previous dogs
NAME : TUCKER
KC NAME : TUCKERS LUCK
HANDLER : LINDA EVANS
BREED : BORDER COLLIE X SPRINGER SPANIEL X LABRADOR
Linda met Tucker at the Ashley Heath branch of the RSPCA in December 2005. Originally called Razor, he was 8 months old when his owner surrendered the boisterous teenager as she couldn't cope. In his 3 months there, he had become bored and frustrated and chewed through his kennel walls. He was listed to be transferred to another centre when his luck changed. Linda adopted him and renamed Tucker - she had grown up on Tuck Mill Farm in Devon and remembered watching Tucker Jenkins on TV – a schoolboy always in trouble. At socialisation classes they met Grace Collett and Ann Crook who suggested Wellow Agility and very soon they were addicted.
Tucker competed competitively for 6 years until he started measuring his jumps. A year of physio didn't alleviate the situation so, retired from full height, he now just does Anysize or Veteran classes. He still absolutely loves it and as sit/ waits were never his strong point, it's still a mad race from the start. Having been bitten a couple of times by other dogs as a youngster, he's happier away from strange dogs. He's extremely noise sensitive - popping bubblewrap, sizzling sausages, bedsheets flapping on the line and rain on the carport roof are just a few things that really spook him. Aside from his quirks, he's just a gorgeous boy who loves being involved. He's a handsome partner on a kayak and is the only dog to have his own Crew Pass for the QE2!
ACHIEVEMENTS
2006-8 - Many prizes for Most Handsome Dog and Best Rescue
2009 - Colimanor OmniPro Starters Finalist
2011 - Kennel Club Agility Warrant – Bronze
NAME : ZEUS
KC NAME : AURICHALCUM UNMISTAKEABLE
HANDLER : TRACY HUNT
BREED : HUNGARIAN VISLA
Tracy started agility with her first Visla Amber (KC name Pitswarren Emelia. Tracy says Amber was not very fast but accurate. A few years later Tracy got her second Visla, Kira, who sadly died at nine months from a traffic accident. Kira's breeder gave Tracy a four month old Visla who was not wanted by their owners, her name was Tsara (KC name Duncarrey Gilt Lightning). Tsara was very nervous but fast and got Tracy to KC grade 2 in agility. Tracy's next Hungarin Visla was Zeus (KC name Aurichalcum Unmistakeable) who loved agility! When competing he would be so excited that h rarely got a contact. Tracy thinks he was great fun to run and they got into KC grade 3 together
NAME : ANNUSKA
KC NAME : KATLIN NUSA
HANDLER : TRACY HUNT
BREED : HUNGARIAN VISLA
Tracy's next competing dog after Zeus was Annuska (KC name Katlin Nusa). By now Tracy's handling had improved through training previous dogs and they managed to win into KC grade 5 together. Their partnership got them to the Olympia ABC (all but collies) semi-final and Discover Dogs Twice. The also competed on the green carpet at Crufts in 2015.
NAME : BECKY
KC NAME : NELRACE HOPE
HANDLER : GRACE COLLETT
BREED : BORDER COLLIE
Grace was already doing agility with her other dogs, so started with Becky (KC name Nelrace Hope) as soon as she was old enough. Grace has worked seven dogs herself. Becky was always keen to train but Grace says she always needed strong control and still does. Becky loved every aspect of agility; She could do weaves from any angle and even a long lead out start line wait, if she was told to.
At home Becky is a bit bossy with Grace's other collies, never aggressive but moves them off when she thinks they shouldnt be doing what they are!
Grace got to KC grade 3 with Becky but says she couldn't keep going due to getting older and Becky being too fast. Another member of the club at the time ran Becky for Grace and managed to get Becky into KC grade 4. Becky doesn't compete anymore but was a brilliant agility dog. She only ever got 1st, 2nd, 3rd or E and even managed to get three firsts on the sameday at a show.
ACHIEVEMENTS
1st - Dogs in Need final
NAME : LEXI
KC NAME : ROCK SEA SALT AW(B)
HANDLER : BRIDGET STORER
BREED : LABRADOR RETRIEVER (YELLOW)
Lexi was Bridget’s first agility dog and began her agility career here at Wellow 5 years ago when she was two. Her early training was interspersed with two beautiful litters of pups, two of which are Wellow members as well. At her first ever competition she was so excited she went under the first jump (leaving Bridget way behind and with even less control than usual…), straight up and off the end of the seesaw without waiting for it to land and then proceeded to go under several more jumps on her way round, thus completing the course in record time!! However in 2015 Lexi’s drive and enthusiasm for agility began to grow and early in 2016 it finally all seemed to be coming together and she went from Grade 1 to Grade 3 within a month and got her Agility Warrant Bronze in April.
Sadly, in the summer of 2016 Lexi had been going through the mill trying unsuccessfully to combat a particularly aggressive form of cancer which was only able to be held at bay by chemotherapy. Lexi continued to live life to the full but unfortunately lost her battle before Christmas. She was loved and missed by many.
