⼠Scent Work ⼠Rally ⼠Obedience ⼠Fast Cat ⼠Canine Good Citizen ⼠Trick Dog ⼠Fetch ⼠Agility
The All-Breed Scent Trials of the AC
KCSC National Specialty, will be held on Sat-Sun, April 11-12 at the hotel property. Entries Close Thu,  Mar 26, 2026  5:00 PM EDT. Â
Dogs have a sense of smell thatâs between 10,000 and 100,000 times more acute than ours! The sport of Scent Work celebrates the joy of sniffing, and asks a dog to sniff to their heartâs content; turning your dogâs favorite activity into a rewarding game. It is a terrific sport for all kinds of dogs, and is a wonderful way to build confidence in a shy dog.
In so many dog sports the handler is in control but this isnât true in Scent Work. Neither the dog nor handler knows where the target odor is hidden. The handler has to rely on the dog, and follow the dogâs nose to success … but, then has to know when and how that dog alerts. In Scent Work, it is the canine who is the star of the show.
The sport of Scent Work is based on the work of professional detection dogs (such as drug dogs), employed by humans to detect a wide variety of scents and substances. In AKC Scent Work, dogs search for cotton swabs saturated with the essential oils of Birch, Anise, Clove, and Cypress. The cotton swabs are hidden out of sight in a pre-determined search area, and the dog has to find them. Teamwork is necessary: when the dog finds the scent, he has to communicate the find to the handler, who calls it out to the judge.
Date:Â Sat & Sun, April 11-12Â
(Sat: 3 Trials: Novice & Advanced, all elements; Sunday: Detective, Excellent & Masters)
Judges: Lisa Kretner, Teresa Hicks, Amanda Hutchinson
Event Chair: Kathy Montgomery
Date: Mon, April 13, 9:00 am
Explore the fascinating world of AKC Scent Work! Let us introduce you to the “Detective” Level of Scent Work!
Detective Search Fun RunÂ
Observers welcomed, dependent on space.
Judge: Lisa Kretner
Event Chair: Kathy Montgomery
Cost: $20
Performance competition is an important and special part of Nationals Week. Be amazed by what our Cavaliers can do! Join us, either to participate in obedience and rally competitions, or simply to cheer on those who are striving for excellence in these performance events. Entries Close March 18, 2026 noon PST.  We are looking at possibly providing an introductory seminar on Rally & Obedience on Monday afternoon – stay tuned!
Obedience and Rally Trial (Nat’l Specialty)
Day: Tues-Wed, April 14-15 (pending AKC approval)
Event Chair: Mary Morris
Judge:Â Cheryl Tisdale
Obedience and Rally Trial (Independent Specialty) (pending AKC approval)
Entries: BaRay Event Services
The AKC Canine Good Citizen⢠(CGC) program provides a perfect framework for training your Cavalier to become a polite member of society. Â
CGC tests will be offered on Tuesday at the ACKCSC National. Qualifying participants are eligible to order a certificate from AKC certifying the dog as a Canine Good Citizen.
Qualifying participants may also apply to AKC for a CGC title to appear on AKC title records. Participants who register for a CGC test at this show must indicate at time of registration whether they want to apply to AKC for a certificate or title.
The CGC Testing Schedule will be published with other Show events, and exhibitors will receive a notice of the running order before the day of the test.
Pre-registration required at ACKCSC One-Stop Shop Registration Fee – $25.00
Date: Tuesday, April 14th
Evaluators: Mary Morris & Sandy Averitt
Event Chair: Mary Morris
Do you and your dog love to be the life of the party by showing off his arsenal of tricks? Then he might be perfectly primed to earn AKC Trick Dog titles!
There are five AKC Trick Titles you and your dog can earn (listed below).  We will only be offering all levels except Elite at this event: HANDLERS MUST PROVIDE THEIR OWN PROPS
More information about the AKC Trick Dog program can be found here:Â https://www.akc.org/sports/trick-dog/
Date:Â Tuesday, April 14th
Event Chair & Evaluator: Mary Morris
Entries Close March 18, 2026 @ noon PST
NEW!! AKC FETCH Presentation!Imagine a day filled with excitement, laughter, and the joy of watching your dog showcase their natural retrieving skills. AKC Fetch is the perfect event for you and your furry friend to bond, compete, and have fun together. Whether your dog is a seasoned pro or just starting out, AKC Fetch offers a welcoming environment for all skill levels. Join a community of passionate dog owners, cheer on your pup as they fetch and retrieve, and create unforgettable memories. Donât miss out on this fantastic opportunity to celebrate your dogâs talents and enjoy a day of pure canine delight!Â
What is AKC Fetch?
AKC Fetch is an official AKC event where dogs are tested on their ability to fetch and retrieve objects. The event is open to all breeds and is a fantastic opportunity for dogs to demonstrate their natural retrieving instincts. The program includes various levels of difficulty, ensuring that both novice and experienced dogs can participate and enjoy the challenge. AKC Fetch videos can be found here: https://www.akc.org/fetch/videos/
As an introduction to AKC Fetch, the Club is offering a presentation on AKC Fetch to our membership as we hope to include this new and exciting event in future shows. If we do include this in the future, we need to meet AKC requirements for hosting and staffing.
