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EASBTC AGILITY SHOW 2004
by
Lesley McFadyen
On a bright and chilly Saturday morning, 9th October 2004, a piece of Staffordshire Bull Terrier history was made: The East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club held a KC licensed agility show - the first ever of its kind, limited to the SBT breed only - at the Sacrewell Farm & Country Centre, Peterborough.
Entrants came from as far afield as Kent, Wiltshire and Wales! Spectators had also travelled
from great distances: as far as Leeds and even Scotland. The winner of two of the classes
travelled from Morecambe in the North West and stayed over the night before.
There were four classes. The agility course includes all the equipment, including contact
equipment, e.g. dog walk, 'A' frame and see-saw. The course should be negotiated in a set
time, with faults being incurred for dogs that do not touch the contacts (marked in different
colours) on the equipment. The helter skelter is similar to a jumping course (i.e. without any
contact equipment). It is designed in either an ever increasing or decreasing circle. The jumping course has approximately twenty items of equipment e.g. jumps, weaves, tyre and both types of tunnel, but excluding any contact equipment. The course is negotiated in a set time and the fastest clear round wins. Finally the power/speed class which is a course of two halves! The Power section, which is first, contains all the contact equipment, a long jump, spread and weaves. If the competitor completes this section without fault the handler then progresses to the speed section, which is a short jumping course. The fastest competitor clear in this section is the winner. Alan Humphreys judged the first two classes followed by wife, Janet, judging the final two classes. Both Alan and Janet are well established in the agility world, owning GSDs themselves and training agility at an East Anglian club.
The ‘role of honour’ for the winners at the Agility show reads as follows:
Class 1 Agility 1st MARIZ ROYAL GUARDSMAN
2nd BALDRICK DOT COM
3rd CROSSGUNS THONG SONG
Class 2 Helter skelter 1st CROSSGUNS THONG SONG
2nd SPARKLING BRASS LASS
3rd DAYDREAM BELIEVER
Class 3 Jumping 1st MARIZ ROYAL GUARDSMAN
2nd DAYDREAM BELIEVER
3rd ARAIDH SWEETEST TABOO
Class 4 Power/Speed 1st ARAIDH SWEETEST TABOO
2nd MARIZ ROYAL GUARDSMAN
3rd KING KENYATTA
The serious agility competitors showed the breed's intelligence and athleticism to its utmost, covering the courses with precision and speed whilst some of the more novice competitors just enjoyed their chance to go round the course, albeit in a much more sedate fashion. Whilst all the dogs were superb, showing their true Stafford nature in playing the clown and acting for the audience, a special mention must be made of 'Charles of Stibbington' (Charlie) who stole the audience hearts with his antics and Meg (Boadicea Herself) who at twelve years old showed that age is no deterrent to a Stafford enjoying agility!
At the end of a very exciting day everyone went home tired but fired with enthusiasm. Thanks must go to the very willing extra pairs of hands that made the day run so well as well as to the devotees who travelled to ensure that this piece of history took place. It may have been the first Stafford agility show - it won't be the last! The EASBTC is planning to hold a second Limited Agility Show in conjunction with it’s September Open Show on 17th September 2005 at Stanton in Suffolk.
