Our current issue, themed “Fascinating Animals,” includes a story about our visit to the new American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog in Manhattan.
In touring the impressive space and hearing about its programs, we were also told about the first-ever AKC Agility Premier Cup being held on Long Island.
The AKC is joining with EEM World to host this event, presented by EEM in conjunction with the Longines Masters of New York April 25 at NYCB Live at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
Billed as a family friendly event, it will mark the first time AKC Agility will be held at an equestrian event as a way to showcase the abilities of both horses and dogs in their respective sports. The top 60 canine agility competitors and their handlers from around the country will be invited to compete at the Cup, with 12 dogs entered in each of five jump heights competing for cash prizes. The winning entry will also have its name engraved on the AKC Agility Premier Cup trophy that will be displayed in perpetuity in the AKC New York headquarters, which is in the same building as the Museum of the Dog.
“Agility is an exciting event that is fun to watch for all ages,” said Carrie DeYoung, director of agility for the American Kennel Club, in advance materials. “There are so many fascinating similarities between the dog and equine sports. Through this event, the public can learn about agility and cheer on the dogs while learning how it relates to equestrian competitions.”
The Longines Masters of New York is the grand finale of an international series that also has stops in Paris and Hong Kong.
Event highlights will be aired on AKC.TV, available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV.
For more, visit Ticketmaster.com, nycblive.com or akc.org.
– Mary Shustack
