Hello everybody!

My name is Bart De Decker. I’m a 51 year old guy who lives in Lebbeke (Belgium) with my wife and daughter. I started agility about 22 years ago with my first dog Vinnie, a shepherd (Tervuren). As we started competing, my interest in agility started to grow. Nowadays, we own 9 dogs (still a shepherd, 4 shelties, a papillon, 2 border collies and a mini Australian Sheperd) and all of our free time is dedicated to agility. We also own the Sports Association Just4Fun, specialising in training agility dogs.

Besides judging several competitions a year in Belgium (including championships), I have judged in the UK, Ireland, Ukraine, America, the Netherlands, Germany and the Czech Republic.

It is a great honor for me to be able to celebrate the WAO’s 10th anniversary with you as a judge. I will try my best to present some challenging courses to you and I surely hope you will enjoy them. Hope to meet you all in Ermelo in 2022!

I got my first dog, an Australian Shepherd named Tahoe, in 1998 and the next year began to train and trial in agility along with my wife and her rescue Australian Shepherd, Chase.  We currently have four Australian Shepherds; my current competition dogs are 9 year old Boca and her daughter, 3 year old Elektra.  Boca and I have had the incredible opportunity to compete internationally multiple times as part of Team USA at the WAO 2013-2015 and at the 2015 IFCS WAC.

I have been judging since 2004 for UKI, USDAA and ASCA. My international and national events have included:

• 2009 & 2010 USDAA Cynosports
• 2011 Inaugural WAO in England
• 2011 US Open

For the 2019 WAO, I was one of the coaches for Team USA, looking to continue our eight year streak of standing on the Team Pentathlon podium.

When designing courses, I look to challenge the handler to be actively engaged and timely in their commands when handling through what should be obvious and fast lines for the dog. Please be ready to run!

Thank you to the WAO Management for the opportunity to come back for their 10th anniversary and judge this amazing event.

Agility:
UK – Competed for 23 years
Competed at Olympia with 6 dogs. (Reserve in 2011, and 3rd place 2017)
Competed at Crufts with 5 dogs over 15 separate years 15 years, won major finals and CC’s, currently running BC at G7 level & G4 Level.
Have run all of my own dogs (8) at Championship level (the highest level in UK)
International – WAO Silver Medal Pentathlon 2016 overall. 5th Overall Games 2017.
FCI AWC 2011 (team silver jumping) & 2016
EO 2008 (team bronze overall) , 2011 & 2012 (individual final) 2016 (Individual final & team final) 2017 (team GB)
Current GB Squad member
Crufts team winner 2018. KCI 2018 Championship winner.
Crufts 2019 competitor

Judging:
UK – Judged for 18 years.
Olympia 2016, Crufts 2015 & 2008, CC Judge – judged all major finals in UK.
International – WAO 2011
International – UKI Nationals 2013 (South Carolina)
International FCI – Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia, Japan, South Africa, Spain, Italy, Czech Rep, Ireland, Singapore (UKI), Poland, Canada, USA, Australia, Ireland, Finland, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Holland,
Part of GJP (Global Judging Program) instructing globally

Agility Seminars:
Norway, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Czech Rep, Poland, Ireland, South Africa, Singapore, Japan, Israel, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand