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

U-FLI will acknowledge champions in each division. Entries are accepted via the website (mailed-in entries will be returned).

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

General Eligibility

U-FLI reserves the right to adjust eligibility guidelines each year. Current guidelines will be updated accordingly.

  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. Each registered U-FLI club can enter one team in the Tournament of Champions; as well as enter multiple teams in the regular tournament associated with the event.
  4. 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.
  5. Clubs that cannot meet the eligibility requirement may qualify for an exception. Inquiries for an exception should be directed to: championship@u-fli.com
  6. Only dogs eligible to participate with the entered club can race on the championship team.
  7. Dogs can be double listed on a Championship and regular tournament team if necessary.

Championship Format

  1. After the closing date, based on the entries received, the final racing divisions, format, and scoring method will be determined by the Championship Committee, which will allow us to make the very best, most competitive divisions for all our competitors.
  2. The breakout time of each division will be 0.25 second faster than the fastest seeded time in each division.
  3. A bracket format may be implemented for the Tournament of Champions to separate large divisions into smaller brackets. Each bracket will race in a round robin format.
    • A runoff format for final placements in each division may 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.
  4. Breakouts that occur during the runoff races will be added to any previous breakouts.
  5. All dogs participating in the Championship will earn U-FLI points.
  6. Unless specified in the U-FLI Championship program, all other U-FLI rules of racing will apply.

Championship Special Rules

  1. If a team withdraws from racing without just cause, at the opinion of the Head judge or the U-FLI rep, they will be disqualified from placement at the event. If the Head Judge or U-FLI Rep is associated with the team involved, the decision would then be reviewed by the Rules and Regulations Committee.
  2. A Championship Club must always be able to compete against any other Championship Club regardless of division, and except as provided for in section 2.4 of the Rules of Racing, without delay.
  3. The breakout time for the Tournament of Champions competition is 0.25 second faster than the low-end time of each division.
  4. For the Singles and Pairs classes, in the event of one lane false starting, their heat counts as a loss.  The team will still have the option of re-running the heat alone for a recorded time.  The lane that runs clean is awarded the time and the heat.  If both lanes false start together, the heat is rerun and the fastest, non-false start time will win the heat.
  5. For the Singles and Pairs classes, the following break out rule will apply:
    • The break out for each division in the Singles and Pairs classes shall be 0.15 second faster than the seed time of the top seeded team in that division, with the exception of the top seeded division in each class where no break out will apply.
    • If any team in a division runs faster than the designated break out time, the team will receive a loss for that heat.
    • If a team breaks out three times during the tournament, that team will not be eligible for placement in the tournament. The team may still participate but all remaining heats will be scored as losses.
    • When both racing teams break out, both teams will receive a loss for that heat. When one team breaks out and the other has an infraction, both teams will receive a loss for that heat.
    • If a break out is missed and the race is over, the Scorekeeper shall change the tournament records to indicate the break out and the affected team will be notified. Please note that additional heats may need to be run to determine the winner of the race.

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