ACHIEVEMENTS
2015
Wellow Agility Club Grade 1 award
2016
Won out of grades 1 & 2
Kennel Club Agility Warrant Bronze
4th UKA Gundog League
NAME : AMY
KC NAME : AIM TO PLEASE
HANDLER : GEOFF WRIGHT
BREED : JACK RUSSELL X
Amy is Geoff's first terrier/small dog and he was unable to train her much during her first two years due to the circumstances at home. Unlike his previous dogs (which were collies), Amy did not get any obedience training and qualifications before starting agility. Geoff is finding it completely different running a small dog as he needs to give more encouragement and think where his feet are facing. However, Geoff is enjoying a new challenge (well most of the time!). Training indoors is particularly difficult as Amy is very noise sensitive, even the see saw banging becomes too much for her, but is carefully working through with the club at Amy's pace to build her confidence. Geoff is looking forward to competing outdoors this summer although he will only enter Jumping and Steeplechase until he conquers the seesaw problem. Having run large dogs with some success, Amy has had to start competitions at grade 3 at KC shows. UKA run a different system and Amy was able to start at Beginners where she is still currently at in the performance programme (Agility and Jumping) but has progressed to Novice in Steeplechase. UKA progression is on a points system only whereas KC you can go up on points in some grades but eventually its down to wins which is Geoff's preference (He makes a point of noting that he has never put a dog up a KC grade on points!) Geoff's opinion is that dogs are pets first and he does not believe in over-working them so limits the number of runs at any one show. It remains to be seen how long it will take for him and Amy to reach the next level but as long as Amy is having fun what does it matter!!!
NAME : TESS
KC NAME : BEKKIS DREAM
HANDLER : ANN CROOK
BREED : TRI COLOUR BORDER COLLIE
Tess was born in 2003 and comes from a show line. Ann says she couldn't have wished for a more loving dog. When Ann retired from work she decided to take up agility and joined Wellow. Tess was about 2 years old then. Tess has been well known for her antics (unfortunately she has passed on her entertaining antics to Sam who is now competing).
Tess and Ann even made the Agility Voice in 2013 with an article written by Linda Evans regarding four septuagenarians (Grace, Margaret, Olive and myself) who were all still doing agility. So you are never too old!
Tess has had many clear rounds and a few placements. She came 1st in Steeplechase at All Dogs. Ann says "Unfortunately, she would not go on unless I was with her!"
They had lots of fun together but Ann had to retire her at the age of 11 because of arthritis in her back legs.
NAME : BUDDY
KC NAME : BUDDY BOODI PEST AW(G)
HANDLER : MICHAEL GREEN
BREED : STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER
Buddy is Michael's first dog and first agility dog. He is a rescue Stafford from St. Francis Animal Welfare in Fair Oak - Michael took on Buddy as foster in 2010 and he never went back! He was a young rescue that came with extra energy as he was from a home with seven young children! After a family break-up he was given away to be used as a bait dog but luckily was saved and rescued in time.
Michael decided to channel Buddy's energy and started agility after seeing Paul O'Grady and the East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club Display Team having so much fun at Crufts in 2012.
Buddy really enjoys agility (probably more so the treats!) but equally enjoys sleeping for hours on the sofa under a blanket! He isn't a natural agility dog and has not been the easiest dog to train but always gives Michael his all and has come on leaps and bounds with Wellow's effective training.
Michael couldn't ask for a better first agility dog (He has taught him so much) and has had a brilliant 2015 season thanks to Buddy's consisentency and their close partnership. He made Michael smile every day and he couldn't ask for a better Buddy.
ACHIEVEMENTS
2015
3rd - The Agility Club Starters Medium Final
Dogs in Need Medium Grade 4 Final 2015 Qualifier
2nd - The Agility Club league Medium Grade 1 Runner-up
1st - Dog Agility Rescue League (DARL) Medium Grade 1 - 2 Annual Awards 2015
1st - Staffordshire Bull Terrier Agility League Grade 1 - 3 & Overall league Winner
2016
1st - Dog Agility Rescue League (DARL) Medium Grade 1 - 2 Final Winner
Kennel Club Agility Warrant - Gold
Progressed to Grade 7
1st - UKA Grand Finals - Dog Central Challenge - Midi Winner
NAME : VINNIE
KC NAME : ROWANBRIAR PRIMA RENDEVOUS
HANDLER : ANN SIZER
BREED : LABRADOR RETRIEVER (CHOCOLATE)
Ann was in Derbyshire for the weekend when she received the call from her friend to say the puppies were on their way. Vinnie was a day old when she first saw him and it was love at first sight. It had never been the plan to have another dog - the house was already occupied by two Labradors and there was no intention to increase that number to three.
During regular ‘puppy fix’ visits Ann saw the pups’ characters develop but it was always Vinnie she was drawn to the most. Initially Ann’s friend intended to keep Vinnie herself from the litter pups but then decided to keep one of his sisters instead and Ann couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him again and the Labrador pack went from two to three.
Ann joined Wellow Agility having previously been part of a display team with her dogs performing obedience and agility demonstrations at local country shows. It was due to Vinnie’s enthusiasm for the activity that Ann decided to take up agility to a higher standard and try competing. That was nearly 5 years ago. Ann prefers to do UKA and independent shows as where Vinnie jumps large he lacks the speed to beat the faster collies but UKA rules allow for the opportunity to move to the next level on points gained rather than having to win out. Although they are still grade 1 (KC), Beginners (UKA), they love a challenge and enjoy running the ‘trickier’ courses.
It was the 2014/2015 Winter Series run by Kelluki Agility that brought their greatest agility success. The shows are run monthly from October to March and in 2015 Vinnie came third in the league for large dogs and received a runner-up rosette and a fantastic hamper of goodies for the ‘Anything but a Collie’ (ABC) prize which made Ann so proud of her boy.
Vinnie is not a particularly confident dog but loses all his inhibitions when he is running around a course whether that be in training or competing and Ann says it’s a wonderful feeling when it all comes together and they go clear whether or not they are in the placings. They have both made some great friends through this sport and are looking forward to the next season of shows.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Lots of new friends
Great days out
Kelluki Agility Winter Series ABC runner-up