By, Richard Benjes, Michelle Morgan, photo credit: Leslie Roederer



Agility High In Trial/High Scoring Junior Handler: Jessie Van Doran and dog Penny (Border Collie, not in picture), together with agility Judge, Susan Keller.


Obedience High In Trial/High Scoring Junior Handler: Tate Drees and her dog Maxwell Tucker (Australian Shepherd), together with obedience Judge, Rich Benjes.

Following efforts and ideas that were suggested and implemented by Joe and Sharon Reese in Indiana (Indiana State Fair 4-H Dog Project) contacts were made with Kansas 4-H about its dog project at the Kansas State Fair, held each year in Hutchinson, Kansas. The Kansas State Fair is a sizable event providing many events and activities, from livestock judging, pig racing, buffalo chip throwing, live entertainment, vendors, Wildlife and Parks live fish displays, political booths (oh, well!) and – 4-H.

Part of the 4-H activities include the Dog Project, which is held on the second Saturday of the fair which is the second Saturday of September of each year. For a 4-H participant to reach the State Fair with his or her dog, the 4-H’er must qualify at the county level. Just reaching the State Fair is considered an honor.

Although judging in the Bison Arena on the fairgrounds starts at 9:00 am, activities to get ready for the day begin before 7:00, with registration, vet checks and final preparations for the day. Rings and equipment have been set up and the dirt floor arena has been worked and re-worked the day before, with one ring for agility and four rings starting with obedience and then followed by showmanship. Judges arrive before 8:00, to check their judging assignments and rings and prepare for a long day, which will not end before 5:00pm. . 4-H handlers start arriving at dawn- with parents driving to assigned parking areas – oh, forgot to mention that Hurricane Ike had passed through Kansas the day and night before, leaving everything a swamp- to dock their vehicles in mud ankle high, as dogs and crates and equipment are moved into the building. In the early morning rush, everything is hectic, kids, dogs , parents, rushing around to find a place to set up, get registered and find which ring they would be assigned.

In the midst of this confusion a new wrinkle was added: with the cooperation and assistance of Kansas 4-H Dog Project, through its advisor, Jim Adams, an associate professor at Kansas State University, and through the Action Team, which governs the Kansas 4-H Dog Project, UKC agreed to accept qualifying runs in 4-H novice obedience as qualifying runs toward a UKC companion dog title and the AGI and AGII legs toward a qualifying run toward a UKC AGI agility title. UKC had reviewed the Kansas 4-H obedience rules and agility rules and found that there were sufficient similarities with the UKC rules. In agility, the Kansas 4-H rules were developed through the influence of Charles “Bud” Kramer, of Manhattan, Kansas. Bud Kramer had also initiated the rules for NCDA, which became the original agility rules for UKC.

Many hours of preparation for the event, and a long day of paperwork were handled by Leslie Roederer, the trial secretary, on behalf of Hutchinson Agility Training Team, the host club. Michelle Morgan, Director, Dog Events for UKC was present at the event, and, by standing too close to the registration table, was drafted to work all day helping the trial secretary and promoting UKC to the 4-H handlers and their parents.

Susan Keller, a UKC agility judge and a Kansas certified 4-H judge judged the 4-H agility. Novice obedience was judged by Megan Murdock and Rich Benjes, both certified 4-H judges. Rich Benjes is also a UKC agility judge.

More than 45 4-H’ers, signed up to participate with UKC, for the first such event for Kansas State Fair 4-H Dog project. Plans are already being made for the next year’s Kansas State Fair and UKC’s involvement with the 4-H dog project.


Amanda Hageman with Calli


Overview of the agility ring.


Overview of the Obedience and Junior Showmanship rings.


Kristen and Kona


Carolyn Roederer with UAGI Willtana Fist Full of Dollars ("Nacho")