WHAT IS FLYBALL
Flyball is a team sport and basically involves two teams of 4 dogs each racing in two parallel 51 ft long lanes. Each dog runs over four jumps and at the end of the lane retrieves a tennis ball form a device called a box. The ball is released from the box when the dog triggers a mechanism allowing the dog to collect the ball, complete a turn and go back over the jumps to complete the run. The next dog is released by its handler to run and so on until all four have completed their runs. Dogs should not cross the start line until the previous dog has returned over the finish line as this will be a fault and the offending dog will have to run again. The team to have all 4 dogs finish their runs without error will win the leg. A race will typically have up to five legs.
Each team can have a maximum 6 dogs but only four dogs at a time run so it is possible to exchange dogs from leg to leg.
The racing is monitored using an electronic judging system which uses LED lights for a countdown sequence to start the race. The system uses sensors to detect faults at the start/finish line and display times. There is also LED light fault indication to communicate which dog in the line-up is required to re-run.
There are different formats in flyball events but mostly teams are placed in divisions of 5, 6 or 7 based on seed times to make it fair/competitive. The team winning the most races is awarded 1st Place. If there is a tie other factors such best time are used.
BLUE SKY FLYBALL TEAMS
INTRODUCTION
The club was founded on the 1st of October 2021 by a group of five who had been members of other teams over many years.
During previous years there were many memorable achievements with considerable experience and an in-depth knowledge of the sport gained along the way. The group wanted to undertake a new and satisfying challenge and so Blue Sky Flyball Teams was created.
Progress has been quite rapid. Starting with just one team of 5 handlers and their dogs the Club now has grown to over 20 active members and nearly 30 dogs. For competitions in 2023 we have regularly entered 2 Open (fully trained) teams and 2 Foundation (training in progress) teams. The Club is proud to have hosted competitions at the Cheshire Polo Club grounds in 2022 & 2023, the latter also including a Cruft’s flyball qualifier for the finals at the NEC in 2024.
With the help of our sponsors, we have now built a comprehensive inventory of equipment and the means to transport it as required.
For the 2024 season we have sourced a new electronic timing system to enhance our training experience and considerably improve our preparation for competitions.
TRAINING & COMPETITIONS
Training takes place at the Cheshire Polo Club grounds on Sunday mornings throughout the year weather permitting. With the excellent drainage it is rare that sessions are cancelled due to ground conditions. When the club are taking part in a competition at the weekend training is usually offered on a Monday evening.
Additionally, we are able to hire an indoor training facility near Lymm. This is mainly during the winter months to keep the teams in good shape and prepare for indoor tournaments.
During 2023 we took part in 14 competitions mostly in the Northwest and Yorkshire. It is normal for competitions to be held over a weekend and many participants camp in their tents, caravans and motorhomes and so make it an enjoyable social occasion too with friends and teammates.
For those preferring not to camp, as we target a good number of events which are relatively near it is possible to ‘day trip’ when required to race.
It is important to note that significant commitment is desirable to enjoy and be successful in the sport. Regular attendance at training and good availability for competitions are therefore encouraged.
Flyball is suitable for virtually any breed of dog, provided he/she are fit and healthy. Different sized breeds can all take part – subject to a formal measuring procedure, smaller dogs are permitted to run over a reduced jump height (the range is 6” to 12”) and so jumps are 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.
Dogs need to be a minimum age of 12 months to take part in Foundation racing and for Open racing its 18 months.
FLYBALL ASSOCIATIONS (SEE LINKS BELOW)
Blue Sky Flyball Teams are members of the British Flyball Association (B.F.A.) and the UK Flyball League (U.K.F.L). Both organisations provide a national structure for UK flyball that allows clubs to compete with their teams and dogs throughout the year. Clubs which compete in/host events are required to abide by the respective rules and specifications of the BFA and UKFL depending on which one has sanctioned a specific event.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TRYING FLYBALL OR WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION PLEASE GET IN TOUCH VIA OUR CONTACT PAGE. YOU ARE WELCOME TO COME ALONG TO ONE OF OUR TRAINING SESSIONS TO FIND OUT MORE & HAVE A GO – THERE IS NO CHARGE.
FOR THOSE WISHING TO GET MORE INVOLVED WE OFFER 4 WEEK BLOCKS OF FOUNDATION TRAINING FOR WHICH A FEE IS CHARGED
