ENTRIES NOW OPEN FOR RETURN OF TOP DOG AGILITY FESTIVAL
The Kennel Club International Agility Festival will take place from 11-14 August 2022
Online entry is now open for The Kennel Club International Agility Festival, the world’s largest agility festival for dogs and their owners, for the second year in its new home of Rutland Showground, from 11 – 14 August 2022.
During the festival, 18 rings will 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.
The Kennel Club International Agility Festival, which is being held for the 17th time, welcomes all dogs and is once again supported by Skinner’s, who are set to continue to sponsor the event until at least 2025.
Entries can be submitted online at firstplaceprocessing.com with payment open until 9 June 2022.
Classes include:
The British Open is for all FCI grade 3 dogs, British or Irish grades 6 or 7 dogs or dogs holding a Masters or Championship title in the USA. The top seven large, intermediate, medium and small dogs, together with the top overseas based competitor from each size group, will compete for the British Open final which will be held on Sunday 14 August at the International Agility Festival for the first time.
The Special International Class, open to all overseas dogs eligible for FCI Grade 3 classes (or equivalent), or holding a Masters or Championship Title in the USA. Only dogs that reside outside the UK are eligible for this class, with the winners in each height (large, medium and small) subsequently invited to compete in the Crufts Singles at Crufts 2023.
The Novice Cup is open for British and Irish grade 3, 4 and 5 dogs. Dogs and handlers who qualify for the semi-final from this qualifier, and qualifiers across the country, will compete in the semi-final on Saturday 13 August, with finalists going on to compete at Crufts 2023.
The Starters Cup is for all British and Irish grade 1 and 2 dogs. The top six large, intermediate, medium and small dogs from the semi-final round of the Starters Cup will be invited to compete at the final at Discover Dogs 2022.
The Nations Cup sees three dogs representing their country competing in a jumping round with a final agility round to decide the overall winners. The top team from each height: three large, intermediate, medium and small dogs will be invited to compete individually in the British Open Final, to be held on Sunday at the festival.
The Young Kennel Club (YKC) Pairs is open to YKC members only, aged 6-24 years. Pairs must both use the same size dog. Once a qualifier has been entered, members may not switch dogs or handlers. The pair who are placed first in each category will qualify for Crufts 2023.
The Young Kennel Club Agility Dog of the Year and Under 18 Years Jumping are open to all YKC members aged 6-17 years. If a member and dog combination accumulates 30 points or more, they will qualify for Crufts 2023. Please note that members may only compete with one dog. Should a member qualify with more than one dog, then only one may compete, with the other only used as a reserve in the event that the first choice is unavailable.
Hiedi Hutchinson, Marketing Director for Skinner’s said: "We are proud to be the headline sponsor of The Kennel Club International Agility Festival for yet another year. Both our Field & Trial and Get Out & Go! ranges have been nutritionally formulated to support active dogs and are ideal for performance dogs that compete in agility.
“Our team will be on hand to offer nutritional advice to competitors and visitors at Rutland Showground from 11-14 August 2022. Until then, we would like to wish all of those competing and training for the event the very best of luck.”
Vanessa McAlpine, Events Executive at The Kennel Club said: “The Kennel Club is once again looking forward to welcoming back canine competitors of all ages and breeds, to compete in this year’s International Agility Festival.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for competitors to display the hard work they’ve dedicated to agility whilst also strengthening the bond between dog and owner.
“There’s something for everyone at the festival, with a wide range of competitions, not only for seasoned professionals, but also for beginners, and there is no better way to get started in agility than at the world’s largest agility festival.”
More information on The Kennel Club International Agility Festival can be found at thekennelclub.org.uk/iaf or via The Kennel Club’s dedicated Facebook page: