with Gunran Too Hot To Handle At Cornishmyth
• Jane Seller with Rosmarinus Black Thorn
• Jess Clarehugh with Lynwood Beanie and Ag.Ch. Lynwood Cara Fuzzy Logic
• Laura Chudleigh with Ag.Ch. Borderpaws Dark Prince
• Laura Hope with Regalaway Serendipity
• Lauren Langman with Darleyfalls Bright Day at Devongem and Darleyfalls Free Flo
• Lee Gibson with Taddymoor Sadie
• Lucie Hinchley with Borderspirit Bright Star
• Martin Reid with Ag.Ch. Borderpaws Secret Surprise
• Naarah Cuddy with Sheltysham Séance
• Natasha Wise with Nedlo Flipping Shiny Pebble
• Shannon Springford with Castomya First Love
• Sian Illingworth with Ferdi's Mirror Image
• Steven Richardson with Morgansr Digital Demon
• Vanessa Lloyd with Trust Your Heart Gin

Medium squad

• Abigail Doxford with Annervalley Cassie
• Anna Allan with Buddy's None The Weiser AW(G)
• Cameron Bunce with Zigazig Ha
• Dawn Weaver with Galaxy's Ace of Spades
• Ellie Curtis with Cacciatore Greenfinch
• Hayley Telling with Ag.Ch. New Illusions Bi Enchantment Of The Five Colors
• Marita Davies with Harvey Bird
• Nicola Garrett with Obay One Crazy Dude
• Nigel Staines with Morgans Dark Destroyer AW(G)
• Rebecca Colley with Debut Doodle Daydream AW(G)
• Roanna Newton with Cacciatore Bianco
• Sam Towe with Foxstones Penelope Pitstop
• Samantha Lane with Ag.Ch. Woodhouse Quartz of Daimonic
• Shannon Springford with Shansdream A Gift Of Love
• Steven Richardson with Ag.Ch. Noworries Sweeps Dream
• Tash Poddubecki with Lady Of Croftmoor

Small Squad

Agility Team GB is supported by the Kennel Club, CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, DOG StreamZ (new for 2018), Agility1st, NTU, and Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, the Kennel Club’s preferred cross-channel partner. The official equipment supplier is First Contact.

Remaining Three Low 550 ABC Heats Announced for 2018

The first three of six CG1-7 heats of the LOW 440 ABC Series for Large ABC dogs took place at KC shows around the country in 2017 and the remaining heats are as follows:-

• 27-29 April 2018 - Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts Open Agility Show - Lincolnshire LN2 2NA 
• 2-3 June 2018 - Oswestry Open Agility Show - Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 1EU
• 21-22 July 2018 - Chipping Norton & District DTS Open Agility Show - Banbury, Oxfordshire  OX15 4AF

Hurdles will be set at 550mm (Large LHO).

Dog StreamZ are awarding a Smart Collar to the top dog at each heat, as well as a Smart Collar plus a You StreamZ Ankle Band to the Series Champion. Available in three sizes, the Smart Collar provides a unique approach to canine wellbeing, using a patented design based on resonance technology which has shown to be beneficial for dogs of any age, as endorsed by many agility trainers and competitors at the highest level. Alongside these, Tailends, who make beautifully hand-crafted pet accessories, are donating a personalised, embroidered attachment for each collar, also a bespoke, embroidered or beaded collar to the runner up in the Series. The lucky 2nd place winner at every heat will receive a voucher for Nutriment raw food or treat products.

With thanks to our other generous co-sponsors from the world of ABC dogs for their support with providing the fabulous trophies and rosettes awarded at the heats.

For queries, rules and how to claim points: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/low550abc/ Email: fourth_height@yahoo.co.uk

UK to Host the Euros for the First Time

The Kennel Club is proud to announce that the UK has been selected to host the European Open Agility Championships for the first time in 2020.

The championships, which is one of the world’s most prestigious international dog agility competitions, is open to both pedigree and non-pedigree dogs which have been selected to represent their country.

The event will take place from Thursday 30th July – Sunday 2nd August 2020 at Rutland Showground in Leicestershire.

This year, Agility Team GB headed to Salice Terme in Italy to take part in the championships, which attracted over 800 handlers and their dogs from all over the world, with 39 countries represented at the competition.

The competition, which celebrated its 15th anniversary this year, has become increasingly international in scope with teams from countries such as Russia, Venezuela and Greece, South Africa and the USA attending in recent years. The UK has sent Agility Team GB to the European Open for the past ten years and has now been given the unique opportunity to host the competition itself.

Steve Croxford, Kennel Club Vice-Chairman, said: 'The Kennel Club is extremely proud to be able to host the European Open Agility Championships in 2020. It is a huge honour and we are grateful to the FCI for presenting us with this fantastic opportunity. We are looking forward to welcoming handlers, dogs, judges and spectators from all over the world in 2020.'

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 four days before the Kennel Club International Agility Festival is due to begin. 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.

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/.

First ParAgility Classes at Lincoln Show

Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts 2018 will be the first show in the UK to offer extra classes for disabled handlers to take part in. There will be two Special classes, limited to four groups and intended for those competitors who are disadvantaged in competing against fully able-bodied handlers.

Organiser Cindy Osborne said, 'As the PAWC Championships are being held in the UK in 2018, we believe that we should all be getting behind and supporting these amazing people. These teams are 100% self funding and really do benefit from all funds raised.'

• ParAgility Special Class - Jumping for Grades 1 – 7
• ParAgility Special Class – Agility for Grades 1 - 7 All heights of dogs will compete against each other within a group as the emphasis is on the handler’s ability and not the dog.

 All heights of dogs will compete against each other within a group as the emphasis is on the handler’s ability and not the dog.

1. Wheelchair users 
2. Severe mobility issues – only walking handlers or Very gentle occasional jog possible
3. Moderate mobility issues 
4. Minor mobility issues - a handlers ability to negotiate a course but does not affect legs and speed of movement (e.g. arm amputees, breathing issues, etc.)

Course style will be as follows: 
Group 2 will be a straight forward course of no more than 16 obstacles to reflect the greater mobility issues of the handlers within the group.

Groups 1, 3 & 4 will be over the same course - based at Grade 3 level - and will up to a maximum of 20 obstacles

When you apply, you must submit details of your condition. These will be kept confidential but will aid us to ensure that we allocate people to the correct groups.

Kennel Club Activity Register Goes On-Line

Owners wishing to apply to add their dog to the Kennel Club Activity Register or apply for an export pedigree can now do so directly through the Kennel Club website following the introduction of two new on=line forms.

The new online version of ‘Form 5’ will enable owners to apply for their dog to be added to the Activity Register, whilst ‘Form 13’ will allow owners of KC registered dogs to apply for an export pedigree. Customers will still have the option of sending an application form in the post, but it is expected that many will find the new application and payment system much quicker and more convenient.

There are no pre-requirements for anyone wishing to apply for their dog to be added to the Activity Register. Anyone wishing to apply for an export pedigree must ensure that the dog is already registered to the new or current owner at the overseas address.

The online form for a dog to be added to the Activity Register can be found on the Kennel Club website at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/forms/form-5-application-for-registration-of-a-dog-on-the-activity-register.

Anyone wishing to apply for an export pedigree for their Kennel Club registered dog can do so at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/forms/form-13-application-for-an-export-pedigree.

Host an Olympia or Discover Dogs Qualifer

The Kennel Club is offering registered agility clubs the opportunity to host qualifiers for Olympia and Discover Dogs 2018 after the withdrawal of three societies.

The following heats are on offer:

• Kennel Club Olympia – Large (6-7)
• Kennel Club Olympia – Small
• Kennel Club Discover Dogs Small / Mixi Pairs

This is an excellent opportunity for more registered societies to get involved with the qualifiers for two of the Kennel Club’s prestige events. The Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes, which is sponsored by Skinner’s pet foods, will be held in December 2018 whilst Discover Dogs will be held in October 2018.

In order to be eligible, societies must be Kennel Club registered. For Olympia they must hold an agility show prior to 31st July 2018 and for Discover Dogs it must be prior to 31st August. Eligible societies will be chosen based on the geographical location of applicants, taking into account the locations of societies who are already hosting heats.

Show organisers wishing to stage the qualifiers are invited to write to the Working Dog Activities Team, The Kennel Club, Clarges Street, London, W1J 8AB, or by emailing agility@thekennelclub.org.uk, by 30th November 2017. For further information, please contact the Working Dog Activities Team on 020 7518 1013.

Changes to KC Agility Regulations

The Kennel Club has recently approved changes to the regulations for agility.

With effect from 1st January 2018, the following amendment and addition to the regulations has been made to make the use of breakaway tyres at Kennel Club licensed agility shows mandatory. This is to address the safety concerns raised over the 'fixed' tyre currently in use. New regulation H(1)(B)5.a.(10) addresses the marking of the new style of tyre:

Amendment to Regulation H(1)B.3.d

TO:

d. Hoop-(Tyre)—Aperture diameter 533mm (1ft 9ins) minimum. Aperture centre from the ground: Large Dogs - 800mm ((2ft 7.5ins). Medium Dogs - 550mm (1ft 9.6ins). Small Dogs - 490mm (1ft 7.3ins). The hoop to be of a consistent shape, constructed of an impact-absorbing material. The height of the hoop should not be lowered. The tyre/hoop must be directly mounted in a substantial frame structure which must be secured in such a way that dogs cannot knock the obstacle over from either direction; the frame shall not have a beam across the top.

All tyres must have easily displaced element(s). For saloon style tyres, both opening sides must have an ability to swing open to 90-140 degrees from the closed hoop position. They must not self-return and must be manually re-set. (Insertion underlined.)

New Regulation H(1)(B)5.a.(10)

Tyre – 5 faults for displacing any part of the tyre. If the dog displaces any part of the tyre without negotiating it and making it impossible for it to be negotiated successfully – elimination. (Insertion underlined. All subsequent paragraphs to be renumbered)

With effect from 1st January 2018, the following amendment and addition to the regulations has been made to provide clarity for judges and competitors on the issue of the wearing of treat bags:

Amendment to Regulation H(1)10.e

TO:

Except for mobility aids, nothing shall be carried in the hand while the dog is under test and food shall not be given to a dog whilst in the ring. Competitors are prohibited from wearing bags or leads whilst under test – elimination. (Insertion underlined.)

UKA Rules & Regulations 2018
Summary of Amendments and Clarifications

UKA Rules & Regulations 2018 will shortly be released and available on the UK Agility Web Page.

The main rule changes for 2018 are stated below.

• There may not be any additional jump cups on a wing, other than those currently in use.
• A new specification for the tyre has been detailed. All tyres used must be breakaway tyres.
• A minimum number of tunnel holders for different lengths of tunnels has been specified as well as a reminder that these must not reduce the diameter of the tunnel and must be sited appropriately to hold the tunnel in place effectively. 3 metre tunnels must have a minimum of 3 tunnel holders on them. 5 and 6 metre tunnels must have a minimum of 4 tunnel holders in use.
• The height of the central plank of the dogwalk has been reduced to 1.2 metres.

• All NFC runs will be given a time of 45 seconds to train on the course.

• There is clarification for handlers who wish to enter their dogs in different heights in the Performance and Steeplechase programmes. Dogs may not run in different heights on the same day within the same programme.

• Clarification is given that in all games, if the dog is in/on an obstacle when the whistle is blown for time, points/a score will be given, as long as the dog completes the obstacle correctly.
• The permissible use of another piece of equipment to break up the contact/contact, contact/weave and weave/weave rule in Senior and Champion Gamblers has been defined more clearly. If the obstacle used to break up the equipment has already been completed correctly twice it will not count as breaking up the obstacles.
• A rule has been introduced in Gamblers which means that, where there are two different gambles, once a dog has taken the first jump of one gamble, it cannot change to the other gamble, even if it took the jump on the way to attempting the second gamble.
• In Time, Fault and Out, the start and finish jumps will now only be used for time keeping. The course to be completed will not incorporate these jumps. Details of how this will happen, together with scoring for start and finish scenarios in this class, are specified in the rule book.
• Any elimination in a games class will result in 0 points being scored.

• Significant detail has been introduced in relation to course design. This is to ensure that courses are of an appropriate design for the Level they are produced for. As well as guidelines that have previously been in place, there are now a number of rules that judges must take into account when designing courses. There is further detail in the rule book.
• The tyre and the wall may only be negotiated once on the course. This is to ensure that dogs are not in a position to injure themselves should the obstacle have been broken/knocked down on the first attempt. Due to handlers picking their own route in games classes, it is not possible for this rule to apply to games classes.
• The number of weave poles that may be used and negotiated in each level has been specified.
• Start and finish obstacles may only be negotiated once during a course. This is to avoid situations where the timing gates may increase the risk of injury to a dog.
• It has been clarified that rule requiring the start and finish jumps to be at least 5 metres from the edge of the ring, relates to the dogs perceived path and not necessarily a straight line to the edge of the ring.

• Guidance on the role of course approvers has been included to ensure all parties are aware of their remit.
• The responsibility of Show Managers in relation to course approvals has been clarified.

• Clear procedures have now been introduced in relation to equipment being identified as set incorrectly, once a class has commenced. Details are contained within the rule book.

• The minimum and maximum distances in relation to Time, Fault and Out and Power and Speed have been clarified as being those relating to the Performance Programme.

