Participation criteria

Any dog handler must be at least 10 years old (junior handlers only 8 years old) on the day of the competition. Both dogs with and without pedigree can participate. The dog must be 18 months old on the day of the show and have an agility result book issued by DKK or another FCI-recognized kennel club. For dogs from other countries that do not necessarily issue agility result books, the handler/owner must instead bring a document issued by the respective kennel club/national agility club documenting which agility class the dog in question is qualified to participate in.

Participating dogs as well as other dogs about the area for the arrangement must be comprised by a compulsory public liability insurance covering participation at all types of arrangements. The dog owner is responsible for any accident, or any damage caused by his/her dog. All dogs are tested/judged at the owner’s own account and risk, and accidents of any kind is no concern of the organizer. The dog owner is obligated to report the damages that his/her dog has caused to their own insurance company.

The dog must also be at least vaccinated against against canine distemper, parvo virus and infectious hepatitis. Valid documentation is either a valid vaccination certificate or a positive titer test confirming the presence of protective antibodies. The vaccination must be at least 7 days and a maximum of 4 years old. Revaccination must be done no later than 14 days before the first day of competition. Dogs residing abroad must also be vaccinated against rabies according to the Danish legislation in force at the time in question. In addition, the dog must be in good mental and physical health.

Pregnant bitches are not allowed to participate for the last 30 days before birth calculated from 63 days after the first mating, just as bitches with puppies under 75 days are not allowed to participate.

Bitches in season: Bitches in season are welcome to participate in the competition. If your bitch is in season, notification must be given upon check-in – at the latest. If seasoning is noticed by the handler at a later stage of the competition, notification must be given immediately.

The following will apply for handlers with bitches in season:

• Bitches in season will run on its turn in the starting order in their class.
• When walking to and from the competition area the handler has to take any precautions necessary in order not to disturb other competitors.

Failure to do so may result in disqualification for the rest of the day or the rest of the competition on distinct discretion by the organizing committee.

Dog illness: Any unused entry fees will be returned in the event of a dog being prevented from participating due to illness. If a dog is unable to participate because of illness, the owner/handler must forward an authorized veterinary certificate or veterinary bill no later than 3 days after the arrangement for a refund of entry fees. The dog’s ID number and detailed information about the disease must appear from the certificate/bill.
An administrative fee of DKK 100.00 will be charged at all times.

NOTE: All ear cropped dogs born after 30 June 2009 cannot take part regardless of the dog’s country of birth. Cropped dogs born before 1 July 2009 can only take part if the dog has been born in a country where ear cropping is permitted.

Tail docked dogs cannot take part, regardless of the dog’s country of birth. The prohibition also includes dogs that have been docked for veterinary reasons, irrespective of whether a veterinary certificate is presented. The only exception are dogs that have a written exemption from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

The following breeds are excepted from the tail docking prohibition: Brittany spaniel, German shorthaired pointer, German wirehaired pointer, Vizsla and Weimaraner.

For detailed rules and exceptions regarding ear and tail docking refer to the Danish Kennel Club’s general regulations.

Classes

It is our aim to conduct an agility competition at a high international standard, which can attract the best teams from home and abroad.

Dog sizes:

Competition is divided into four (4) categories according to shoulder height as per FCI 2023-rules:

• Small/Mini dogs: Up to 34.99 cm.
• Medium dogs: Between 35.00 and 42.99 cm.
• Intermediate dogs: Between 43.00 and 47.99 cm.
• Large/Standard dogs: 48.00 cm and over.

Number of starts per competition day:

The competition will be conducted iup to four different competition rings with an average of around 375 starts per ring per day.

A limit of six (6) starts per handler per day will be applied. However, if you enter the competition with two (2) or more dogs, you must expect to be placed in situations where you are expected to run in more than one ring at the same time. The responsibility of being moved in the starting order, either to the beginning or to the end of the class (or group, in case more than one course walk are planned in the class), rests SOLELY with the handler.

If you miss your number in the starting order without prior arrangement with the primary responsible person in the competition ring, you will not be allowed to start in that particular class.

Classes:

The following classes are offered on the different days of competition (not necessarily in the mentioned order):

* = qualification for the final

Official classes:

Competition is divided into three (3) official classes in accordance with FCI rules and the Danish Kennel Club amendments.

Agility and Jumping Class 1

Only open for dogs not qualified to participate in FCI class 2 or 3.

Outplacement to class 2 happens with a total of six (6) faultless runs in class 1 (of which at least three (3) must be obtained in agility) under at least two different judges.

