History of Agility, Part 1
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HistoryBy Brenna Fender of Agility, Part 1 Staring at an empty ring at a dog show is boring. Organizers But Varley knew more about horse show jumping than about training dogs. To help him design a dog jumping competition, of the Crufts Dog Show in England knew that. So in 1977 he contacted Peter Meanwell, a working trials exhibitor with extensive dog training experience. Meanwell’s assignment was to create a dog-safe, spectator-friendly event that could be committee member John Varley set out to create a different performed on Olympia’s hard floor. Meanwell recruited friends Stuart Gillam, Kevin Foster, Albert kind of demonstration to fill the time between the end of Davies, Trevor Jones, and Fred Welham to help build equipment for the demo. Experience in working trials, which are similar to the obedience championship and the beginning of group Schutzhund, helped Meanwell and his friends shape the basics of the dog jumping event. judging at England’s biggest dog show. Soon Meanwell realized that the demo would be more attractive to spectators if it had a competitive edge. So he set up two teams: his own Lincolnshire Alsatian Association and All Breeds Training Society and Jones’s Yorkshire Working Trials Training 1977—Peter Meanwell, 2/10/78—First dem- 1979—Agility returns to 12/79—First Pedigree 1980—First agility a trainer of Working onstration of agility in Crufts as a competitive Chum Agility Stakes event is held under U.K. Trial dogs in the U.K., is the world at Crufts Dog event. Finals at the Olympia Kennel Club regulations. asked to create a dog Show in England; Peter Christmas Horse Show; Originally the course at jumping event to amuse Meanwell and his dog, Crufts was in the shape of a Pedigree is the first figure eight with the table at spectators waiting for WT Ch. Jamie of Petricas, the crossover point. That was national sponsor of group judging at Crufts won with a clean round. also where the dog started agility in the U.K. and and finished. Dog Show. He is strongly it continues to support influenced by a jumpers agility today. Qualifying Peter Meanwell, the father of course presented in for the Pedigree Finals is agility. From AgilityNet.com the early to mid-1970s a great accomplishment at an Agricultural Fair for U.K. exhibitors. in England as well as Courtesy Pamela Green by RAF Canine Corps exercises. 1984-1985—The basics 1986—United States 11/8/86—First USDAA of agility according to Dog Agility Association competition is held in Charles “Bud” Kramer (USDAA) is formed Houston, Texas at the are printed in Front and through collaborative Astrohall. It is a team Finish magazine. efforts of Ken Tatsch event, involving 16 dogs and Sandra Davis. and their handlers that represent USDAA’s first two groups—DAWG and ADEPT—from Dallas and Charles (Bud) Kramer El Paso, respectively. and his Springer Swinger. Courtesy Bud Kramer ADEPT of El Paso, Texas was one of the first agility groups. Courtesy Sandra Davis 32 Clean Run | July 04 1977–1983 Society. Matching uniforms added the final touch, and the event a set of official rules that were effective January 1, 1980. Peter was ready for its Crufts debut. Lewis, a friend of Meanwell’s and an accomplished working trials On February 10, 1978, two teams of four dogs stepped into the competitor in his own right, headed the committee that created ring, and agility was born. Simple rules and speedy rounds made rules for the new dog sport they named “agility.” for tremendous spectator appeal. Faults were more obvious and The original Kennel Club regulations did not suggest how easier to understand than in conformation shows and obedience this new sport should be judged. Lewis devised a system of trials. Crowd reaction was good enough to ensure that a jumping signals through which the judge could indicate faults. The competition would be invited back the following year. In 1979, 1980 competition at Crufts was the first test run under the the Crufts event was followed in December by the Finals of the new Kennel Club rules. Meanwell was the judge, and he asked Pedigree Chum Agility Stakes at the International Horse Show Lewis to record faults. “I was acting as what we now know as at Olympia. This began Pedigree’s long standing sponsorship of his scribe,” says Lewis. dog jumping competitions in the U.K. In an attempt to further refine the sport, Lewis and friends, Soon dog trainers copied the basics of these events, adapting Angela and Bill Chuter, spent many hours determining the what they saw at Crufts. Complaints to the United Kingdom judge’s responsibilities, including working out a path that Kennel Club about “illegal” dog jumping competitions led to allowed the judge to be in necessary places at the right times. 