Each year U-FLI hosts a Tournament of Champions located at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri.

Dates for the next few years are as follows:
2024 – October 25-27
2025 – October 24-26
2026 – October 23-25
2027 – October 29-31

Tournament of Champions Eligibility

  1. All clubs, participants, and dogs must be registered and in good standing with U-FLI.
  2. Clubs must have competed in at least two U-FLI events held on separate weekends during the 18 months leading up to the Tournament of Champions.
  3. Tournament of Champions Classes:
    • Each club can enter one team in the Tournament of Champions Standard class and one team in the Tournament of Champions Variety class.
    • Tournament of Champions Standard class: U-FLI will designate a club’s seed time based on their fastest tournament time posted during the 12 months leading up to the closing date of the Tournament of Champions. If no time is available, the fastest posted time during the 18 months leading up to the closing date of the Tournament of Champions will be used.
      • Clubs that cannot meet the eligibility requirement for the Standard class may qualify for an exception.
      • Clubs may request to submit a faster time than their fastest time on record but may not submit a slower time.
      • Inquiries for an exception should be directed to: championship@u-fli.com
    • Tournament of Champions Variety Class: With 2024 being the inaugural year of the Variety class at the Tournament of Champions, clubs will enter their own seed time. The club is not required to have entered U-FLI Variety prior to this event.
      • Variety Teams will be permitted to consist of registered dogs running together from the same club or a combination of different registered clubs.
      • If the team consists of dogs from different registered clubs:
        1. It will be scored as a Pick-up team entry with one exception, the team will be eligible for division placement in the Variety Championships.
        2. The Team’s ‘best time’ will not be recorded in the U-FLI database.
      • All dogs will earn points towards titles.
  4. A club’s dogs can be listed and run in one of the Championship classes and on one team for the Meet Me in St. Louis event for a total of two (2) class entries.
  5. Clubs may enter multiple teams in the Meet Me in St. Louis regular tournament.
  6. Only dogs eligible to participate with the entered club can race on a Tournament of Champions team.

Tournament of Champions Format

  1. After the closing date, based on the entries received, the racing divisions, format, and scoring method will be determined by the Championship Committee. NOTE: Bracket format could be used if necessary.
  2. A runoff format for final placements in each division will be used.
    • If neither team in a division runoff completes the race, their placements will be determined based on the standing of those two teams prior to the runoff race.
    • Breakouts that occur during the runoff races will be added to any previous breakouts.
  3. All dogs participating in the Tournament of Champions will earn U-FLI points.
  4. Unless specified in the U-FLI Tournament of Champions guidelines, all other U-FLI rules of racing will apply.

Event Special Rules

  1. If a team withdraws from racing without just cause, in the opinion of the Head Judge or the U-FLI Representative, they will be disqualified from placement at the event. If the Head Judge or U-FLI Representative are members of the team involved, the decision would then be reviewed by the onsite Rules and Regulations Committee members.
  2. A Tournament of Champions Club must always be able to compete against any other Tournament of Champions Club, regardless of division, and except as provided for in section 2.4 of the Rules of Racing, without delay.
    • If conflicts arise, the following priority order will be used:
      • 1st – Tournament of Champions Standard
      • 2nd – Tournament of Champions Variety
      • 3rd – Meet Me in St. Louis
  3. Breakouts (All Classes)
    • The breakout time for the Tournament of Champions Standard Teams is 0.25 seconds.
    • The breakout time for the Tournament of Champions Variety Teams is 0.50 seconds.
    • The breakout time for the Meet Me in Saint Louis Tournament and Friday Dream Team Tournament is 1.00 seconds.
    • The breakout time for the Singles and Pairs Championship is 0.15 seconds.
  4. Singles and Pairs Championship False Starts
    • In the event of a false start in one lane, their heat counts as a loss. The lane that runs clean is awarded the time and the heat.
    • The team that false starts will have the option of re-running the heat alone for a recorded time.
    • If both lanes false start the same heat, the heat is rerun, and the fastest clean time will win the heat.
    • False starts will be limited to one per race per team.
  5. Dream Teams
    • In the Dream Team Class at the Tournament of Champions, clubs will enter their own seed time.
    • All Dream Teams will be placed as regular teams for this event.
    • Dream Teams are permitted to consist of registered dogs running together from the same club or a combination of different registered clubs.
      • The team will be scored as a Pick-up team entry with one exception, the team will be eligible for division placement in the Variety Championships.
      • All dogs will earn points towards titles.
      • The Team’s ‘best time’ will not be recorded in the U-FLI database.
    • Dogs may be entered, and run, on a Dream Team, Pairs, and Singles class.
    • Clubs may enter multiple teams in the Dream Team Class tournament.

Have questions? Send them to: championship@u-fli.com