• Vaping will no longer be permitted within 5 metres of a ring entrance/exit. This is in addition to the 2017 rule which banned smoking in the same areas and takes into consideration this is a sporting event.

• There is clarification that Judges must calculate a maximum course time for all courses. Competitors who reach this maximum course time after being eliminated should be dismissed from the ring.
• Judges are responsible for identifying an appropriate place for leads to be left at the end of the course. This is especially important as handlers are now permitted to take toys up to the plane of the first jump and so leads may well have toys tied onto them.

• With the increased use of electronic scoring systems, ring managers have been placed in charge of ensuring that this is used correctly and appropriately on the ring they are responsible for.
• There is slight clarification to the scrimes role due to the increasing number of judges who prefer to start competitors themselves.
• There is more information about the role of the gate steward, where electronic scoring is in place.

• Knocking of the long jump marker poles has been clarified as no fault, unless this is deemed to aid performance.
• Any bar being knocked from a jump will be faulted. This is to cover situations where a judge has used more than one pole on a jump.
• A dog or a handler altering a piece of equipment so it can no longer be competed correctly will incur an elimination.
• Some events which currently incur an elimination have been changed to an elimination and dismissal from the ring.
• Scoring for the new breakaway tyre has been specified. This will be no fault for the breaking of the tyre in the course of jumping it. However, if a refusal is incurred and during execution of the refusal the tyre is broken, then an elimination will be incurred due to the dog not being able to negotiate the obstacle correctly.
• Toys/Training aids may now be carried into the ring prior to the dog starting the course. This will no longer incur an elimination. They may not be taken past the plane of the first jump as this will result in an elimination.

• The right to remain anonymous when making a formal complaint has been removed as it is not possible to guarantee this in all cases.

• Baton fault scoring has been clarified.
• Strict running orders have been introduced in the Pairs and Teams classes. Failure to do so will result in an elimination.
• Dogs in Pairs and Teams may only compete in one pair in any heat and can only qualify once for the final.

• Exceptions to the capping rules have been clearly defined.

• For the safety of all, dogs may not be left unattended near the ring and under no circumstances may they be tied to ring ropes or any equipment.

For further information, and specific details of all of the above points, please see the 2018 UKA Rule Book or visit www.ukagility.com

 OCTOBER 2017

The rising stars of the agility world took part in the prestigious Kennel Club Starters Cup Agility finals at London’s biggest dog event, Eukanuba Discover Dogs at ExCeL London the weekend off 21^st and 22^nd October. The show attracted a crowd of 33,640, the second highest in the event’s 21-year history

The Starters Cup is a showcase for the most talented newcomers in agility. Large, Medium and Small dogs, along with their handlers, qualified to compete in the Starters Cup finals by being placed at the Kennel Club International Agility Festival, which was held in August at Rockingham Castle, Northamptonshire.

The Starters Cup is for dogs competing in Grades 1 and 2 in the UK or the equivalent overseas classes (e.g. Grade 1 under FCI rules or Novice in the USA). The top 11 large dogs together with the top six Medium and six Small dogs took part in the exciting final but only one was crowned winner in each height.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'Agility is one of the most popular canine activities and it’s great to be able to offer such a prestigious competition to people and dogs who are fairly new to the sport – not that you’d know it from the quality of the performances we saw in these finals. It’s fantastic to see potential agility stars of the future getting the opportunity to compete in front of big crowds at Eukanuba Discover Dogs. Congratulations to the three winners, and we wish all the dogs and handlers future success.'

The following were announced as winners of the Kennel Club Starters Cup Finals 2017:-

Small Julia Maxted with Positively Mayhem Isabelle Wakefield With Izzy's Little Lulunatic Tracy Roberts with Curly Wee
Medium Louise Docherty with Chocolate Man Donna Booth with Dylan In Disguise bbi Storer with Le Belle Sauterelle
Large Karen Martin with Aviary Blue Topaz Alison Trotman with Malmelsa Romancing Marcello Vanessa Higham with Handsome Hugo Photos: Yulia Titovets

For further information, please visit www.discoverdogs.org.uk

Small / Mixi Pairs Winners Announced at Discover Dogs

Claire Burrell and Sam Lane with their dogs Daim and Teasel, won the Small/Mixi Pairs Final at Eukanuba Discover Dogs at ExCeL London on Saturday, 21st October.

The Small/Mixi Pairs Challenge consists of eight heats of Jumping. The competition is open to Small dogs (35cm or under at the withers), partnering with either a Medium dog (35cm - 43cm at the withers) or a Large dog (over 43cm in height), from heats scheduled as a special combined class for dogs of all agility grades.

Handlers and dogs qualified to take part in the prestigious finals by gaining points at qualifying heats held at agility shows across the country during 2017. 

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'Congratulations to our winners for excellent performances at the weekend. The Small/Mixi Pairs Finals is a fantastic competition and they all should be proud of their achievement.'

1. Claire Burrell and Sam Lane with Daim and Teasel (Cocker Spaniels)

2. Anna Fox and Amanda Hampson with JRT Kenny (JRT) and CB (Border Collie X Poodle)

3. Caroline Rasen and Kayleigh Hewitt with Jerry (white Beagle )and Freddy (JRT)

Eukanuba Discover Dogs took place on 21st and 22nd October at ExCeL London and attracted a crowd of 33,640, the second highest in the event’s 21-year history.

For further information please visit www.discoverdogs.org.uk.

Photo: Sportbeat

ABC Handlers Qualify for Crufts at Discover Dogs

Ten dogs have qualified for the Medium and Large Novice ABC agility finals at the world’s greatest dog event, Crufts.

The ABC (Anything But a Collie) semi-finals for medium dogs and large novice dogs were held at London’s biggest dog event, Eukanuba Discover Dogs at ExCeL London on 21st and 22nd October, and saw ten dogs and their handlers qualify from each competition.

The semi-finals consisted of one round of agility and one round of jumping. The winners were those with the fewest combined faults in the fastest combined time, calculated over the two rounds of the semi-final. The medium competition is open to all agility grades and the large novice dogs had to be at grades 1-5 at the time of qualifying.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, commented, 'Well done to all dogs and their handlers for qualifying for Crufts 2018. The ABC classes show that many different breeds can perform at a high level in agility which makes for a really interesting competition. Good luck to everyone heading to the world’s biggest dog show next year – we look forward to seeing you all there.'

The qualifiers from the semi-finals were:-

Medium ABC Agility Semi-Final Blyth Fox with Devongem Golden Moment AW/S Sarah Woodley with Basileas General Lucius Marita Davies with Harvey Bird Chantal Karyta with Licosateria Mai Sunseeker David Foy with Maggie Doodle Nigel Staines with Morgans Dark Destroyer AW/G Hannah Banks with Basileas Little Bing  Jo Gleed with Ag.Ch. Lets Get Ready to Rumble Chantal Karyta with Wavesong Ocean Blu Ruth Hill with Cuidado Stunning Szultana

ABC Semi-Final for Large Novice dogs Ella Hubbard with Shadwell Eddie Karen Young with Rock Sonata Michelle Thearle with Deubrique Atuncan AW/G Katie Jones with Dylan’s Blowin In the Win AW/S Karen Young with Rock Concerto Rowena Lawrence with Pieddefer Elderberry Nigel Staines with Brandy Chap Jackson Rachel Hall with Bens Past Alan Dormann with Harsett Flax Zoe Rose with Super Class Stanley Photos: Yulia Titovets

Eukanuba Discover Dogs took place at ExCeL London on 21^st and 22^nd October and attracted a crowd of 33,640, the second highest in the event’s 21-year history.

For further information, please visit http://www.discoverdogs.org.uk/.

Crufts takes place from 8^th - 11^th March 2018 at the NEC, Birmingham.

Celebrate Agility's 40th Anniversary

For Crufts 2018, the Kennel Club is putting together a film to showcase 40 years of agility at Crufts.

If you have any videos and/or photos of agility at Crufts - the earlier the better - please email them through to Gina Sansom at agility@thekennelclub.org.uk. Be sure to include your name and an explanation about the pic or video and approx date (if known).

IFCS Team Announced

The Team to represent Great Britain at the IFCS World Agility Championships in Milan Italy on 25-29th April 2018 has been chosen and is listed below. 

Congratulations to all the handlers and dogs that have achieved a place on the team! It was a hard fought battle this year in some of the heights. Thanks to everyone for trying out and please come back next year.

TOY

• Sally Ann Hunt with Sir Longbottom

• Tamsin Harris-Bryant with Taffy

• Jeannette Jones with Mushu

• Stacey Irwin with Sam

MINI

• Helen Swan with Cloud

• Dawn Weaver with Vegas

• Linda Evans with Dotties Luck

• Res Amber Edwards with Cooper

MIDI

• Gill James with Leia

• Angela Williams with Sanduck Tick Topp

• Alastair Mcgregor with Emn Sparkler

• Nicky Holden with Rosmarinus Smoke and Water

• Iain Patz with Dreamarkis Impulse Find

• Reserve: Mary Shaw with Bekwey Been Tempted

MAXI

• Mike Bendell with Devongem Pure Genius

• Sue Mosedale with Skinny When Wet Part 2

• Angela Williams with Nedlo Wild Ting

• Tracy Runyeard with Rumba

• Vanessa Mortarino Lloyd with Taboo

• Ceri Jones with Tayzr

• John Padginton with Stryda

• Nicole Shaw with Born Reddy a Blur of Fur

The event will be held at Circolo Ippico de Castellanzzo, one of the most important equestrian centres in Italy.

Another Valiant Agility Team GB Effort at the FCI Worlds

The Kennel Club would like to congratulate Agility Team GB for their performance at the FCI Agility World Championships over the weekend (5th - 8th October 2017). Held in Liberec in the Czech Republic, the World Championships saw hundreds of handlers and dogs take part, from over 40 countries including Germany, Japan, Russia and South Africa.

With so many top level competitors taking part, Agility Team GB’s performance was highly commendable. Highlights included Martin Reid, who placed 16th overall in the Large category with his Border Collie, Spring. This was Martin’s first time competing at the World Championships so to place 16th out of 145 competitors was a fantastic achievement.

Other highlights included previous gold medallist Natasha Wise with her Border Collie, Dizzie, who placed 18th in the Medium category overall and Jess Clarehugh with her Border Collie, Cara, who placed 22nd in the Large category overall.

Agility Team GB Manager, Mark Laker said, 'The team went out to this year’s World Championships with confidence and ready for the challenge ahead. The team demonstrated improved technical skills on these fast courses. We came home inspired and motivated for next year’s championships.'

Agility Team GB was chosen following this year’s squad selection process, which concluded at the Performance Weekend hosted by Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts at its Open Agility Show in April. Agility Team GB attended the European Open Agility Championships in Italy at the end of July where ‘Team GB Red’ won a silver medal in the large team overall.

Ceri Rundle, CSJ's founder and sponsor of Agility Team GB, said: 'CSJ is extremely proud to once again sponsor Agility Team GB. The whole team have trained extremely hard and it was clear to see their passion and dedication in the ring at the World Championships last weekend. Well done to all the handlers and their dogs for taking part and achieving such great results.'

Agility team GB is kindly sponsored by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, the Kennel Club, Gencon, Nottingham Trent University, First Contact, Agility 1st, Vale Referrals, and Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, the Kennel Club's preferred cross-channel partner. The coaching team consisted of Mark Laker (Team Manager), Marc Wingate-Wynne (Team Assistant), Martin Cavill (Technical Coach), Maria Johnston (Team Physiotherapist), Hana McNicholas (Team Vet), Ruth MacGill (Fitness coach/handler), Nicky Grant (Team Physiotherapist – Research Projects), and Gina Sansom (Kennel Club Senior Events Coordinator) who travelled to the Czech Republic with them.

The 2018 FCI Agility World Championships will be held in Sweden from 4th – 7th October.

Join the FMBB World Championship 2018 Team GB

The BSDA of GB and WBSDS are planning to send a Squad to represent Great Britain at next year’s FMBB World Championship being held between 23rd and 29th April in Slovenia.

Any Handler/Owner with a Kennel Club Breed Registered Belgian Shepherd Dog currently competing in KC Agility at G3 or above may apply to attend the Selection Day. This is to be held under FCI Rules on Sunday 19th November at Moreton Morrell College in Warwickshire.

The Selection Document and Registration Form can be obtained by emailing tonyparmiter@btinternet.com. Completed Applications will need to be returned by 1st November 2017.

WAO Agility Team Scotland Announcement

The Team Scotland to represent Scotland at the WAO event to be held in the Netherlands from the 17th-19th May 2018 has been selected. The try outs were held at the Brae, Dundee on the 1st October. Many will have seen the win on spots who were selected on the day.

