Preparing For Your First Agility Trial: UKI Edition

Registering for your first agility trial can seem incredibly overwhelming. I’m going to walk you through signing up for your first agility competition in an easy, step-by-step process, with a special focus on UKI.

UKI (United Kingdom Agility International) started in the US in 2010 and has since become a popular agility organization in the US. First and foremost, it prioritizes fun and safety for the dog and handler. If you are ready to start competing in agility, I strongly recommend starting with UKI.

Why UKI?

• Not for competition (NFC) option allows you to use your ring time to train your dog with any noise free toy.
• Less expensive than AKC. AKC at my home facility costs $23 for each run, while UKI only costs $15.
• Courses tend to be more flowy and spread out than AKC.
• More relaxed atmosphere than AKC. The emphasis is on having fun.
• Speedstakes allows you to compete even if you are still mastering all the contact obstacles (or weave poles).

UKI Events

UKI has four main types of events: Speedstakes, Jumping, Games, and Agility.

• Speedstakes: Jumps and tunnels ONLY. Very flowy course design.
• Jumping: Jumps, tunnels, and weaves. Similar to JWW in AKC.
• Agility: Contact obstacles (teeter, A-frame, and dog walk), jumps, tunnels, and weaves.
• Games: These require handlers to accumulate a set number of points to qualify. Each game has slightly different rules. The most popular games are Snooker and Gamblers. I’ll elaborate more on these in another post.

UKI Levels

UKI has 4 levels across two different programs (paths): Speedstakes and International. The Speedstakes program only includes results from Speedstakes events. The International program includes all other events. The four levels (from lowest to highest) are: Beginner, Novice, Senior, and Champ. You advance through the levels by acquiring the necessary number of points.

• Beginner – The starting point. Refusals are allowed at the beginner level. To advance, you need 12 points. In the international program, 8 must be from agility.
• Novice – Runs the same course as Beginner but no refusals are allowed. To advance you need 20 points. The international program requires 12 points from agility, 4 from jumping, and 4 from games.
• Senior – Senior runs a more challenging course than Novice/Beginner. To advance, you need 36 points, with the international program requiring 12 from agility, 12 from jumping, and 12 from games.
• Champ – Runs the same course as Senior. 60 points are needed to advance and the International program requires at least 12 from agility, 12 from jumping, and 12 from games.

Image from the UKI Rule Book

Signing Up For Your First Agility Trial

Signing up for a UKI trial is fairly straightforward.

• First, you will need to register you and your dog with UKI ($15 per handler and $15 per dog) by visiting their website.
• Once registered, visit the events page and find a location and date that meet your needs.
• After you have selected an event, you will see an option to view the premium. This is essentially a document that tells you all the important information about the trial. If it’s your first trial, or this is a new location, you should read (aka skim) the entire document.
• If you are happy with the premium, go back to the event page and complete the registration form.

Tips When Registering for a UKI Agility Trial

• If you don’t know your dog’s jump height, take your best guess. You will receive an official measurement at the trial.
• If you plan to jump your dog at a lower height than the legal standard, choose “Select” for the jump height.
• Some trials will have the same class (event) multiple times throughout the day. In this case, a number will help distinguish the classes from each other (for example, Speedstakes 1, Speedstakes 2). This does not imply that one class is easier or harder than the other, it is simply a label (Speedstakes star, Steedstakes triangle would serve the same purpose).
• Open classes do not have levels. Everyone, regardless of level, will run the same course. If you are a beginner, these classes will likely be a bit more challenging than the beginner course you typically run.
• I suggest skipping the games in your first trial. They are a bit more complicated than a standard course, and you don’t need them as a beginner.

Now that you know how to register for a UKI Trial, in my next post I’ll discuss what to expect on trial day. Coming across unfamiliar words on your agility journey? Check out this glossary post. If you have any questions or comments, leave a post below!