CELEBRATION, Fla. — Ten minutes before the final round of the Dog Agility competitions, the dog handlers in both the large and small divisions zig-zagged across the course, practicing the slight shoulder dips and wrist flicks they would need to guide their dogs through the obstacle course.

	Marcus Topps and Juice won the Large Dog Agility competition by only hundredths of a second with a time of 1:09.81.

An hour later the competition came down to the last three dogs in both divisions. Juice, a five-year-old Border Collie, and her handler Marcus Topps won the gold for large dogs, and DeCaff, a pint-sized Jack Russell terrier, and his handler Susan Garrett took first for small dogs.

Judging by the crowd's reaction alone, it seemed the large dog division was all but won when Stuart Mah and Qwik's final run brought their total combined score to 1:11.09. When Olga Chaiko and Luz followed, the crowd cringed each time the dog's legs brushed over the bars of jumps. But it was Marcus Topps and Juice who brought them to their feet.

Two changes were made in the final round to focus the competition on speed. First, the table that the dog is required to lie down on for five seconds was eliminated. Second, penalties for refusals were also eliminated, encouraging teams to run their hearts out.

Speed is where Topps, a former soccer player, excels. "There are only half a dozen people in the country who can outrun their agility dogs and Marcus is one of them," said Mah. The team of Marcus Topps and Juice won the competition by only hundredths of a second with a time of 1:09.81.

In the small dog competition the last three teams overtook each other until DeCaff and Susan Garrett ended the race with a final winning time of 1:15.12. The gray-spotted dog burst onto the course to the tune "Move Your Body," a song Garrett chose to reflect the tiny dog's strength.

	DeCaff and Susan Garrett ended the race with a final winning time of 1:15.12.

"He can't run as fast as the shelties because he is so much smaller. What he does well is turn quickly," said Garrett.

After his last jump DeCaff ripped across the field on a solo victory lap with his favorite toy in his mouth — a bright yellow fly swatter. To celebrate the win, Garrett plans to put her $10,000 check toward "lots of fly swatters."

Large Agility standings

1. Marcus Topps, Juice - Garland, Texas
2. Stuart Mah, Qwik - Bryceville, Fla
3. Olga Chaiko, Luz - North Hollywood, Calif.
4. Chris Dyer, Reilly - Southlake, Texas
5. Donna Rohaus, Cap - New Alexandria, Pa.
6. Rhonda Carter, Blast - Houston, Texas
7. Sherry Kluever, Ransom - Romeoville, Ill.
8. Dana Schafer Kailian, Sinjin - Haslet, Texas
9. Theresa Rector, Finn - Paris, Ontario, Canada
10. Jody Lolich-Dietz, Gator - Goodrich, Mich.
11. Lisa Flowers, Dilemma - Westerville, Ohio
12. Sherrie Wilkes, Maci - Summerville, S.C.
13. Julie Daniels, Spring - North Sandwich, N.H.
14. Susan Cochran, Aiko - Sacremento, Calif.
15. Stacy Peardot-Goudy, Able - La Porte, Colo.
16. Chris Parker, Mayhem - Jackson, N.J.

Small Agility

1. Susan Garrett, DeCaff - Alberton, Ontario, Canada
2. Barb Davis, Shimmer - Newman Lake, Mich.
3. Joel Lavalley, Marvel - Murfreesboro, Tenn.
4. Christine Frank, Kimie - Chesterfield Township, Mich.
5. Karen Holik, Sizzle - West Chicago, Ill.
6. Renee King, Hamlet - Rosenberg, Texas
7. Nancy Kleinhans, Jimmy Dean - Jacksonville, Fla.
8. Abbie Tamber, MicroBurst - Oxford, N.Y.

The Games will be aired on ESPN and ABC Sports July 13-17, 2005. Click here for the broadcast schedule.

This article on the Great Outdoor Games 2005 Web site is brought to you by the editors of Field & Stream and Outdoor Life. For more information, visit www.fieldandstream.com and www.outdoorlife.com.