Team Manager Alan Short said, Following that I have been pouring over the results and stats and can say this was the most keenly contested year with everybody displaying some positives. Please join me in congratulating all those who have been selected and wish them all the best in the preparation for the event next year

300 Height Category:

• Pentathlon - Donna Kerse with Ag.Ch. Kayla Kasprowicz Lil' Sister

• Biathlon - Michelle Henderson with Grayco Hotspot

• 3rd - Miree Quechon with Carozza Luna de Pastel

• 4th - Yvonne Reid with Black Jack Ace of Clubs

• 5th - Katrina Hands with Minxin It Up

• Reserve - Eilidh Murray with Ellie's Dream Girl

400 Height Category:-

• Pentathlon - Yvonne Reid with Rosehall Sunday

• Biathlon - Jennifer Kent with Maximus Mischief Managed

• 3rd - Melanie Cargill with Starlight Secret Sorceress

• 4th - Rachael Gilmour with Bean on The Dark Side

• 5th - Tricia Elms with Hotspot's Jive Bunny 

• Reserve - Val Kidd with Bruich Laddie

500 Height Category

• Pentathlon - Jennifer Hart with Gitdoon Gee Uz A Giggle

• Biathlon - Euan Paterson with Devongem Quick Time

• 3rd - Laura Short with Redanmuir Merly Berly

• 4th - Peter Elms with Chikaramor Lovegame

• 5th - Sandra Lima da Silva with Tend a flock a Vision TYH

• Reserve - Erin Inverarity with Erin's Delight

600 Height Category:

The try outs would not have been held were it not for our two excellent judges, John McEwan and Toni Dawkins and, not forgettin,g all those who helped out on the day including Liz Landsman and Anne Moynagh for scribing, Stuart Harper for scoring, Monica Kerr for booking in, Dane Redford for helping set up and Neill Collin for helping with equipment through the day. A huge thanks for me. Lastly to First Contact for the use of the Timing Equipment and to Showtime who generously process the entries.

 SEPTEMBER 2017

Foal Farm Call for Rosettes

Foal Farm Animal Rescue Centre in Biggin Hill, Kent will be holding an unaffiliated agility show at their 4th 'Dog Day' on Sunday, 1st October 2017. All proceeds from the day go towards our Kennel Fund, a much needed ongoing fund to help us help more rescued dogs by rebuilding our biggest kennel block.

As a registered, non-kill charity they are always looking to save money so they are asking if anyone has any unwanted rosettes to donate for future shows.

There will also be a Fun Dog Show, Scurry, Temptation Alley and a Skinny Dog Walk where Foal rescue Greyhounds and Lurchers who have found new homes mingle and adopters chat on a lovely walk around Biggin Hill along with a book signing by Miriam Payne for A Greyt Christmas Tail. In addition to the trad e stands, there will also be refreshments and vegetarian BBQ!

Sarah Mitchell said, 'Please come and join us - whether it be entering the agility show (a great show if you're just starting out as ring is netted and 'manned' and we have a lovely judge who supports everyone and their dog), trying for another rosette in our Fun Dog Show or just coming along to see what we do!

On a serious note, we are a registered charity (and a complete non-kill charity) and we save money wherever we can! If anyone has any rosettes they are able to donate for future shows, it would be very much appreciated.  

If you would like a pitch at the show, please email: dogs@foalfarm.org.uk for more details.'

The schedule can be found on Agilitynet.

Announcing The CSJ Agility Open 2018

The CSJ Agility Open is a brand new 4-day event launching next year on 14th June at Addington Manor Equestrian Centre (Bucks).

As it's name implies, it is open to any agility competitor in the UK or overseas without need for registration with any organisation. Unlike any other test in the UK, the CSJ Agility Open will be run tournament-style, with one entry fee giving 14 runs over five exciting events including the CSJ National Championships, Biathlon, Pentathlon, Steeplechase and the Games Challenge.

All classes are run over four jump heights to be inclusive for as many dogs as possible. The Biathlon consists of a Jumping and an Agility round, the Pentathlon two Jumping and two Agility, with the top placed competitors going through to a Speedstakes round. The Nationals is a Jumping round and an Agility round, leading to a Finals, while the Steeplechase is a fast and furious event run over a flowing course consisting of just jumps and tunnels. The Games Challenge tests strategic skills as well as agility ability over a Snooker and a Gamblers course. The classes will be run under UKA Rules and Regulations, but UKA membership is not required to enter.

The venue itself, Addington Manor Equestrian Centre, has superb all-weather surfaces so no mud or slippery grass if the weather is inclement. Camping with or without electric hook-up is available.

CSJ will be at the event with their trade stand, alongside several others whose details can be found at www.theagilityopen.com.”

Hazel Bew of First Contact Agility who will be supplying the agility equipment for the event said, '"We are proud to be the official agility equipment supplier to this new and exciting event. A world class event, requires world class equipment.'

The CSJ Agility Open can be entered from 1st January 2018 and entries are capped at 1000 runs.

LOW 550 National Jumping Cup Final Results

Following 10 hotly contested heats during 2016/2017, dogs and handlers travelled from all around the UK – including from Scotland – to compete in the inaugural LOW 550 National Jumping Cup Final at Cirencester Park on Saturday, 2nd September. This event is the only national qualifier for Large dogs jumping 550mm at Kennel Club shows and has proved to be an enormous success, with the first heat for the 2018 Final taking place on the following day.

 It was a challenging, fast and flowing course from Judge Stuart Harmes, and every single dog and handler appeared to thoroughly enjoy all 180 metres of it.

Congratulations to the two winners - Trish White with Gwynion Flax in the CG1-4 part, and Daniel Gee with Makeitso Take The Mick AW/G in the CG 5-7 part.

Results CG1-4

1. Trish White with Gwynion Flax - 40.659 (C)

2. Mariann-Elvie Bayliss with  Whispering Ila Spirit - 42.964 (C)

3. Laura Sivell with July Highflyer AW/S - 42.970 (C)

4. Melanie Taylor with Whirlie Merlie - 43.350 (C)

5. Jane Eshelby with Minkynips What a To Do - 43.449 (C)

6. Ian Hastie* with Jacko of Valgrays - 45.288 (C)

7. Kelly Milne with Teddy the One and Only - 47.193 (C)

8. Liz Williams with Decoymans Piper Guelder AW/B - 44.758 (5)

• Wendy Nixon with Valgrays Chocolate Swirl (E)

• Shirley Elkins with Whizzy Izzy at Willowmoon AW/S (E)

• Christine Brown with Mischief’s Honey Bee (E)

• Lisette Modebe with Miss Magic (E)

• Dominique Fuentes with The Countess Fuentes (E)

• Kathryn Milham with Lady Fizz of Valgrays (E)

• Pat Evans with Luke Warm Smokin Hot (E)

• George Bown with Vinnie Widget (E)

• Jamie Wright with Jessie Jamie (E

Results CG5-7

1. Daniel Gee with Makeitso Take the Mick AW/G - 37.263 (C)

2. Stephen Sutherland with Thunderers Princess - 38.736 (C)

3. Denise Catt with Bachero Redwood C’Mikki AW/G - 38.781 (C)

4. Emily Fothergill with Ziggy Stardom AW/G - 40.814 (C)

5. Christine Brown* with Lynwood Gem Mischief’s Magic - 37.542 (5)

6. Sarah Crouch with Canen Cosmic Sindy - 38.027 (5)

7. Emma Warneford with Kylen Magic - 43.907 (5)

8. Fran Walton with Darleyfalls Moon Dance - 44.566 (5)

9. Mandy Dumont with Another Tri Ty - 58.098 (5)

10. Pam Cashmore with Foxtwist She’s My Gem - 45.789 (10)

•  Francis Bugler with Callawen Just a Jiffy (E)

•  Jenny Hastie with Nessa Ainmhithe Girl (E)

•  Kate Howlett with Millennium Falcon Princess (E)

•  Sue Stock with My Dashing Dappled Baby (E)

•  Sue Taylor with Hi Ho Holly (E)

•  Belle Howlett with Leia's Queen of Naboo at Bonbellami (E)

• Verity Bowell with Finntastic Kite Flyer (E)

•  Katherine Sutherland with Pansjal Venezuelan (E)

Best Rescue

• CG 1-4  Ian Hastie

• CG5-7  Christine Brown

The awards for Best Rescue in each part, presented by Fun with Fido, went to Ian Hastie and Christine Brown. Thank you to everyone who took part, everyone that came along to cheer on the Finalists, and of course to our wonderful sponsors SMART Veterinary Clinic, Fun with Fido, Niteingales Quality Rosettes and Tick Tock The 4th Height Dog. Special thanks to Prestbury Park DTC for allowing us to share their show venue at Cirencester Park.

Showtime Novice Cup Final Results

The 2017 Showtime Novice Cup final was held on the evening of Saturday, 19th August at the Dundee Alsatian & Training Club show. Following a few days of very mixed weather, the sun came out for the final which encouraged a good crowd offering their support around the ring. There is no doubt that an event like this comes to life with a good crowd to cheer everyone on. They were provided with a great display with some superb and memorable runs from the top five dogs from each of six qualifying rounds.

The final judge Connor Harley set an excellent course. He said, ' This was the first time I have judged any kind of final and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is great to see G3-5 handlers and dogs experience a final like the Showtime Novice Cup. I wanted to have a fast, flowing course which tested the partnerships independence on weaves and contacts whilst using a traditional course design of a good old flick flack!

'I loved that every handler ran with a smile on their face and every one of them completed their run, regardless of the result. It was great to see a Young Kennel Club handler, Emma Pirrie not only competing against the adult handlers but winning 3rd place overall. The Showtime-online final offered a great variety of handlers ranging in age from as old as Emma Pirrie to as young as Val Marion.'

Congratulations go to all who qualified and in particular our top three:-

1. Katrina Hands with Lilhaze Making Memories

2. Lisa Devlin with Lady Lunatic

3. Emma Pirrie with Yolanda The Panda AW/S

 AUGUST 2017

The Kennel Club Celebrates Festival Success

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival took place at Rockingham Castle over the weekend of 10th-13th August with more than 3,000 dogs from 20 different countries competing at all levels of experience in agility.

Competitions included the Championship classes, where top graded dogs competed to qualify for the Agility Championships held annually at Crufts, and a special international class enabled handlers to qualify for the British Open Final, which is also held at Crufts. The Quarter and Semi-Finals of the Kennel Club Olympia Agility Stakes saw handlers secure a place for the prestigious competition held at Olympia in December, and Semi-finals for the Starters Cup gave dogs new to agility the opportunity to qualify for the final held at Eukanuba Discover Dogs London this October.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'This year we had a record breaking number of dogs compete at the festival, which is a real testament to how popular agility truly is. We are so pleased that it was again such an amazing success, and that it was enjoyed by competitors, visitors and dogs alike. Agility is a very popular canine activity because it is for all ages, breeds and experiences. Not only did we have the top competitors at the festival this year, but also people new to the activity, and entrants as young as 11 to those in their eighties. The festival is a big highlight of the agility calendar and we’d like to thank everyone who made it such a fantastic event, especially those who travelled hundreds of miles to be there.

There was also had a marriage proposal within the agility community at this year’s festival. Many congratulations to Mark Leybourne and Joanne Shawley from Washington, Tyne and Wear, on their engagement.

Ceri Rundle, Managing Director of CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, said, ''Congratulations to all the winners and competitors at the Kennel Club International Agility Festival 2017. We are extremely proud to sponsor such a fantastic event and each year the calibre of competitors rise way beyond our expectations. It’s amazing to see the passion and dedication these handlers and their dogs have for agility, which was very much reflected in the record breaking numbers of dogs we had competing. We wanted to say a huge thank you to all the organisers, handlers, dogs, helpers and visitors who helped make this year's festival such a successful, fun and friendly event.'

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

For the full list of results, please visit http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/events/international-agility-festival/international-agility-festival-results/.

Reminder on KC Agility Judging Procedure

The Kennel Club has issued a reminder on the procedures that agility judges should follow when they judge at Kennel Club licensed events.

It has been brought to the Kennel Club’s attention that a number of judges may be judging according to other agility organisations' regulations and not the Kennel Club regulations at its events. Agility judges are reminded that, whilst judging at any Kennel Club licensed events, they have agreed to judge under Kennel Club regulations and, therefore, must abide by them.

The Kennel Club recently announced changes in the way the agility judges' seminars will be taking place, whereby the rules and regulations seminar will now be available on the Kennel Club Academy. Judges may wish to sign up to this resource in order to keep up to date with the latest regulations.

Additionally, the Kennel Club has a number of resources available on it's website which judges may wish to download and use. These documents are as follows: Agility Regulations, Guide for Agility Judges and Stewards, Judges’ Guide to Agility Equipment and Calculating Accurate Course Times.

Further details of the Kennel Club Academy can be found by visiting www.kcacademy.org.uk.

Information on agility judging is available on the Kennel Club website at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/training/judges-education/agility-judges-training/.

 JULY 2017

Agility Team GB Secures Silver at the 2017 Euros

The Kennel Club would like to congratulate Agility Team GB for their performances at the European Open Agility Championships in Salice Terme, Italy over the weekend (27-30th July).

Team GB Red won a Silver medal in the Large team overall on Sunday, 30th July. The team was made up of Dave Munnings with Fame (BC), Greg Derrett with Rehab (BC), Jess Clarehugh with Cara (BC) and Matt Goodliffe with Quincy (BC).

On FB Matthew Goodliffe said, 'Anyone who's experienced this event will know that the Team is about tactics, and the Individual just about going sh*t or bust. The team pulled together well, working out who was the strongest handler and dog for each of the 4 courses and I'm pleased to say our plan came together, securing Team GB a silver in the Team final. Speaking with other international competitors, I appreciate how lucky we are to have the support of our Kennel Club to organise us for these events.'

Toni Dawkins and her Miniature American Shepherd Sunflower also came 2nd in the Individual Small Jumping round on Saturday, 29th July.

Agility Team GB fought hard in both the team and individual rounds and the event provided a great opportunity for the team to practice and hone their skills on European courses and to compete against top class competitors.

