League winners 2009

Large Senior Crossbreed winners: Bridgitte Wyre & Bright Future (AWG)

Dogs Pet Name: Della

Breed: Crossbreed

Age when rescued:  11 months

Age now:  5 years

Della had been raised in a family with young children & the mother had got to the point she could not cope & the dog had to go. Della was in a dreadful state when she came to me, very thin, hardly any coat & suffering a bad false pregnancy. She settled in with us straight away & is great with everyone she meets, including children; it was only later that I found out that the children she had lived with had been really nasty to her. This award is really special as in October 2008 Della had a severe cruciate ligament injury & the orthopaedic consultant I took her to (arguably the best in the World) doubted she would ever recover enough to do agility again. After months of rehab, she returned to full competition in June 2009, just making it to the League Finals. She competed in her first Champ in September, getting to the final round & coming 7th overall. Her points in the SupaDarl table are testament to how well she has done since. A very, very special dog & a very, very proud owner!

Large Grade 6/7 & Valgrays award winners: Sarah Crouch & Final Fantasy of Valgray

Dogs Pet Name: Tally

Rescue organisation: Valgrays Border Collie Rescue

Breed: WSD

Age when rescued:  Approx 1 year

Age now:  Approx 6 half years

History:  From what i can gather Tally was left on her own all day on a balcony - probably barking as she never shuts up! She was my first proper agility dog and luckily was very quick to learn as she loves it. It took her slightly longer- about 4 years - to master the art of actually touching the contacts which even now are very hit and miss! She's very loyal and will do anything for food apart from.......... wait on a start line, not bark at everything, be nice to other dogs, the list goes on but I  wouldn't change her for anything.

Sarah x

Medium Grade 3 winners: Yvonne Goode & Backstreet Bertie

Dogs Pet Name:  Bertie

Breed: Cocker Spaniel

Age when rescued: 13 months

Age now: 3 years

History: Bertie had been bought as a pup by a family who had no idea of  the demands of a lively cocker  and thought a 20 minute walk on lead each day would be enough to stop him destroying the household. Bert was then given away to a lady who breeds show cockers to 'get rid of quick'. This lady kindly took him in but was heading off on holiday 2 days later. A friend of hers suggested she try me as she knew I did agilty and rehoming and thought he needed a very active home.

Bert landed at 5pm on a cold dark December night when my resolve not to have any more was obviously at a weak spot. The next morning when Toby as he was then became 'Squirty' Bertie it was obvious he wasnt going up for rehoming. He is without doubt the naughtiest but funniest dog I have ever known!


Large Grade 3 winners: Peter Richardson & Go Chi

Pet Name: Chi as in Kai or Greek Chi

Breed: WSD

Age when rescued: 7 months

Age now: 3yrs

Rescue organisation: South Devon GSD rescue. (funny looking GSD!)

History:  Chi was owned by a young mother who was expecting another child, her husband was away in the Navy and Chi was becoming a handful. Sad for them, but good for Me and Chi. read more

Large Grade 5 winners: Julie Chapman & Gemini Jigsaw 

Dogs Pet Name: Em
Breed: WSD
Age when rescued: 6-9 months
Age now: Nearly 6

History: Em was a stray who was taken in by the Derby city council dog warden at between 6-9months which is when we took her on. She is a dominant bitch with a very strong chase instinct which gets both herself and us into trouble at times!

Nevertheless she took to agility straight away and loves to work. As I am a large lady I am not very mobile and her independence has been a big asset, as she works on brilliantly. Anyone that has seen us work will know that she has to do most, if not all, of the work. Em has also had a very successful partnership with my son, Sam, in the juniors. They have competed at crufts a number of times winning the overall under 18 Junior jumping in 2008 when Sam was only 11! They also won the Junior under 18 International handler in 2009 at the KC festival They are competing in the juniors on all 4 days at Crufts this year, so good luck to them! We are all very proud of Em and her achievements. We are honoured to have rescued her. She is a joy to work and have around the home. We all love her very much.

