If you love watching or taking part in Agility with your dog, you’ll want to tune in the the 2023 AKC Agility League Championship! The AKC Agility League is a new program that adds a team aspect to a normally-individual sport, sharing your experience with other competitors while earning regional and national rankings. Catch all the fun from September 2-4, only on AKC.tv.
How to Watch the AKC Agility League Championship
This exciting event will be livestreamed from Gray Summit, Missouri on AKC.tv from Saturday September 2 to Monday September 4. Spend your long weekend watching these incredible teams jump, run, and weave to get the fastest times on the indoor turf at Purina Farms.
You can tune in to AKC.tv online or on any smart device with the AKC.tv app. The livestream will cover all three days of the event.
The schedule for the AKC Agility League Championship weekend can be found on the AKC Agility League website. All events and times are subject to change. The top teams and dogs will be honored in the following divisions:
- International/Ph.D
- Senior
- Sophomore
- Freshman
Veteran classes and top junior handlers will also be honored in those four divisions.
What is Agility League?
The AKC Agility League began in May of 2022, and any teams and dogs that have successfully completed one season of the AKC Agility League were eligible to compete in the Agility League Championship. These friendly competitions last for 12 weeks each season, with rankings for teams and individual dogs being released at the end of each two-week round. The best part? You can participate from your home training field while still competing with teams and other dogs across the country. There is a special separate ranking for participating junior handlers, and additional recognition for top league juniors.
The Agility League offers three 12-week seasons each year, where teams compete on one of six courses every two-week round. Scores are submitted to the AKC Agility League at the end of the two week rounds, and each time’s final score is made up of an average of all of the team’s scores.
Divisions are based on skill. There is the Freshman division for dogs who have not yet earned titles, the Sophomore division for dogs with Novice or Open titles, and Senior division, for dogs with titles in Excellent or above. An International division is also offered for handlers looking for more ISC-style courses, and this division is open to all skill levels.
How To Get Involved in Agility League
If you and your dog love Agility and are looking for a more recreational route that still allows you to compete, consider getting involved in the AKC Agility League. You can join a team that already exists, or create your own. Anyone can form a team to compete in the AKC Agility League, including clubs and schools. Each team is made up of three to eight dogs, and teams can mix jump heights and categories (Regular and Preferred). Veterans, dogs who are 10 years and older, may jump up to two heights lower than their true jump height.
Even if you’re on the fence about getting involved yourself, you can head to the Agility League Facebook page to keep up with all the action.
To learn more, visit www.akc.org/akc-agility-league or contact AgilityLeague@akc.org.