The European Open Agility Championships attracted over 800 handlers and their dogs from all over the world, with 39 countries represented at the competition including Russia, Venezuela and Greece.

Team Manager, Mark Laker commented, 'This has been a great year for Agility Team GB. The team all worked well dealing with the heat and the incredibly high standard of competition seen this year at all heights. I was also very impressed with how this year’s new handlers performed up against the best in the world.'

Agility Team GB is supported by Kennel Club, CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, Gencon, First Contact, Agility 1st and Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, the Kennel Club's preferred cross-channel partner. The official equipment supplier is First Contact.

Ceri Rundle, CSJ's founder and sponsor of Agility Team GB, said, 'Congratulations to all our handlers and their fantastic dogs for achieving such great results at the European Open Championships. CSJ is very proud to sponsor Agility Team GB and it was amazing to see how hard everyone worked both before and during the event.'

The team of 23 handlers and their dogs were chosen following a performance weekend which attracted entrants from all over the UK. The weekend was held alongside the Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts Show in April.

For the full list of results, visit https://www.caniva.com/event/1577/EUROPEAN-OPEN-2017/.

Record Number of Dogs Heading to KCI Festival

• More than 3,000 dogs from all over the world, breaking last year's record

• Competitors to travel thousands of miles from countries as far-flung as China and the US

• 18 rings will be set up across the festival, holding over 200 separate classes

• 70 judges from all over the world, judging talented dogs and their handlers across the four days

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival will see a record-breaking 3,170 dogs from all over the world head to Rockingham Castle this August for the world’s largest agility festival. For four days from 10th - 13th August 2017, dogs and their handlers will descend onto the village of Rockingham for the festival, which will be celebrating it's 13th year.

With the additional dogs competing this year, two extra rings will be added to the previous 16 in order to hold over 200 separate classes, which will feature dogs of all agility grades and sizes. 70 judges from all over the world will be attending over the four days, marking everyone from top agility competitors to novice handlers and their dogs.

A total of 20 countries from around the world are expected to be represented with competitors travelling from countries as far as China - all fighting to win their individual competitions and take home the Nations Cup. The Nations Cup will be reverting to a team event this year, where three dogs representing their country will complete a jumping round with a final agility round to decide the overall winners.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'Every year we look forward to the International Agility Festival and it’s great to see so many people from all over the world attending with their dogs to compete and spectate. The festival has such a wide range of competitions for everyone from the Nations Cup to International Young Handler. There’s also a 'have a go' ring for spectators new to the canine activity to experience it first hand with their dog. Agility is the most popular dog sport in the UK and is a brilliant way to keep fit and healthy with your dog. It’s one of the highlights of the agility calendar and a fantastic weekend or day out for all the family.'

A heat of the nation’s favourite crossbreed competition, Scruffts, sponsored by James Wellbeloved, will also take place at the festival on Saturday 12th, with categories such as Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog, Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch, Child’s Best Friend, Golden Oldie Crossbreed, Best Crossbreed Rescue and the Good Citizen Dog Scheme class. Registration for the competition starts from 11am and the competition begins at 12.30pm. Entering a dog into Scruffts costs just £2 per class and all entry money will be split between the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and the festival’s chosen charity, which is yet to be confirmed. There is no need to enter in advance; just simply turn up on the day.

Entry to the festival is free for spectators, with parking charged at £5, and people are able to come along with their own dogs to enjoy the fun festival atmosphere and even take part in the ‘have-a-go’ agility ring (for dogs over 18 months), which gives everyone the opportunity to experience the discipline for themselves. However, competitor entries for the festival are closed.

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival is kindly supported by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds and welcomes all dogs of all types and sizes.

KCI Live on YouTube

Can't make it to next month's International Agility Festival? 
Watch all the action from the main arena LIVE from the comfort of home by tuning in to the Crufts YouTube channel.
This is free of charge.

https://www.facebook.com/Dogagility/photos/a.174586488058.122517.91934473058/10154798716773059/?type=3

For more information on the Kennel Club International Agility Festival, please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityfestival or www.facebook.com/Dogagility.

Kennel Club Streamlines Registration on Activity Register

In order to provide a beneficial long term registration product for owners of crossbreeds or purebred dogs without a Kennel Club recorded pedigree, the Kennel Club will no longer be accepting applications for its Companion Dog Club (CDC) register as of 1st August 2017. New or existing owners of these dogs will instead be encouraged to register them with the Kennel Club's Activity Register.

The Kennel Club acknowledges that the interest and uptake in the Companion Dog Club has declined over the years and as such has made the decision not to accept any new additions to this registry and to enable dog owners to utilise the benefits of the Activity Register.

The Kennel Club launched the Companion Dog Club to enable owners of companion dogs, including crossbreeds, rescue dogs and purebred dogs with no recorded parentage details, to enjoy the benefits of being registered with the Kennel Club. The benefits available through the Activity Register now surpass those offered by the Companion Dog Club, and include enabling dogs to compete in activities such as agility, flyball, rally, obedience and canicross, as well as allowing for health test results to be recorded against a dog’s registration, which was not possible with the CDC register.

Records will remain in place with the Kennel Club for all existing members of the Companion Dog Club and they are still eligible to enter Companion Dog Club classes at companion dog shows, which will be the case for the foreseeable future. The Kennel Club encourages dog owners to enter companion dog shows to support the great charity work these shows do. In addition, CDC members will also continue to receive discounts to Eukanuba Discover Dogs and Crufts.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: 'Like any service providing organisation, the Kennel Club wants to offer a service that will best benefit its customers.  It is clear from the declining uptake in the Companion Dog Club over the years compared to the consistent popularity of the Activity Register that streamlining the registration options outside of the breed register is the sensible and practical way forward. 

“Owners of crossbreeds, dogs that take part in canine activities and purebred dogs without a recorded pedigree can still apply for their dogs to be recorded on the Activity Register, which offers a number of benefits, including the recording of parentage details where known, health test results and the fact that it is joined up to the popular MyKC service – all things that were not possible with the Companion Dog Club.”

“We will continue to promote all companion dog shows through the Kennel Club website to encourage dog owners to enjoy this fun activity and to support local charities and communities.'

More information on Kennel Club registration options can be found at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/registration.

An Invitation to Try Out for the Northern Ireland WAO Team

The 8th WAO World Championships will take place in the Netherlands at the KNHS Equestrian Centre in Ermelo from 18 to 20 May 2018. The official practice day will take place on 17 May. Once again Northern Ireland will be represented at the Championships. The Equestrian Centre is some 70 miles from the ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Information about the event is available on the WAO web site - www.worldagilityopen.com

Selection process
The selection process for the eighth WAO World Championships will take place in 2 stages.

Stage 1 - There will be a 2-day qualifying competition at Cooper Hill between mid-October and early November 2017. Dogs that do not have an official WAO height measurement will be measured into their appropriate WAO height categories. On both days all dogs will compete in four events. On day one the programme will consist of a snooker round followed by jumping, speedstakes and agility. On the second day the programme will start with jumping followed by speedstakes, agility and gamblers. Dogs will earn points based on their placing in each class. The dog that comes first in each class will be awarded 1 point, second 2 points etc. A value will be set for an elimination based on the number of dogs entered in the selection process. Once the 8 runs have been completed the dog with lowest accumulated points total in each of the 4 height categories will be guaranteed a place on the N.I. squad and will - as a minimum - be entered in the biathlon and individual pentathlon classes at the world championships. It is however the intention that dogs will be selected to compete in all three individual championships – biathlon, pentathlon and games. However the manager reserves the right to select dogs for individual events if he believes it will enhance the overall team performance.

Stage 2 - Dogs that haven’t automatically qualified on the above basis and those that were entered but were unable to be at the Stage 1 trial, will be invited to attend training sessions during November and December. On the basis of performance and commitment at these sessions, and any other performance information available at the time, the Team Manager will select the remainder of the squad i.e. up to 2 more dogs in each height category - making a total of up to 3 dogs in each height category. The Manager may increase the number of dogs in any of the height categories if, in his opinion, it would enhance the overall performance of the team. The intention would be to have this selection process completed by no later than 31 December 2017.

The training sessions for the second stage of the selection process will take place at Cooper Hill during evenings under floodlight or on Saturday mornings. Effort will be made to facilitate those whose work commitments make attendance at these sessions difficult.

The trials and practice sessions will at all times use the jumping heights set out by WAO for the 2018 Championships.

Eligibility
Dog: KC Grades 5, 6 or 7 on 8 October 2017. In exceptional circumstances a dog which reaches grade 5 between 4 October and 31 December 2017 may be considered for selection.

Handler: To be a permanent resident of, or born in Northern Ireland

Costs
Entry (to the selection process) will be £25 per dog. These fees will help to meet the cost of the team entry fee. The balance of the entry fee will be paid by K9Activities.

Competitors will have to pay towards their personal expenses for the WAO event but everyone will be encouraged, collectively or individually, to engage in fund raising activities to meet these costs.

Further information
Owners/handlers considering entry to the process should feel free to discuss the selection procedures or any other aspect of the event with David Duncan – T: 028 9182 2265  E: david@cooperhill.net.

Applications
Applications, verbal or by email should be made to the Team Manager David Duncan by 8 October 2017.

Euro Success for YKC Agility Team GB

Young Kennel Club members representing YKC Agility Team GB took home two overall Bronze medals after competing at the European Open Junior Championships in Luxembourg from 13th-16th July 2017.

On Saturday Team GB Blue won Bronze in the Large team overall. on Saturday, 15th July, and was made up of Sammy Pegg (17) with her Border Collie, Blaze, Adam Stretton (15) with his Pyrenean Sheepdog Jet, Jess Cuthbertson (16) with her Border Collie, Skye and 15 year-old Belle Howlett with her Border Collie, Ami. The team placed 9th in the Agility round and 5th in the Jumping. Their combined score meant they were able to take home the Overall Bronze medal for the Large team.

Shannon Springford (18) and her Border Collie Anya won an Overall Bronze medal on Sunday, 16th July after placing 4th in the Agility round and 8thy in the Jumping round. She also won a Gold medal in the Individual Medium Junior Agility round with her other Border Collie Gift.

Other successes included:-

• Ben Alderson (17) and his Border Collie Goose, winning a Gold medal in the Individual Large Junior Jumping round

• Rory Tidmarsh (13) with his Border Collie Sonic who took home a Silver medal in the Individual Large Children’s Jumping round

• Hannah Thorp (16) who received a bronze medal in the individual Medium junior agility round with her crossbreed, Izzie.

• Team GB White who took Bronze in the Individual Large Agility round was made up of Sarah Wolverson (15) with her Border Collie Pace, Amy Challis (15) with her Border Collie Ireland, Rory Tidmarsh (13) with his Border Collie Sonic and Mariann Bayliss (12) and her Border Collie Frankie.

The European Open Junior Agility Championships attracted hundreds of dogs and handlers from all over the world, with 24 countries represented at the competition including the USA, Finland and South Africa. This was the second time a Junior team from Britain , made up of YKC members, has competed at the championships.

YKC Agility Team GB is sponsored by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds and the Kennel Club. The coaching team consisted of Mark Laker (Team Manager), Paul Moore (Team Coach), Ann Roberts (Team Assistant), Neil Ellis (Team Coordinator) and Rachel Mowbray (Team Vet), who travelled to Luxembourg with them.  

Agility Team GB Manager, Mark Laker said of their achievement, 'This year’s YKC Team GB have been fantastic. There was a great team atmosphere across all heights and ages which made us a strong and successful team, building on last year’s performance. I'm really proud of every one of these young handlers, both in the way they handled their dogs and their approach to these championships.'

Ceri Rundle, CSJ’s founder and sponsor of YKC Agility Team GB, said: 'Congratulations to all our young handlers and their incredible dogs for a fantastic performance at the European Open Junior Championships. CSJ are very proud to sponsor such a talented team of youngsters, we hope they continue to shine for many years to come!'

The European Open Junior Championship 2018 has been confirmed to be held in the Netherlands from 13th-15th July 2018. Details on the 2017 squad selection process will be available in due course.

Life Changing Agility Stories Wanted

The Kennel Club press office is looking for remarkable stories from agility competitors who will be heading to the Kennel Club International Agility Festival this August. The aim is to successfully promote agility as well as the festival by showing the general public how brilliant and life changing the discipline is.

If you are competing at the festival this year, we want to hear from you! They have put together a quick on-line surey to encourage people to share their stories. Please answer the questions below with as much detail as possible.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5NGMKKG

UKA Tyre Decision

From 1st January 2018 UK Agility will be amending its Rules and Regulations to state that the solid tyre will be replaced with a breakaway version. Experience with tyre designs both nationally and internationally have informed UKA's decision that the breakaway tyre should be enclosed in and attached to a frame. If hit, the tyre breaks in 'salon door' style with each half remaining attached to the frame.

Over the past 2 months UKA has comprehensively tested a breakaway tyre design from Longfield Agility Solutions which is now fully approved for use next year. We would welcome submissions from other equipment suppliers as soon as possible.

UK Agility considers that this is not simply a progressive move to ensure the safety of competing dogs but also a vital solution to maintaining the diversity of equipment, which has been under threat due to safety concerns.

Orchard News

The Orchard Agility Mid-Summer show at the end of July will now be held at the Fox & Duck, Arlesey Road, Arlesey, Stotford, near Hitchin SG5 4HE.

