We are pleased to feature Young at Heart – one of the original teams in the AKC Agility League pilot program. This team is located in Southern California and based out of the Agility Club of San Diego (ACSD) – the first agility club in that city, founded in 1986. Their team name reflects the senior age of handlers – and some of their dogs! But as Captain Susanne Glasgow tells us – age is just a number, and this team is not slowing down!
Team Name/ division: Young at Heart, Regulation Senior
Captain: Susanne Glasgow
Location: Murrieta, California
Do you run outdoors, indoors, or both?
Outdoors on dirt. The climate can be very, very hot. At times it is necessary to run early morning or in the evenings.
How and when did your group get involved in League?
Shortly after the ACSD participated in the 2022 AKC Meet the Breeds event in San Diego, we were contacted about the formation of the Agility League. It was a concept in the planning stages. We were lucky enough to have been invited to participate since the planning stages of the League program.
How did the team develop?
I contacted our club members to see if they would be interested in forming a team. The field that we use is quite a distance from our club base, so we got only a few people, but all with multiple dogs – we started out with three people and seven dogs. We started out with three Border Collies, two Poodles, and later, my Vizsla puppy when she was old enough to run.
How did you come up with your team name?
The team is comprised of two ‘Super Agers’ (85 and 88) and one regular senior (70’s) person. We decided on ‘Young at Heart’, because regardless of our chronological ages, we remain young at heart in most everything we do.
List your team members.
- Mel King, Fire, Border Collie, age 11. Mel is our course groomer and course builder. He has been involved in agility for 24 years. His first agility dog was a mixed breed. A few years later he got a Poodle and later, a Border Collie.
- Rosemary Emberger, Leif, Standard Poodle, age 7. Rosemary is responsible for refreshments and course tear-down. Rosemary has been involved in agility for about 21 years – all with Poodles.
- Susanne Glasgow, Cwtch, Border Collie, age 10, and JuJubee, Vizsla, age 4. I’m responsible for organizing our runs and course building/tear down. I have been involved in agility for about 28 years – most of those with Vizslas and a couple of Border Collies.
What positives do you find in League participation?
It has absolutely helped with our training programs. We video and review everything. It has been most impactful for JuJubee’s training and preparation for actual trials as she has grown up in this program.
Do you do anything special on League days?
Since we don’t see each other very often, it has been a great way to get together and snack on Rosemary’s treats after our runs – and let the dogs run and explore the five-acre property.
Anything special about running in your part of California as opposed to the Midwest or East Coast?
We have no indoor facilities in Southern California. The weather here can be pretty brutal, so, at times we must run early mornings or evening. Our environment is also unpredictable with the occasional rabbit, squirrel, and quail running through the course. The neighbors’ horses and chicken also offer great training distractions.
Anything else you want to add about the League experience?
We can practice our skills on actual courses to prep for trials without the trial pressure. It keeps us in the game. It has been a wonderful experience to see my puppy grow up in the league. We are so very grateful to have the opportunity to participate in such a fun program!