Flyball is a relatively new sport for Manchester Terriers and is a great activity for those that love to race and retrieve tennis balls. Flyball is a team relay race over four hurdles with each dog triggering a ball from a ‘Fly-ball box’. It is fun, fast, noisy and action packed and it keeps you and your Manchester mentally and physically fit. We would love to see more Manchester Terriers enjoying the sport.
The British Flyball Association (BFA) governs the sport. The Starter Classes takes place from the age of 12 months. Dogs have to be at least 18 months old before being eligible to compete in a BFA Sanctioned Tournament.
The event is a relay race, where each team consists of four dogs/handlers plus a 'box loader' with some reserve dogs. Two teams then race against each other on parallel 'racing lanes'. Each dog in the team has to clear four hurdles then trigger and retrieve a tennis ball from the Flyball box, before returning over the same four hurdles and across the starting line. At which point the next dog in the team is released.
The first team to have its fourth dog finish wins the race and usually, it is the best of three runs over which each heat is decided. Dogs are required to run again if the run has not been completed correctly e.g. the dog drops the ball.
Clubs providing Flyball training can be found on the Kennel Club and British Flyball Association’s website.
Kennel Club: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/activities/flyball/
British Flyball Association: http://www.flyball.org.uk
Garry Minnikin
T: 07798 555671
E: garrym28@btinternet.com
Focus Crufts Flyball Champions 2020 Garry has always from a young boy wanted a Manchester Terrier, in 2015 he got in contact with Estella Saxton and met with her, Phil and their dogs, later that year he was informed that there was a pup available to him. Garry made the promise to Estella that he […]
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