A Border Collie with the appropriate name of Chase has become the first dog of any breed to be awarded the Diamond Agility Warrant, the Kennel Club has announced.
Chase – officially entered in agility shows as Canen Cosmic Sindy – is owned by Sarah Crouch of Slough in Berkshire and is due to turn ten years old this month. She is the second agility dog Sarah has owned.
The new level of Diamond Agility Warrant was introduced in January and requires 1,600 points, 400 of which must have been achieved in 2016. A Platinum Warrant, directly below Diamond but higher than Gold, was also introduced this year and requires 1,200 points – the first winner of this award, a Shetland Sheepdog, was announced last month.
Sarah said: “It was very exciting to learn that Chase is the first dog of any breed to achieve the Diamond Agility Warrant. At nearly ten years old, this will probably be Chase’s last really competitive year so it was great to achieve this award before she semi-retires.
“Chase has been a really consistent dog throughout her agility career and is a pleasure to run. I have been doing agility for 12 years now and it’s a great sport to be part of. It really is a hobby anyone can get involved in and there is always a new target to aim for.”
Competitors win points from gaining clear rounds and placing 1st - 10th in agility or jumping classes. A points table is available on the Kennel Club website.
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “The new Platinum and Diamond Agility Warrants were introduced in order to provide handlers with additional goals to aim for once they have achieved the well-established Gold Agility Warrant. We are delighted that we now have our first Platinum and Diamond winners and would urge those handlers who have already achieved Gold, and who are working towards the higher levels, to claim their new warrant as soon as they are able.”