AKC Agility League crowns winter champions after 12th season wraps

The AKC Agility League ended its winter run with champions in 10 divisions and a big number that jumped off the page: 931 Clean Sweep qualifiers, dogs that got through all six rounds without a fault. That kind of clean, repeatable work is what separated the best winter teams from the rest, and it gave the league’s 12th season a clear finish line when it wrapped on April 28, 2026.

That matters because the league is built for sustained performance, not one-and-done show runs. Teams in the AKC Agility League work through 12-week seasons with six courses per season, and final standings are based on time plus faults. Scores are averaged across all dogs on a team, which puts pressure on consistency as much as raw speed. Teams are made up of three to eight dogs, and the league sorts them by ring size and skill level, with divisions ranging from Elementary to Ph.D./International. The structure also allows mixed jump heights and jump categories, Regular and Preferred, while veteran dogs 10 years and older may jump up to two heights lower than their true jump height.

The winter announcement also landed in the middle of a growth story that has been moving fast since the league began as a pilot on May 30, 2022. That first season drew more than 200 dogs and 40 teams. By Spring-Summer 2025, AKC said participation had reached a record 1,840 dogs, and the Fall 2025 season opened with more than 350 teams and nearly 2,000 dogs. AKC later framed the league as strong enough to support a 2026 Invitational and Championship concept, a sign that the program has moved well beyond its original test run.

The community side has been just as important as the scoreboard. AKC President and CEO Gina M. DiNardo said the league’s growth is due to its participants and canine athletes, while Program Director Penny Leigh said the league fosters community and is “less intense than an agility trial” but still competitive. That balance has helped the format reach juniors, newcomers and long-time handlers alike, including the 2025 championship at T. Ed Garrison Arena in Pendleton, South Carolina, where the entry more than tripled from the first championship to more than 90 teams. The 2025 event also added the Elementary class for the first time and saw an all-junior-handler team place third in team competition.

With winter complete, the league is already moving into its next seasonal window, keeping a structured outlet in place for dogs that want a job, handlers who want measurable progress, and clubs that want a competition format built for repetition, accuracy and drive.