Discover Hoopers

Hoopers is a course-running sport where the dog follows a numbered path through ground-level obstacles — plastic hoops, upright barrels, wing-style gates, and short large-diameter tunnels — with no jumps, no contacts, and no weave poles. The lines are designed to flow. Sharp turns are minimized by design, and the dog is expected to keep a steady ground-level stride rather than launch, land, or scramble. In modern rule sets the handler stays inside a small handling zone for most of the course and directs the dog from a distance using verbal cues, body language, and pre-trained sends.

The sport rewards a specific profile: a dog that enjoys pattern work, can read lines, and is comfortable working out away from the handler. Distance is the headline skill — not speed alone, and not micromanaged proximity handling. Because Hoopers strips jumps and contacts out of the equipment list and uses wide-bore tunnels with sweeping approaches, it's promoted as a fit for senior dogs, large and long-backed breeds, dogs recovering from a higher-impact sport, and puppies who aren't ready for jump training. "Low impact" should not be read as "no impact" for any dog with an existing orthopedic concern — turning forces at speed still load shoulders, backs, and stifles.

Hoopers' obstacle list is short by design, and the equipment is ground-level by rule. Five moving parts make the picture readable from the sidelines on day one, plus one structural feature — the handling zone — that defines the sport as much as the obstacles themselves.

NADAC is the largest US Hoopers program and the longest-running. From the early 2000s through 2022, NADAC ran Hoopers as a standalone titling class with a four-level structure: Intro (HP-I), Novice (HP-N), Open (HP-O), and Elite (HP-E). In 2022, NADAC merged Hoopers and Barrelers into a combined Grounders class — the Hoopers standalone title path was rolled into the Grounders progression, while Hoopers points continue to count toward several aggregate awards including All Around NATCH. Purebred and mixed-breed dogs are welcome; NADAC requires a dog registration number for titling rather than a kennel-club pedigree.

CPE is a US agility organization with a long-running games-style philosophy — Standard, Jumpers, Snooker, Jackpot, and other named classes offered alongside core agility within the same trial weekends. Hoopers has been folded into that program as one of CPE's games options. CPE agility runs on a five-level-plus-Championship structure applied across most of its classes, and Hoopers inherits the same level shell. The trial culture is friendly and club-level where Hoopers is offered, but availability depends on what each host club puts on its premium.

Titles do not transfer. A NADAC Grounders accumulation does not confer CPE status, a CPE Level 5 Hoopers title does not appear on a NADAC record, and neither carries over to UKI. Handlers who cross-compete carry separate registrations and separate scorebooks. The foundation work — sends, wraps, distance discriminations, tunnel commitment — is the same across all three. UKI (UK Agility International, US region) runs Hoops-and-Tunnels-style classes inside an agility-first program; it's the third option but not a US Hoopers flagship.

Hoopers is one of the easier course sports to start from scratch. The equipment list is short, the obstacles don't require jump training or contact criteria, and a usable backyard setup is achievable. Most handlers still begin with a foundation class — either at a Hoopers-specific training group or at an agility school that runs Hoopers as part of its course lineup — because distance handling, send-aways, and independent obstacle commitment are easier to learn with an experienced instructor watching the picture from outside the handling zone.

Most US Hoopers trials run inside larger NADAC or CPE agility weekends rather than as standalone Hoopers-only events, so the atmosphere is the atmosphere of a small-to-mid-sized agility trial — crating areas, gated rings, a mix of seasoned competitors and brand-new teams. Independent Hoopers fun days happen at training facilities that specialize in the sport and run lower-pressure than a sanctioned trial. Either way, plan for a long day around short runs.

Hoopers' cost structure tracks closely with local agility pricing — cheaper than IGP or dock diving, comparable to Barn Hunt for handlers who train at agility schools. The recurring costs are classes, per-run entry fees, and weekend travel if there's no nearby club running the org you've chosen. The largest variable is regional — Hoopers density in some US regions supports a full season of local trials, and in others a handler is driving four hours each way to compete.