Hi my name is Susie Brown and I live in Fillmore. My husband is a member of the IFCS 2012 Agility Team. There are only 12 members throughout the USA on this team. Three of them are from California. They just recently competed in Texas against nine other countries. I would love it if someone from the Star could do a story on these three members. I can help with some info and so can my husband, Kevin Brown. This was the first time my husband went out for the team; it is a 10 month long process. He earned two individual Golds, 2 individual Silvers and one Team Silver. This is also his first Agility Dog named Hunter. You can research a lot of the information on the USDAA web site at www.usdaa.com . If you click on News and Events you will see the story they reported. They will also direct you to other web sites for results. The two other CA members are Mia Grant from Santa Barbara (yes her dad is the DA Grant) and Daneen Fox from Acton. Daneen has been on the Team two other times but this is a first time for Kevin and Mia.

Both Mia and Daneen are full time Agility Trainers. This is also the first time in 25 years that this event has ever been held in the USA.

Normally it is held in Europe. Daneen won a Gold in individual Jumpers and Mia won a individual Silver in the biathlon. This is two events combined, Jumpers and Standard. My husband also won a Silver in this event. His two Golds were in individual Snooker and individual Gamble.

He won Silver in!--break--> individual Standard and Team Relay. Mia also was on this Team winning Silver. The other USA Team won the relay Gold. So bottom line is Daneen won one Gold, Mia won two Silvers and Kevin won two Gold and three Silvers. Mia's dogs name is Vic (Border Collie), Daneen's is Masher (Papillon) and Kevin's is Hunter (Shetland Sheepdog

aka: Sheltie). Dog Agility is where the dogs run along side the Handlers on courses that go over jumps, teeter totters, 12 weave poles, tires, A frames, dog walks, broad jumps, tunnels, and collapsed chutes. I forgot to mention that the Coaches just happen to be from CA too. The Coach was Rachel Sanders from Atascadero and Assist. Coach was Dave Grubel from Pleasant Hill, CA. The team competes in this IFCS competition every two years. Like I mentioned before the Team Selection is a long process. The rules and regulations are all on the web site. We started over a year ago by attending selected Trials through out the USA. We went to trial down south called a Four Star Trial and some Regionals in the Bay Area and Seattle, WA. I don't remember where the other trials were but the most important was the Nationals in Kentucky. At each trial competitors got points for placements. At the Nationals the points were given a higher value. At the conclusion of the Kentucky Nationals they announced the members of the Team and the alternates. I believe that we went to a total of five Trials to make up our points. I can check on that for you. There is an IFCS web site too. Dog Agility is the fastest growing dog sport.
Every weekend you can find either a USDAA or AKC Trial in the area.

It's not the same as watching it on TV as it is in person. The next big Agility Trial is going to be Labor Day Weekend in Moorpark at the Happy Dog Agility Field located at 5191 Read Rd, Moorpark CA 93021. Kevin won't be there we are taking a much needed break until June. Hunter will be celebrating his Ninth Birthday Aug. 1st. So he is entitled to a break. The average age of the dogs on the Team was five years old.

After the Nationals this September in Denver, Co, we will semi retire Hunter. He will then jump 12" performance instead of 16" Championship.

Vic jumps 26" and Masher 12". The dogs are measured at their withers, prior to their first Trial, to determine what jump height they will jump. In USDAA there are four heights, 12", 16", 22" and 26". On the team we had three dogs in each height. I know that I have bounced all over the place with information....this is why I am not a writer.

I write like I talk, sorry. Again, please do a story on these handlers and their dogs. I would like to see more people get into this sport.

The handlers and the dogs absolutely love it. For some dogs it's like an addiction. They live for agility. For some handlers it's the same.

Our dog is a member of our family first and an agility dog second. I took hundreds of pictures that I can provide you with. I also want to say that our coaches did an outstanding job. The handlers all were so supportive of each other. For most of us this was the first time we met each other, except when the Team was announced in Kentucky. The first time I ever saw an Agility Trial I couldn't believe all of the participants. It's not like any other sport out there because everyone roots and cheers for everyone, even their opponent. This is the way it was in TX too. Although each Country wanted that Gold, they still cheered each other on. My best memory from TX was when my Husband and Dog were on the podium and they played the National Anthem, I will never forget this. I didn't expect them to win any medals because he was like the "dark horse" going into this event. He had the least experience, oldest of the 3 dogs in his height from the USA and had never competed at an international level. I am sooo proud of the Entire Team. This is the first time that all of the members walked away with at least one medal. But, I should be clear about that... for some reason Russia was not able to attend and in the past they have been the big winners. You can see the medal count on the web site they refer you too. The USA was number one in Medals then Canada.