Agility at The London International Horse Show

The following regulations apply to all qualifying agility heats and Finals.

The competition will be held under Kennel Club rules and regulations for agility and any handler entering the competition will be deemed to have agreed to abide by these rules and regulations. 

There will be ten heats for each height, held at Kennel Club licensed shows throughout the country between 1 March and 31 October.

All heats must take place at Kennel Club licensed shows and the class name in the schedule should replicate exactly the name of the competition as stated in these rules and regulations.

Course design should reflect that expected in the main Crufts arena.

Dogs entered in any heats must be eligible for the competition entered. Judges have the right to check the dog’s Kennel Club Agility Record Book to ensure the dog is running in the correct height category. 

The handler that qualifies a dog in the heats will be the handler that competes in the Crufts Final, handler substitutions are not allowed. 

If a qualified handler or dog is unable/unfit to attend the Final, the reserve will be the next placed dog at the qualifier at which the withdrawn dog qualified. 

An entry fee will be charged for each dog at Crufts. 

Note for show societies: All results from these heats must be sent to the Working Dog Activities Team at the Kennel Club within 14 days of the show date (These rules will be amended if any changes are made to Kennel Club Agility Regulations during the course of the competition year).

• All events will be run as a combined 1-7 class.
• Course design should be set at Grade 5 level.
• Novice will be removed from the event titles.
• There will be ten heats across the country between 1 March and 31 October.
• The top two unqualified dogs will go through to the Semi-Final (20 dogs for each event). The Semi-Final will be held alongside at The London International Horse Show at ExCel in December.
• The top ten from each Semi-Final will qualify for the Final at Crufts.

Eligibility

• Qualifying heats will be scheduled as a special combined class for grades 1 to 7 in medium. intermediate and large dog heights.
• Courses will be set at Grade 5 level.
• This competition is a special agility competition open to all medium dogs, intermediate dogs and large dogs excluding Border Collies, Working Sheepdogs and any of their crosses. Any concerns regarding a dog’s eligibility should be recorded in the Incident Book and reported to The Kennel Club.
• Those dogs eligible to compete in competition in the medium dog competition are those measuring over 350mm and those measuring 430mm or under at the withers. Intermediate are those measuring over 430mm and measuring 500mm or under at the withers and Large dogs are those measuring over 500mm at the withers.

Qualifying

• There will be ten qualifying heats throughout the year for each height, medium, intermediate and large. The first two unqualified placed dogs in each heat at each height will automatically qualify for the Semi-Final to be held at The London International Horse Show at ExCel in December.
• The Semi-Final will consist of one round of agility competition and one round of jumping competition. The winning partnership will be those with the least combined faults in the fasted combined time calculated over the two rounds of the Semi-Final. If there is equality of faults and time, the agility round faults followed by time will take precedence.
• The first ten placed dogs in each height at the Semi-Final will be invited to compete in the finals to be held at Crufts Dog Show, NEC Birmingham the following March.
• The final will consist of one round of jumping and one round of agility competition. The winning partnership will be those with the least combined faults in the fasted combined time calculated over the two rounds of the Final. If there is equality of faults and time, the agility round faults followed by time will take precedence.
• Competitors may enter more than one dog in a heats and Semi-Final but can only qualify one dog for the final. The highest placed dog will qualify for the Final and places will roll down to the next placed eligible dog.
• There will be no restriction on the number of dogs from each breed that are eligible to compete in the Final.
• If a qualified handler or dog is unable/unfit to attend the Semi-Final, the reserve will be the next placed dog at the qualifier at which the withdrawn dog qualified. If a qualified handler or dog is unable/unfit to attend the Final, the reserve will be the next placed dog from the Semi-Final.
• Please note that there will be an entry charge for the Semi-Final at The London International Horse Show at ExCel and at the Finals at Crufts. Car parking won’t be provided by The Kennel Club.

• All events will be run as a combined 1-7 class.
• Course design should be set at Grade 3-5 level.
• There will be 10 heats across the country between 1 March and 31 October.
• The first placed unqualified pair will go straight through to the Final (10 pairs). The Final will be held at The London International Horse Show at Excel in December.

Competition Rules

• The competition is open to small dogs, partnering a medium dog, intermediate dog or a large dog, and heats will be scheduled as a Special combined class for grades 1 to 7.
• There must be a minimum of 12 obstacles and a maximum of 15 obstacles for each height and at least one height must have a set of weaves.
• This is a relay competition with a baton change taking place either in a box or behind a line at the judges’ discretion.
• No part of the next dog/handler must be over the start line at the changeover; failure to observe this will incur a penalty of 20 faults. A dropped baton or baton on the floor at any time during the run will incur a penalty of 20 faults.
• An elimination will incur a penalty of 100 faults. Once a dog has been eliminated it cannot incur further faults. However, if either member of the pair fail to complete the course correctly or either of the dogs foul the ring the pair will be disqualified.
• The competition will involve changes of height of the obstacles being jumped by the medium/intermediate/large dogs during the class. The judge will decide which height of dog to start with and will announce the changes of height when relevant.  It is the competitors’ responsibility to be available accordingly.  The course will be walked by everyone before the beginning of the class.

Eligibility

• The competition is open to two dogs with separate handlers. One dog must be a small dog, 350mm or under at the withers, the partner can be a medium dog, over 350mm but 430mm or under at the withers, or an intermediate dog over 430mm and measuring 500mm or under at the withers, or a large dog over 500mm.

Qualifying

• There will be 10 qualifying heats throughout the year. The first unqualified placed pair in each heat will automatically qualify for the Final to be held at The London International Horse Show at ExCel in December.
• Handlers with more than one dog may enter in more than one pair. However, they may only qualify with one dog for the Final. No substitute handlers will be allowed in the Final.
• The Final will consist of two rounds of jumping competition. The winners of The Kennel Club Small / Mixi Pairs will be the pair with the least combined faults in the fastest combined time calculated over the two rounds of the Final.
• If a qualified pair, handler or dog is unable/unfit to attend the Final, no substitutes will be allowed. The reserves will be the next placed pair at the qualifier at which the withdrawn pair qualified.
• Please note that there will be an entry charge, and car parking won’t be provided by The Kennel Club.

To qualify for the Starters Cup Final, you will need to enter the class at The International Agility Festival. More information about this event can be found here once the schedule is live in 2025.