Three members of Vernon’s Dog’O’Pogo Agility Group competed in the 2016 BC/Yukon Regional Dog Agility Championships in Langley in June.
Deb Hopkins with her Jack Russell Malley, Sietske Rijnen with her Brittany spaniel Flow and cocker spaniel-cross Macha, and Sherry Therrien with her corgi Oliver all brought home ribbons.
Competing in the 10” Regular height division, Hopkins and Malley placed ninth overall out of 17 dogs, and also won one of the Jumpers events.
In one of the most competitive classes, with 61 dogs, Sietske and Flow placed 11th overall in the 22” Regular height division. Flow was the number-one non-herding dog in this group.
Sietske and Macha are the Reserve Champions in the 16” Special height division. Macha won one of the Gamble event rounds and placed in the top-three in five of six event rounds.
Competing in 6” Veterans height division, Therrien and Oliver placed in the top-10 of three events with a sixth place in one Standard event run.
“Congratulations to all the dogs and their handlers,” said Vi Sucart, director of publicity for Dog’O’Pogo Agility. “Everyone qualified for the 2016 Agility Association of Canada National Championships.”
Agility started in England more than 25 years ago. It is a sport in which all dogs regardless of breed (purebred or mixed) can participate and have fun. People and dogs of all ages can have fun competing or playing at this unique sport.
Agility is a timed obstacle course for dogs. There are many interesting obstacles through which the dog must maneuver: a dash into the tunnel, along the dog walk, through the tire, onto the pause table for a five-second count, up and over the A-frame, carefully along the tilting teeter totter, over the jumps, through the chute and weave through the weave poles and across the finish line.