Rosemary Stowers said 'This show will be a trial. It's a venue that we have used in the past before it closed down for a period of time. Because we had the Old Orchard in Hitchin, we obviously would have preferred to stay there and not move, but the ground has been churned up so much that it may not be recoverable if we did have it for another year. It's all in the balance at the moment.

The Arden Grange and The Embroidery Shop Finals
If you have qualified for either the Arden Grange Final (Large dogs) or the Embroidery Shop Challenge Cup Final (Small and Medium dogs) at the Orchard Agility Mid-Summer show, i.e. last July, or at this year's May Day Bank Holiday show, could you please email, ASAP, Rosemary Stowers on: orchardagility3@gmail.com to let her know whether or not you will be attending either or both of these Finals. 

Both Finals will be held on Saturday, 26th August, at the Orchard Agility Summer Open Agility show over the four days of the August Bank Holiday, i.e. 25th-28th August, 2017. The closing date for entries to this show is Saturday, 15th July, 2017.

 JUNE 2017

Bitz & Chipz Split Amicably

Hot news off the press! After three successful years of running a weekend show together, Bitz & Bobz and Chipping Norton are now ready to go it alone next year.

Bitz will be having the same date which will be 9th and 10th June - venue to be announced - whilst Chipping Norton will be holding their show on 21st and 22nd July at the usual venue Banbury Rugby Club. 

Both clubs would like to thank everyone for their support over the last three years and look forward to seeing you all at both shows next year.

New England Team Manager Appointed

The World Agility Open is pleased to announce the appointment of Vicky Lyons to the role of WAO England Manager.

Vicky has been involved in the sport for the last nine years, having competed at Crufts and Olympia as well as having an involvement in previous England and other British international agility teams. More importantly in her professional life as a Business and Performance manager, Vicky brings a great amount of expertise in logistics, people management and performance analysis.

On FB, Vicky said, ' I have some pretty big shoes to fill but I will work hard and do the best job I can! Special thanks must go to Bridgitte Wyre for her support and guidance

The England coaching team will be announced over the next few weeks.

Qualification through the UKA Masters and Agility4England show will be unchanged with a reminder to all that entries for the show are now open.

We would like to wish Vicky and the future England Teams the very best of luck.

News flash... Joanne Tristram and Martin Tait will remain in their roles as Team England coaches for the 2018 event

Invitational Finalists Announced

The names of the lucky Senior and Novice Agility Club Invitational Finalist have been published.

Please check to see if you are listed below please let Sandra Ross know by email. If you are NOT able to attend, please let her know so she can extend an invitation to someone else.

Senior Finalists

Novice Finalists

 MAY 2017

The Agility Club Invitationals Deadline

The deadline for submitting points to be considered for the two new Agility Club Invitational Finals is 1st June. Places will be taken from the League scores as of 10pm, so make sure you get those results in!

1. The Agility Club Novice Invitations is open to dogs currently listed in The Agility Club leagues in Grades 3 – 5. Invitations will be issued for the top 10 Large dogs and the top 5 Small and Medium dogs to run in a C3-5 final on the Friday night.
    

2. The Agility Club Senior Invitational is open to dogs currently listed in the Agility Club leagues in Grades 6 & 7. Invitations will be issued for the top 10 large dogs and the top 5 Small and Medium dogs to run in a C6-7 final on the Friday night.

The Agility Club will issue invitations by email shortly after the 1st June. They may approach handlers in places above 10th/5th if the top 10/5 are unable to attend. A reserve handler in each height may also be invited to attend and, if not able to compete will run as 'white dogs' before the main competition begins.

Sandra Ross said, 'We hope that Agility Club members will enjoy this new addition to our ever-popular Starters Challenge Final and that lots of you will come and support this event. The finals will be run at full height and you must be a member of The Agility Club on the 28th July 2017. I am certainly looking forward to seeing who our first winners are. I hope you all are too.'

The Judge for this inaugural year is Ryan Hennessy so there will be two lovely courses to run for those competing and to watch for the spectators. Trophies will be awarded for 1st and 2nd place in each height, rosettes 1st to 4th in large, 1st to 3rd in Small and Medium.

The Invitational Finals will be held on the Friday evening of The Agility Club Show at Ardingly on the 28th – 30th July 2017.

Docs Dogs Split

Kenny Waddell would like to inform you all that Mr Angelo Docherty is no longer part of Docs Dogs.

The business will all carry on as normal, and all shows will carry on under the name of Docs Dogs until further notice.

Kennel Club Changes Agility Judges Seminar Regs

The Kennel Club has announced changes to the way prospective agility judges qualify for their first appointments. With the launch of the Kennel Club Academy, the Board agreed that the regulations and judging procedure part of the agility judges seminars would work better in an on-line format and free up more time for the practical aspects of judging to be covered in the seminar.

The change will require prospective new judges to access the Kennel Club Academy to view educational material and take a multiple-choice online examination before attending the seminar held by a Kennel Club Accredited Agility Judges Trainer.

The following amendments to the H regulations have been made to accompany the change in process:-

Regulation H19.b.

To:

(6)       have attended a Kennel Club Agility Regulations and Judging Procedure Seminar and passed the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination completed and passed an Agility Judges examination on the Kennel Club Academy prior to attending a Kennel Club Judges Seminar, and

(7)       have attended a Kennel Club Agility Course Design and Judging Judges Seminar and passed the assessment, or (Deletions struck through)

Regulation H20. Judges and Judging

To:

b.         Additionally judges appointed to officiate for the first time at a Kennel Club licensed Agility show (other than those judging special classes at a Limited Agility show) must have attended a Kennel Club Agility Regulations and Judging Procedure Seminar and passed the Regulations and Judging Procedure examination completed and passed an Agility Judges examination on the Kennel Club Academy prior to attending a Kennel Club Judges Seminar.

c.         Judges appointed to officiate for the first time at a Kennel Club licensed Agility show (other than those judging special classes at a Limited Agility show) must have attended a Kennel Club Agility Course Design and Judging Judges Seminar and passed the assessment. (Deletions struck through)

The amended regulations will come in to effect on 1st July 2017.

The Kennel Club is currently working on the content for the Academy and more information will be released at a later date.

Further information on the Kennel Club Academy can be found on the Kennel Club website at: www.thekennelclub.org.uk/training/kcai/the-kennel-club-academy

Handlers Announced for 2018 Development Programme for Agility Team GB

The Kennel Club has announced 18 new dogs and handlers who have been selected onto the 2018 development programme for Agility Team GB. This year, Agility Team GB will be competing at the European Open Agility Championships in Salice Terme, Italy from 27-30 July, and the FCI Agility World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic from 5-8 October.

They were chosen from those who competed exceptionally, as well as those who showed potential as up-and-coming dogs and handlers, for the 2018 squad process. The try outs took place at the Performance Weekend hosted at Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts show at Lincolnshire Showground on Sunday, 23^rd April.

Mark Laker, Agility Team Manager said, 'I am very excited to invite these dogs and handlers onto this year’s development squad. This is a fantastic opportunity to work with the coaching team who will be on hand to support them and prepare them for a possible team selection.

'I am also very grateful to our main sponsor, the Kennel Club, which continues to support the team in creating opportunities for handlers keen to be part of Agility Team GB.'

The development programme consists of:

The team is sponsored by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds, Gencon, First Contact, Agility 1^st, Nottingham Trent University, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, Vale Vet Referrals and the Kennel Club.

The squad qualification process to try out for the 2018 Agility Team GB can be found on the Kennel Club website: www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/international-agility-teams/.

M & M's Extra Specials

As The Dog Barn will no longer be holding monthly agility shows, apart from in October, M & M will be taking on the following dates:-

• 26th November 2017

• 28th January 2018

• 25th February 2018

These three shows will be in addition to their existing six dates and will be known as M &M's Extra Specials.

The format will be:-

• Agility G5/7 and G1/4 - all heights

• Power & Speed G5/7 and G1/4 - all heights

• Jumping G5/7 and G1/4 - all heights and Anysize

• Time fault and out G1/7 - Small, Medium, Large and Anysize

These shows will be limited to 120 dogs.

The schedules for these shows will be released at the same time as the Winter Series.

The Finns Vote to Lower Jumps

The Finnish Agility Association’s annual meeting has voted to move to five jump heights. There will be new classes for Toy dogs and smaller Large dogs. Several other countries have already done this.

The Finns also decided to increase the amount of size classes as well. The new classes are for dogs under 28cm and between 43-50 cm. Dogs in these size categories can compete either at their current class or in their new size class. Handlers are free to re-choose it for every competition.

According to incoming international agility rules, the meeting decided to lower jumping heights at all size classes.

New jumping heights at national competitions

• XS (dogs under 28cm) 10-20cm

• S (dogs 28-35cm) 20-30cm

• M (dogs 35-43cm) 30-40cm

• L (dogs 43-50cm) 40-50cm

• XL (dogs over 50cm) 50-60cm

New jumping heights at tryouts and international competitions

• S (< 35 cm) 25-30 cm

• M (35-43 cm) 35-40 cm

• L (> 43 cm) 55-60 cm

Changes are for regular jumps and wall jump.

Qualifying results for National Championships should be gained from same size class that the dog is competing at the Championships.

 Other changes include the following:-

Bitches in heat will be allowed in every class. Current rule allows competing only at 3rd class.

Changes in obstacles:

• Table will disappear

• Flat tunnel will change shorter and the entrance can be half-erected

• Tyre can be used with or without frames

These incoming changes in rules are to encourage people and dogs to have more fun and keep it safe.

 New rules will be valid as of 1st of January in 2018.

If you have any questions about rules, please contact Finnish Agility Association.

Feedback from the KC E-gility Trial

Bob Horner, Chairman of Dartmoor DTC, prmised us a report on the first working trial of the E-gility paperless system at a Kennel Club show. The test took place at the Dartmoor DTC Kennel Club Premier Agility Show on Saturday, 6th May.

He said, 'It was originally intended to trial the system on two rings. Initially, we hit a teething problem with the system and reverted to a paper system for the first two classes in these rings. However, the problem was speedily resolved, by Mike Brickman and his team, and the system worked perfectly for the remainder of the day. After lunch, we transferred a third ring onto the paperless E-gility system.'

The Ring Managers of the rings involved and the Show Secretary have provided Mike with feedback and comments including those from competitors and have also given him a couple of suggestions of elements where the system could make life easier. 

Bob continued, 'Overall the view of the system was very positive and certainly the future of dog agility. Competitors who had not see the system at work at UKA Shows certainly liked being able to see their dog's time and current position on the tablet immediately following their run. We hope to see the full system up and running at a KC Show in the South West before the end of 2017. 

LOW 550 ABC Series Announced

LOW 550 ABC is a national agility series of six Special Combined Grades 1-7 classes for handlers wishing to compete at the same height as the Lower Height Option at KC Agility tests (550mm). This sponsored series will be open to all dogs in the Large height category (ie measuring over 430mm at the withers) that are not a Border Collie, Working Sheepdog or their first cross.

Rules

• The LOW 550 ABC agility courses may consist of all standard KC agility equipment EXCEPT the tyre, with hurdles set at 550mm. Where the long jump is included it should be set at the KC minimum length for Large dogs of 1.2m.

• This class is open to all grades of ABC (Anything But Collie) dog measuring over 430mm at the withers.

• An ABC dog is not a Border Collie, Working Sheepdog or its first cross. In a dispute the Judge’s decision is final.

• Competitors entering the competition are deemed to have agreed to abide by the rules and regulations of the host club.

• Competitors may enter more than one dog in a heat.

• Trophy for 1st and 2nd place in each heat.

• Rosettes to 1st-6th place in each heat.

• The winner of each heat will also receive a Dog StreamZ Smart Collar worth up to £65 (depending on size), with a personalised embroidered attachment by Tailends, both to be redeemed after the event. The second placed pair in each heat will receive a voucher for Nutriment products to the value of £20.

Competitors must have gained points from more than one heat to be eligible for the title of Series Champion, awarded to the dog/handler with the most points overall. The overall points winner will receive the first prize of a Dog StreamZ Smart Collar, with a personalised embroidered attachment by Tailends, PLUS a You StreamZ Ankle Band worth £39.99 for the human in the partnership. The second prize is a beautiful, bespoke, embroidered or beaded collar made by Tailends to the recipients own design. If there is a tie, a random draw will take place to decide the winner of first and second prizes but equal overall points winners will share the Series Champion title.

Points awarded for the series are as follows. Additional places awarded by the host show do not count.

• 1st            8 points

• 2nd           7 points

• 3rd           6 points

• 4th           5 points

• 5th           4 points

• 6th           3 points

• CR           2 points

Points claimed should be emailed to fourth_height@yahoo.co.uk within four weeks of the heat, including handler name/dog name/heat claimed for/place and points.  Awards relate to the dog (which may have more than one handler during the series).

 With many thanks to our generous sponsors: StreamZ Global, Tailends, Nutriment, The Toller Club of Great Britain, Lagotto Romagnolo Association, Erikachen Tollers, Three Cross Agility Group and Judith Trickett

 Further details or queries: Facebook:  @low550abc or fb.me/low550abc or Website:  http://areyou4it.org.uk or email: fourth_height@yahoo.co.uk

Agility Team GB Announced for Euros and FCI World Champs

The Kennel Club has announced the agility teams which will represent Great Britain at the European Open Agility Championships in Salice Terme, Italy from 27-30 July, and the FCI Agility World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic from 5-8 October 2017.

