The residents of Morgan Hill and passersby may have sensed excitement at the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center this past weekend. With the sight of white tents pitched around the center and the sounds of hundreds of animals and trainers, one could only wonder what spectacular events were taking place.
No, the circus was not in town. For the first time in its history, Morgan Hill served as host to the 27th annual Grand Prix of Dog Agility World Championships which took place Oct.15-19.
Hosted by the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA), Inc., the event welcomed approximately 630 humans and nearly 900 canines from 11 different countries, according to USDAA Communications Director Annie DeChance. All were in Morgan Hill competing to become the Grand Prix of Dog Agility World Champion and competing for more than $10,000 in prize money in the Dog Agility Steeplechase.
There were three competitive programs, with the championship program being the highest level of competition. The event also included a performance program and a veteran program (for dogs 8 years and older), in which the scoring standards (speed, jumping distance, etc.) are not as high as the championship program. Agility courses included obstacles such as weave poles, A-frames, dog walks, see-saws, tunnels and a variety of jumps and hurdles.
Local competitors were excited to have this year’s championships so close to home. Morgan Hill residents Vici Whisner and Laura Pryse (co-owners of Morgan Hill Dog Sports), have competed in agility for 11 years and have spent those years traveling to the USDAA nationals.
“For many years in a row it was in Scottsdale, Ariz.,” said Whisner. “Recently it’s been back East in Denver. Then they announced they were coming to Morgan Hill. No one could be happier than me!”
Whisner competed with her 7-year-old Shetland sheepdog, Fin, in the performance program.
“I’ve been competing with her since she was 2,” she said. “She is in performance because she does better at 12 inches than she does at 16. It mostly goes back to a (sciatic) injury.”
Pryse competed with her three border collies: 2-year-old Hot Shot, 3-year-old Stat and 4-year-old Fire Ball. She also competed with her student’s border collie, Lula, the luckiest local dog, who placed 11th in Sunday’s biathlon event.
At last year’s championships in Tennessee, Fire Ball was in the Grand Prix finals.
“Stat and Fire Ball were in pretty much every one of the finals,” Whisner said.
This year, Pryse said she hoped Stat and Fireball would “go clean in the semi-finals and then make the finals.”
Whisner added, “Fire Ball has been in the National Championships for both AKC (American Kennel Club) and USDAA. He’s really an awesome dog, and of course she is a great handler.”
Morgan Hill resident Tammy Langer, who has been competing with dogs in agility since 1999, prepared her Staffordshire bull terrier, Reacher, and her border collie, Derby, for the competition.
Langer said it was Reacher’s first big event and she hoped the 2-year-old would “run clean, because he’s not a very common breed in this sport.” With his young age and breed, she was happily surprised he qualified for the competition.
She also hoped 9-year-old Derby would get into the finals this year, and he did, making the finals in Saturday’s 20-inch performance speed jumping event.
“I don’t know how much longer he’ll be able to compete at a higher level … he’s getting older,” she said.
The vendors onsite gave the public a peek into how good a dog’s life could be. Specialized dog clothing, toys and jewelry for dogs (as well as jewelry for humans) were available, as well as massage and chiropractic services for the dogs in attendance.
The USDAA also added some “paws-on” activities for the public who brought canine friends. For a small fee, the public could enter their dogs into events such as dock jumping, lure coursing and barn hunting. The proceeds went to charities such as the National Canine Cancer Foundation and rescue groups such as A New Tail Rescue in San Jose.
Barn hunting tests the instincts of a dog by placing a live rat in a vented tube, hiding it in barrels of hay. The dog must use its senses to seek the rat out. In lure coursing, a fuzzy lure that resembles a small animal is placed on a fishing line and dogs chase it while jumping over hurdles such as tires. Dock jumping, provided by Splash Dogs, allowed dogs to test their jumping skills into a pool.
“They’ll do long jumps and they’ll do vertical jumps,” DeChance said. “So it’s not only how long you jump but how high you jump.”
There was also an agility course where the public could get a sense of what competitive courses were like, and dogs could receive one-on-one training in maneuvering the course.
