2008 World Agility Championships

AKC/USA World Agility Championship Team
Helsinki, Finland
Day Seven - September 28, 2008

Large Dog Individual Agility

Course Measurement:  166 meters/181.5 yards
Time:  39 Seconds
YPS:  4.65

MARCUS TOPPS AND JUICE WIN GOLD

The 2008 FCI Agility World Championships will end with the Large Dog Individual Agility (standard) class.  Team USA has 5 dogs in this class.  The course designed by Judge Anne Savioja had many elements the team has seen multiple times over the weekend.  There is a slice jump from 6 to 7; a 270 from 9-10 and a pull back 180 turn from 14-15.  There was no table on this course, but again they used the second judge to judge the downside of the dogwalk.  The most variety in handling occurred from the broad jump at #17 into the tunnel and then over jump number 19.  Some handlers rear crossed once the dog was in the tunnel and ran around to meet their dogs.  Others layered the dog walk and sent the dog over jump #19.  One of the most impressive handling maneuvers was the handler who stayed almost at the bottom of the dog walk and sent his dog over the broad jump out into the tunnel opening.   He then met his dog as it came to #20. 

Linda Mecklenburg and Super were the first USA/AKC team to run.  Super was once again thrilled to be on the course and found a gear higher than Linda is use to with him.  He also found an off course unfortunately.  His enthusiasm was a lot of fun to watch and this will be a team to watch in the future.

Next to the line for Team USA was Ann Braue and Scream.  They started the round in 31st place.  This course was one that worked very well for this team.  After all 120 Large Individual dogs had run Ann and Scream were 13th overall for the 2008 Championships.  Scream’s course time was 38.00 seconds.

Carrie Jones and Jive had a terrific solid run up until the viaduct jump.  Carrie slipped while trying to make sure Jive took the viaduct, fortunately this slip caused 2 problems.  Jive slipped past the viaduct jump for a refusal and then they were signaled for a elimination.  When Carrie slipped it is possible she touched the viaduct jump with her foot and if she did since that was the obstacle Jive was working on it would be a elimination.  The rest of their run was fast and clean.

First time team Member Geri Hernandez and her Border Collie Focus placed 4th overall in the Large Dog Individual.  She was .05 seconds from the overall Bronze placement.  Geri made the course look like something she practices at home everyday.  She was once again very calm and quiet working with Focus on the course, even on the most difficult elements.  Geri noted that she had slipped a bit going up to the teeter and she saw Focus pull up a bit on the board.  Focus has solid contacts and they really paid off today.  They started in 18th position and for many runs they were in 2nd place behind the Swiss dog that finally took 2nd place overall.  Until the Finnish Border Collie ran that started in 6th place Geri was hanging on to 2nd place.  His time bumped them up over Geri & Focus.  Then their team mates Marcus Topps and Juice took 1st place and that moved Geri and Focus into their final placement of 4th place.  A great place to finish after starting  18th  this afternoon.

What else can be said but “Marcus Topps and his Border Collie Juice win Gold!”  Marcus was starting out in 4th place as their run began.  They ran their 4th clean round of the weekend.   This run combined with Jumpers from yesterday moved them up into 1st place for the overall combined score.   The final 3 dogs all had a fault or a slightly slower time. 

Marcus and Juice led the US Team and supporters on a couple of victory laps around the arena floor to the tune of  “Simply the Best”.  As with Marcy Mantell and Wave in Small Dogs; Marcus and Juice were “simply the best” this weekend in Large Dogs.  The Team USA and their supporters had a lot to celebrate.

WRAP UP

The medal winners were presented their awards at the closing ceremonies.  All countries paraded back into the arena and stayed there to honor the winners.  The national anthem for each winning country was played when the awards were presented.  The United States got to hear the Star Spangled Banner twice in the closing ceremony.

Each Individual Gold Medal Winner is automatically guaranteed a spot in the 2009 FCI Agility World Championships.  Now Marcy and Marcus will need to decide if they want to return to defend their titles.

The AKC Team sponsor, I Love Dogs, Inc had a champagne reception waiting back at the hotel lobby for Tema USA and all their supporters. It was a great way to end an amazing day.

Next year’s event will be held in Dornbirn, Austria on Sept 18-20, 2009.   The site has changed from what is on the FCI website.  Click here for the 2009 FCI Agility World Championship’s website. 