The successful handlers and dogs were chosen following this year's squad selection process, which concluded at the Performance Weekend hosted by Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts at it's open agility show over the weekend of 22 and 23 April.

This year’s Performance Weekend was judged by Jorge Pires from Portugal. Courses were designed to test dogs and handlers on speed, fitness, consistency and accuracy. Over the weekend there was some fantastic handling on these courses where dogs and handlers could really show off their skills. 

This year the coaching team offered a win-on place for the European Open for 2017 which meant an opportunity was given to one handler and dog from each of the heights (small, medium and large) to be automatically selected onto the team after being the top performing dog and handler from the results of squad day two, and the Performance Weekend. Lee Gibson with Taddymoor Sadie, in the large height group; Steven Richardson with Ag.Ch. NoWorries Sweep's Dream, in the medium height group; and Toni Dawkins with Basileas Hear Me Roar, in the small height group won the coveted spots, and will be joining the rest of the European Open team in Italy in July.

Team Manager, Mark Laker said, 'Thank you to everyone who competed at this year’s Performance Weekend – it was great to watch and be part of. This was a unique opportunity to compete on some fantastic courses designed and judged by a top FCI judge.'

'I'd like to acknowledge the support of all our sponsors, the Kennel Club and Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts, who enable events like the Performance Weekend to take place, and to everyone who helped us. Now the work begins preparing the teams for this year’s championships'

The teams selected are as follows:-

GB Team Announced

The Kennel Club congratulates all the handlers who have been selected to represent Agility Team GB this year, which once again is kindly sponsored by the team’s main sponsor, CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds. Agility Team GB is also sponsored by Gencon, First Contact, Nottingham Trent University, Eurotunnel, Agility1st, Vale Referrals and The Kennel Club.

Full results from the performance weekend and more information on Agility Team GB can be found via the Kennel Club website. Please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/international-agility-teams/.

The Agility Team GB Performance Weekend Report

The Agility Team GB Performance Weekend took place on 22nd and 23rd April 2017, supported by the Agility Enthusiasts Show held at Lincolnshire Showground.

Jorge Piers (Portugal) was appointed to judge the entire weekend. He set some great courses which were challenging, but also a reflection of the kind of courses competitors would run when competing at the FCI competitions (European Open and World Championships).

For the first time, the YKC EO Junior Team competed amongst the Agility Team GB squad on the Saturday. This was a team practice day for the YKC EO Junior Team before they head to Luxembourg to compete at the European Open Junior Competitions in July. Even though the courses were demanding, and unlike courses a lot of them would have previously run, the junior team performed brilliantly. They attacked the courses and in some cases coming 1st in some rounds beating the Adult Squad.

For the adults this was their last opportunity to show their skills before the European Open team and World Championship team selection happens. This year the Coaching Team offered a win-on-place for the European Open for 2017. This gave an opportunity to one handler and dog from each of the heights, (Small, Medium and Large) to automatically be selected onto the team. This was a combination of being the top performing dog and handler from the results of Squad Day 2, and the Performance Weekend. It was announced on Saturday 22 April after the last class at the Performance Weekend that Lee Gibson with Sadie in the large height group, Steven Richardson with Libby in the medium height group, and Toni Dawkins with Sunflower in the small height group won the spots onto the European Open Team.

The atmosphere over the two days was good with both squads taking the competition seriously, but very supportive towards each other also.

 APRIL 2017

Dartmoor DTC to Trial E-giity at May Show

The Dartmoor DTC Committee have agreed to undertake a working trial of the E-gility paperless system, on behalf of the Kennel Club, at it's Premier Agility Show, at West Buckland on 6th May 2017. The trial will take place in two of the six rings and full training will be given to both ring parties and Mike Brickman (designer and developer of the system) will be on hand to resolve any problems or answer any concerns competitors have on the day.

An E-gility system has been extensively tested and used at UKA shows and a presentation has been made to the Kennel Club of a KC system appropriate for their shows. 

E-gility is the UK's first entirely paperless system for running agility shows. Instead of paper, they use special tablets that are similar to Kindles. These have screens that are very easy to read and work just as well outdoors - even in bright sunlight - and come with protective cases that allow them to be used in any weather. Typically there are three tablets at each ring - one for scriming, one for checking in and one on public display so you can check your scores and see the results as the class progresses.

Each ring also has an 'Agility Control Unit'" (ACU). This is a miniature battery operated server that takes care of all the ring's networking and data processing needs. All the ACU's work together and exchange data to make the system 'fail safe.' If any ring's ACU fails, it's nearest sibling ACU automatically takes over. In fact, the system is designed with massive spare capacity and multiple redundancy to make the system unbreakable. And as every item of data is instantly shared with all the ACUs, there is never a question of any results being lost. Also, as an added safety measure, all the data is live steamed to the internet for backup.

E-gility is also piloting a mobile app that allows people to check ring progress and results from anywhere in the world. As a competitor, this means less waiting around. Results are automatically printed off as soon as the class closes and you can check how you are doing by checking the ring side tablet. Using the mobile app means competitors can relax in their caravans or walk the dogs and know exactly what is happening in each ring - so no need to stress out or miss classes.

All this is the culmination of two years of intensive development and testing at UKA shows - around 60,000 runs scrimed so far. Now that the process of adapting E-gility to be used at Kennel Club shows, competitors and show organisers across the country will be able to enjoy hassle free agility.

Showtime Launches Digital Show Management

Showtime Processing launched their digital show management system at Kingdom of Fife Championship Agility Show on 8th & 9th April. An on-line entry system, Showtime Digital not only allows the competitor to enter Agility shows on-line but, in the background it processes the show paperwork and running orders etc. This means that show secretaries through their own personal login can access useful information as entries are received can keep pace with changing needs.

Ian Mallabar of Showtime explains, 'We were asked by a show how they could reduce error. We could easily have introduced the use of computers to produce results and places but that wouldn't have reduced human error or the secondary need to reduce staffing needs. If we were going to introduce a new service, it needed to bring about major change.'

The Showtime Team set out to build a service 'second to none.' Many points were considered during the development of Showtime Digital. The Showtime team set about identifying areas with a potential cause of error. As a starting point, data input for results had to be minimised in order to avoid name errors including illegible handwriting and misspelling of names as well as the distraction of Scribes and Scorers by competitors seeking results. This was resolved by linking the results data to the already existent Showtime-on-line website. Therefore, results sheets and presentation sheets were an exact match to the show entries. Plus, as these were to be printed off at the show for presentations, there was no 'dodgy handwriting' to decipher. Also considered was the need to reduce distractions which could cause error. It was understandable that competitors wanted to find out how they'd done, but interrupting scribes or scorers increased the potential for disaster. It was, therefore, decided at an early stage that the new system needed to be available live on-line.

Error reduction was further achieved by removing the Scorer from the ringside distractions. This also meant that scorers could work on more than one ring at any time, thereby reducing manpower needs. As results were to be live these would be available as soon as input by the scorer thereby reducing the need for competitors to interrupt show staff.

Ian continued, 'Having been on the Agility Liaison Council during the development of course measuring, I saw this process being sidelined by judges who, with the best intent, felt the need to 'round off' course times to make the scorer's job easier. By building a system that automatically deals with time faults judges no longer need to 'round off' course times but can set an exact time as there is no calculation by the scorer.

Ian also found it particularly frustrating that manual intervention was necessary in the Championship class when time faults arose. Championship was more of a challenge but our team knew where they wanted to end up. We wanted a system that would calculate time faults, would calculate and display the joint results for the two rounds and would then give the (reverse) running order for the Final - and all of this had to be available as soon as the second round was completed. As an added bonus we wanted the ranking during the final to be available live on-line as each dog ran. The fact that this was all achieved was amply demonstrated during the Kingdom of Fife show where the Championship final ranking was being watched live as far afield as Portugal and America.

Ian states. 'This has been a huge team effort and further development is always ongoing. The success of the end product can be seen in the excellent reception this system has received. I have to admit even I was shocked by the initial figures. Having used this in a true show environment for the first time at Kingdom of Fife show I deliberately didn't put the results live on-line until I was satisfied all was well. Results went live on Saturday lunchtime and by the Sunday evening the results pages on Showtime-on-line.co.uk had received almost 12,000 hits! I think we can safely call that popular.'

Started by Ian and Sue Mallabar in 2005, Showtime is dedicated to constantly developing a friendly and helpful service to ease the load on busy show management. Their Digital service is continuing in popularity having been live at Scottish Border Collie Championship Show and Platinum Agility.

This new service is booked for several shows this coming season including:-

The Showtime Novice Cup Regulations 2017

The Showtime Novice Cup is based on the Olympia Novice but for Scotland and ran for the first time last year. This is an agility competition for Large dogs jumping full height and will be judged under standard Kennel Club rules and regulations. It will be classified as combined Grades 3, 4 and 5. Any subsequent grade change will not alter a dog's eligibility to compete in the Final.

There will be six heats, the first five dogs from each heat will go forward to the Final which will be held at Dundee Championship Agility Show in August 2017. Competitors may enter more than one dog in a heat and may qualify more than one dog for the Final.

Once a dog has qualified for the Final, further heats may be entered for competition but any placings will not affect the dog's eligibility for the final. The handler that qualifies a dog for the Final will be the handler who competes in the Final.

Heats will have trophies for 1^st to 3^rd place with rosettes to 10% of entry.

Maria Bailey Memorial Special Lucky Dip Pairs News

Due to judging commitments, the 2017 Maria Bailey Memorial Special Lucky Dip ABC/BC Pairs Challenge (aka Pimm's Challenge) will he held on Saturday evening at Docs Dogs on 17 June 2017. It is free to enter but there will be a charity box for donations to a chosen charity. Last year £350 was raised.

Maria Bailey was a member of High Lane Pet Dog Training Club who died tragically of a brain haemorrhage in her mid-forties. Once you met Maria you never forgot her. She was always in the High Lane ring party and always had a friendly word and a cheer for everyone especially if they ran GSDs.

Andy Gillibrand remembered, 'I was judging at Cornforth show a couple of days after her funeral so we shut all the rings at lunchtime and everyone came to the High Lane ring and we all raised a glass of Pimms to her. After that we decided to do something in celebration of her life. Maria was always a fun person and always would support the underdog. We came up with the mixed pairs because everyone has a chance of winning it. It is a fun event with free Pimms, the judges getting booed and the competitors getting cheered on. We have held it for a couple of years and raised sums for McMillan Nurses the first year and Yvonne Goode the second year. We haven't decided yet where the money will go yet this year.

The Competition works as follows. As usual it will be held after close of play. The pairs are randomly drawn with an ABC and a BC / BC X in each pair. One dog will complete an Agility course do a baton change and the other a Jumping course. The least faults / fastest time will win. The courses are fast and flowing and will not contain weaves. It is a fun event but with quality prizes for the winners. A full list of the rules is available on the Schedule. Currently this is only for Large dogs though LHO is being offered

There contact trainers up for grabs supplied by Longfield Agility solutions and some lovely trophies from High Lane PDTC plus free Pimms as usual!

A huge thanks to Cornforth Agility for supporting this event in previous years.

Andy Gillibrand and Doc Docherty said, 'We hope you will enter and come along and support this unique event. Join us for a glass of Pimms, a bit of fun and have chance to win some great prizes as well as support a charity.

Paperless Show System Initiative

Having successfully created the UK's first entirely paperless show system, e-gility and UK Agility have announced their intention to take it to the next level with a fully automated ring system.

Building on the existing e-gility technology, it should further reduce the sport's dependency on volunteers and improve the accuracy of timing and scoring.

The initiative will be two pronged. Firstly, it will extend the successful self booking-in process to make the rings fully self service. Secondly, we will be developing a range of smart equipment with built in sensors that wirelessly relay whether an obstacle has been successfully completed to the e-gility control boxes. Top of the list is contact sensors (at last!), but we will also be trialing smart jumps with built-in pole knock detectors and proximity sensors that can indicate whether the dog goes over (success) or past the wing (refusal). With this technology and our new integrated timing system, scoring will be automatic and human error can be eliminated.

Greg Derrett of UK Agility says: 'e-gility has already reduced our need for large ring parties and this will take us one step closer to helpless rings that run themselves. However for us the big win is being able to replace the more controversial component that causes so many issues and downtime at competitions as well as social media backlash. Expensive, sometimes high maintenance, faulty when aligned with direct sunlight, a constant tripping hazard, often producing spurious results and less reliable as the day goes on – it often raises the question 'are judges are fit for purpose?' By using technology to replace the judges we will revolutionize the sport and I have set the goal of UKA being fully judge-less by the end of 2018'

If you would like your ring fully automated please, email r.sole@egility.info . To find out more about how the sport is changing, join the e-gility Facebook group.

 MARCH 2017

Border Collie Classic Comes to the UK

The Border Collie Classic is a large international agility competition open to Border Collies and WSDs. It was founded in the Netherlands and moves to a different country each year. This year the competition will be held in the UK for the first time on 4th - 6th August 2017.

A maximum of 400 Large height BCs and WSD A3 dogs (Grades 6/7) will be accepted and then the same for A2 (Grades 4/5). Medium BCs/ WSDs are also accepted for their own classes.

Alongside the BCC. there will also be a large Agility Secrets Kennel Club show with classes for all grades, breeds and heights, including standard (LHO of Large), including Large and Medium ABC and Juniors with some of the top judges in the world coming to judge. There will be finals for everyone with lots of prizes.

