JIMBOOMBA’s recently formed Flyball Racing Club is preparing for national championships in September this year.
Game On Flyball Racing owner Peter Samuels has spent the past six months building the club towards the goal of establishing a full-fledged team fit for competition.
Mr Samuels said Flyball Racing was commonly referred to as “drag racing for dogs”.
“It is a team sport with two teams of four dogs - they race across four small jumps – catch a tennis ball – and run back,” he said.
“It becomes a relay race.”
The club’s most important goal is to have a team fit to contest the national championships at the Wacol track, near the RSPCA facility in September.
Club members meet at Hills College, 105 Johanna Street, on Sunday mornings from 8am to train the dogs in the sport.
Mr Samuels said any dog breed would be suitable for Fly Ball Racing as long as they undergo suitable training.
“It is not limited to any particular breed, we can have anything from fluffy poodle dogs right through to the usual sporting breeds like Kelpies,” he said.
“Any dog that has got four legs and can fetch a tennis ball can do it, but it is not something where you can just turn up and race.
“Quite often it takes 12 months to train a dog of the farm into a race team situation.”
Game on Flyball Racing is holding an open event on Sunday, February 17.
People will be welcome to attend from 8am to 11am to learn about Fly Ball Racing and meet the team and racing dogs.
The Jimboomba Flyball Racing team has eight associate members and 10 dogs in training.
Two dogs have reached a competitive level with others expected to join their ranks in weeks.
Other Flyball Racing clubs in Queensland are based in the Redlands, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Maryborough.
Anyone interested in attending an ordinary training day can send a message to the Game On Flyball Racing Facebook page.
