LEARN
Flyball
WESTMINSTER
FLYBALL
Flyball is an exciting, high-energy dog sport that combines speed, agility, and teamwork. It showcases not only the athleticism and training of the dogs, but also their enthusiasm and love for the sport. Flyball emphasizes the teamwork between dogs and their handlers, highlighting the precision and coordination required for a flawless run. With its fast-paced and thrilling atmosphere, flyball has become popular at dog competitions worldwide, attracting both seasoned enthusiasts and new fans eager to witness the incredible skill and speed of these canine athletes.
FLYBALL 101
What is Flyball?
Flyball is a relay race where teams of four dogs compete head-to-head to complete a course as quickly as possible. The course consists of a straight line of four jumps, with a specially designed spring-loaded box at the end. Each dog must race down the lane, clear the jumps, trigger the box to release a tennis ball, grab the ball, and race back over the jumps to their handler. As soon as one dog crosses the starting line, the next dog in the relay takes off, maintaining a seamless transition until all four dogs have completed the course.
What breeds can compete?
All dogs, from purebred to mixed breeds, can participate in the sport of flyball.
What makes up a team?
Flyball teams are made up of dogs and handlers. Four dogs and their handlers compete in each heat of a race. Up to two additional dogs can be on reserve. The six total dogs can rotate in and out of heats during a tournament. In addition to the dogs and handlers, there’s one person loading balls into the flyball box (the box loader). Teams are allowed to have people available to help collect loose balls and call the passes at the start and finish line.
What does the course look like?
The course is a straight racing lane, in total 51 feet long, with parallel lanes so that teams can race head-to-head. There are four hurdles, each spaced 10 feet apart, a flyball box that sits 15 feet beyond the last hurdle that is spring-loaded to release a ball when triggered by the dog, and the return lane where dogs race back over the same hurdles to their handler.
How do you win?
All four dogs on a team must run in order and carry a ball over all four jumps. If a dog drops the ball, misses a hurdle, or starts early, it must rerun their leg. The first team to complete the relay wins the heat.
Is the sport safe?
Dogs are trained progressively, and the sport emphasizes teamwork, control, and conditioning.
Terminology
- Flyball box: Spring-loaded box that releases a tennis ball when the dog presses the pedal.
- Height dog: The smallest dog on the team, which determines the hurdle height for that team’s lane.
- Pass or exchange: The moment when the returning dog crosses the start line as the next dog is released.
- Heat: A single race between two teams. Multiple heats make up a match/tournament.
- False start: When a dog crosses the start line before the previous dog has finished, requiring a rerun.
How do you qualify to participate in flyball at Westminster?
All teams interested in entering the Westminster Flyball Tournament must first be a registered club and have all the dogs on the team registered with the North American Flyball Association. Registration information can be found on the NAFA website www.flyball.org
Teams can then submit their entries to the host club, Wicked Runners, as per the instructions provided on the NAFA website under the tournament link.
A total of 20 teams will be granted entry to the 2026 Westminster Flyball Tournament. A random draw will be conducted to select the final 20 teams from all those that submit their entries by the deadline
