Country Selection 2027


Each country is responsible for selection of its own team. The selection process is coordinated by a “country manager.” The manager may be an agility organisation in that country, a committee, or an individual. Each potential team manager must submit a resume to the WAO organising committee for approval.


The country manager is responsible for writing a selection guidelines document that explains how people in the country can become members of the team. Each country’s team selection process must be non-discriminatory with regard to both handlers and dogs, follow the WAO rules,  and must be approved by WAO to meet these requirements. In addition, a country’s team selection process must allow for at least 1 (one) dog from each height to win its way onto the team, and to run in the Agility Biathlon and the Individual Agility Pentathlon. This must be stated in each country’s selection rules. Other positions on the country’s team may be filled at the discretion of the country’s manager.


If you wish to apply as an alternative country manager when there is already a country manager listed below, then you must submit a full selection document, together with your resume and full details why you are submitting your application as an alternative manager, to info@worldagilityopen.com, by the 30th June in the year prior to the WAO you wish to manage at. The WAO committee will make a decision on the manager by 14th July. However, if a tryout is scheduled prior to August 1st, then alternative applications must be submitted by 1st March and decisions on the manager will be made by May 31st.


If a manager is not listed for your country and you are interested in the position, please email info@worldagilityopen.com with your resume for more information


If a country is unable to travel with their own dogs due to the laws of the host country or excessive travel times and expense, substitute dogs may be provided by the host country. A country must make a request in writing to the WAO organising committee. Requests will be evaluated by the WAO committee on a case-by-case basis.


If you are interested in becoming a member of your country’s team, please scroll down to find out who to contact in your country.

Country

Team Manager

Managers Email

Selection Document 

Argentina

Jorge Esteban Ramos Salinas

Australia

Tanya McAndrew

Austria

Cornelia Götzendorfer

Belgium

Thora Van Der Stock

Brazil

Michel Freitas

Canada

Angela Koop

Chile

Ivette White

China

Jimmy Chen

Colombia

Juliana Blanco

Croatia

Mary Schaff

Czech Republic

Karina Divišová

Denmark

Julie Tambjerg

England

Anthony Clarke

Estonia

Meiri Soon

Finland

Laura Karppinen

France

Gregory Bielle-Bidalot

Germany

Anna Hinze

Hungary

Éva Bacsinszky

Israel

Mirit Shahar Margalit

Italy

Massimo Perla

Japan

Mariko Kihara

Luxembourg

Tania Spaniol Eiffes

Malaysia

Han Ni Choong

Mexico

Barbara de la Parra

Monaco

Elisa Richelmi

Netherlands

Wendy Willemse

New Zealand

Rachel Sanders

Northern Ireland

Curtis Mullan

Norway

Hanne W. Jørgensen

Poland

Marta Dec

Portugal

Ana Emauz

Republic of Ireland

Petra Listopadova

Republic of Korea

Ga Hye Kim

Scotland

Alan Short

Singapore

Tan Meow Heong

Slovakia

Petra Matušíková

Slovenia

Janez Pirnar

South Africa

Carolyn Chelchinskey

Spain

Oscar Muñiz Martinez  

Suriname

Bianca Sanstra

Sweden

Rebecka Hansson

Switzerland

Bettina Stemmler

Thailand

Nada Sibunruang

USA

Mary Ellen Barry

Venezuela

Kiko Cruz

Vietnam

Roger Ly 

Wales

Aimee Kerton

Zimbabwe

Martin Cavill