[O]n 18 August, two Carlisle dogs and their handler, Derrick Archibald, will be travelling south to Catton Hall, near Walton-on-Trent, to compete alongside 400 other teams at the British Flyball Association Championships.
After achieving the qualifying criteria at several tournaments earlier this year, Derrick was told last week that he had succeeded in securing a place at the event with not one, but two of his dogs. The achievement is particularly impressive since both Cara and Twister are rescued dogs, adopted by Derrick as adults.
Advanced Flyball Dog Cara, a 4 year old collie, was rehomed by her owners when they found her too energetic, and this will be the third time that she and Derrick have competed at the BFA Championships.
Derrick’s second dog, 2 year old Twister, was adopted from the Animal Concern Wainwright Shelter in the Lake District. Since being rehomed to Derrick, Twister has turned into an exceptional flyball dog, qualifying for the Championships only 3 months after he started competing, and gaining his Intermediate Flyball Dog title in 4 months. In a sport where speed is everything, Twister can run at up to 30 km/h while clearing 8 hurdles and catching the ball launched by the flyball machine. “This is Twister’s first season in flyball, and I expect him to get even faster when he settles into his job”, says Derrick.
Derrick has spent most of his adult life competing in obedience, sled dog racing and sheepdog trials. But 3 years ago, he decided to try something new and joined the highly successful Geordie Racers flyball club from Newcastle.
After learning the ropes with the Geordies and training with the current world record holders, the Touch n Go flyball club from the USA, Derrick decided to set up Carlisle Canines, the first-ever flyball club in Cumbria.
The club, which has already competed successfully, welcomes all breeds and types of dogs. “Pretty much any dog can race in flyball”, says Derrick. “We even gave a Chihuahua a chance to try it, and one of our new Starter dogs is a 12-year old World Agility Open medal winner who wasn’t ready to retire from canine sports. It is also a sport suitable for people of all abilities, with some handlers competing in electric wheelchairs.
The British Flyball Association encourages junior members, and you often see several generations of the same family travelling to competitions together. My 10-year old granddaughter, Abi Taylor, handles her own dog and runs on equal terms with her adult team mates.”
Flyball is a fast and furious sport which came to the UK from the USA. At competitions, 4-dog teams race in parallel lanes, with dogs negotiating hurdles to reach a machine.
Once triggered by the dog, the machine launches a tennis ball which the dog must catch and return to its handler. Just like in any other relay race, speed and timing is everything, with dogs passing each other shoulder to shoulder in a space no more than 4 foot wide. The current world record for completing a 4-dog relay race is 14.182 seconds. But to keep the sport fair and open to all dogs, teams are divided into divisions according to their previously recorded times.
For more information about flyball, the British Flyball Association and Carlisle Canines Flyball Teams, please contact Derrick Archibald on e-mail carlislek9@hotmail.com or tel. no. 016977 48975
