COLD LAKE - In just a few days, dog enthusiasts and agility professionals will take part in the PAWsitive Dog Sports Association’s 21st annual dog agility competition at the Cold Lake AG Society. The event is set to take place on Feb. 16 and 17, and promises thrilling performances from canine competitors, showcasing their agility skills.
David Tharle, President of the PAWsitive Dog Sports Association, shared insights into the origins of the club and the evolution of this competition.
“There's been dog clubs in Cold Lake forever,” says Tharle. “Originally, one started on the base, and then they eventually moved off. We've had a couple of different ones over time. But 22 years ago, a group of us formed PAWsitive Dog Sports, and we were kind of agility-focused.”
Over the years, the competition has flourished into a tradition for both participants and spectators at the AG society.
"It's been a beautiful cycle. We've had a great relationship. We help them out with volunteering for some of their events, and once a year, we host a trial. This will be our 21st, because we missed one with COVID."
Taking advantage of the February long weekend, the competition spans two days, starting on Saturday morning and moving into Sunday. Tharle highlighted the unique format of the event, stating, “The dogs will have the option of running [courses] once or twice, same course, and so they have a possibility to do eight runs on Saturday of four different styles of courses and they'll do the same thing on Sunday.”
The competition features various levels, from intro to elite, accommodating dogs of different ages and skill levels.
"Intro is anything over 15 months or sometimes older vet dogs will get put in there that still have the urge and the desire but won't go on the more severe contact equipment or a harder distance of a run,” explains Tharle.
Organizers are expecting about 70 teams to attend the event, which is about 72 dogs – and will be among the best turnout of the past two decades.
"It's the biggest trial we've ever hosted."
The competition operates under the North American Dog Agility Council (NAIDAC) guidelines, and the courses, known for their length and free-flowing design, showcase the unique focus on distance handling.
"We tend to focus a lot more on what we call distance handling,” says Tharle.
Participants are not only competing against each other but also against themselves, with a special emphasis on achieving clean runs, or "queues."
Tharle notes, "You're competing against yourself. We in Canada tend to be less worried about placements and more worried about just whether or not we queue."
Highlighting the variety in the courses, Tharle explains, "Saturday it's weavers, gamblers through regular, and then Sunday we're regular touch and go."
Tharle encourages people who attend Sunday’s event to dress with a Western flair.
The event draws participants and teams from across Alberta and Saskatchewan, creating a vibrant and competitive atmosphere.
For those interested in attending, the competition takes place at the Cold Lake Riding Arena, within the AG building.
"It's a nice location, it’s central... the facility is fantastic, the running service has been fantastic."
The event is open to the public and is free to attend, providing a unique opportunity for spectators to witness the dogs in action. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and the action continues into the later afternoon.
