The selection process for the UK Team is taking place after our annual tryouts have been completed around April time.

Five courses of three Agility and two Jumping are completed over a weekend to provide the selectors with a good cross section of dog handler skills, speed & touch point accuracy. Although there are a number of experienced team colleagues in attendance at the try outs and the “Top Table Team” will stay and discuss the outcomes of the weekend on the Sunday evening (and for many days after getting home!) the ultimate decision is made by the Team Leader. If there are combinations of dogs and handlers of equal ability then we look into if they have been a team member previously and produced podium places at previous championships, if they have competed successfully in UK Champ classes, handlers experience at large events like other international events or Crufts etc.

Once we have filled our 18 available places for the individual competition and 4 dogs in each height, for the team event, then invites to join the team for that year will be sent out. Depending on the number in each height in the try outs and the quality of those dogs it may be that different dogs will be selected for team to those in the individual events.

It is important that we select a team that has the potential to go out and win but also that will be good team members and contribute to a great atmosphere within the team. It has always been Linda’s ethos that if people are enjoying the event and getting along with their team members and having a great time then dogs will ultimately run better with less pressure!

As experienced in previous years, team member decisions have not always been in agreement of some, and that will always be the case no matter what team is being chosen across the agility world but decisions (and the reasons for them) are considered in great details.

Interest in being a member of the UK Team family has really grown over the past years with the 2026 try outs entry filling in just 2 days!