Press release:
USDAA Dog Agility Trials
December 16 - 18, 2011
Western North Agricultural Center, Fletcher, NC
Fri. 8:00am - 3:00pm, Sat. & Sun. 8:00am - 3:00pm
Admission is Free

For Immediate Release

The Blue Ridge Agility Club of Western North Carolina will host a United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA) agility trial Friday, December 16 from 8:00am-3:00pm, Saturday and Sunday, December 17 & 18, 2011 from 8:00am-3:00pm. The event will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center McGough Arena in Fletcher. Spectators are welcomed to attend and admission is free. Please leave your dogs comfortably at home.

Over 200 purebred and mixed bred dogs, from throughout the southeast, will compete at various levels of difficulty, against each other and the clock.

USDAA trials include one "standard" run per day, plus 4 "games" – Gamblers, Pairs, Snooker and Jumpers. The dogs compete according to their experience level, Starters, Advanced and Masters, the rules and courses become more difficult at the higher levels.

On Sunday the trial includes a qualification round to enter the USDAA Grand Prix. The local qualifying events lead to regional championships, which entitled the dog to enter the USDAA World Championships. Another local qualifying event will be the USDAA Steeplechase, a two-round tournament with an emphasis on speed. The Dog Agility Steeplechase championships will be held this fall.

Agility is a competitive team sport comprised of a handler and his or her dog. The object of agility is for the handler to navigate the dog through a timed obstacle course without the dog making a mistake. The agility course is comprised of jumps, weave poles, tunnels and climbing apparatuses. Agility rules focus on safety for the dog. The sport of agility combines control, training and drive into a challenging game for both the handler and the dog.

The United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA) is the world's largest independent authority for the sport of dog agility, with more than 25,000 registered competitors and more than 200 different breeds of dogs, including mix breeds. USDAA represents more than 100 affiliated groups throughout the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Japan.

The Western North Carolina Agricultural Center is located off of I-26, exit 40, on Airport Road, across from the Asheville Regional Airport.

For more information visit the web at www.blueridgeagility.com or call 828-697-2118.



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