The Dog Agility Championships was one of the largest events “in terms of prestige” held at the OSC since it has been operated by the Morgan Hill Youth Sports Alliance, according to MHYSA President Jeff Dixon. And it’s the first time the human-centric sports facility has hosted an event that brought participants from as far away and from as many diverse locales as the USDAA drew.
There were no major logistical problems associated with the event, but Dixon noted there is a “learning curve” any time a human-focused sports facility hosts such a competition for the first time. He hopes the USDAA returns to Morgan Hill.
List of winners from the www.cynosport.com website
12-inch
1. Jennifer Crank and Clever
2. Diane O’Reilly and Rauri Belle
3. Caroline Weil and Boogie
14-inch
1. Cassandra Schmidt and Bliss
2. Alicia Nicholas and Ho
3. Terry Herman and Idgie
16-inch
1. Keith Highley and Cisco
2. Camy McClain and Piper
3. Linda Mecklenburg and Lucky
18-inch
1. Rachel Pearson and Vixen
2. Judy Reilly and Rivet
3. Michelle Persian and Bria
22-inch
1. Diane Sanders and Stat
2. Lonny Elson and Gunner
3. Dawn Weaver and Breezer
26-inch
1. Elicia Calhoun and Tobie
2. Deanna Fairchild and Jude
3. Ashley Anderson and Psi
2014 Performance Masters Challenge Biathlon Overall Champions
8-inch
1. Wren and Betsy Lynch
2. Puzzle and Dawn Weaver
3. Quill and Sandra Rogers
12-inch
1. Cooper and Stephen Champion
2. Lexi and Jeff Arnett
3. Lucas and Marquand Cheek
16-inch
1. Yankee and Naomi Heimeyer
2. Mer and Jacqueline Wilhelmy
3. Sprint and Teresa Rodney
20-inch
1. Maiya and Tracy Sirbello
2. Maze and Stacy Goudy
3. Joy and Cindy Gray
2014 Masters Challenge Biathlon Overall Champions
12-inch
1. Masher and Daneen Fox
2. Clever and Jennifer Crank
3. Tiki and Monique Plink
14-inch
1. Race and Laura Dolan
2. Ziggy and Estelle Robinson (not pictured)
3. Gus and Mary Basu
16-inch
1. Funkee Monkee and Kayl McCann
2. Stripe and Mary Mantell
3. Skittles and Graham Jogen
18-inch
1. Rivet and Judy Reilly
2. Speedo and Susan crank
3. Smart and Kate Moureaux
22-inch
1. Wish and Romina Cervasio
2. Brite and Annie Pyle
3. Spice and Cynthia Horner
26-inch
1. Feature and Susan Garrett
2. Fame(US) and Jessica Ajoux
3. Kooza and Carlos Gonzalez
Veteran’s Individual All-Around
4-inch
1. Robin Newman and Giordo
2. Shirley Russell and Stormie
3. Mary Champagne and Shiver
8-inch
1. Linda Samson and Lexi
2. Stephen Champion and Cheers
3. Steve Brault and Cosmo
12-inch
1. Elicia Calhoun and BreeSea
2. Kate Wheelock and Willie
3. Gosia Skowron and Banshee
16-inch
1. Malu Monroy and Lucky
2. Graciela Calderon and Nahomi
3. Eric Swanson and Molly
2014 $10,000 Steeplechase Championships
12-inch
1. Andy Mueller and Crackers
2. Janet Dunn and Torment
3. Okamoto Akiko and Kure
14-inch
1. Laura Dolan and Race
2. Katherine Leggett and Shout
3. Terry Herman and Idgie
16-inch
1. Kayl McCann and Funkee Monkee
2. Graham Logen and Skittles
3. Aryn Hervel and Crush
18-inch
1. Rachel Pearson and Vixen
2. Alan Tay and Singa
3. Geri Hernandez and Switch
22-inch
1. Susan Garrett and Swagger
2. Greg Fontaine and Spice
3. Paulena Renee Simpson and Graphite
26-inch
1. Melissa Henning and Relay
2. Christine Leslie and Ninja
3. Jody Lolich and Skillz