Small Grade 3 & Agilitynet award winners: Linda Cummings & Golden Wunda Spud Noworries

Breed: Crossbreed

Age when rescued: approx 10-12 months

Age now: 3 ish

Rescue organisation: Hope Rescue

History: Spud was picked up as a stay in Southern Ireland, taken to the local pound by the dog warden and was never claimed.  He was found roaming the streets trying to pick up any small morsel of food he could find. Luckily the local council worked in partnership with a rescue centre in the area, Dungarven rescue centre, so Spud was taken there and became quite a little star with the volunteers as he just has the perfect nature you can’t help but love this little man. read more

Large ABC winners: Nicky Holden & Kenwood Casca

Dogs Pet Name: Casca

Breed: Beardie

Age when rescued:  2-3ish

Age now:  7

Rescue organisation:  private

History: Casca was loved by his previous family, but unfortunately they both worked and were unable to give him the time and exercise he needed. I understand that before that he was a stray, picked up by a rescue in Wales.

We bought him home plus the crate that he was accustomed to living in, and OMG it was like a Tazmanain Devil, he ran here, there, on the table, on the beds, on the kitchen sides!! He had no manners at all! Everything was soo exciting. read more

Medium Grade 1/2 winners: Kerry Aldridge & My Millie on Air (AWS)

Dogs Pet Name: Millie

Breed: Staffie

Age when rescued: 6-9 months

Age Now: aprrox 5 1/2

History: Millie chose me to be her new owner in July 2005 when I visited Battersea London where she had been picked up as a stray.  She had only been in kennels a couple of days and I felt very privileged to be allowed to view her.  I still remember that first glimpse of her, body wiggling and an “Elvis” impression with one side of her lip and nose wrinkled.  I didn’t need a second look I was besotted.  I had a terrible few days waiting to hear if she had been reclaimed by her previous owner.  Thankfully for me she wasn’t. read more

Small Grade 6/7 winners: Wendy Fassam & Just Cruising

Dogs Pet Name: Cruise

Breed: JR x Collie

Age when rescued: 2 years

Age now: 6

History: Just Cruising or Cruise as he is known at home, came to us by a sequence of events and fate I suppose. I had been looking for another dog for about 6 months when at last I found a puppy locally just before Christmas 2005. Little did I know what was going to happen next, there I was happy with my new little boy, when in the New Year I received a phone call from the breeder asking if I knew anyone that might like a 2 year old Jack/Collie cross as the people who owned him couldn’t keep him. Although secretly my heart was thinking yes, my head was saying you have already got your work cut out with a new puppy. read more..

Large Grade 3 winners: Becca Kerry & Bailey Boo

 
Dogs Pet Name: Bailey
 
Breed: Collie X
 
Age when rescued:  Puppy

Age now:  6

Rescue organisation:  Blue Cross
 
This is Bailey's first season back competing after suffering from a spinal stroke in January 2008. Bailey and I have had a fantastic year moving into grade 3 and getting to the final of the Agility Club and the Kennel Club Novice Cup. I am hoping we are able to attend the Rescue League Final in the summer as previously we have always been unable to!  Bailey is a one in a million dog and I look forward to having lots of fun running him this year. read more from Bailey's previous story

Large Grade 4 & Large Novice crossbreed winners: Kerstin Mcdonagh & Minvenn Frosty AW(G)

Dog's pet name: Frosty

Breed: Crossbreed

Age when rescued: probably 1 year

Age now: approx. 4 years

Rescue organisation: Dundalk Dog Rescue, Ireland

History: Frosty ended up in a dog pound in Ireland just before Christmas 2006 and, despite never having been handled by humans, was fortunate enough to be "sprung from jail" by Dundalk Dog Rescue. With all dog rescue centres full to bursting, he came to spend a quiet Christmas and New Year with me in Scotland. Emaciated, filthy, terrified of people and in a state of near collapse (and advertised as a girl because no-one at the dog pound had checked!), my husband and I had our work cut out to get through to him. read more from Fosty's previous story here

