Thousands of canine competitors battled for the title of top dog in a major dog agility event at the East of England Show last week Friday 13 to Sunday 15 June. More than 2,000 dogs competed with their hard-working handlers in the Supadog East of England Agility Show, which took place over the full three days of the main show, from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 June. This was the fifth year that dog agility will be hosted at the show, at Peterborough’s East of England showground. The dogs and their handlers pitted their wits against a variety of obstacle courses across six show rings. Each dog’s fitness and ability to follow instructions were judged as they were asked to overcome jumps, negotiate see-saws and manoeuvre their way through tunnels. This year, for the first time, the East of England Show also hosted the final of the Supadog Agility Rescue League. The League, created to recognise the agility achievements of rescue dogs, has been in existence for just two years, and has already attracted a huge following. It was developed to encourage owners of rescue dogs to try agility training as a fun and effective way to bond with their new pets. Christine Neasham, marketing director at Burgess, makers of the popular Supadog range of dog food that sponsors the show, said: “Every single rescue dog competing in the Supadog Agility Rescue League is a true champion. Agility is a great way to build a bond of trust between dog and owner, and it helps build the confidence of dogs which have been rescued. The Supadog Agility Rescue League really is an excellent way to celebrate their success. “It also highlights the fact that anyone can get involved in dog agility, no matter what type of dog you have. It’s becoming a really popular sport – it’s a great way to keep dogs in tip-top condition and it’s something that they love to do. You can see as you watch them that both the dogs and their owners are having enormous fun”. Also for dog owners, the Supadog Crèche made its first appearance at the show, situated alongside the agility rings. The facility allows owners to leave their dogs in a safe environment for up to two hours as they enjoy everything the show has to offer. The Supadog Crèche, which appears at most of England’s major country shows, is staffed by experienced dog-lovers who ensure their charges are well cared for with access to plenty of water and, if requested by the owner, food.