Dog agility

Kennel Club Dog Agility

In 2005 The Kennel Club took over sponsorship of the Dog Agility Finals at Olympia and as ever the competition was fast and furious and the crowd loved it!

There is now dog agility at almost every performance and the main competition has remained The Kennel Club Agility Stakes Finals. Twelve heats are held for this competition countrywide with up to 500 dogs competing in each heat. The top ten dogs from each of these heats is invited to compete in one of six semi-finals.

From the 20 dogs competing in each of these semi finals, the top five are then invited forward to compete in an Olympia semi final.

From this 30 dog Olympia semi final, the top eight are invited to go forward to the Grand Final in the Main Ring.

The Kennel Club Mini Agility Stakes started at Olympia in 1987. To qualify for this final, handlers have to achieve a first or second place in one of the ten heats held countrywide and all the dogs that compete in these heats (and there can be up to 250 minis in each one) have to measure less than 15 inches to the shoulders/ withers. These first two dogs are invited forward to a semi final held at the City of Birmingham Championship held at Birmingham in September. The first ten dogs from this 20 dog semi final are then invited to compete in the Grand Final at Olympia on the Sunday evening of the show.

Winner of the dog agility final Spellcast made in Heaven & Toni Dawkins

The Kennel Club ABC All Stars Agility Final

The Kennel Club ABC All Stars Agility Final has proved to be another very popular event at Olympia. The ABC in the title stands for Anything But a Collie. As agility in the UK has become dominated by collies due to their intelligence, speed, athletic build and receptiveness to training, the need arose for a competition that would showcase all the other breeds. The participants are chosen from the final of a The Kennel Club supported competition held during the Summer with the top eight different breeds being invited to compete at Olympia.

All dog agility handlers who compete at Olympia are also invited to compete in one of the other events held at Olympia which could be Pairs Relay, Speed Jumping or Knock Outs. One thing Olympia definitely isn’t as far as dog agility is concerned, is a demonstration. Every dog agility handler at Olympia is there for one reason - to compete to win!

The current time-table is:

Thursday 18th - Medium dogs afternoon and evening

Friday 19th - Small dogs afternoon and evening

Saturday 20th - Large dogs, morning, afternoon and evening

Sunday 21st - Novice dogs, morning, afternoon and evening

Monday 22nd - ABC dogs, afternoon and evening

To find out more about Dog Agility visit the Kennel Club website on www.the-kennel-club.org.uk