The show is going to be held at The Rutland Showground, only 20 minutes drive from the KC International Festival we are also offering camping between the BCC and KCI, so no need to go home.

Come and watch some of the best dogs from around the world compete for one of the most prestigious titles in agility.

Entries open at 6pm (GMT) on 25th March for the Border Collie Classics and Agility Secrets KC Show. You can enter at www.agilityshows.on-line

Announcing the CSJ Agility Open Inaugural Event

The CSJ Agility Open is a new, four day tournament that will launch on the 14th June 2018. Not affiliated with any organisation, it is open to all dogs and handlers worldwide and has been created in response to demand for a premier agility event unlike any other currently scheduled in the UK. It will give top level agility partnerships – and those aspiring to be – a rare opportunity to experience all the pressures of world-class competition, on appropriate and intelligently-designed courses, adjudicated consistently by qualified and experienced judges in a superb venue. 

The tournament-style classes give competitors 14 runs over five exciting events: Biathlon, Pentathlon, the CSJ National Championships, Steeplechase and the Games Challenge. With cumulative scoring over several rounds, one fault doesn't necessarily mean 'game over' as there is more than one chance to qualify for the evening Finals.

Aiming to become the most prestigious event on the agility calendar, the CSJ Agility Open is being held at Addington Manor, in Buckingham, one of the finest equestrian facilities in the UK. Competitors will run on the excellent all-weather surface and the evening Finals will be held in the main arena with its tiered seating. Restaurant, cafeteria and licensed bar provide refreshments and trade stands will offer lots of opportunity for shopping.

The CSJ Agility Open will be organised by the highly experienced team behind the World Agility Open (WAO), many of whom also help run agility events all over the world, from the US Open to the UKA Grand Finals.

Founder of the event, Greg Derrett, says 'Having been involved in agility for many years, both as a competitor and show manager, I am acutely aware of the lack of opportunity for our top class and aspiring handlers to compete over appropriate courses and in an environment that tests not just their agility skills but their ability to perform under pressure.

'We will be aiming for a consistency in judging and course design to ensure the event achieves the goals we have set. All the courses at the CSJ Agility Open will be designed by the Chief Judges as a team and course faults will be marked according to the UKA Rules and Regulations, which leave little or nothing to the judge's discretion.

'A goal of the CSJ Agility Open is to help the preparation and development of future British international teams so in each height there will be a presentation for the most successful young dog at the event. This event is truly a unique opportunity for competitors to experience something radically different from the shows they attend each weekend.'

Win on Spot for WAO 2019
 Competitors from England, Scotland or Wales have the chance to 'win' a spot for their respective country at the 2019 World Agility Championships.

E-gility will be providing the on-line entry and scoring at this new event.

Further details can be found at www.theagilityopen.com or on Facebook at The CSJ Agility Open.

Important Travel News for Agility Nuts KC April Show

Hopefully this only affects campers and people helping to set the show up, but please spread the word. Paul Seksky has just received the following information about a road closure from the venue. He has been assured that the suggested alternate routes will not be a problem for caravans:

The Highways are doing some re-surfacing of Netherfield Lane which has resulted in a partial closure from the Courtyard entrance down to the A614. This re-surfacing was due to be finished this week, however we have just been informed that they are now looking at finishing next Friday instead. This means that it will affect you set up days on Thursday and Friday. If you are approaching the Courtyard from Mansfield / Nottingham at Ollerton roundabout please take the turning for A616 Worksop road and follow until you meet two mini roundabouts. Turn right on both roundabouts on to Netherfield Lane. Follow this road until you reach the Courtyard. If you are approaching us from the A1 take the second exit on the roundabout from the A1 on to the A57, at the next roundabout take the first exit to continue on the A57. At the next roundabout take the first exit on to the B6034, continue on the B6034 until you reach a mini roundabout and then turn left onto Netherfield Lane where you can then follow the brown tourism signs for Courtyard and Museum.

Once you are close to the Courtyard will have to bring everyone attending the set up days up the Courtyard driveway. Once in the Courtyard carpark you can then turn left and left again at the five-ways junction to take you into the Events field from the other entrance. We have been re-assured that the road should open up as normal from 5pm on Friday evening, we will check this later next week with the highways to make sure that we can offer you the access to the Event field which we have agreed on. If this is not the case we will put together a back-up plan for access for your attendees.

UKA Jump Cup Decision

In response to recent concerns sent to UKA regarding multiple jump cups and the increase in wing wraps both on approach and landing in course design, it has been decided that with immediate effect all unused jump cups will be removed from jump uprights at shows.

On their FaceBook page they said, In UKA's 14 year history we have never had an incident reported but as an organisation we would rather be proactive on this safety concern rather than reactive. Please feel free to share this information so that everyone is aware of this change,

Ben Alderson Wins YKC Agility Dog of the Year

Sixteen year old Ben Alderson from Carlisle, Cumbria has won the Young Kennel Club Agility Dog of the Year at Crufts with Goose, a seven-year-old Border Collie. The competition, which was open to Young Kennel Club (YKC) members between the ages of 6-17 and their dogs, saw top young agility handlers compete for the coveted title of YKC Agility Dog of the Year before Ben and Goose took first place in the Genting Arena at the NEC Birmingham on Thursday, 9th March.

    Proud owner and YKC member Ben said: 'Goose is a good agility dog but can be a little bit of a handful around the house. He is fun to be around and he's very special to me. I'm happy to have won.'

To reach the Crufts final, YKC members competed in their categories for Under and Over 12s, and for Small, Medium and Large dogs, looking to complete an agility course in the fastest time in a YKC qualifying class.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'Very well done to Goose and Ben for an excellent performance. YKC Agility Dog of the Year is a fantastic achievement and no doubt we will be seeing them perform at Crufts for many years to come. Their professional manner in the ring is very inspiring to other young dog handlers.'

If you would like to find out more about the Young Kennel Club and how to join please contact the Young Kennel Club team by emailing ykc@thekennelclub.org.uk or by visiting www.ykc.org.uk.

The results for Crufts 2017 can be found on-line at www.press.fossedata.co.uk For free downloadable images from Crufts 2017, please go to www.w-w-i.com/crufts_2017/

2017 World Agility Open Championships Wild Cards Announced

The 2017 WAO will be held in Ermelo, The Netherlands on 19-21 May 2017.

YKC Agility Team Announced for European Junior Champs

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 Luxembourg from 13th - 16th July 2017.

The successful handlers and dogs were chosen following this year's squad selection process. This year, two selection days were held at Nottingham Trent University, consisting both Agility and Jumping courses. For first time, the squad trained alongside the adult team. Handlers invited to both selection days competed on six courses in total, giving the them plenty of opportunity to impress.

The selection days proved highly successful. The first day was judged by Neil Ellis and the second by guest judge Romain Stein from Luxembourg, who both set a mixture of challenging courses for the competitors. The coaching team, made up of Mark Laker (Team Manager), Paul Moore (Team Coach), Ann Roberts (Team Assistant) and Neil Ellis (Team Co-ordinator) assessed the handlers on both days. Several aspects of the competitors were considered - not only their course performance, but the handler's attitude, fault recovery, and dog's health.

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

Agility Team GB Manager, Mark Laker said, 'After last year's success in Slovakia, even more junior handlers tried out for this year's team. The standard of competition across all heights has been very high.  I am really looking forward to working with the team as we prepare for Luxembourg. Congratulations to all the young handlers who have been selected.'

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said, 'Many congratulations to each young handler and their dog who made it onto YKC Agility Team GB. It's a fantastic opportunity to represent both Great Britain and the YKC, and to develop their agility skills at an international level. We wish them all the best of luck for the European Open Junior Agility Championships later on in the year.'

The teams selected are as follows:-

Crufts 2017 on Telly

You can look forward to a record-breaking 11 and a half hours of television coverage when Crufts returns to Channel 4 and More4 this March to celebrate the world's largest dog show. With Clare Balding at the helm, Channel 4 and More4 will broadcast all the action across the four days of the show, leading up to the grand finale on Sunday when Best in Show will be crowned.

In addition to the traditional evening shows, Channel 4 will be broadcasting an extra one-hour programme from the show in the afternoon on both Thursday and Friday.

Channel 4 and More4 will cover the event at the following times:

On More4

• Thursday, 9th March: 18.30-20.00

• Friday, 10th March: 18.30-19.30

On Channel 4

• Thursday, 9th March: 16.00-17.00 and 20.00-21.00

• Friday, 10th March: 16.00-17.00 and 19.30-21.00

• Saturday, 11th March: 19.00-21.00

• Sunday, 12th March: 18.00-20.30

All of the Arena action from the show will also be shown every day live on the Crufts YouTube channel which can be found at www.youtube.com/crufts.

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 even more of this year's Crufts. 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 enhanced TV coverage will not only bring exciting sports such as agility and flyball into people's homes and 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.

Channel 4 and More4's coverage of Crufts will be produced by Sunset + Vine.

For free downloadable images from Crufts 2017, go to http://www.w-w-i.com/crufts_2017/

KC International Festival Open for Entries

On-line entry is now open to UK competitors for the Kennel Club International Agility Festival, the world's largest agility festival for dogs and their owners.

It's an agility that's known all around the world. For four days from 10th-13th August 2017, over 2,900 dogs and their owners are expected to arrive in the village of Rockingham for the event. During the festival, 18 rings will be set up to host the competition, which will feature dogs of all agility grades and sizes, from all over the world, with over 200 separate classes taking place.

Following the success of last year's event, 17 or more countries from around the world are expected to be represented - all competing to qualify for the top honours at Crufts or Eukanuba Discover Dogs.

Entries can be taken on-line at www.agilityshows.on-line until 15th June 2017.

Classes include:

• The International Class is open to all overseas dogs, working either FCI Grade 3, or a Masters or Championship title in the USA, with the winners qualifying for the British Open final at Crufts 2018.

• The British Open is for all FCI grade 3 dogs, British or Irish Grades 6 or 7 dogs or dog holding a Masters or Championship title in the USA. With the top nine Large dogs and seven Medium and Small dogs together with the top overseas based competitor from each size group, qualifying for the British Open at Crufts 2018.

• The Novice Cup for FCI Grade 3, 4 or 5 dogs or dogs from the USA eligible to compete in Open or Excellent, with the top ten Large and eight Medium and Small qualifying for Crufts 2018.

• The Starters Cup for FCI Grade 1 or 2 dogs or dogs from the USA Novice dogs. The top 12 Large dogs, six Medium dogs and six Small dogs will be invited to compete at the final at Eukanuba Discover Dogs 2017

• The Kennel Club International Young Handler of the year is open to all grades of dog handled by those aged between 6-11, or 12-18.

• The Young Kennel Club Agility and Jumping Dog of the Year is open to all members aged 6-17 years. First and second placed handler and dog in each subdivision at each heat will qualify for Crufts 2018.

• The Nations Cup which sees three dogs representing their country completing a jumping round with a final agility round to decide the overall winners.

CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds' founder, Ceri Rundle said: 'CSJ is thrilled to continue to support the Kennel Club International Agility Festival. It's a big highlight in the agility calendar for us and there's such a different variety of competitions for everyone to enter into. We are looking forward to seeing the wide range of countries and agility levels competing over the course of the four days and would very much encourage people to enter if they enjoy taking part in agility with their dog.'

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: 'We are really looking forward to yet another successful year in Rockingham. There are millions of dog owners in the UK and competing in agility is a great way for them and their dog to keep fit whilst having fun. With a range of different competitions to choose from, and with a fantastic atmosphere over the four days, we can see why the Festival has grown into such a large scale and popular event, attracting people and their dogs from all over the world. It's not just for skilled agility handlers. We welcome beginners to the canine activity and what a great way to start a new hobby or agility career than at the world's largest agility festival.'

Entry to the festival is free for spectators, with parking charged at £5. People are able to come along with their own dogs to enjoy the fun festival atmosphere and even take part in the 'have-a-go' agility ring (for dogs over 18 months), which gives everyone the opportunity to experience the activity for themselves. There is also the opportunity to enter the nation's favourite crossbreed competition, Scruffts Family Crossbreed Dog of the Year, which has classes such as; Golden Oldie, Child's Best Friend, Most Handsome Dog, Prettiest Bitch, Good Citizen Dog Scheme and Best Rescue. The winners of each category will go through to the exciting semi-finals at Eukanuba Discover Dogs in London on 21st and 22nd October.

For agility competitors attending the Border Collie Classic event at the Rutland Showground on 4th-6th August, who also want to attend the Kennel Club International Agility Festival, camping will be extended until Wednesday 9th August so that they have a place to stay in between events. For more information on the Border Collie Classic event please visit http://bordercollieclassic.com/.

The Kennel Club International Festival, which is in its 30th year, is kindly supported by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds

For more information on the Kennel Club International Agility Festival, please visit www.thekennelclub.org.uk/agilityfestival or www.facebook.com/Dogagility.

 FEBRUARY 2017

Kennel Club Release Agility Measuring Video

The Kennel Club has released a short video explaining the process of having a dog measured to compete at agility shows.  

As required under Kennel Club regulations, all dogs competing in Small and Medium height categories must be measured by official agility measurers before they compete at their first agility show. A second measurement must be undertaken 12 to 24 months after the first measurement.

