By Penny Leigh
(article originally appeared in AKC Family Dog magazine)
As best friends, McKenzie Minto and Jordyn Baker chat often, and lengthy phone calls are frequent. They discuss school, family, life and the passion that bonds them – dog agility.
Minto, 21, and Baker, 20, are successful agility handlers and now they are sharing their knowledge – and experiences – with other young handlers in the adult-dominated sport.
In October 2022, the pair launched a podcast about agility and “adulting” called RUNNING MY COURSE.
“We realized that we have a lot of ‘big sister advice’ for young handlers, so we were inspired to start a podcast to help others navigate life in agility,” Minto said. “In the podcast, we talk candidly about seeking success on and off the agility course, striking the balance between college and competitions, our experiences as former junior handlers, and more.”
Even though they are in their early 20’s, the pair has years of agility experience. Minto started at age 8 with her Border Collie, taking beginner classes at a school in her hometown of Encino, California. Baker was 12 when she started building agility obstacles in her Louisiana backyard and taking her terrier mix through the homemade courses.
They met in 2018 at Boundless Junior Agility Camp in Pennsylvania, and their friendship has grown stronger over the years, despite the many miles that separate them.
Minto is majoring in accounting and Saint Mary’s College of California, and Baker is a communications and political science double major at Southern Maine University.
Both have achieved great successes in the sport that they love. McKenzie, with her Border Collie, Safari, was a member of the 2022 AKC European Open Team USA and a four-time member of the AKC Junior Team USA. She won the 2019 AKC Junior Agility Championship in the 20-inch jump height division.
Baker achieved high placements at the 2021 European Open Team Tryouts and qualified for the 2023 AKC National Agility Championship. Baker now serves as a co-president of the Boundless Junior Agility Camps, where she met Minto, taking place in California and Pennsylvania this summer.
Supporting youth in the sport of agility is a goal of both women and a driving force behind their podcast.
“Our hope is that RUNNING MY COURSE can help empower junior handlers to recognize their unique advantages, as well as provide a sense of belonging for young people in the sport,” Minto said. “As our podcast description says, ‘There isn’t a course map for your teens and twenties, so listen along as Mac & Jordyn navigate the twists and turns of agiladulting!’ ”
You can follow their podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts or @RMC_Radio on Instagram.