What is Flyball?

Flyball is essentially a relay race.  Dogs independently negotiate 4 hurdles, trigger a box to release a tennis ball ("flyball") which the dog must catch and return to the handler, negotiating the 4 hurdles on return.  The next dog then takes its turn.  

A team can consist of up to six dogs and handlers, but only four compete in each round.  The Ball Loader has to ensure a new tennis ball is loaded on each occasion and shouts instructions to the dogs.

The sport is fast and frantic, and of course noisy!   All breeds of dogs can take part as the hurdles reflect the height of the smallest dog in the team.  However, it is Border Collies that dominate the sport due to their speed, agility and desire to work.  Scunthorpe do however run some very quick Labradors and Crossbreeds in their teams 

Training - A very noisy occasion!

Training costs £10 per year membership plus £1 per session

For information on training and the next New Starters course please click HERE to E-Mail us.  Time trials are currently ongoing through the Winter to select next years competition teams. For information on training please click HERE

So.....are we any good?

The club only started to train flyball during 2001.  In that year we entered our first Crufts Qualifying Competition, came second and incredibly qualified for the Crufts Finals.  Unfortunately inexperience meant we went no further, and did not progress beyond the first round at Crufts.  We have since qualified for Crufts in 2004 and 2005, and 2006, and have already qualified for the 2007 competition.

The club competes in the Crufts Flyball Competition.  Our club hosts a Crufts Flyball Heat at its August Agility Show.  For a schedule visit our Agility Pages.

For information on British Flyball Association Flyball click here.  The 2 types of flyball are different (rather like Rugby League and Rugby Union) more specifically, the flyball box is different.  As yet we do not compete in BFA flyball, but watch this space!!!

BFA Flyball is a huge sport worldwide, whereas Crufts Flyball is concentrated in the UK and tends to be associated with the Agility side of the sport, with heats taking place at agility shows.   

This year our teams have been:

Flyball is great fun, and the dogs love it. If your dog can catch a ball, and is fast over the ground, why not give it a go! 

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