See you all there!

Small Dog Individual Agility

Course Measurement: 148 meters/161.85 yards
Time: 36 seconds
YPS:  4.49
Click Here for Small Dog Individual Final Combined Results

Coming into the Small Dog Individual competition the AKC/USA team had a good chance for a medal with Marcy Mantell in 8th place.  The course designed by Judge Allan Hansen would be a test for these fast teams.  Team USA was up to the challenge.

Dee Anna Gamel and her Shetland, Kelsi took this course and made it look easy.  They did not have one misstep in their run.   Dee Anna and Kelsi finished 7th in Small Dog Individual Agility with a time of 33.06 out of 67 dogs. They left an excellent impression of the USA Small Individual dogs with the crowd.  Today the stadium is full to the rafters and the audience is a loud enthusiastic one for an exciting day of agility.

Marcy Mantell and her Shetland Sheepdog, Wave had studied this course well.  They started in 8th place at the beginning of their run.  By the time they crossed the finish line at 30.93 seconds they had moved into 1st place.  With 7 more dogs to go it felt like a very long time to see what their final placement would be.  The other teams found wrong courses, refusals or were just a bit slower.  Marcy Mantell and Wave were the 2008 GOLD medal winners in Small Dog Individual.

The real celebrating began as soon as the last dog finished their course.  The USA Team and their supporters ran out onto the arena floor with Marcy leading the charge and Assistant Team Coach Kathie Leggett waving the United States flag.  In 2nd place was a Miniature Poodle from Switzerland and in 3rd a Shetland Sheepdog from Sweden.  Their fans also swarmed the floor for the celebration.  With “Simply the Best” playing over the loud speakers there was no doubt that Marcy and Wave were simply the best today.  They were also the fastest team on the Small dog Agility course.  The next closest dog ran it in 32.11 seconds, 1.18 seconds behind Marcy and Wave.

The awards ceremony will be at the end of the day, when they will be presented with the Championship trophy which looks like it will pack well in Marcy’s suitcase.

Medium Dog Individual Agility
Course Measurement: 148 meters/161.85 yards
Time: 36
YPS: 4.49
Click Here for Medium Dog Individual Results
Click Here for Medium Dog Individual Combined Final Results

The final day at the 2008 FCI World Agility Championships began with the Medium Dog Individual Agility course.  For the USA/AKC team sponsored by I Love Dogs, Inc.  Paulette Swartzendruber and Ashley Deacon would take on the challenge of the day designed by Judge, Anna Savioja.   The Agulity course this morning did not have a table in the design.

Our 1st dog to run was Rush with Paulette.  Rush was very excited to be back out on the course.  He bounced all the way to the start line.  They were having a fast exciting run when they found one of the many off course options on this course.  This kept them from moving up in the rankings.

Ashley and Luka were in 3rd place coming into the Agility Course this morning so they were number 70 to run.  By the time they got to the line many of the top 10 teams had already dropped out of the rankings due to off courses and refusals.  Their run was solid up until jump #12.  This pull back out of tunnel #11 with a hard slice into the weave poles got many teams as the dogs slipped past #12 on both sides.  Ashley kept the pressure on the #12 jump to help shape Luka into the weaves with a clean line.  She found a way to stay on the back side of #12 and back jump it for a wrong course.  The rest of the course was run well.  Ashley really runs his dog walk and the crowd laughed as the judge for the downside had to move quickly out of Ashley’s way to avoid being run over!

At the end of the final runs the #2 dog went off course and the #1 dog had a refusal.  The Championship went to a Border Collie from Switzerland.  2nd Place to a Manchester Terrier from Germany who had been 12th coming into this final round.  A Shetland Sheepdog from Russia claimed 3rd, moving up from the 13th place prior to this run.  As a side note – when the Russian team won a medal in the Team Competition yesterday he shaved his head.  Word was that if Russia won an individual medal this morning he would shave his beard next.

Team USA and their supporters started early today on what is the second best part of the event.  The first is watching all the great dogs and handlers; the second is the trading with other countries.  Today many shirts, jackets, pants, shorts, pins and other items will change hands between the countries.  Karen Holik has already successfully traded a USA Team Jacket for a Germany team Jacket with matching pants for her teammate, Carrie Jones this morning.  It is just the beginning!

Sunday Courses