High Flyers
Photos by Yossi Guy
Where do I begin to describe the unbelievable sport called disc dog? One of the most exciting canine events to watch, it showcases the human-canine relationship at its best. In a mix of movement that is almost dance-like, the handler throws discs to the waiting dog, who has to catch them, preferably in mid-air. Disc dog involves a lot of athletic ability on the dog’s part and a great deal of precision on the person’s part.
In past years, I have followed heelwork to music freestyle at Crufts — also a striking performance. Stavit Budin from Israel, who started with heelwork and changed to disc dog, explains the difference: “Heelwork to music is a routine that should look like dancing together, while in disc dog we have to construct a routine while tossing a disc in the air.”
The 2022 competition was held on a huge lawn in a municipal park in the city of Poznan, Poland, on September 16 through 18. It was organized for the first time outside the United States by the Polish member of the international organization US Disc Dog Nationals, or USDDN. There were two types of competition – long-range tossing, called “toss and fetch,” and freestyle.
In the former, the person tosses a disc at a particular distance, depending on the dog’s size. He is scored according to the distance and whether the dog manages to catch the disc before it lands. In this particular case, there was also a lot of wind that influenced the disc’s trajectory, increasing the distance. The dogs were required to be aware of the location of the disc, which would sometimes get swept upward and even backward. The number and quality of catches in a given time frame provided the final score.
Freestyle is much more complicated. The player uses a large number of discs, which he throws for short and long distances while performing all sorts of physical maneuvers, jumps, twists and spins. The dog has to catch each disc, and a large part of the time is in physical contact with the handler, using his or her body as a springboard. The dogs jump very high — truly eye-catching.
The players are scored by four judges who give points for different criteria, including disc catches, the human-dog teamwork and movement.
USDDN chairperson Pat Nadarajah of Canada, who attended, says there are about 20 countries with competitors who are qualified for events.
.First Place World Champion Shaun Hirai of Japan
“Up to now, all our competitions have taken place in the USA, and this is the very first year in Europe,” Nadarajah explains, adding that the Polish event drew a “nice entry.” “We have made a decision to rotate the competitions, but next year it will be in the USA again.”
USDDN events started in the early 2000s with Alex Stein, who founded the dog-disc sport and the organization itself. Travelling to various countries, he brought them into the organization, whose steerage committee is made up of elected members.
Nadarajah says there are no particular requirements for taking part in the sport, so long as the dog is fit and not overweight. Smaller dogs can use smaller discs, but Nadarajah notes they don’t work as well as bigger ones.
“All dogs are welcome,” she continues. “We have a lot of protection and rescue dogs. Of course, a lot of Border Collies, but there are other breeds, including Whippets and Belgian Shepherds.”
USDDN is now one of several organizations that sponsor disc-dog events. Each has its own regulations, with different scoring and routines. Nadarajah says USDDN events have a bigger field and are held outdoors, while some other organizations conduct their competitions indoors.
While the registered-trademark word Frisbee® is often used generically to describe these flying discs, Nadarajah says competitors can use products from various companies. She adds that in the U.S. there is one organization that requires members to use its discs only.
While USDDN hopes to add a few more member countries in the future, “our most important emphasis is the new young players,” Nadarajah says. “Every year the routines become more and more innovative.”
The judging panel at the competition consisted of four judges from different countries, including Japan and the U.S. The American judge Apryl Lee of St. Louis, Missouri, got started in disc dog in 1993, thanks to her high-energy Border Collie, who loved catching discs at the beach by their home.
“I visited a festival and began taking part in the sport there,” she explains. “I got a pamphlet with explanations and began going to competitions. My best achievements were winning the regional with my second dog.”
Lee has made a job out of what she loves to do: She works for Purina, performing six days a week as part of a three-person disc team at the company’s Purina Farms visitor center.
“I love to see a big smile and correlation between dog and handler,” she says of disc competitors. “It’s something you feel. Magic happens here. You need skill with the [disc] and have to know how to use the wind.”
Aside from the ubiquitous Border Collies, Lee says she is seeing more Sighthounds, “but I personally prefer shelter dogs that have lots of energy.”
Second place Reserve I World Champion Jacob Gadasi of Israel
Japanese-born Seiya Nakano, who now lives in France, took part with his dog Protein. A chef by profession, nowadays he is a stay-at-home husband who takes care of his two children while his wife earns a living for the family.
“I have been taking part in the [disc] competitions for the past seven years. I began on my own and then took part in a seminar with some Japanese people,” explains Nakano, whose dog is a Border Collie-Whippet mix. “The hardest thing is that you do it with a dog and must remember to support the dog.”
Nakano’s biggest achievement in the sport is placing fourth in the world championship in the U.S. in 2019.
The top winner at the Polish event was Shaun Hirai of Japan, who was crowned USDDN World Champion 2022. The Reserve I World Champion was Jacob Gadasi of Israel, and the Reserve II World Champion was Mona Hirai of Japan – who is Shaun Hirai’s sister. This sport definitely runs in the family!
“When my name was announced as World Champion at the award ceremony, so many thoughts rushed through me and I cried,” Shaun Hirai recalls. “But actually, what really touched me were the warm blessings and hugs from so many people. Cheer, blessings and hugs are the best combination. This was the peak of 14 years of failure and success. I also want to thank my fantastic dog, Goldrush.”
Jacob Gadasi, who took second place to become Reserve World Champion, praised his dog, too. “I would like to thank Dusty, the little two-and-a-half-year-old monster, who displays power and strength combined with softness and patience. The perfect balance in my opinion, attested to by the results.” Speaking directly to Dusty, he adds: “You give me a lot of space when playing and you have no ego. You execute every task you get at the highest level.”
Gadasi appreciates the great sense of camaraderie in this sport, which, trophies and titles aside, may be the biggest reward of all.
Third place Reserve II World Champion Mona Hirai of Japan
“I have been competing under the USDDN since 2017,” he says, adding that the Israeli delegation to the 2022 event garnered some impressive scores along with compliments from the judges and audience alike. “Seeing them together, all for one and one for all, with sporting spirit, united, supporting, cheering, was more than I could dream of.”
For more information on the US Disc Dog Nationals, visit www.usddn.com.