USDAA Celebrates 40 Years in 2026

Celebrations will honor history of the sport in the U.S.

Jul 9, 2025

By: News Editor

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In 2026 the United States Dog Agility Association® (USDAA®) will celebrate 40 years since the sport was introduced in the United States and agility enthusiasts began developing the framework for USDAA. The sport traces its beginning to Great Britain, where it was introduced at the Crufts Dog Show in 1978 and captured the interest of dog fanciers and fans, including USDAA founder Kenneth Tatsch. 

In November 1986, Ken officially announced USDAA’s creation at the Gaines Obedience Classic in Houston, Texas. Over the years, USDAA has hosted numerous tournaments and demonstrations across the country and, as a charter member of the International Federation of Cynological Sports (IFCS), has helped to organize canine sports worldwide after the Olympic ideal. 

USDAA will kick off its 40th anniversary celebrations in 2026 and honor a history that has developed it into the world’s largest independent canine sports authority dedicated to promoting the sport of dog agility. The celebrations will last through the 2026 Cynosport® Dog Agility World Games (which will return to the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, November 11-15, 2026) and include a full slate of regional championships across the country with the USDAA Tournament Series sponsored by Purina® Pro Plan®.

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The 2026 schedule includes:

  • Wild West Regional, January 22-25, hosted by Good Dog Agility Club in Tucson, Arizona
  • Sunshine Regional, March 6-8, hosted by Pals & Paws Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida
  • South Central Regional, May 1-3, hosted by Dallas Agility Working Group (DAWG) in Greenville, Texas
  • Rocky Mountain Regional, May 29-31, hosted by Bad Ass Agility in Kaysville, Utah
  • Mid-Atlantic Regional, June 12-14, hosted by Keystone Agility Club in Barto, Pennsylvania
  • Pacific Northwest Regional, June 19-21, hosted by Columbia Agility Team (CAT) in Salem, Oregon
  • New England Regional, July 10-12, hosted by Riverside Canine Center in Kingstown, Rhode Island
  • Southeast Regional, August 7-9, hosted by Sirius Dog Agility Training Center in Perry, Georgia
  • North Central Regional, August 7-9, hosted by Canine Sports Zone in Middleton, Wisconsin
  • Western Regional, September 5-7, hosted by The Bay Team in Prunedale, California

More information will become available on www.usdaa.com as the anniversary gets closer.