The fun event which became a premier competition
This
is the twenty-fourth year that the Pedigree Agility Stakes Final
has been held at the Olympia International Christmas Horse Show.
From its beginnings in 1979, where it was a bit of a fun event
and an added attraction, this competition has grown to become
one of the premier dog agility finals in the world.
Dog agility is now a major canine sport throughout the world
in countries as diverse as Russia, Japan, Australia and the
USA. Indeed, just a couple of months ago a UK team competed
at the World Agility Championships in Germany, and came back
with a silver and a bronze medal. At Olympia this year, we will
be seeing some of the competitors who competed for the UK at
these World Championships.
As usual, the qualifying process to compete in the finals at
Olympia is very rigorous. For the large dogs, twelve heats were
held at Open and Championship Agility Shows throughout the UK
with up to 450 dogs competing in each competition and the best
10 dogs from each of these competitions being invited to one
of the six semi finals, three of which were held at the Royal
Show and three at the Town & Country Festival at Stoneleigh.
This process whittles down over 5,000 dogs to the top 120 and
from the 20 which compete at each of these six semi finals,
the top five are invited through to the Grand Final at Olympia.
However, the qualifying process does not stop there, as on the
Saturday morning at Olympia these top 30 dogs compete and only
the top eight are invited through to the Main Ring on the Saturday
evening. Perhaps this is why it has remained the premier competition;
all the top handlers in this sport want to get to Olympia but
they know that the standard in the final will be extremely high
and you cannot get through to Olympia on a one-off good run
- consistency in good performance is what is needed.
Once more the Pedigree Mini Dogs will be joining us on Friday,
and even for the Minis the qualifying process is just as rigorous.
Ten heats are held at Open and Championship Agility Shows throughout
the UK with up to 250 dogs competing at each. Only the top two
dogs from each of these heats are invited forward to a semi
final at the City of Birmingham show in September, so from an
initial starting list of over 2000 dogs we have 20 dogs in our
semi-final and then the best 10 from Birmingham are invited
to compete in the final at Olympia.
This system ensures that once more we will see the cream of
mini dog agility competing in these finals.
The third event at Olympia is the Pedigree ABC Agility Final,
with "ABC" standing for "Anything But a Collie".
In large dog classes the Border Collies and Working Sheepdogs
seem to take all the top spots, in no small part due to their
intelligence, ability to turn on a sixpence, trainability and
sheer enthusiasm. The ABC class highlights all the other breeds
which, as you will see, are anything but slow and are sure to
provide us with a very exciting event.
On the Sunday at Olympia, it is the turn of the international
dogs as for the third year we have the Pedigree European Agility
Cup with competitors from Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium,
Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Austria and of course the top placed
English handler from the final of the Pedigree Agility Stakes
held on the Saturday evening. This competition grows in importance
every year and more of the top European competitors are going
through the procedures for their dogs to comply with the British
Pet Passport Scheme as they strive to qualify for this major
event. All the European competitors will have taken top honours
in classes in their own country in order to be recommended as
an entrant for this major European agility competition.
Different
On the final day at Olympia we have a new competition and something
slightly different as it is the debut of the Pedigree Flyball
Competition. It is noisy, fast and furious and you have to watch
very very closely to see which team is in the lead. There will
be four teams competing in this initial competition representing
four of the major UK dog training clubs. Four dogs compete in
each team and it is judged on a knockout basis. The team which
goes through to the next round will be the team that can get
four dogs down the racing lane to collect a ball from the flyball
box without faults and back again in the fastest time. Be sure
not to miss this as it is the one competition which raises the
roof at Crufts!
Judging any major final is an honour but to judge a Pedigree
Final at Olympia is a highlight of anyones career and
this year we are pleased to welcome Mr Barrie Harvey. Barrie
is one of the top trainers, handlers and judges in the UK and
has handled his dogs in many of the countrys finals including
Crufts. He has also been a previous judge of Crufts dog agility.
The list of competitors from this years finals reads like
a "Whos Who" of dog agility with top competitors
from throughout the British Isles and Europe competing. Just
competing at Olympia is the best Christmas present that any
dog agility handler can have. But of course the final accolade
would be to take home one of the beautiful pieces of Pedigree
engraved crystal engraved with the words "Pedigree Agility
Winner at Olympia 2002".
Photo
by Kit Houghton
Lesley Olden with Ag Ch Waggerland Whoosh of Nedlo
receiving their 2001 award from Tom Grant, National Breed Manager
of Pedigree.
Photo
by Kit Houghton
Lisa Bailey and Nora Batty, on their way to winning
the 2001 Pedigree Schmackos Mini Agility Stakes Final.