European Agility Leaderboards: The Data Behind the Top Rankings

The competitive landscape of European dog agility is defined not just by clear rounds and low fault counts, but by the structural backbone that supports the sport: judges, venues, and national activity levels. Recent data reveals distinct patterns in who is officiating at the highest volume and where the most frequent competitions are taking place. This analysis highlights the key players driving the current season's structure, offering a snapshot of the agility ecosystem across the continent.

Judicial Consistency: The Swedish Dominance

When examining the ranking of judges by the number of events officiated, a striking pattern emerges. The data indicates that Swedish judges occupy the majority of the top positions in terms of volume. This suggests a high level of judicial availability and demand within the Nordic region.

Amanda Sjölander (SE) and Tobias Sjöberg (SE) are tied for the top position, each having officiated 8 events.
Elina Sjölander (SE) and Annelie Hermansson (SE) follow closely with 6 events each.
The top five list is entirely composed of Swedish judges, including Marianne Fernström and Viktoria Lundh, who have both officiated 5 events.

This concentration implies that the Swedish agility community is not only active in competition but also robust in its judicial infrastructure. For handlers, this may translate to a high standard of course design and judging consistency at major Scandinavian events.

Venue Activity: Germany’s Event Density

In contrast to the judicial rankings, the most active venues are heavily concentrated in Germany. The numbers indicate that German locations host significantly more events than their counterparts in other European nations, suggesting a deep-rooted culture of frequent local and regional competitions.

Venue	Country	Event Count
Preith	DE	129
Höhr-Grenzhausen	DE	128
92286 Kreuth Rieden	DE	70
Barcelona	ES	68
Hohenlockstedt	DE	68

Preith stands out as the most active venue in the dataset, with a staggering 129 events. This is nearly double the number of the third-place venue. The presence of Barcelona (ES) and Madrid (ES) at 5th and 7th positions respectively shows that while Germany leads in volume, Spain maintains a strong competitive presence. The gap between the top German venues and the rest of Europe highlights the frequency with which these locations serve as hubs for agility training and competition.

National Outlook: Upcoming Event Volumes

Looking forward, the distribution of upcoming events further cements Germany’s position as the epicenter of European agility activity. The data shows a clear hierarchy in national event volumes:

Germany (DE) leads with 854 upcoming events.
Finland (FI) follows with a significant 702 events, indicating a highly competitive domestic circuit.
Great Britain (GB) ranks third with 534 events.

The gap between the top three nations and the rest of the field is notable. Czech Republic (CZ) and Switzerland (CH) continue at 186 and 185 events respectively, showing steady participation. However, the sheer volume in Germany suggests that handlers looking for frequent competitive opportunities will find the most diverse selection of courses and grades there.

Key Numbers

To summarize the scale of the current agility landscape, these figures provide the most compelling insights into the sport's operational depth:

129 events: The maximum number of events hosted by a single venue (Preith, DE).
854 upcoming events: The total volume for Germany, representing the largest national calendar.
8 events: The highest number of events officiated by a single judge (Amanda Sjölander and Tobias Sjöberg, SE).

The data illustrates a sport that is both geographically diverse and structurally centralized in specific hubs. As the season progresses, these rankings will likely evolve, but the current distribution suggests that Germany will remain the primary engine for event volume, while Sweden continues to lead in judicial expertise and consistency.