Following the success of the first Kennel Club International Agility Festival, the event has again been organised for 12 and 13 August 2006 at the East of England Showground, Peterborough, England. There will be classes for all sizes, breeds or crossbreeds, with three to four classes each day for each dog. As from 1 January 2006 the dog and hurdle heights are the same as the FCI heights. The two days will feature the Kennel Club British Open, The Kennel Club Nations Cup, The Kennel Club Novice Cup and the Kennel Club Starters Cup, plus agility and jumping classes for all grades of dog. The Kennel Club British Open will be open to all British advanced and senior dogs, dogs that are grade 3 under F.C.I. rules, those dogs holding a masters or championship title in the U.S.A, excellent in Canada and those dogs eligible for Irish Kennel Club premier classes. This class will consist of a jumping round plus an agility round, with the top dogs going through to the final for the Cup. The Kennel Club Nations Cup will be a team event, the teams being chosen from the Kennel Club British Open, the top three dogs from each country being the A team, and the next three dogs being the B team. The competition will consist of a jumping round, followed by an agility round. Novice Classes will also be open to dogs that are grade 2 under F.C.I. rules, those dogs competing in Open or excellent but do not hold a championship title in the U.S.A and those dogs eligible for Irish Kennel Club Novice Class. Starter classes will also be open to dogs that are grade 1 under F.C.I. rules, those dogs competing in Novice in the U.S.A and those dogs eligible for Irish Kennel Club Preliminary class The Show will be followed by the Dogs in Need Charity Week at Ipswich from 14th to 20th August, with classes for all types and sizes of dog. Full details can be obtained on the web site www.dogsinneedagility.com It is now easy to bring dogs into the United Kingdom, but you do need to plan in advance. All dogs resident outside the UK must be issued with a Kennel Club Authority To Compete number before entry to the show / event can be made. Dogs resident in Eire will need to be registered as an Imported Dog. All overseas entries without an Authority to Compete / Registration number will be returned to the exhibitor/competitor. Form 14 - Application for an Authority To Compete (ATC) number (08/05) The following information is a summary of the rules for bringing dogs into Great Britain. For full information see the DEFRA Web Site: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm Requirements for (re-) entering the UK with your dog under the rules of the Pet Travel Scheme. Your dog must be permanently identified by a microchip, preferably to international (ISO) standard. You yourself are responsible for making sure that the chip can be read. If an ‘old style’ chip has been used, you may need to take your own chip reader with you, just in case. For certain countries (France, Denmark and Finland), tattooing is allowed as well, as long as they have also been micro-chipped (but this may be at a later time), but please check with your own country’s ministry or veterinary surgeon if unsure! After the microchip has been placed (or, in the case of France, Denmark and Finland, after it has been tattooed, see above), your dog must be vaccinated against rabies with a vaccine, licensed in your own country for this purpose. The dog must be at least 3 months old before it is vaccinated against rabies. A blood test must be done at some time (often about 14 to 30 days) after the rabies vaccination, to prove that the antibody titer, gained from the rabies vaccination, is equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml. The blood sample taken must be sent to a EU approved laboratory by your vet. If your dog fails the blood test, another rabies vaccination is required and subsequently another blood test. A six-month wait is required, from the date of taking the blood sample, before your dog is allowed (re-) entry into the UK. Your dog must be in possession of a new style European Pet Passport, which contains identification details of your dog and information about all of the above, and which has been signed and stamped accordingly. If you have an ‘old style’ ‘PETS-certificate’, issued before 1 October 2004, and this certificate is still valid, it may be used to (re-) enter the UK, but it is wise to ask your vet to issue you with a new EU Pet Passport, as this new passport will now be recognized in all European countries. Between 24 and 48 hours before check-in with an approved transport company, and via an approved route into the UK, your dog must be treated against ticks, using a licensed preparation in the country of use (tick collars are not acceptable!), and against tape-worms (especially Echinococcus Multilocularis), using a preparation containing praziquantel. The treatment and timing of this treatment must be recorded in the Pet Passport (or, if you are travelling with an old style PETS-certificate, on a separate ‘tick and tapeworm treatment certificate’). Make sure you use a DEFRA approved transport company to travel to the UK, and via a DEFRA approved route! Alternatively, ask your own veterinarian, or your own country’s State Veterinary Service for advice about bringing your dog into the UK. Schedules will hopefully be available from November 2005. If you need any further help or assistance please contact either the Show Secretary: Debbie Deuchar, WTOA Senior Administrator, The Kennel Club, 1-5 Clarges Street, Piccadilly, London W1J 8AB Or by e-mail ddeuchar@the-kennel-club.org.uk or the Show Manager: Tony Griffin, 20 Monmouth Avenue, Weymouth, Dorset. DT3 5JR Telephone 0044 (0) 1305 777856, e-mail tonygriffin@lineone.net |