April 22, 2022
Due to a paper shortage the printing/mailing of Agility Jump Height Cards is experiencing a delay. We hope to be able to start sending them out again mid-May.
February 10, 2022
Board Policy Provisions Extended
At their February 2022 meeting, the AKC Board of Directors reviewed the temporary provisions that have been put in place to assist clubs during the pandemic. The Board decided to extend or make permanent several of the provisions for the sports. Specifically for obedience and rally the following have been extended.
Two-judge requirement to title
The Board policy requires a dog to receive three passes under two different judges for a title. This has been temporarily suspended for lower-level classes in obedience (10 titles), rally (four titles) and agility (18 titles).
This provision was extended and is set to expire on December 31, 2022.
Date and mileage restrictions for Companion Event judges
The Board policy restricts judges in the acceptance of their assignments – 30 days and 100 miles for obedience/rally; 30 days and 200 miles for agility. This requirement has been temporarily suspended.
This provision was extended and is set to expire on December 31, 2022.
January 24, 2022
AKC will be holding an Agility Judge Certification (formally known as the New Judge’s seminar) the weekend of August 12-14, 2022 in Ham Lake, Minnesota, hosted by On The Run Canine Center.
The eligibility requirements for attending the seminar are listed here.
To receive a Cover Letter and the Seminar Application regarding the Agility Judge Certification, send email to steve.herwig@akc.org
December 29, 2021
AKC Welcomes New Agility Field Representative Steve Larrison
On January 10, 2022 the AKC Agility Department will welcome Steve Larrison as their newest Executive Field Representative.
Steve Larrison has been a dog owner his entire adult life. He settled in with Labrador Retrievers early on until one day, about 16 years ago, he went quail hunting behind some fantastic pointing dogs. He was hooked. A couple years later he had his first Vizsla. Shortly thereafter he acquired a second. The show ring followed for a couple years, then into the field to do what they were born to do…. HUNT. In 2011, the summer was too hot to train for field work, so he decided to give the sport of agility a try to keep his dogs in shape. That is all it took, the agility bug bit him. One of his dogs, Vegas, took to the sport much more than the other, to the point that in Aug of 2015, Steve and Vegas achieved their first MACH. Vegas retired from agility with her MACH3. About the time she was retiring another Vizsla (Libby) came available through a rescue situation. Libby is now working her way through agility and has found a special liking to scent work. His newest addition came in October, a 2-month-old Vizsla puppy named “River”. Her calendar will start to fill up as she gets older.
Steve has achieved a National Agility Championship (NAC) qualification every year that he was eligible. He is most proud that in 2017, he and Vegas were honored to qualify for the 24” NAC FINALS. The sport has given him and his dogs so much enjoyment that in 2017 he decided to “pay it forward” by attending the AKC Agility Judging Seminar in May of that year. He has since had many judging assignments all across the nation.
Steve holds a M.B.A and is a licensed Master Electrician in the State of Texas. He is presently retired from his electrical contracting company. He has worked in the construction and cattle industries all his life. He is a husband (for 41 years) to a wonderful lady, Janelle, a dad to one daughter and “Poppy” to two fantastic grandkids. He is a member of local Vizsla clubs and the Vizsla Club of America.
Steve is excited to join the AKC Agility Department and is thrilled to be able to “give back” to a sport that has given him so much.
October 19, 2021
At their October 2021 meeting the AKC Board voted on the following Regulations:
The Board approved a permanent change to the Regulations for Agility Trials effective for agility trials occurring on and after January 1, 2022:
(1) Agility – Exhibitors will continue to be allowed to carry their leashes during their agility runs, i.e., place leashes in their pockets when running the course or wear on themselves (i.e., clip like a belt around the waist) effective for all trials. This temporary modification will be made a permanent part of the Regulations effective January 1, 2022.