
In 2016, AKC added a new performance sport to its portfolio. Fast CAT, short for Fast Coursing Ability Test, is a simpler and shorter version of the AKC sport of Course Ability Test (CAT). In CAT, dogs chase after a “bunny” (aka a white plastic bag) attached to a mechanical lure operated manually. The course involves twists and turns and dogs must be motivated by the lure to make it through as quickly.
Fast CAT varies in that dogs do a straight 100-yard sprint with a catcher (most often their owner) standing past the finish line calling out to them to “come” or “get the bunny!” Dogs are rewarded with a “prize” of getting to be with their owners at the finish line or grabbing onto the bag. To participate and earn points, dogs must be 12 months old, be registered with AKC, and bitches cannot be in heat.

Runs are solo and times are motion-activated, with those times converted into miles per hour and points. Dogs under 12” in height receive a handicap of two, while those who are 12”-18” earn a 1.5 handicap. Most male Schipperkes fall into the 1.5 range, while females often have a handicap. Three titles are possible in Fast CAT – BCAT at 150 points, DCAT at 500 points, and FCAT at 1,000 points (these titles aren’t acronyms). If a dog continues to rack up points, they can earn FCAT2 at 1,500 points, and so on.
The primary lure operator in the Mid-Atlantic is Ching-Yao Yu, who runs approximately 15,000 dogs annually. “People get excited because it’s a ‘no-brainer’ entry-level sport almost zero training involved,” Yu said. “It’s almost instinct and prey drive. In my experience you can’t ‘teach’ a dog to chase the bags. They either do almost immediately or no interest.”
CSC hosts a three-day Fast CAT trial the first weekend in June, with the next scheduled events taking place Friday, June 2, 2023 – Sunday, June 4, 2023 in White Post, VA. To learn more about participating in Fast CAT, contact 2022 Fast CAT Trial Chair Stephanie Woodrow at stephaniewoodrow@gmail.com.
AKC Rankings | |||
2022 | |||
Rank | Name | Call Name | MPH |
6 7 12 14 15 18 23 24 25 30 36 40 41 | Rockdale’s Chasing Mister Darcy FCAT3 TKN VHMP Skydance’s Reggie The Ewok FCAT4 CGC Foxnoir Enchanted Prince Of Tails FCAT2 CGC Gigi Of Griggs RN BCAT CGCA Foxnoir All That Jazz AX AXJ NF BCAT ACT2 SCN SIN SEN CH Delamer A Fish Called Wanda BCAT CH Foxnoir Enchanted Coquette RN FDC DCAT CGC TKN Foxnoir Enchanted Black Tie & Tails FCAT2 ACT1 ACT1J CGCA TKN GCH CH Deep Sea Black Gold NA NAJ DCAT RATN TKN ATT FITG Kurakuma’s Sweepin’ The Clouds Away FCAT2 GCH CH Enchanted Lady Liberty FCAT4 ACT1 CGCA TKN Enchanted Knight Ryder CD BN RE FDC NA NAJ AXP AJP XFP FCAT CGCA TKN Legacy’s Sambuca Straight Up FCAT CGCA CGCU TKI VHMA | Mr. Darcy Vader Captain Morgan Gigi Roxy Wandie Coquette Ben Petra Sunny Elle Ryder Ritz | 22.84 22.69 22.11 21.70 21.53 20.94 20.41 20.33 20.30 19.90 18.22 16.74 16.47 |
2021 | |||
Rank | Name | Call Name | MPH |
3 7 8 10 15 18 19 22 26 28 31 34 35 | GCHS CH Aned’s Blaise CD BN RM RAE FDC FCAT CGCA CGCU TKA ATT Rockdale’s Chasing Mister Darcy FCAT2 TKN VHMP Skydance’s Reggie The Ewok FCAT3 CGC Foxnoir Enchanted Prince Of Tails FCAT2 CGC Foxnoir Enchanted Coquette RN FDC DCAT CGC TKN GCH CH Deep Sea Black Gold NA NAJ DCAT RATN TKN Foxnoir Enchanted Black Tie & Tails FCAT2 ACT1 ACT1J CGCA TKN Kurakuma’s Sweepin’ The Clouds Away FCAT2 GCH CH Enchanted Lady Liberty FCAT3 ACT1 CGCA TKN Nanhall’s Ole Bonaire BCAT Enchanted Knight Ryder CD BN RE FDC NA NAJ AXP AJP OFP DCAT CGCA TKN Legacy’s Sambuca Straight Up FCAT CGCA CGCU TKI VHMA CH Fullmoon N Beachview Power Of The Darkside BCAT | Rascal Mr. Darcy Vader Captain Morgan Coquette Petra Ben Sunny Elle Ryder Ritz Vader | 23.72 22.76 22.75 22.16 21.23 20.72 20.51 19.71 18.19 17.73 16.66 15.16 14.96 |
2020 | |||
Rank | Name | Call Name | MPH |
3 4 9 11 12 14 20 | Kurakuma’s Sweepin’ The Clouds Away FCAT2 Foxnoir Enchanted Prince Of Tails FCAT2 CGC Foxnoir Enchanted Black Tie & Tails FCAT2 ACT1 ACT1J CGCA TKN GCH CH Enchanted Lady Liberty FCAT3 ACT1 CGCA TKN Legacy’s Sambuca Straight Up FCAT CGCA CGCU TKI VHMA GCHS CH Aned’s Blaise CD BN RM RAE FDC FCAT CGCA CGCU TKA ATT Enchanted Knight Ryder CD BN RE FDC NA NAJ AXP AJP OFP DCAT CGCA TKN | Sunny Captain Morgan Ben Elle Ritz Rascal Ryder | 21.67 21.63 19.81 18.57 18.54 18.17 15.98 |
2019 | |||
Rank | Name | Call Name | MPH |
2 6 13 17 18 | Skydance’s Reggie The Ewok FCAT3 CGC GCH CH Deep Sea Black Gold NA NAJ DCAT RATN TKN CH Foxnoir Release The Kraken BN RN DCAT CGCA TKN GCH CH Enchanted Lady Liberty FCAT3 ACT1 CGCA TKN GCH CH Mardeck’s Musically Inspired OA OAJ BCAT RATS CGC TKN | Vader Petra Kraken Elle Cally | 23.45 21.27 19.89 17.65 16.94 |
2018 | |||
Rank | Name | Call Name | MPH |
8 | CH Foxnoir Release The Kraken BN RN DCAT CGCA TKN | Kraken | 18.48 |
