annie Justin Shearing – Flyball
I am Chair of the British Flyball Association and have been doing flyball with my wife Melissa and son Morgan since 2010. Flyball is a social sport which allows the whole family to compete together and have great fun with our dogs.
I have been a Head Judge since 2017 and on the BFA Committee since 2018. We have 3 racing dogs, 2 Border Collies and a lurcher, and a Border Collie and 2 other lurchers who are now retired.
We have 3 adult sons and a grandson; I work full time as a commissioned officer in the Royal Air Force and am currently assigned overseas in Belgium, travelling back to the UK regularly to compete in flyball.
Most recently me and my Border Collie Dingerbell were racing with Focus, in the Grand Final of the Crufts flyball competition in front of 9000 spectators in the NEC arena.
If you want a positive and active relationship with your dog, enjoy team sports and would like to be part of a community of supportive, like-minded dog-lovers, then BFA Flyball could be a great choice for you and your dog.
Flyball is a uniquely inclusive sport that provides fantastic sporting opportunities for both people and dogs of all shapes, sizes and ability. Flyball is suitable for any breed of dog or cross-breed, as long as he or she is fit and healthy.
Different sized breeds can all take part, as all dogs compete over the same course with a concession made for smaller dogs – the jump height is lowered to the appropriate height for the smallest dog in the team. A small, fast dog can therefore be a huge asset to a team as it enables the larger dogs to run over lower jumps.
Health testing in breeding for dog sports is really common, as well as understanding the parent’s temperament, even with cross-breeds, it’s not about the pedigree, it’s about the dog’s health and ability to live an active and enjoyable life; a dog that it is fit for function will have a successful and happy flyball career with their owner for many years.
Long-time flyballers will always check the health background of any breed or cross-breed they are considering getting to do flyball with, as the dog’s health and physical condition is really key to their success and enjoyment of the sport, and most of this is very predictable with the right background checks on the parent’s hip scores and health tests.
A flyball race sees two teams of four dogs each, racing side-by-side over a 51 foot long course. Within a team, each dog must run over the jumps, trigger a Flyball box releasing a ball, retrieve the ball and then return over the jumps.
There’s lots of physical activity such as running and jumping but also lots for the dog to think about, so it’s exercise for the brain as well and really helps develop a strong working bond between handler and dog.
To compete in BFA Flyball, dogs must be over 18 months old so we are sure they have fully developed physically and can cope with the athletic demands of the sport. Some dogs will be fast, some will be slow, some will pick up flyball quickly, and some take a longer time.
The most important thing is to have fun with your dog in an active and healthy way. Regular participation in flyball activities will help with your dog’s overall health, their strength and suppleness and the focus it provides helps with behavioural issues too.
The BFA has been around for 27 years and we have loads of examples of dogs regularly competing in flyball well into their teens, as regular exercise such as this helps keep the dog’s muscles strong and supple. Some breeds are naturally faster such as whippets and border collies, but some of the best flyball dogs tend to be cross-breeds.
If you would like to find out more about flyball and how to get involved find us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Britishflyballassociation/
or contact us through our website: https://www.flyball.org.uk
