Agility Dog Jumping
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Agility dog jumping made its first appearance in 1978 at the Crufts Dog Show as a means of entertainment for the audience between the obedience and conformation sections of the competition.
John Varley, a committee member and dog trainer Peter Meanwell, where given the task of setting up the course building, which was predominately an equestrian style jumping arena, With the addition of weave poles, a canvas tunnel , a dog walk , a over and under A frame tunnel combo and not forgetting the Tyre hoop
the entertainment was an instant hit, It grabbed the imagination of both dog owners and audience alike

This demonstration kick started the sport as we know it today. People wanted more and could not wait for the next Crufts. The sport grew into local, then national, and into international competitions.
Within the next twelve months numerous British dog training clubs had commenced agility dog jumping training for dogs and handlers and by December 1979 the International Horse Show at Olympia in London were the hosts to the. first Agility Stakes competition.

1980 saw the Kennel Club officially recognize agility as a sport, with a set of sanctioned rules. The first competition held under these rules was a team event at Crufts dog show 1980. The event was judged by Peter Meanwell and Peter Lewis as his assistant.
one of the original 1978 competitors John Gilbert and Peter Lewis were instrumental in popularizing. the sport of agility throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
In 1983 the first national Agility Club in the U.K. was founded who published the first agility magazine Agility Voice

United States Agility
under the rules of the newly-founded United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA. America saw its first agility dog jumping competition in 1986 . Under these rules for every organization, dogs may compete provided they were

Registered with the specific organizationPhysically sound (blindness, deafness AKC Regulations, and physical impairments interfering with functional movement may disqualify a dog from eligibility; consult each organization for more specific information)At least the minimum age (for example, 15 months in AKC and CPE, 18 months in USDAA and NADAC)Not a female in heatWell-behaved enough to be off leash around other dogs and people; for example, dogs who attack the judge, other people, or other dogs may be expelled from the trial site and may eventually be banned from competing
The larger the sport became more and more rules and regulations were applied to accommodate different size dogs and classes the rules may vary from club to club, best advice if you are contemplating entering a competition of this nature check with the specific club for up to date rules. Course layout will vary as they are determined by the judge and the amount of space available.