AWI was founded in the mid '70's by Irv Lander, Alex Stein and Eldon McIntire. Alex was the owner of the Ashley Whippet. Eldon was the owner of Hyper Hank. Irv was a promoter who worked at Wham-O promoting the (human) Junior Frisbee disc Championships, where Peter Bloeme met Irv.
 

Ashley won the first 3 World Championships tournaments, some of the old T&F tournaments were judged on style points – others on distance – others on standing in a circling throwing out – and others throwing into a circle. Eventually, it turned a contest series and was named The Ashley Whippet Invitational (AWI). The competition series included local events, regional events where people would qualify for the World Finals Championships. There was only one organization for many years and only one Champion each year. Within the sport there has only been 3 women who finished 1st runner up, Lourdes Edlin, Donna Schoech -on a run through day (due to bad weather predicted) and Jenny a woman that competed with Areobie discs, and one woman world champion, Melissa Heeter and her dog Ariel Asah within the Co-ed sport. Some years there were no women at the World Finals and the most was 3 women in one year. The old AWI format was 4-6 Regionals were the 1 and 2 place teams earn a trip to the World Finals in a closed Regional system. You had to live in and compete in your geographical area and your assigned Regional. One Denver Open Regional was created in 1994 and 2 Open Regionals in 1997.
 

Peter Bloeme got involved with Frisbee Dogs in the early 80's, (after winning a human Frisbee disc accuracy tournament) and immediately after winning his Frisbee Dog World Championship in 1984, he "retired" and began to work for AWI as a judge and event coordinator. Peter Bloeme pushed the sport in the multiple disc Freestyle direction that changed the Frisbee Dog game for ever. In the mid 80's, a few people tried to put together another organization. It was called the K9 DiscMasters of America (not to be confused with any organization that uses the name DiscMasters today-totally unrelated). It only lasted a couple of years, before Irv had put enough pressure on to make it go away. In 1986, Ron Ellis founded the first Frisbee Dog club, The Dallas Dog and Disc. The second club was founded by Peter Bloeme and Jeff Perry in 1989, The Greater Atlanta Dog & Disc Club with many clubs following over the years. The next event series to crop up was in 1995, when Bill Watters started the FDDO. For many years it was one FDDO event only, in Phoenix. But in 1998, he started running a couple events each year.

In 1994 the first State Championships was started by the Greater Atlanta Dog & Disc Club President, Steven Heeter.

In 1995 and 1996, the first husband and wife team competed both years at the World Finals together was Steven Heeter and Radical Rush, and Melissa Heeter and Casey.

In 1995 Max McAllister and Sergeant was the only dog that I know of to earn a 10 in difficulty in the Open Denver Regional.

Around 1996 the GADDC started to organized 2 day Frisbee Dog tournaments.

In 1996 Pon Sarradeth and Owen Boy was one of the only competitors to earn 2 bonus points at a Regional and World Finals.

In 1997, the first woman wins the World Championships - Melissa Heeter with Ariel Asah.

In 1997, the NCAC was the first club to not use the AWI contest rules and create their own rules.

In 1998, Irv Lander, Executive Director of AWE died and left the AWI tournament series and AWE business to his son, Steve Lander in his will. This was very significant. Many people thought that Peter Bloeme would take over, because he was the Director of the AWI series. For many reasons, Irv asked his son, Steve Lander, to take over the event and Steve Agreed.
 

Due to an unfortunate incident that happened in Denver in 1997, a battle started within the sport. The Frisbee Dog sport lost its innocence.

Jeff Perry, "the AWI Chief Judge" (Peter's good friend and the 89 World Champion) and Melissa Heeter went to Japan and performed there for 4 months. During the time in Japan Jeff Perry could not judge any of the Regionals for AWI and was asked to leave the AWI series if he could not judge any of the Regionals. Mark Molnar and Gary Suzuki were asked to judge by Steve Lander at the Regionals and World Finals. Peter Bloeme was still an employee of AWI, and under a non-compete contract. The 1998 World Finals was the first year that the ALPO World Finals (AWI) was filmed and aired on Animal Planet. Since the Animal Planet airing was happening Peter Bloeme was the on screen announcer (so he could not judge) so Steve Lander asked Jeff Perry to come back and judge the 1998 Worlds with Mark, Gary, and Eldon. After the 1998 World Finals was over Peter Bloeme quit AWI and did not renew his contract. However, Peter contacted Friskies Pet Care Company (owner of ALPO) to hire him as a consultant. Peter Bloeme was under a non-compete contract with AWE, so he could not start his own series for 1 year. Peter Bloeme did organized the 2000 ALPO Canine Frisbee disc series with the World Finals being held in New York Central Park an artificial surface, within a smaller non-regulation size field. Every year at the Saturday night banquet ALPO the sponsor would commit to their sponsorship and announce their next year’s sponsorship of the series, at the 2000 banquet ALPO never announced their continuation of the series.

At the end of 1997 the GADDC decided not to accept the ALPO sponsorship and found their own sponsors for their own tournaments.

In 1998, 3 new events/organizations came into existence. First, the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge (IDC) started. One event, invite only, at Purina Farms. It expanded over the next few years. The 1990 and 1992 World Champion, Lou McCammon, was in charge of the IDC.