1981—First book 1983—Ken Tatsch on agility, The Agility meets Peter Lewis, Dog by Peter Lewis, one of agility’s original is published. participants, at Crufts. The book was later Peter Lewis talks to Ken revised and expanded about starting an agility into The Agility Dog organization in the U.S. International. An early British agility trial. From AgilityNet.com Ken Tatsch and Peter Lewis discuss course design at one of their early meetings. Courtesy Ken Tatsch 1/87—The National 8/5/88—First USDAA 5/5/90—First Committee for Dog Grand Prix of Dog Agility USDAA title is Agility (NCDA) is created is held in Houston, earned. The Agility by Bud Kramer, his Texas. There are three Dog® (AD) title is wife, Lou Ann, and his jump heights competing achieved by Alaina daughter, Vel. against each other. Axford and her Joyce Zmek and her Portuguese Water Shetland Sheepdog, Dog, Cooper, in Trooper, win the event. Danville, Virginia. Six dogs earned their Agility Dog title in May 1990. Judge Sue Henry with (left to right): Julie Daniels and Arrow and Jessy, Fran Hoffman and Ali, Alaina Axford-Moore and Cooper, Marilyn Belli and Jessie, and Sally Glei and Sophie. Courtesy Ken Tatsch Bud Kramer, a university professor by day, spent most of his spare time developing the ideas and concepts of agility. Courtesy Bud Kramer July 04 | Clean Run 33 4/27/91—First USDAA 5/25/91—First USDAA 6/11/91—First USDAA 1993—North American Advanced Agility Dog® Dog Agility Masters® World Team competes at Dog Agility Council (AAD) title is earned by Team tournament is the FCI World Dog Show (NADAC) is formed by JoAnn Kelley and her held in Philadelphia, in Germany. The team Sharon Nelson. Shetland Sheepdog, Pennsylvania. finishes in third place. Cuddles. Sharon Nelson, founder of NADAC. Courtesy Sharon Nelson Now agility is bigger than one person, club, or country,” JoAnn Kelly and Cuddles on the podium at the 1993 USDAA Nationals. says Lewis. “In other words, it is here to stay. © Wayne Cott “ 8/93—The American 8/13/94—First AKC- Kennel Club (AKC) has licensed agility trial is an advisory committee held at the Astrodome meeting in Pennsylvania in Houston, Texas. John to decide whether the Loomis judges and 181 organization should dogs enter. add agility to their performance events. Sharon Anderson is named AKC consultant on agility. Courtesy Rebecca Raths O’Sell The first AKC trial was held in 1994 in a fully-sodded Astrohall in Houston, Texas. Courtesy Jane Simmons-Moake 7/1/95—First Standard 10/13/95—First 4/26/96—First USDAA 10/4/96—First AKC NADAC Agility Trial NADAC National Spring Festival of World Team competes Champion (NATCH) title Championship is held in Dog Agility® is held in in Morges, Switzerland is completed by Barb Olympia, Washington. Lexington, Kentucky. at the FCI Agility World Benner and her Belgian Championship. Only a Malinois, Lexy. large dog team is sent, Barb Benner and Lexy and they finish in 9th of Spokane, Washington place overall. earned the first NADAC NATCH title. Courtesy Barb Benner First FCI Agility World Championships in Morges, Switzerland on dirt over an ice arena. Courtesy Jane Simmons- Moake First AKC/USA Team (left to right): Karen Moureaux and Dallas, Pati Hatfield-Mah and Lily, Jane Simmons-Moake and Holly, Stuart Mah and Recce, Nancy Gyes and Scud, Sharon Anderson. Courtesy Jane Simmons-Moake 34 Clean Run | July 04 1/31/93—First USDAA 6/3/93—First 7/3/93—First 7/4/93—First NADAC Masters Agility Dog® USDAA Junior Handler NADAC trial title is earned by Sharon (MAD) title is earned by competition is held. is held at and Amanda Nelson and JoAnn Kelley and her Frontier Park Corgi, Sunny. Shetland Sheepdog, in Graham, Cuddles. Washington. The USDAA Junior Handler program started in 1993 and is part of the nationals each year. © Skipper Productions Amanda Nelson and her Corgi Sunny earned the first Now agility is bigger than one person, club, or country,” NADAC agility title in 1993 (with her mother Sharon Nelson). Courtesy Amanda Nelson says Lewis. “In other words, it is here to stay. – Peter Lewis 8/26/94—First AKC 1995—The United 3/18/95—First 5/25/95—First issue Novice Agility (NA) title Kennel Club (UKC) takes USDAA Agility Dog of a weekly newsletter is earned by Rebecca over the NCDA program. Champion® title on agility training is sent Raths O’Sell and her is earned by Laura” out. Clean Run Vol.1, #1 Corgi, Colby, at the Yarbrough and her is eight (photocopied) AKC’s second agility Pomeranian, Cody. pages stapled together. trial held by the St. Croix Kennel Club in Minnesota.