THE first BK9 hoopers show in Cumbria, organised by West Lakeland Dog Training Club, took place on April 6 at Seascale Cricket Pitch.

The show saw a diverse range of breeds from Labradors and German Shepherds to Spaniels of all shapes and sizes.

The event highlighted Hoopers, a low impact sport that helps owners work on distance handling their dogs as they make their way around a course going through  hoops, barrels, and tunnels and can help develop the relationship between pet dogs and their family whilst promoting skills such as recall, focus and confidence.

Hoopers is gaining momentum in the pet-owning community, and the sport was exhibited for the first time in the main arena at Crufts this year.

Kim, a disabled member of the West Lakes club, and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Arlo, along with young member Jack, handling Beanie, another Cavalier, were a part of the display team showcasing the sport.

West Lakeland Dog Training Club has been running agility classes and shows for many years. They introduced Hoopers training in 2022, and the recent show on April 6 was the club's first-ever hoopers event.

The training and shows take place at Seascale, where the club also holds other outdoor canine activities.

Pam McConnell, the West Lakes treasurer, spearheads the club's Hoopers training. Pam discovered Hoopers online during the lockdown and completed her instructor's course in March 2022.

Hoopers is a great sporting activity suitable for all dog breeds and is accessible to people of all ages and abilities. For more enthusiastic participants, there is also the option to run the course with their pets!

There are various different organisations that run similar shows however, Bk9 Hoopers is a new organisation aiming to promote safe flowing lines for dogs to run and West Lakes held the first BK9 show for the Cumbria area.