They run very fast, jump high, are very agile and very precise in their movements. No, we’re not talking about decathletes, but about the 230 dogs taking part in the Agility World Championships. They take place from this Wednesday, May 1 and until Sunday, May 5 in Bourgbarré (Ille-et-Vilaine) at the Vayrie equestrian center.
During Agility events, dogs must complete obstacle courses following instructions from their handlers. And the competition is taken very seriously by the candidates. “That’s hours of training.explains Fabrice, who came from Burgundy with his dog Firestorm. We train every evening, we do muscle strengthening and stretching exercises. It’s already a small reward for all this work to be able to represent France at the World Cup.”
Participants from all over the world
Competitors sometimes come from very far away. 13 countries are represented, including Romania, Japan, Canada and South Africa. Amber traveled from Boston, USA, to participate. “When I started training my dog, I never thought I would do such competitionsshe confides. It’s incredible to travel across the world to pursue your passion, and I’m very proud to represent my country.“
So obviously, bringing so many people and animals back to Bourgbarré requires certain logistics. The project has been in preparation for more than a year and 40 volunteers are involved in the event.
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