Agility and Jumping Class 2

Only open for dogs out placed from class 1 and not yet qualified to participate in class 3.

Outplacement to class 3 happens with a total of six (6) faultless runs placed among the best 20 % of the competitors in the class (of which at least three (3) must be obtained in agility) under at least two different judges.

Agility and Jumping Class 3

Only open for dogs outplaced from class 2. In class 3 even dogs who have already earned the Danish Champion/Master title participates.

For Danish owned dogs the Danish Champion/Master title is acquired by being placed three (3) times as the best not-yet-champion/master with no faults under at least two different judges.

All dogs can win agility and jumping certificates in Denmark. Pedigree dogs earn the title of Danish Agility or Jumping Champion by winning three (3) certificates. Non-pedigree dogs earn the title of Danish Agility or Jumping Master.

There are no additional requirements regarding the dog being entire or approved for breeding. Dogs who during the competition may obtain the title as Danish JP or AGCH, will in accordance with Danish Kennel Club agility regulations be awarded a separate honorary prize.

Please observe that foreign owned dogs who have already obtained titles as Agility Champion and/or Jumping Champion in their home country, are required to win only ONE (1) certificate in order to earn the Champion/Master title in Denmark.

Placement of foreign participants in the official classes

If official jumping classes are held in the home country, these must be used as a basis for placement in the Danish jumping classes. If only official agility classes are held in the home country, the classification in these also applies as a classification in the Danish jumping classes.

Jumping results obtained in Denmark relate only to possible promotions in the jumping classes, just as agility results also only relate to possible promotions in the agility classes.

Unofficial classes:

The following unofficial classes will be offered:

• Agility (AG) and Jumping (JP) final qualification (QUAL)
• Junior Class (JUN)
• Senior Class (SEN)
• Denmark Open Final (FINAL)

Agility and Jumping qualification class (QUAL)

The aim is to have a degree of difficulty on the courses between class 2 and 3. All qualification classes (Thursday through Saturday) count in the ongoing competition, culminating in the Denmark Open 2023 Final on the last day of the competition.

The qualification classes are conducted i.a.w. the rules for open class according to the Danish Kennel Club agility regulations.

NOTE: The qualification classes will ONLY be open for dogs competing in official classes 2 or 3.

Junior Class (JUN)

Is only open for young dog handlers who in the calendar year in question have reached the age of 8 and have not reached the age of 16 (can participate the rest of the year in the calendar year in which they turn 16). In the Junior Class, only the junior handler and the dog may be on the court with the judge.

NOTE: No junior participation in the qualification classes.

Senior Class (SEN)

Only open for dogs who are 7 years old on the day of the competition. If the dog is registered as a senior, it will ONLY be able to participate in the offered senior classes during the entire competition. Given that the competition extends over 4 days, we only offer senior classes in agility and jumping.

NOTE: The senior classes take place on the same course as class 2, without the tire, and with reduced jumping height. No senior participation in the qualification classes.

Denmark Open final

At DENMARK OPEN 2023 we will conduct separate finals for large dogs, intermediate dogs, medium dogs and small dogs.

The final itself is ONE (1) run on an agility course. Results obtained in the final qualification classes are NOT included in the final, and are thus only decisive for the starting order, as the dog with the fewest points in the two (2) counting races starts last. The winner of the final is the best placed dog in the final race.

Qualification for Denmark Open Final:

The number of participants in the final race is determined as 20% of the average number of participants in the six (6) qualification classes in each of the four (4) sizes. However, a maximum of 25 dogs in each of the four (4) sizes apply.

In each of the 6 qualifying classes, the winner in all 4 sizes and No. 2 in size large are directly qualified for the final. If an already directly qualified competitor achieves another final qualifying result, the qualification is passed on to the first non-qualified in that race. To qualify for the other final places (max. 13 small, medium, intermediate and large dogs) the dog must have at least 2 counting results in the 6 qualification classes. The 2 counting results must be divided into one (1) in jumping and one (1) in agility. By counting results is meant completed classes – i.e. not disqualification.

The dog is awarded points in relation to the achieved result in the class in question. That is, 1st place = 1 point, 10th place = 10 points, 25th place = 25 points, etc. All counting results are converted to points. If results are achieved in more than 2 counting races, only the best jumping and the best agility result counts towards the final qualification. The point-qualified dogs are the dogs with the lowest total score in the 2 counting races in the qualification class.