History

Flyball started in the 1970s in Southern California, where a man named Herbert Wagner invented a ball launcher which he demonstrated at his Canine Obedience Graduations.  It must have been suggested by a dog, I reckon.  Humans just aren’t that bright!

He was invited to demonstrate this device on a US TV show called the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  Dogs around the country saw this and made a few suggestions to their owners.

This new sport called flyball was introduced in the Toronto - Detroit area, and the first ever tournament was held in Toronto - Detroit in 1983, and as more and more dogs suggested this sport to their owners, the North American Flyball Association was born.

In the early 1990s, a group of enthusiasts in the UK formed the British Flyball Association (BFA).  Many of the first in the sport in this country still compete.  Once experienced it is hard to stop - and the dogs don’t want to stop anyway!

What Is It?

Flyball is the most unique and exciting dog sport us hounds ever invented, whatever the humans say.  Fast, colourful and noisy, it is fun for the dogs, fun for the handlers and gives the beggars some jolly old exercise, and visually exciting for onlookers.    

Flyball is a kind of relay racing for dogs.  Two teams race each other to collect a tennis ball and the first team to get all dogs correctly home in the fastest time three times out of five is the winner.

How Is It Played?

• A team is made up of four dogs and handlers, together with a team member who acts as a box loader.

• The dogs and handlers wait at the top of a flyball lane, which comprises four low jumps set at equal distances apart, and leads to a flyball box at the bottom where the box loader waits.

• The box loader loads a tennis ball into the box ready for the first dog.

• When the race starts, the first dog crosses the start-finish line as the green light is lit and goes over the jumps to reach the box at the bottom.

• He triggers the release mechanism with his paws and collects the tennis ball, turning as he does so to head back up the flyball lane to his handler.

• As he reaches the start-finish line, the second dog is about to cross it, and ideally they pass nose to nose.

• As the first dog returns to his handler with the ball, the second dog is well on his way down the flyball lane to get another ball.

• When the second dog returns, the third dog goes, then the fourth.

• If a dog misses a jumps or jumps, he will have to run again at the end.

• If a dog returns without a tennis ball, he will have to run again at the end.

BFA Flyball

The BFA recommend boxes that load from the front and which act as a turning surface for us dogs to kick off from in the form of a swimmers turn.  A layer of inch thick neoprene ensures the impact spreads out across the front of the box rather than going back up our legs.  All this minimises any risk of injury to us - thank you, Sir Isaac Newton!

An electronic starting system and electronic timing equipment is used.

Crufts Flyball

Controlled by the Kennel Club, their design is a rear-loading ball launcher.  Us dogs trigger ball release by hitting a paddle at the front of the box and we then have to wait for the ball to come down so we can catch it.  The top of the box is padded to prevent injury.

Crufts flyball does not use an electronic starting system or electronic timing.

Full details on BFA flyball, starter tournaments and divisional racing can be found on the BFA web site, which you can access via our link page.