You may have heard of throwing discs for fun, but have you ever tried it with your dog? It’s not just a dog sport, it’s a major competition where teams of handlers and dogs participate in multiple disc events. Teams aren’t just competing, the highest scorers are crowned disc dog winners in their respective events!
Also known as UpDog, Disc Dog is an fast-paced dog sport. People and dogs can enjoy Disc Dog on many different levels. The 2024 Disc Dog Challenge, presented by The Farmer’s Dog, took place on June 2, airing on ESPN2 on Saturday, June 15.
Disc Dog takes the game of fetch to another level. They’ve created fun mini games, including Frizgility, Time Warp, Spaced Out, and Far Out. These four games are played in the AKC Disc Dog Challenge, presented by The Farmer’s Dog. See the winners in each game below!
2024 AKC Disc Dog Challenge Winners
Disc Dog Freestyle Winners
In the Freestyle Disc Dog event, “Belle” the All-American Dog and Megan Taris of Tampa Florida took home the first place ranking. Together, the team had a score of 86.6.
Chris Knapp of Centralia, Illinois, and his All-American Dog, “Macho” took second place in Freestyle. This team had a score of 83.3.
Bayley Rowe of Wildwood, Missouri, took third with her Border Collie, “Stardust,” with a time of 82.5 seconds.
Disc Dog Time Warp Winners
In the Time Warp, Caitlin Zilla of Akron, Ohio, took home first place. Zilla and Border Collie “Clue” had a score of 12.17.
In second place for Time Warp, Landon Shoenberger and his All-American Dog, “Merlin,” scored 13.98. The third place winner of Time Warp was Tony Kelso with “Hardy” the Border Collie. They had a score of 19.19.
Disc Dog Women’s Far Out Winners
Far Out had four top scorers on the women’s side, competing to see who could get the most distance. In first place, Megan Taris returned with her All-American Dog, “Raya,” to throw 213.5 yards. “Piper” the Australian Shepherd, teamed with Katy, Texas’s Jill Best, went 189.5 yards, putting them in second place. Jordan Thompson of Holly Springs, North Carolina, and “Newt” the Border Collie came in third with 122 yards. Saint Peters, Missouri resident Caitlyn Olvitt and “Kite” the Border Collie came in fourth with 59 yards.
Disc Dog Men’s Far Out Winners
In the Men’s Far Out competition, four teams were crowned. Chris Knapp of Centralia, Illinois, and “Macho” the All-American Dog took first place with 238 yards. Christopher Brownlee of Crosby, Texas, and “Pop Tart” the Whippet came in a close second with 237.5 yards. “Porsche” the Labrador Retriever and Brooksville, Florida handler Gary Duke took third place with 181 yards. Landon Shoenberger of Sarasota, Florida, and “Merlin” the All-American Dog came in fourth place with 67.5 yards.
Disc Dog Frizgility Winners
Clue and Zilla didn’t just score big in Time Warp. This team also placed first in Frizgility, with a score of 185 points.
Second and third place tied points. Two Border Collie teams went head to head in agility and both scored 175. The teams were “Risk” with Kyle Hand of Barlett, Illinois, and “Sweep” with Allison Marsh of Lees Summit, Missouri.
Want to Get Involved in Disc Dog?
If you love throwing a disc with your dog, consider giving Disc Dog and its many games a try! The best way to get involved is to find clubs near you that offer classes, and try out each game to figure out what you like best. If you’re not ready to go to a class, many clubs host online classes and seminars, and you can try practicing throwing a disc at home. Who knows, you and your dog might be the next duo showcasing your skills on ESPN2!
For more information about UpDog and getting involved in your local area so your dog can be recognized, please visit UpDog Challenge. There you can learn more about events in your area, UpDog games, and more!
Don’t know if Disc Dog is for you? Don’t worry! There are many dog sports that are suitable for dogs of all ages and abilities.
Catch! The AKC Disc Dog Challenge will premiere on ESPN2 on Saturday, June 15 at 12PM ET. You won’t want to miss these high-flying dog teams in action.