UKC Premier Nationals will showcase dock jumping and agility stars
Dock jumping and agility will anchor UKC Premier Nationals in Kalamazoo, a free June showcase with thousands of entries, 175 breeds and $5 parking.
Dock jumping and agility will be the pulse of the United Kennel Club’s Premier Nationals this summer, turning the Kalamazoo Expo Center and Fairgrounds into a stage for dogs that need to run, leap and work. The 33rd annual event, which began in 1994, is set for June 10-14 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with the main public window running June 12-14.
The appeal goes well beyond a traditional conformation weekend. UKC says the show will bring thousands of entries representing more than 175 breeds, but the sports side is what gives Premier Nationals its edge for people who follow high-drive dogs. Visitors will see dock jumping teams, agility dogs, obedience, rally obedience, weight pull, nosework, precision coursing, DASH and steeplechase, a lineup that makes the weekend feel more like a multi-sport meet than a straight breed show.
That breadth is tied to UKC’s Total Dog philosophy, the club’s long-running idea that a dog should show equal parts function, temperament and structure. To earn a Total Dog award, a dog has to place in both conformation and an eligible performance event on the same day. UKC has used Premier Nationals to put that idea on display for years, and the 2026 premium list shows the public-facing program reaching even earlier, with breed specialties on June 10 and other benchmark events including the Top Ten Finals, Top Junior Finals, All-Stars Invitationals and Nosework Hall of Fame activities on June 11.
For spectators, the setup is unusually friendly. Admission is free, parking is $5 per vehicle, and the show is scheduled to run roughly from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. UKC says more than a dozen food and supply vendors will be on site, and supporters include Eukanuba, Rainwalk and Discover Kalamazoo. The club says spectators are welcome, but only dogs pre-entered in the event are allowed on the grounds.
The competition is being staged by a club with deep infrastructure behind it. UKC says it was founded in 1898 and now hosts more than 18,000 licensed events annually, and the 2026 premium list names Super Retriever Series as the dock jumping superintendent and Capital City Canine Club as the agility superintendent. Pre-entries opened March 16 and closed May 4, setting up a June week in Kalamazoo that puts the smartest and fastest dogs in the spotlight where they belong.
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