Dog Agility Worldwide - International Championships

International Championships

Some competitions invite qualified entrants from multiple countries, thereby making them international championships. Examples include:

• Fédération Cynologique Internationale Agility World Championships, the oldest and best-known, always (so far) held in Europe. The event was held as a European championship until 1995, then a world championship from 1996, and is restricted to registered pedigree dogs only. The FCI has more than 80 member countries (via each country's kennel club), over 30 of which typically take part in the FCI World Championships. The British, American and Canadian kennel clubs are not FCI members, but their teams are allowed to participate by special invitation.
• The International Mix & Breed Championship in Agility (IMCA), first held in Italy in 2000 as a response to the FCI pedigree-only championships. The competition is held annually with about 18 countries participating, including teams from outside Europe. Now open to any breed or mixed-breed dog regardless of origins, and in Europe considered to be the main international rival to the FCI championships.

Since the 2002 IMCA (Gyula, Hungary), this championship is organised together with the ParAgility World Cup for disabled competitors.

• The International Federation of Cynological Sports (IFCS), has since 2002 organized a biannual world agility championship open to any breed or mixed-breed dog regardless of pedigree. English-speaking member or associate member countries include the United States (via the United States Dog Agility Association), the United Kingdom (via UK Agility), Canada (via the Agility Association of Canada), and Australia (via the Agility Dog Association of Australia). Ten countries participated in the event in 2006.
• The Cynosport World Games, officially named in 2003, as the consolidated venue for USDAA's three tournament series - Grand Prix of Dog Agility, $10,000 Dog Agility Steeplechase and Dog Agility Masters Three-Dog Team Championship — and exhibitions and competitions in other popular canine sports. USDAA tournaments were opened to invited overseas participants for the first time in 2001, which led to establishment of USDAA affiliates in other countries where qualifying events are now held each year. Prior to 2001, USDAA qualifying events were limited to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States. The Cynosport World Games in 2006 attracted some 1,000 competitors in dog agility from twelve countries, and also now includes world championship events in flyball and flying disc. Participants from other countries may still apply for participation by invitation if USDAA qualifying events are not held in their country or region.
• The European Open. An informal annual championships since its foundation in 2002, open to all dogs regardless of origins. It rotates around a small number of countries in central Europe, though attracting competitors from all over Europe, with 25 countries due to participate in the 2006 event. From 2007, the competition will be held under Fédération Cynologique Internationale regulations, with a view to developing it into a 'World Open'. In years when the World Dog Show is held in Europe, the European Open will be held at the World Show and not separately.