| Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
2008 AKC National Agility Championship
Friday, March 28, 2008 - Tulsa, Oklahoma
The wind chilled morning started smoothly with handlers and dogs arriving to huge parking lots and no check in lines. They found the courses already being built by the efficient ring crew headed up by Tom Kotch. The crating area of horse stalls were already decorated showing off the 44 states and 72 breeds represented at the AKC Agility National Championship. The move in and check in of exhibitors was smoothly handled by the Oklahoma volunteers.
Oklahoma agility competitor Lisa Bycroft started the first morning of competition by singing the National Anthem. Sharon Anderson, AKC Agility Director recognized J & J Dog Supplies for their 12 years of sponsorship of the AKC Agility National Championships. Eukanuba once again sponsored the Welcome Reception on Thursday evening and the ISC Class awards for today.
The Tulsa media have been out in full force for the AKC event. All the local television channels have appeared for either full stories or news coverage items. Tulsa People magazine is also featuring dog owners and enjoying the wide variety of dogs presented to them.
The first class of the day was ISC Jumpers with Weaves. The four rings were set with mirror image courses. Volunteer Chair Mary Smith made sure each ring was fully staffed as the first dogs started at 9:15 am. The entry of 723 dogs have now all run their first class and enjoyed the perfect dirt surface and challenging course set for the International Sweepstakes Class and the State Team Tournament.
The Jumpers with Weaves course proved to be a good warm-up for both dogs and handlers this morning. Many handlers were able to take a lead out past to number 2 and a quick clean line to a left sided entry at the weave poles. From there they had a smooth path to jump number 12. At this point on the course handlers had to decide the quickest cleanest way to get their dogs thru the threadle to jump number 13. Many did this clean and efficiently, but others had problems that created refusals into number 13. Once they cleared number 12 a line to number 16 had the dogs moving quickly into the 270 turn form number 16 to number 17. This turn proved to be a test of the handler's ability to communicate clearly with their dogs and know where the dog was at as they made the turn. Those who were unable to do this found their dogs slipping on the inside past jump number 17. Once number 17 was completed dogs and handlers made a beeline to the finish with the crowd cheering them on.
All results are being posted through out the day on the AKC website. Tune in to see what state wins the new title of State Champion for 2008 and who the top dogs are in the 14, 18 and 26 inch classes.
Final Post
At the end of the day the winners of the ISC classes were announced. The winners of the top cumulative score for the day will we invited to the AKC World Team Tryouts in May.
26" Class
1st: MACH Hob Nob I.O. Ewe, Border Collie - Owner: Jef Blake
2nd: MACH Hob Nob Shaper Image XF, Border Collie - Owner: Geri Hernandez
3rd: MACH Bluefire Causin' Commotion NF, Border Collie - Owner: Ann Braue
18" Class
1st: MACH Dylan MXF, Rat Terrier - Owner: Angie Benacquisto
2nd: MACH4 Romayne's Prairie Skye VCD1 TDX XF, Shetland Sheepdog - Owner: Lori Michaels
3rd: MACH2 Devil's Surprise OF, Shetland Sheepdog - Owner: Diane Goodspeed
14" Class
1st: MACH4 Hilltop Kelsi Lee Kinsella, Shetland Sheepdog - Owner: Dee Anna Gamel
2nd: MACH3 Tell-Tail's Tri to Imagine XF, Cocker Spaniel - Owner: Irene Barrie
3rd: MACH 2 Cosmo Omega Edward-Jones, Poodle - Owners: Lynne Edwards & Tom Jones
The day concluded with the top five states running for the bragging rights for the next year as the top agility state in the country. Coming into the finals they were ranked from 1st thru 5th as follows: California, Wisconsin, Virginia, Washington and Ohio.
And the winning state for 2008 is... WISCONSIN!!!!!!
Running for glory for the state of Wisconsin were Ann Braue with Spree & Scream; Doug Brejcha and Lexi; Tammy Cutsforth and Skye.
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| Wisconsin - The Winning State for 2008 |
Results
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (08 inch)
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (12 inch)
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (14 inch)
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (16 inch)
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (18 inch)
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (20 inch)
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (24 inch)
- Results - Round 2, ISC Standard (26 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (08 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (12 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (14 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (16 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (18 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (20 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (24 inch)
- Results - Round 1, ISC Jumpers With Weaves (26 inch)
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 - Laura English (Judge), Dee Anna Gamel and Kelsi, Irene Barrie
and Tanner, Tom Jones and Cosmo, and Nancy Gyes (AKC World Team Coach)', 510, 500)) |
 - Laura English (Judge), Jeff Blake and Voucher, Geri Hernandez
and Focus, Anne Braue and Scream, and Nancy Gyes (AKC World Team Coach)', 510, 500)) |
 - Pam Sturtz (Judge), Angie Benacquisto and Dylan, Lori
Michaels and Skye, Diane Goodspeed and Demon, and Nancy Gyes (AKC World Team Coach)', 510, 500)) |
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