'Chase Wakes' is a festival and fun day which is celebrated for one day only each year. Chasetown, in Staffordshire, England, was formed by miners, building up their own community in the late 1800's, Chase Wakes was a holiday to 'let their hair down'! It usually comprises a cavalcade of local business vehicles decorated to a local theme, usually carrying people in period dress, a 'fun fair', afternoon displays of great diversity and finally, on the evening, an excuse to enjoy a few beers at one of the many old pubs.

What has this to do with an Agility site you may ask?

Our dog training club, Lichfield and District Dog Training Society, were asked to provide a demonstration of agility at the Chase Wakes. Our agility section agreed and Mark, the agility section trainer, started to put a display team together. This agility section only started in November 2001 and Mark asked me to provide the commentary for the display. I needed information, searching the web I came across the Agility in Russia site. Mark wanted a different circuit to supply for the show. After a couple of e-mails, A.Gility supplied a few ideas, that was an understatement!

The night before the demonstration, the team members were urging Mark not to use the 'Russian Circuit', they were too difficult for such an inexperienced team. Mark stayed with his display plan.

The display day dawned, the team were introduced to the crowd at their allotted time, (30 minutes display required), and the crowd gathered around the arena, growing to about 6 people deep, some sitting under the ropes of the arena area.

All I can now say, is, the crowd screamed and cheered, thoroughly enjoying the agility display, they chose their favourite dogs and cheered them on. The display continued for 40 minutes, it was holding the crowd so well.

One member of the display team commented after the display, "That was the hardest circuit we have ever done!" Another dog club member, watching the display, though not an agility section member commented, "It might have been the hardest circuit for you, but, those dogs have never performed as well as that before!!!" The display was interesting enough for the local newspaper photographers to demand the story and photo shots. My grateful thanks to Alex (A.Gility).