You've been training dogs, building a community, and now your club is ready to host its first agility trial. It's exciting — and a little terrifying. There are a lot of moving parts, and the first time through, you don't know what you don't know.
This guide walks through everything you need to think about, from the very first steps to the moment you hand out the last ribbon.
Getting Affiliated with an Organization
Before you can host a sanctioned trial, your club needs to be affiliated with a governing organization like UKI, AKC, AAC, or another body that operates in your region. The affiliation process varies, but it typically involves:
- Submitting a club application with your officers and contact information
- Paying an annual affiliation fee
- Agreeing to follow the organization's rules and regulations
- Providing proof of insurance (more on this below)
- Applying for a trial date, sometimes months in advance
Start this process early. Some organizations require six months or more of lead time for new clubs, and popular trial dates fill up quickly in certain regions.
Finding the Right Venue
Your venue is one of the biggest factors in whether your trial succeeds or struggles. Here's what to look for:
Space requirements:
- A ring area large enough for a full-sized agility course (typically at least 80 by 100 feet, though requirements vary by organization)
- Room for crating, ideally under cover or indoors
- A warm-up area where dogs can stretch and practice before their runs
- Adequate parking for competitors, many of whom have large vehicles
Practical considerations:
- Indoor vs. outdoor — indoor venues are weather-proof but often more expensive
- Surface quality (flat, even, and safe for dogs to run on)
- Access to water and electricity
- Restroom facilities
- Climate control for extreme weather
- Whether the venue allows dogs (not all rental facilities do)
Visit the venue in person before committing. Walk the space, check the footing, and think about traffic flow. A venue that looks great on paper can have deal-breaking issues you only notice in person.
Insurance
Every sanctioned trial requires liability insurance. This protects your club, the venue, and your volunteers if something goes wrong. Your sanctioning organization may offer insurance as part of the trial approval process, or you may need to purchase your own policy.
Common insurance requirements include:
- General liability coverage (often $1 million or more)
- The venue listed as an additional insured party
- Coverage for dog-related incidents
- Coverage for volunteer injuries
Don't skip this step. Venues will ask for a certificate of insurance, and operating without it puts your club at serious risk.
Finding Judges
For your first trial, consider hiring an experienced judge who has worked with new clubs before. They can be a valuable resource beyond just judging — many will offer advice on ring setup, course flow, and trial logistics.
Book your judge early. Good judges are in demand, especially on weekends, and you'll need to coordinate their schedule with your trial date and venue availability.
Building Your Volunteer Team
You cannot run a trial without volunteers, and you'll need more of them than you think. Key volunteer roles include:
- Trial secretary (the most critical role — handles entries, scoring, and results)
- Score table workers
- Scribes (one per ring)
- Timer operators
- Course builders and ring crew
- Gate stewards (managing the order of dogs entering the ring)
- Leash runners
- Setup and teardown crew
For a single-ring trial, you'll need a minimum of 8 to 10 volunteers at any given time, plus people to help with setup and teardown. For your first trial, recruit more than you think you need — some won't show up, and others will need breaks.
Tips for volunteer management:
- Create clear role descriptions so volunteers know what they're signing up for
- Offer incentives like free entries, food, or club credit
- Train volunteers before trial day, not during it
- Have a volunteer coordinator who manages schedules and fills gaps
Equipment
Agility equipment is expensive, and you'll need a full set. For a standard agility trial, your equipment list typically includes:
- Jumps (bar jumps, panel jumps, spread jumps) — you'll need at least 15 to 20
- Tunnels (open and closed/chute, depending on the organization)
- Weave poles (usually 12)
- Contact obstacles: A-frame, dog walk, teeter/seesaw
- Pause table
- Start and finish markers
- Electronic timing system
- Number cones or stanchions for course numbering
If your club doesn't own equipment yet, you may be able to rent or borrow from another club. Many regions have clubs that share equipment or rent it out for a reasonable fee. This is a great option for your first trial while you figure out what you want to invest in long-term.
Entry Management
Decide early how you'll handle entries. You have a few options:
- Paper entries mailed in with checks (traditional but labor-intensive)
- Online entry through a third-party platform
- Direct online entry through your club's website
For a first trial, keep it simple. Choose one entry method and make the process very clear in your premium. Set a reasonable closing date — typically two to three weeks before the trial — to give yourself time to process entries, create run orders, and plan logistics.
Budget Planning
Trial budgets are tighter than most people realize. Here are the major expenses to plan for:
Fixed costs:
- Venue rental
- Judge fees and expenses (travel, hotel, meals)
- Insurance
- Organization sanctioning fees
- Equipment rental (if you don't own your own)
Variable costs:
- Ribbons and awards
- Printing (premiums, scribe sheets, catalogs)
- Volunteer food and refreshments
- Miscellaneous supplies (tape, markers, clipboards, bags)
Your revenue comes primarily from entry fees. Do the math carefully: figure out how many entries you need to break even, and set your fees accordingly. Most clubs aim to make a small profit that funds future trials and equipment purchases, but breaking even on your first trial is a perfectly reasonable goal.
The Day Before the Trial
If your venue allows it, set up the day before. This gives you time to:
- Lay out the ring and set up equipment
- Test your timing system
- Set up the score table, printer, and any technology you're using
- Prepare registration packets and armbands
- Walk through the flow of the day with your volunteer team
- Handle any last-minute venue issues
The more you do the day before, the calmer trial morning will be.
Trial Day Survival Tips
- Start on time — it sets the tone for the whole day
- Keep communication open between the ring, score table, and gate
- Have a plan for weather contingencies if you're outdoors
- Feed your volunteers — hungry volunteers are unhappy volunteers
- Stay calm when things go wrong, because something will
- Take photos and celebrate the moment — your first trial is a milestone
After the Trial
The work doesn't end when the last dog runs. Post-trial tasks include:
- Submitting results to the sanctioning organization
- Processing any outstanding payments or refunds
- Sending thank-you notes to your judge, volunteers, and venue
- Holding a debrief with your organizing committee to discuss what worked and what didn't
- Writing down everything you learned for next time
Your first trial won't be perfect, and that's completely fine. Every club that runs trials today started exactly where you are now. The important thing is to learn from the experience and keep improving.
Barkloop is built to help new clubs get up and running quickly. From entry management to automated scoring and results, it handles the technical details so you can focus on putting on a great event for your community.