International-style Dog Agility Event Slated for Tyler, Texas

NEWS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Maddie Suvak
440-543-8615 / ms@yp-pr.com
Photos Available Upon Request

 

International-style Dog Agility Event Slated for Tyler, Texas

 

PLANO, TEXAS—JULY 24, 2019—Dog agility with an international flair is heading to Tyler, Texas. The United States Dog Agility Association® (USDAA®) will host its world-class Masters Challenge Agility CupSM (MCAC) event at Texas Rose Horse Park, Sept. 26-29.

This is the second year for USDAA’s exciting MCAC event, which follows the format of international agility contests, offering head-to-head competition in a run for gold, silver and bronze medals.

“We’re delighted to offer our Masters Challenge Agility Cup again in 2019. The event, modeled after the International Federation of Cynological Sports (IFCS) World Championships, allows dogs and their handlers to test their skills in an internationally competitive environment, closer to home,” said Andy Hartman, USDAA vice president. 

The Masters Challenge Agility CupSM will feature dogs of all sizes and breeds vying for gold, silver and bronze medals in seven categories (or “classes”), such as Individual Jumper, Individual Standard Agility, and Biathlon (Biathlon Jumpers and Standard Agility Combined), among others. A total of 231 medals will be awarded.

In addition to individual medals, cumulative scores across the six classes will be used to determine the overall winners of the Masters Challenge Agility Cup and Performance Masters Challenge Agility Cup.  

As part of this event, USDAA will be selecting competitors for the 2020 USDAA World Team representing the United States at the IFCS World Agility Championships. The top dog/handler teams from each of the 4 jump height divisions earn points towards team qualification in each round. Coveted win-on spots earned though gold medal performances at the MCAC are a highlight of the event. In 2019, 24 total dog/handler teams were selected for the USDAA World Team competing at the IFCS World Agility Championships in the Netherlands in April. 

More than 200 dog/handler teams are expected to compete at this year’s Masters challenge at Texas Rose Horse Park, a family-owned and operated premier event facility located in the beautiful rolling hills of Tyler, Texas. The event is free and open to the general public. 

About dog agility

Dog agility requires dynamic physical and mental engagement for dogs and humans alike. Guided only by voice and movement cues from their human partners, the canine athletes compete against the clock, flying over hurdles, weaving between poles, racing through tunnels and bounding onto the see-saw. Obstacles are set according to the dogs’ height and experience level, allowing dogs of all breeds and sizes to compete.

Dog agility as a sport traces its roots to Great Britain in the 1970s. It found its way to the United States a decade later with the creation of the United States Dog Agility Association in 1986. The USDAA has continued to advance the fast-growing sport internationally, this year hosting regional championships in Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Spain, in addition to the U.S.

The United States Dog Agility Association is the world’s largest, independent canine sports authority, dedicated to promoting the sport of dog agility as a recreational, family sport that fosters responsible pet ownership. For more information visit USDAA.com.