The video goes through the process of what the handler and dog can expect and how the dog should stand, along with measuring advice from one of the Kennel Club's Senior Measurers and Accredited Trainer, Jackie Gardner.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: 'Agility is a fun activity for both dog and handler, but it is important that dogs compete in the correct height category. This is why we are confident that this new video will prove very useful to all people who take part in this discipline, or interested in doing so, as it explains the measuring procedure in a very easy-to-follow format.'

To see what is expected when your dog is being measured or to find a Kennel Club Accredited Measurer or Senior Measurer within your area, please visit the Kennel Club website at where a list of future measuring days is also available.

The Animal Health Co Classic Might Get You Wet

The Animal Health Company is delighted to announce that it will be continuing its Agility competition in 2017. The Animal Health Company Classic will welcome all sizes of Agility dogs in a steeplechase style course that features the Westcotts Water Jump!

Animal Health Company's Sales Manager Jennie Westcott said 'We are delighted to continue sponsorship of this Agility competition with new heat hosts in 2017 and I look forward to meeting everyone at our first heat at the Scunthorpe Championship Agility Show in April.'

With heats across the country - some especially for Medium and Small dogs - there are 12 opportunities in 2017 to qualify for the Autumn final.  

April

• Scunthorpe Championship Agility Show - Winterton, Lincolnshire

May

• Hatton Agility Festival -Warwick, Warwickshire

• Dog Vegas - Matlock, Derbyshire

• Stonebridge DTC -Chelmsford, Essex

June

• Wye Valley DTC - Monmouth, Monmouthshire

• Chipping Norton DTC - Banbury, Oxfordshire

July

• Just Dogs Live Peterborough - Cambridgeshire

August

• Pembrokeshire by The Pond - Haverfordwest   Pembrokeshire

• Welsh Kennel Club Championship Agility Show - Builth Wells, Powys

• The Summer Show - Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

September

• North Derbyshire Championship Agility Show - Southwell, Nottinghamshire

• Paws in the Park - Detling, Kent

The 2017 final of the Animal Health Company Classic will be held at The Autumn Food & Country Fair at the East of England Showground Peterborough on Sunday, 8^th October 2017, kindly judged by Championship Agility Judge Allan Mitchell.

The Animal Health Company wishes everyone a successful 2017 and looks forward to meeting you at an Agility show near you.

The Animal Health Company offers a range of products that will be ideal for the Agility dog including their new food, Westcotts. Unique to the market, it contains HypercCoat Prime a popular supplement. Westcotts, formulated with high levels of chicken and rice, is hypoallergenic, pro-biotic and has no added flavourings or preservatives produced from quality ingredients helping dogs with a sensitive palate. The Animal Health Company website  has all the details.

For more information, contact Animal Health Company Classic, 2 Medley Grove Leamington Spa CV31 2GA 01926 315335 /07831 548911 email rover.pro@outlook.com

Review of SADOTY - Input Please

The Scottish Kennel Club (SKC) is reviewing the format of the Scottish Agility Dog of the Year Competition.  This is a prestigious competition for dogs of all heights – awarded the winner of the final (held in August each year) is awarded the title Scottish Agility Dog of the Year.  Currently there are 15 heats with the winners competing in the finals – held in August each year.  If any changes to the format are decided then these would come in from 2018.

    SKC Agility Co-ordinator Sara Hawkeswell said, 'We would appreciate some simple input from people to help us review if we have the format right and have a an on-line survey to seek input.'

If anyone would  like to complete the survey on paper, then email Sara at sara@dynamicdogs.uk so she can email you a copy that can be printed out and returned.

 The survey closes on Sunday, 5^th March 2017

 JANUARY 2017

Skipper's Pet Products Continues Agility Programme in 2017

Skipper's Pet Products has announced that is it to continue to sponsor a range of classes at Agility Shows across the country in 2017. They will be supporting three classes at each of the following events - one for each size of Agility dog. In addition, all 2016 trophy winners will enjoy a 10% discount during all of 2017 when presenting their Skipper's Plaque at the Skipper's trade stand.

Skipper's are pleased to be supporting the following events in 2017.

April 2017

• Scunthorpe O & ATC Championship & Premier Agility Show - Lincolnshire

May 2017

• Hatton Agility Festival - Warwickshire

• Nottingham Championship & Premier Agility Show - Nottinghamshire

June 2017

• Golden Valley DTC Agility Show - Worcestershire

July 2017

• Just Dogs Live - Cambridgeshire

• Rugby Championship & Premier Agility Show - Staffordshire

August 2017 

• Welsh Kennel Club Championship & Open Agility Show - Powys

September 2017

• Blenheim Agility Weekend - Shropshire

Managing Director of Skipper's Pet Products Steve Moore said, 'We are delighted with our first year involvement with the Agility community and are looking forward to meeting more of you and your very fit dogs during the forthcoming season.'

Kennel Club Members Agree Fee Changes for Show Licences

Kennel Club members agreed to the following changes to fees for show licences at the recent Special General Meeting held in London. The amendments reflect the introduction of limited rally competitions and streamline the regulations to encompass all shows and competitions. The changes ensure that further amendments will not be required should other licence types be introduced.

The amendments also introduce a sliding scale whereby the licence fee would increase with the number of licences applied for by authorised clubs or societies for agility, ie those organisations granted listed status. This is in response to an increasing number of these organisations running high numbers of open agility shows, some of them on a commercial basis; this change does not affect registered clubs and societies whose fees are not being increased.

The changes are as follows:-

Regulation A(C)4.1

TO:

Shows and Trials

4.1 Show Licences etc.

(g) Open Breed Shows, Open Obedience Shows, Open Agility, Open Heelwork to Music Shows, Open Rally Competitions and Open Flyball Competitions (each) organised by Registered Clubs or Societies - £35.00

(h) Open Breed Shows, Open Obedience Shows, Open Agility, Open Heelwork to Music Shows, Open Rally Competitions and Open Flyball Competitions organised by Authorised Clubs or Societies - £60.00

(i) Limited Shows and Competitions organised by Registered Clubs or Societies - £10.00

(j) Limited Agility or Obedience Shows and Competitions organised by Authorised Clubs or Societies - £25.00

(Insertions underlined. Deletions struck through.)

In addition, the following new rules were agreed at the meeting:-

A(C)4.1(p) & A(C)4.1(q)

(p) For Licences issued to Authorised Clubs or Societies for Open Agility Shows there would be no change to fees for up to and including the first 10 licences per year, thereafter from 11-15 licences the fee would be £150 per day and for 16 or more licences a year it would be £250 per day.

(q) For Licences issued to Authorised Clubs or Societies for Limited Agility Shows there would be no change to fees up to and including the first 10 licences per year, thereafter from 11-15 licences the fee would be £100 per day and for 16 or more licences a year it would be £150 per day.

These changes are effective for show licences on or after 1st January 2017 but do not apply to those licences which have already been issued.

iSS Update

As some of you may already be aware, Dave Jolly and Kate Austin resigned their directorships with immediate effect, without giving any notice to iSS, on Friday, 6th Jan 17. After holding key roles within the business for many years, they are now intending to create a new on-line show entering company to compete with iSS.

Facebook is currently flooded with comments suggesting that many iSS customers will move to their competing business. 

Please be assured that shows that are already registered with iSS will continue to be processed fully in the normal way. There may be a slight delay in some services until we resolve the position with Dave and Kate. If they do not return to iSS, then we will have to find people to replace them of course. Their lack of giving us any notice period has made this difficult. iSS acknowledges the value of Dave and Kate and we are working, with our lawyers, to come to a resolution for the benefit of iSS and it's customers. 

For all of you that hold funds with us, please be assured that, if we cannot resolve the position with Dave and Kate, then you will be refunded in full as soon as possible. I would stress that iSS is NOT facing insolvency. Your money is safe, but we would ask that you bear with us whilst we resolve the position with Dave and Kate. We appreciate some may require funds sooner, and we are working with our IT team to set up a safe and secure way to achieve this. We will keep you informed on the iSS website.

This has been a sudden and damaging turn of events but, despite the difficulties faced, services are only suspended temporarily. Dave and Kate are valued in the dog agility community and we fully intend to resolve the position with them, hopefully as part of iSS going forwards. 

Thank you all for your support over the past 15 years. You are what has made iSS the best dog agility on-line entering and processing company in the UK.

June Richardson - Director

Hare 'n Hounds Shows Regrettably Cancelled for 2017

Due to complications following an injury at The Hare 'n Hounds Easter show last year and after advice from her consultant, Chris Hare has decided to cancel all the 2017 Hare 'n Hounds shows.

Chris said, 'I am so sorry, but I have to cancel the Hare n Hounds shows this year at least. It was a heart breaking decision and I spent a long time crying and discussing this with my daughter Jenny but it's doctors orders so I have to. I am so sorry because it's my whole life and I love the shows and the tremendous people I have had the fortune of meeting. I have made friends who multiple beyond belief.'

'I can't even begin to thank people who have helped and supported me and the shows. I'm terribly sorry because I know so many people rely on the shows for competition and business. I have tried to text as many people as possible to personally let them know and I am sorry if I have missed you. Thank you for the overwhelming lovely messages back to me. I have run out of tissues.'

Hopefully the H 'n' H shows will be back for 2018. Jenny will keep the Facebook page going as so many people have charity and training opportunities to promote. She can answer questions with kind help from Heather and Debs.  So keep the purple uniform!

Get well soon, Chris.

Showtime Novice Cup 2017

Following the popularity and great success of the Showtime Novice Cup in 2016, Ian and Sue Malabar have decided to repeat the series under the same format for 2017.

The Judge for the final will be Connor Harley.

Many thanks to Kingdom of Fife, Fair City, Gleniffer, Prestwick, Tweedbank and Bearded Collie Clubs for their support in holding qualifiers again this year. Special thanks must again go to Dundee for being kind enough to host the final at their Championship Show in August.

Agility Team GB Performance Weekend Announced

The Kennel Club has announced the date and judge for the Agility Team GB Squad Performance Weekend, which is due to be run alongside Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts show.

The performance weekend will be held on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd April 2017 at the Lincolnshire Showground. The judge will be Jorge Pires from Portugal and assistant judge will be Neil Ellis.

Dogs and handlers who are not part of the 2017 squad can enter on Sunday 23rd April 2017 to gain experience on international courses designed and judged by an international judge. The coaching team will be looking for a maximum of 12 dogs (four from each height) from the Sunday competition to be invited on to the 2018 squad for the development of dogs and handlers.

The coaching team will be focusing on dogs and/or handlers new to international agility competitions and who show potential as future squad members.

The day is capped at 150 dogs in total, ideally a maximum of 50 dogs per height: large, medium and small. They must be competing at grades 6 or 7.

The closing date for entries is 6th March 2017.

Further information can be found on the Kennel Club website - http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/agility/international-agility-teams/.

CSJ Highland Agility Stakes 2017

This year's final will take place at the Scottish Game Fair on Sunday, 2nd July 2017 at Scone Palace.

Thank you to all the Scottish Clubs who are hosting Small, Medium and Large qualifiers in 2017

Many thanks to CSJ for their ongoing support for this event.

Hatton Agility Festival

The Hatton Festival is set for a fourth consecutive year on Saturday, 6th and Sunday, 7th May 2017 with classes across four dog sports so the public get a great chance to see all the stellar skills displayed. Thanks to the continued support from principal sponsor Royal Canin®, the Festival Weekend will host Agility, Canicross, Heelwork to Music and KC Rally Competitions.

Hatton Agility continues to host Crufts Agility qualifiers. YKC Jumping and YKC Team heats are joined by Anthony Clarke's Agility for Juniors qualifiers. Principal sponsor Royal Canin® hosts a heat of their Agility Challenge while The Animal Health Company makes a splash with its own unique all height Classic. There will be Agria Brillo Bounce heats for both Small and Medium dogs along with a Paws Trading / Dog Vegas Qualifier. The Agility Club Starters Cup completes the qualifiers with graded classes to suit all heights.

Alongside our Young Kennel Club and Agility for Juniors qualifiers, Hatton Festival will be holding more Junior classes that will offer £150 in training grants and a travel bursary for a lucky YKC team member travelling abroad and for several youngsters staying at home in 2017. All the details will be announced on the Country Shows Agility Facebook page later in the New Year.

Kennel Club Rally competitions will be taking place on both days of the Festival . This rapidly developing dog sport is very popular with existing teams and attracts newcomers with classes suited to all breeds and abilities. The weekend boasts six qualifying levels, plus a range of Special classes and a 'Have a Go' ring. Come and join the team, led by Claire Coughlan-Khan, for a great weekend of Rally.

Dancing dogs or perhaps more expressively K9 Performance, lead by Annette Leslie, is at the heart of the Hatton Shopping Village with classes for all ages and abilities. Last year the Crufts winners joined and this year they may be joined by BGT finalists Trip Hazard and Lucy Heath so some great routines are bound to be there to enjoy.

Some of the fittest partnerships take part in Canicross. A newish addition to the dog sport world, Alan Sherwin leads the charge here with some of the last races of the 2016 - 2017 season.

There is also something for older and younger dogs with daily family dog shows supported by Warwick Dog Club and hopefully Guide Dogs.

The Show will be held in the beautiful country location of Hatton Country World, just a few minutes from J15 M40. The venue boasts improved competition areas with better outdoor working surfaces and camping available around the rings as well as its own fantastic pub Hatton Arms, a celebrated farm shop, restaurants, farmyard and a unique shopping village.