What is required for our Club to Host an AKC Fetch Event
Hosting an AKC Fetch event requires careful planning and coordination. We will need Fetch Committee with a minimum of 5 people to organize the event and address any issues that arise. An Event Chair would oversee the event. . Our very own Maureen Pogorzelski is AKC approved as a Fetch Judge, and has agreed to be one of our Judges if we hold a trial.Â
AKC Fetch is a wonderful way to engage with your dog and the community. Whether youâre participating or hosting, itâs an event that brings joy and excitement to everyone involved. With proper planning and a dedicated team, an AKC Fetch event can be a memorable experience for all.
 The National Specialty Committee would appreciate your feedback. How many of you have participated in Fetch before? At what levels ? We are curious to know what the interest level is and who would be willing to help start this new discipline at our ACKCSC National.
If you are interested in serving on the Fetch Committee or serving as the Fetch Committee Chair, or just entering your dog into Fetch competition, please contact us at fetch@ackcsc.org to let us know. We want to hear from you!
FAST CATHow fast can your dog run the 100-yard dash? We are excited to offer Fast CAT in conjunction with the 2026 National Specialty! This will include formal Fast CAT competition runs, and also fun trial runs to see if your dog will run the course, time permitting. If you are not familiar with Fast CAT, more information may be found using the links below.
Although it is a relatively new sport, Fast CATâs popularity has spread like wildfire. Fast CATÂŽ provides a terrific opportunity to introduce new participants to the world of AKC sports. It is one of the few events where all that’s needed to compete is a dogâs natural instincts. Fast CAT is a fast-paced, fun activity to both watch and participate in!
What is the Fast CAT? Fast CAT is a timed straight 100âyard dash for dogs. Dogs are held at the start line and the coursing lure is activated prompting the dog to follow chasing it to the finish line and into a catch pen. The course is completely fenced, and dogs are run individually. Dogs are timed when they complete the 100âyard dash. The time is converted to Miles Per Hour (MPH).
Eligibility – To participate in Fast CATÂŽ, your dog must be:
All entries, including wait listed entries, must be received by the Trial Secretary prior to _______________ (TBA)
More information may be found here:
https://www.akc.org/sports/coursing/fast-cat/news/harnessing-dogs-instinct-chase/
https://www.akc.org/sports/coursing/fast-cat/
Watch the National Specialty website and Facebook page for more event information!
Dates:Â Tue-Thu, April 14-16, at the driving range adjoining the hotel
Event Chair: Beci MarkijohnÂ
Secretary: TBA
Location:Â Host Hotel (outside)
Feel the intensity – feel the excitement!! Come and participate or just watch our agility competition to be held in conjunction with the ACKCSC National Specialty at:
Three Bulls Farm
625 Beech Grove Rd.
Bulls Gap, TN 37711
(see map)
More details to follow.  The trial will accept Cavalier entries first for the agility trial for a two week period before general opening. Then it will be open to all of our all breed friends. Entries open February 26, 2026 @ 10am EDT. Entries close March 23, 2026 @ 11am Eastern. More information coming soon.Â
Host Hotel Information:Â Coming soon!\
We encourage all Juniors to enter. We have reduced rates for Juniors and there will be a prize for High Scoring Junior each day, no matter what class your dog is in. Details later on this.
Please check AKC events page for Premium sometime late January.
Agility is not only an enjoyable sport to compete in, but so much fun to watch! Itâs one of the fastest-growing canine sports in the country. Canine agility is a sport where you direct your dog through a pre-set obstacle course in a race for time and accuracy. Cavaliers are especially enjoyable to watch as they race through the course. You can see the exhilaration â their tails wagging and their ears flying out as they leap through tires, jump over hurdles and dive through tunnels. Courses typically have between 14-20 obstacles, which can include tunnels, weave poles, tire jumps, seesaws, and pause tables where the dog must stop for a set amount of time. Each trial features a unique course designed for that day. Dogs race around the courses, relying on the ownerâs voice & movement cues, and body signals. Dogs run off leash, without the use of toys or food as motivators. Agility can be quite a rush â and a great way to build an even deeper bond between you and your dog.
Want to learn more about agility? Visit the AKC website
Agility Trial (Natâl Specialty)
Dates: Fri-Sun, April 17-19
Event Chair: Kristine Schmidt
Judge: Paula Miloglav-Recco
Secretary: Sunrise Agility LLC (Tina Eastman)
See Judge Bios here.
More information can be found here:
https://my.pawprinttrials.com/public/trials?p=n
Fri. Judges: Cheri Tyre-Roberts & Pamela Sturtz
Sat. & Sun. Judges: Ronda Bermke & Cheri Tyre-Roberts
Sign up will be available 1 month prior to event
