So my wife competes in dog agility. It’s a fun sport that requires speed, concentration, and, er, agility. It’s not as easy as it looks, and it doesn’t look that easy. The dog and handler have to work together, watching each other as they run around the obstacles. One of the highest achievements in the sport is the Masters Agility Championship, or MACH, and it’s tough to earn. First a dog has to qualify in enough agility runs to reach the Excellent level and earn 720 Championship Points. Points are earned by coming in under course time, and course time is determined by the length of the course. Then they have to qualify in a Standard Agility run and a Jumpers With Weaves run on the same day twenty times. Dog and handler only get one chance per day and to qualify they have to finish both courses without any mistakes.
Anyway the latest member of the family to earn a MACH is Phoenix Montague No Illusions, although around the house we know him as Teller. He’s the son of Sagan, and he’s named for the magician Ray Teller, who works with Penn Gilette. In the picture he’s the one on the right. Here he is again:
I think my wife named him that because she hoped he’d be quiet, which he is, mostly, but there was a lot of cheering in the stands when he earned his MACH and he and my wife got to take a victory lap around the ring.
Way to go, Teller. Now he’s working on his second MACH.
Important Edit: My wife has pointed out that a MACH requires 750 points, not 720, which makes it 30 points more impressive. Teller is also a breed champion because he’s such a handsome dog. As my wife says, “Beauty and brains, ya know.” Or, as she’s also said, a well-balanced dog has titles at both ends.
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Congrats to Teller! Your dogs, by the way, are beautiful, good sir.
Thank you. And our dogs thank you. They love compliments, especially compliments that come with cookies.
Congrats to you, your wife, and teller! 🙂
Thank you–Teller is enjoying the compliments. And, magic dog that he is, he’s making treats disappear.
One of my best friends does agility with her dogs and she’s gotten to the Canadian Nationals. Every year at our fall fair here, there’s an agility demonstration and it’s one of the most popular events. I love watching it! I wish Titus was inclined towards it, but he’s too distracted by food, and people, and other dogs, all of which are pretty common at agility competitions!
That’s really cool that your friend has gotten into the Canadian Nationals. And it is fun to watch. Titus would be a hoot to watch, too, if he were inclined toward it. The first dog my wife ran in agility, a really amazing dog named Baxter, was easily distracted by other dogs because he was an only dog. Then he got a sister and was less distracted by other dogs.
I leave it to you whether you share that story with Teller.
He is so Gorgeous!!!! Congratulations to you, your wife, and Teller!!!
Thank you so much, although in all fairness all the credit really goes to my wife and Teller. I’m mostly just a proud spectator.
Tell Teller and your wife that I’m thrilled for them!
They’ll be thrilled to know. Thank you!
That’s awesome! I know nothing about the sport, but it’s always inspiring when people go for it and get it!
It’s a fun sport for dogs and their owners which is what makes it so much fun.