Also, in 1998, Greg Tresan and members of the GADDC and many, many people (Tim Geib, Todd Jones, Theresa Musi (Jones), Steven Heeter, Melissa Heeter, Jeff Hoot, Lawrence Frederick, Ian Awbrey, Toni Barry and many more) in the south founded the IDDHA. A few years later, they started a one World Championship event that they named "World Championships".

In 1998, Jeff Hoot took his "Quadruped" long distance event out of his backyard (Jacksonville) and on the road.

In 1999, the Purina IDC expanded to include 4 or 5 regional qualifiers, and the winners qualified for the National Championships at Purina Farms. Today they have 2 Regionals, a Nationals, and also hold a IDC in the Netherlands.

1999 was the last year that Steve Lander and AWI would organized the World Championships.

In 2000, Skyhoundz, Peter Bloeme's company, took over the ALPO sponsorship from AWI. The ALPO budget was in place, so Skyhoundz organized it for one year. Some of the AWI crew was brought into Skyhoundz. Jeff Perry rejoined the event. The Steven Lander allowed the Lander Cup, which was the trophy that had all the winner's names on it, to be engraved with the Skyhoundz World Champion for 2000 for one year, even thought it was not the Ashley Whippet Invitational. The only person who didn't make the jump over to Skyhoundz was Steve Lander.

In late 2000 the USDDN Steering Committee was formed and clubs around the US started creating unified rules, guidelines and judging criteria with a National Series kicking off one year later. The organization is comprised of Club Representatives, Experienced Handlers, and voted Administration positions.

In early 2001, the UFO was announced, and began running the World Cup series. It was determined via a Cup Series of points.

In 2001, Skyhoundz continued to run their event series without a Major sponsor. The Hyperflite disc is introduced. Hyperflite is owned by Peter Bloeme and Jeff Perry. September 11th happened the week before the World Championships in Wash DC. The World Championships were cancelled then rescheduled in Atlanta, GA with some personnel changes. The Skyhoundz team wanted the Lander Cup, but Alex Stein will not give them the cup. Peter gets his own cup, and engraves it with all of the "Skyhoundz World Champions" which seems to include the AWI Champions going clear back to 1975 - 2001. This upsets many people. Their finals were held in Georgia. Competitors at the Hyperflite/Skyhoundz World Championships are forced to use the Hyperflite K10 disc to compete. David Bootes and Chico won this Event.

"Sept 8th 2001 Tom Clements and his rescued pup Taylor win the Huntington Beach Western FDDO Open and receive to date the highest amount ever for a single placing in the sports history. Tom and Taylor win a record 4 Western Open FDDO's in a row! 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003"

 2001 the USDDN Steering Committee offers a Judging Certification course and as of now (2006) has around 90-100 people are certified worldwide as USDDN Judges.
 

In the spring 2002 the USDDN began organizing it Qualifying Series and US National Finals. The format holds several qualifying events that led to the National Championship. The USDDN invites clubs/event organizers to host the Qualifying Series.

In 2002, the first woman to win the Purina IDC National Frisbee Championship is crowned. Christi Goodman (Campbell-Sexton) and Rider.

In 2003, AWI Returned and began running an AWI World Finals with Mark Molnar and Eldon McIntire. The Lander cup was brought out of storage continued with the AWI as an annual event.

In 2003 and 2005 Todd Duncan and Levi won the UFO World Cup Series.

In 2004, the Purina IDC scales back its events, running only 2 Regionals with a National Finals.

In 2004, the IDDHA secured a Frisbee Dog contest for ESPN's Great Outdoor Games, called the Disc Drive, which was a long distance event. This event would transform into the "Hot Zone" qualifier series and finals in 2005, Tim Geib won the Disc Drive with Razzle, owned by Pam & John Crawford.

In 2004 the first woman to win the UFO World Cup Series, Karin Actun and Ben, from Essen, Germany. This is a series of cup points added together, with no national Finals Championships.

In 2004 the USDDN hosted 5 US Qualifiers, 1 Japan Qualifier, 1 European Qualifier, and a US Semi-Finals and US National Finals in Louisville, KY.

In 2005 Ron Watson and Split won the IDDHA Hot Zone.

In 2005 the NADDCA group was formed. They plan to run events starting this year.

In 2005 the USDDN hosted 11 Qualifiers around the world, 7 US Qualifiers, 2 Japan Qualifiers, 2 European Qualifiers and a US Semi-Finals and US National Finals in Louisville, KY.

In 2005 the USDDN National Finals has the first international champion of a championship culminating event, Shinji Yasuda and Hearts from Japan.

In 2005 AWI is planning 2 Qualifiers and the World Championships. The World Championships will take place in Scottsdale Arizona.

Currently:
 

*Skyhoundz has a World Championship. They began asking local clubs to run their Regionals instead of the Skyhoundz crew.

*The UFO is running the World Cup series. They are now on 4 continents.

*IDDHA held their weekend World Championships in Indiana.

*The FDDO will have 3 events. Their final will be run alongside the AWI World Championship in Scottsdale, AZ.

*The USDDN has clubs organizing events in the US, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Canada, and Australia. The US National Finals has become the US International Finals.

*The Quadruped a few clubs are hosting local events.

*The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge organizing 2 US Qualifiers and a National Final and an event in the Netherlands

Steve and Foster 2005 Champions

1996 AWI Champion Pon Saradeth demonstrating a thow with David's Maverick