The Cynosport Dog Agility World Games will kick off on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the WestWorld event complex in Scottsdale.
The competition will feature the nation’s best agility competitors for a variety of events including the Grand Prix of Dog Agility World Championship, Steeplechase, Dog Agility Masters two and three dog Team Championships, and Masters Challenge Biathlon and more.
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The Cynosport Dog Agility World Games will kick off on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the WestWorld event complex in Scottsdale.
The competition will feature the nation’s best agility competitors for a variety of events including the Grand Prix of Dog Agility World Championship, Steeplechase, Dog Agility Masters two and three dog Team Championships, and Masters Challenge Biathlon and more.
This will mark three years since the last World Games was held in the Arizona. The event rotates each year between Eastern and Western locations with last year’s competition being held in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Cynosport describes dog agility as a competitive sport in which a handler directs a dog over an obstacle course, using voice and hand signals. Dogs maneuver through a timed course designed to test agility as they jump over hurdles, race through tunnels, traverse ramps and a seesaw, scale an A-ramp, and weave through a line of poles.
Dogs of all breeds and sizes are eligible to compete in various classes where obstacles are set based on the size of the dog.
The U.S. Dog Agility Association is the world’s largest independent authority for the sport of dog agility and producers of Cynosport. They have more than 50,000 registered competitors and more than 200 different breeds of dogs, including mix breeds.
The Grand Prix is the most prestigious tournament. The event tests competitors’ full range of training and skills in successfully navigating and completing a standard course including the entire list of agility obstacles. This event crowns the winner with the fastest time and fewest errors as world champion.
This year they will be giving out the honorary Pioneer Dog Agility Award to long-time competitor, Karen Gloor.
Gloor is a Chandler native who works at home as a technical writer. She has devoted more then 25 years of her life to dog agility competitions.
“I really enjoy it. It made sense to do it with my dogs, I enjoy the competition and the people and I don’t like to sit around, that’s kind of my personality.” Gloor said.
With her two-plus decades of work, she has trained 10 dogs in her career, earned several title awards and competed in the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge.
She has also been a judge and secretary for several clubs as well as other positions for the venue.
This year she was supposed to compete with her 8-year-old border collie mix, Squirrel. But Squirrel developed cataracts on her eyes and will undergo surgery.
Although she won’t compete with her dog, she will be there to cheer for her friends.
“I’m looking forward to watching my friends compete, watching my close friends do well and hope they are successful and make a couple of podium spots,” Gloor said.
Wendy Hultsman from Phoenix is a retired professor from Arizona State University who taught for the development of the parks and recreation management and special event management education.
She now dedicates her time at the Jumping Chollas Agility Club where she is the training director. The group offers classes in agility and scent. It organizes and offers seminars, demonstrations and trials classes.
She has been involved in dog agility for 27 years and has had six dogs who all competed in Cynosports.
“Well I love dog agility and I enjoy being a teammate with my dogs, the courses are different every time. I like the thrill of the hunt, I like to be able to conquer the course, and I really enjoy the people,” Hultsman said.
This year she will be competing with her two dogs Odie and Nomi. Nomi will be competing in most events and Odie will be competing in the Dam team and Steeplechase event.
Another Chandler resident, Jeannette Molina, who is the owner and a veterinarian for the Desert Bloom Mobile Veterinary Services in Chandler, is participating.
“My family has always had collies. I got my own border collies and I wanted to make sure they were fulfilled both mentally and physically, We attended classes where teachers competed in agility, and that’s how we got introduced to agility training,” Molina said.
Her 6-year-old border collie Ringo placed in eighth place at last year’s World Games, with that only being his second competitive event. He will compete in this year’s events in Team, Grand Prix, Steeplechase, and Masters Challenge Biathlon.
“We’ve been training pretty much daily for years now. You really don’t stop. It becomes part of your life. If you aren’t training on the field everyday you are training in some way every day,” Molina said.
This year Cynosport is recognizing veterinarians with Veterinarian Appreciation Days on Saturday and Sunday, Dec, 3-4. The USDAA and Vetz Petz Antinol are hosting Veterinarian Appreciation Days during the weekend to recognize the role of veterinarians, veterinary technicians and vet students.
Molina said she is grateful that veterinarians are getting the recognition and appreciation for what they do to for dogs to be happy and healthy.
They join more than 400 entries from 25 states and several countries to compete for national honors.
This event also will allow dog owners to bring their well-behaved dogs to watch the event.
2022 Cynosport Dog Agility World Games Schedule
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30
9a.m.–4 p.m.
Competitor Set-Up & Check In
Morning Warm-up Class for Quarter finalists
Steeplechase & Grand Prix Quarterfinals
Afternoon Warm-up Class for all Semifinalists
THURSDAY, DEC. 1
9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Steeplechase Semifinals
Dog Agility Masters Team & Veterans All-Around Classes
Masters Challenge Biathlon
FRIDAY, DEC. 2
9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Grand Prix Semifinals
Dog Agility Masters Team & Veterans All-Around Classes
Masters Challenge Biathlon
Frank Espinoza is a recent graduate of Northern Arizona University from the beginning of 2022. He prides himself on covering topics that give a spotlight to individuals or groups who give back to the community. He has covered local sports, community events, and important issues that impact the state. In his spare time, he loves to watch Street League Skateboarding and hang out at Cowtown Skateboards in Goodyear.
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