Overview of the national jump heights across the world

In 2017, as Sweden, commonly considered as a very innovative and progressive Agility country, announced the launch of two new size classes. At the same time, they announced to refrain from judging up contact zones. This change has not or not yet really prevailed, unlike the size classes. Even the new size classes were not taken very seriously at the beginning. While the majority of people found the proposal very desirable, were at the same time the benefits called into question.

Would there even be teams who would use this opportunity? Especially because the Medium and Small startlists are sometimes poorly populated, depending on the country. With two, or at least one other size class, the number of participants would continue to shrink. Also repeatedly mentioned was the fact that the new sizes are internationally not run. The latter is true, but is likely a chance to change in the future.

A good three years later, there is a news report almost monthly that another country is thinking about introducing new size classes or making nails with heads. Ukraine has recently announced that it will also have five size classes from January 2020. Also in the baltic country Lithuania are additional heights a big topic. Other countries that have taken the step in recent years are for example Finland, Spain, England, Canada, the US, Poland or the Netherlands. We have listed all countries below that have at least four or more size classes on at the national level. Then all qualifications for international FCI events, will continue to be held with the three official sizes. Which still apply as standard.

Countries with five national size classes
Finland
Estonia
Czech Republic
Iceland
Lithuania
Poland
Spain
Sweden
Ukraine
Canada
USA
Brazil
Chile
Korea
Australia
New Zealand

Countries with four national size classes
France
Great Britain
Hungary
Netherlands
Singapore

But what happens next? In the next few years, we will read a lot of countries, which will also introduce a category for small dogs and a category for small Large dogs. This is currently being discussed in various countries. Some are gracing themselves, as long as the FCI as a world association does not officially prescribe. Others, in turn, fear the organizational overhead that this change entails. The FCI will at least think, if you can believe entries in social networks, 2023 about further changes.

It is fairly certain, however, that if one compares this development with that of abolishing the table as an official Agility obstacle, that in a few years five size classes will be the norm. Then there is once again a decision that has grown out of the community. But this does not just have negative aspects. The association does no quick thoughtless shots but is also open to new ideas and suggestions from the base.