Description: Clean Run is a monthly magazine from the USA that is packed with training tips, American and international courses and news from 'across the pond'.

Best Features: If you enjoy reading about different training tips and have the opportunity to practice new training sequences but cannot always think of them yourself, this American Agility magazine is well worth subscribing to. It's US letter size (a little bigger than UK A4 size) and with an extent of around 44 pages, it is good value for money at just over £3.00 per monthly issue.

The way the Americans organise their agility seems to be very different from our version of agility but this should not detract from the enjoyment you will get reading the magazine as they still use the same equipment and similar course designs to us!

Each issue includes an analysis of various competition courses complete with diagrams and it is interesting to see where the majority of handlers had problems. These can be used as a good basis for constructing your own training sequences. There are also a variety of articles discussing different training methods and solutions to common problems which are illustrated with very clear diagrams. The contents also include interviews with top agility handlers and judges, and the occasional canine health article. Some of the top British instructors also contribute articles.

Worst Features: The only problem I had with the magazine was trying to understand the American system of awards. They seem to have title runs where if the dog 'runs clean' (a clear round to you and I) it can gain letters after its name. Some dogs featured have an awful lot of letters after their names! If anyone can give me a simple explanation to the system I'd be grateful!

Comments: The magazine is based around training issues, discussing different training methods, giving training sequences and tips, it does not get bogged down in letters or pages of results that some of our agility magazines seem to.

Value for Money: I wouldn't recommend it as a replacement for our English agility magazines, but I would certainly recommend you give it a try.

Overall Rating: I'd rate it 8/10.

Contents: You can find an example of the articles in a typical issue and a subscription form in The Agility Shop.

Price: Subscription rates are £10.00/3 months. £20.00/6 months. £38.00/one year.

The Reviewer
Alison Renwick started competing in agility in 1987 with Cali, a rough coated Jack Russell Terrier. She qualified for the Pedigree Chum Mini Agility Stakes final at Olympia in 1988 and competed in the 1989 invitation stakes. She also qualified for the Eukanuba finals at Crufts in 1992.

Cali is probably most famous for running into the last jump at the 1988 Olympia final. This notorious incident was used in the title sequences of the Horse of the Year Show for a number of years and was also shown as one of the decades sporting cock ups on BBC Sports Review of the Year 1989. It has also been shown on Auntie's Sporting Bloomers and even as part of the British Airways in flight entertainment! (Sadly, Cali has not received appearance fees for any of these!)

Ruari, a working sheepdog, joined the family in 1990 and went on to qualify for the NCDL Starters final in 1993, Spillers Knock Out final in 1994 and the Vitapet Veterans final in 1999. Outside of agility one of her most memorial achievements was climbing Ben Nevis with Ruari and Cali in 1994.

Alison now concentrates mainly on instructing, becoming an approved Agility Club instructor in 1998 - one of the infamous Yellow Group of 1998. She lives in Crawley, West Sussex with her husband Steve, Ruari, Elli (Cali's liuter sister) and a cat called Finnegan. A Purchasing Manager for an infomercial company, she is lucky to work from home most of the time. She is planning to get a new puppy next year.

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