Small Grade 4/5 winners: Kelly Lockwood & Princessa De La Nieve

Dog's pet name: Nieve

Breed: Crossbreed

Age when rescued: 5 months

Age now: approx. 4 years

Rescue organisation: Enfield Dog Rescue

History: Nieve was found dumped in Ireland with 1 brother and 1 sister in a cardboard box, they were bought across to England by Enfield Dog Rescue. 

read more from Nieve’s previous article here.

Janet also wrote a lovely article published on Agilitynet click here to read this

Small Grade 1/2 winners: Suzanne Phillips & Keane The Pocket Rocket

Dogs Pet Name: Keane

Breed: Jack Russell

Age when rescued: approx 4 ½ month old

Age now: 4 ¾ yrs

Rescue organisation: Dogs Trust Shoreham

History: My friend has dogs from the Dogs Trust in Shoreham and I occasionally went along for a visit with her.  On this occasion they had just got some new rescues..  read more

 

Large Elementary Crossbreed winners: Jo Harris & Tarka Goddy Two Shoes

Dogs Pet Name: Tarka

Breed: Collie X

Age when rescued:  4 months

Age now:  4 years

Over the last 4 years Tarka has grown from a very worried puppy into a very happy confident dog. He is my dog in a million, my shadow and best friend. 2009 saw him working Grade A obedience and he went from Grade 1 to Grade 3 in agility. We were having so much fun and he loved his agility so much, I was looking forward to 2010. Sadly disater stuck on December 13th 2009 in the form of a spinal stroke leaving his hind legs paralysed. The future at the moment is very uncertain but we are doing all we can to get him walking again, including physio, hydrotherapy & acupuncture. His agility days may be over but now, but I would give everything for him to have a good quality of life and for me to have my best friend back. On a positive note he is still happy & bright and enjoying all the extra attention he is receiving.

Jo x

Medium Grade 4/5 winners: Gabi Powell & Spider Pie

Dogs Pet Name: Spider

Breed: WSD

Age when rescued: 14 months

Age now: 7yrs

Rescue organisation: The Arc, East Sussex

History:  Spider was about 14 months old when she was booted off a farm in Ireland and onto a van headed for the pound to be shot, but luck intervened. I was looking for an active dog who could keep up with me on long walks and I found her at The Arc Animal Rescue Centre in Buxted, East Sussex.  read more from Spiders previous story

Medium Grade 6/7 winners: Gary Cummings & Ag Ch Monkey Madness No Worries

Dog’ Pet Name: Ellie

Breed: Patterdale Terrier

Age when rescued: approx 12 weeks

Age now: 5 years

History: Ellie was found tied to a post where youths were throwing fireworks at her. Ellie is a typical terrier, who has to have her nose into everything!  2009 saw Gary & Ellie adding Agility Champion to her growing list of achievements . Ellie is also a very loving loyal pet.  read more from Ellies previous story

Wiccaweys winners: Bob Scott & Wiccaweys Lottery

Dog's pet name: Lottie

Breed: WSD

Age when rescued: 1 year

Age now: approx. 6 years

Rescue organisation: Wiccaweys

History: After two homes and 2 spells in Warrington Dog rescue, Lottie found herself at Wiccaweys. She epitomises the 2nd (or in her case the 3rd) chance that rescued dogs get to 'come good' and reinforces my belief that rescue dogs really appreciate their 'Rescue Homes' and the chance to fulfill their true potential. read more from her previous story here

waiting details for:

 Large Grade 1 winners: Diana Connor & A Jilly Tilly

 

 

Gundog winners: Anna Burton & Dana's Tiger Lily

 Junior winners: Daniel Burton & Dana's True Spirit