Crufts 2025’s must-watch canine sport Flyball and all you might want to know in regards to the occasion

The dog sport of Flyball is ultimately a relay race for dogs, where two teams of four compete head-to-head in a race that takes approximately only 16 seconds to complete

Four dogs, 408 feet, four box turns and three passes – Flyball is blink and you’ll miss it action at Crufts 2025.

The dog sport of Flyball is ultimately a relay race for dogs, where two teams of four compete head-to-head in a race that takes approximately only 16 seconds to complete.

Fair to say it’s a hard hit when your team is eliminated after less than one minute in the ring.

The event’s origins trace back to Southern California in the 1960s and 70s before it was first introduced to Crufts in 1990, with 16 teams competing for the championship title every year.

What is the Flyball course?

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A single Flyball run sees a dog run through start and finish gates, then over four jumps which are nine inches high and spread over fifty-one feet towards a specially constructed Flyball Box.

The dog then catches a ball released from the box, turns, and runs back over the jumps.

A changeover occurs and the next dog goes and so on until all four dogs have completed the course.

With painstakingly fast speeds making it almost impossible to tell if a dog completes the course before the next dog starts, electronic timers often help judges ensure accuracy in competition.

The fastest recorded flyball time for one dog’s run currently stands at a staggering 3.386 seconds, set by Wire from Skidmarkz flyball team in Iowa, US, in 2023.

The fastest time by a dog set in the UK is just marginally slower at 3.40 seconds with the record going to Fume from the Run flyball team in Leicestershire, while the current British Flyball Record for a team is 14.62 seconds and is held by F.O.C.U.S Flyball Team.

How is Flyball scored at Crufts?

Flyball is a high-stakes head-to-head event, with two teams going up against each other in heats.

At Crufts 2025, eight teams will compete on Thursday and the other eight on Friday. Each day is a mini-competition with its own winner, but the main goal is to win the first race of the day to advance to the next stage.

The top four teams from each day will then move on to the quarter-finals on Saturday, bidding to seal their spot in the semi-finals and final on Sunday.

A fault can incur if a dog crosses the line too early, a dog misses a jump, a dog does not collect the ball from the box or a dog drops the ball before the finish line.

It a fault light comes up, the team must run the dog who incurred the fault once more before they finish, adding even more time to their run. Teams to watch at Crufts 2025? Among the mix of competitors at Crufts 2025, there will be world record holders, world champions, four teams on the list of the top 10 fastest times in the world, and numerous previous Crufts winners. But all 16 teams are at the top of their game, and any of them could cause an upset or clinch an unexpected win at the NEC Birmingham this March. Belgium’s Road Runners Beep Beep are the current World Champions Cambridgeshire, while also keep an eye out for Tails We Win and Storm Chasers. Crufts, run by The Kennel Club, is a unique celebration of happy, healthy dogs and of the loving relationship that they enjoy with their owners. Crufts is held from 6-9 March 2025 at the NEC Birmingham. Viewers can follow all the action and highlights on Channel 4 and More4, and for further information and tickets visit crufts.org.uk