May Madness with Matsqui Tournament 2026
The Hurricanines and Spitfurs blew into the mainland for a little May Madness hosted by the Matsqui Flyball Club in Abbotsford—and they returned home with new titles, fresh ribbons, and a whole lot of heart‑warming memories.
The Hurricanines had a surprise lineup change when a veteran teammate fell ill at the last minute… but in strutted Cooper, sporting a very dapper bow tie, to join Bailey, Bowie, Lea and Misty. Together they tore up the lanes, landing a 2nd‑place finish on Saturday with a blistering 20.374‑second run. Cooper had to step out on Sunday, but the remaining Hurricanines—boosted by tiny but mighty Nova—shifted their focus to clean, consistent racing so Bowie could chase down his Flyball Dog Champion Gold (2,500 points). After 451 hard‑earned points, Bowie did exactly that.
The Spitfurs—Odie, Freya, Wednesday, Chewie, Nova and borrowed superstar Fate—came out flying on Saturday. Nova wasted no time snagging her Flyball Champion Silver (1,000 points) in the opening races, setting the tone for the whole weekend. By Sunday morning, Wednesday and Freya had joined the Silver‑title club. The afternoon heat slowed the team a little, but Fate stepped back in for the final push, and Chewie clinched his Silver title in the very last race—with two points to spare. Highlights included Freya nailing a perfect start (a rare gem) and the team clocking the fastest Barnstormer time of the weekend at 20.156 seconds.
The tournament wrapped with a moment that meant more than any ribbon. Each judge selected one team that embodied true sportsmanship and love of the sport. Judge Randy Kenzie chose the Barnstormers—a heartfelt recognition of the club’s spirit, camaraderie and the way they show up for one another.
A huge thank‑you goes out to Sid, Marg and Ashley (coordinating from afar) for keeping the run order and multiple teams running smoothly. And cheers to baby‑wrangler Janet, ball‑wrangler Tony, scorekeeper Leah, and David with escape‑artist Denny for keeping the whole operation rolling all weekend long.
