Celebrate Fourth Of July Weekend With Action Packed AKC Events On ESPN

The American Kennel Club (AKC®), a not-for-profit organization, the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, is excited to announce that the AKC Diving Dogs Challenge and the AKC Agility Premier Cup presented by Pet Perfect by Shaw Floors are set to premiere on ESPN on July 4th at 7pm ET and July 5th at 3:30pm ET, respectively.

This year’s Diving Dogs Challenge was held on May 4th at Hunter Army Airfield, GA and the AKC Agility Premier Cup took place on May 2nd at Fort Stewart, GA, both part of AKC Salutes the Troops, a weekend that honored service members and showcased the powerful bond between dogs and their handlers.

At the Diving Dogs Challenge, competitors aimed for top honors and prize money across three uniquely named divisions—Blackhawk, Chinook, and Apache—a nod to the event’s airfield setting.

Meanwhile, nearly 100 of the country’s top agility teams gathered for the AKC Agility Premier Cup. Competing across five height divisions (8”, 12”, 16”, 20”, and 24”), teams vied for a total of $10,000 in prizes in one of the most anticipated agility competitions of the year.

“Diving Dogs and Agility are two exciting sports that continue to captivate audiences,” said Gina M. DiNardo, AKC President and CEO. “ESPN viewers are sure to be on the edge of their seats watching these stellar canine/handler teams.”

The Diving Dogs Challenge broadcast on July 4th will be hosted by noted sportscaster Carolyn Manno, Kelly O’Donnel and Jason Rigler. The Agility Premier Cup broadcast on July 5th will be hosted by Carolyn Manno, Kelly O’Donnel and Kim Simons.

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=331576

Posted by Liz on Jun 28 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.