Some were big, some little. Tall or small, all different breeds, the 78 dogs gathered at McGee Park for the Durango Agility Dog Club Trials this weekend all shared one common trait: a readily apparent love of the sport.
The same could be said of the owners, 125 exhibitors not only from the Four Corners area but also from Albuquerque, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.
Barks, timing buzzers and cries of “good dog” filled the air at the San Juan County Fairgrounds in Farmington, considered a premier site to hold the trials. According to club materials, McGee Park is one of the best facilities in the West for this activity. The horse arena used allowed the setup of two courses at one time, along with a practice area and crating space.
Dog agility puts dogs and their handlers through a changing maze of jumps, tunnels, A-frame, weave poles, seesaws and more, all on a timed basis. The owner is challenged to quickly learn the direction of the course and the order in which their dogs must complete the obstacles, then guide their dog through quickly and correctly. It requires teamwork.
The three-day trial weekend is the first of three put on each year by the Durango Agility Dog Club. The trials are open to all dogs, purebred and mixes, with different levels from novice to masters and premier, said Lisa Frankland, trial secretary. There were about 230 entries each day; dogs are often entered in more than one competition. “It’s a smaller trial because it’s the winter,” Frankland said.
“For a rural area, there’s a surprisingly strong membership base,” she said.
Dog agility is a spectator-friendly sport, and spectators are welcome at the fairgrounds during trial weekends, although people are asked to leave nonparticipating dogs at home. There is no charge to attend, and for dog lovers it is fun to watch.
Cathy Barkley and her Scottish terrier Nessie were clearly having a good time, even though it was Nessie’s first try at the complicated jumps course. Barkley of Loma, Colorado, has been participating in agility for 15 years, four years with Nessie.
“When you retire, you have to find a new group. Your work friends all go their own ways,” she said. “I found a community here. Great people, great friends. It checks all the boxes – emotional, social and physical.”
Health challenges haven’t kept Barkley from competing. “I have Lou Gehrig’s. My doctor says whatever I’m doing keep at it, because I’m doing way better than she ever would have thought.”
Noelle Hufnagel of Bayfield, Colorado, has been participating in agility with her border collie Layla for five years.
“She is my first agility dog; we started when she was 2 and now she’s 7.”
For Hufnagel, agility work is all about the connection with her dog.
“It’s seeing her joy. We got here, she knew what she was going to do, and my 7-year-old dog was acting like a puppy she was so excited. That is so precious to me,” she said.
“The herding breeds tend to be the rock stars – Border collies, shelties, Australian shepherds – but any dog can do this. As long as they will work as a team with their handler, they can play this game; they can have fun,” Frankland said.
If people are interested in learning how to participate in the sport, Jan Owen, president of Durango Agility Dog Club, suggested a good place to start is by contacting Creature Comforts in Durango. Gail Gardner at Creature Comforts and Diane of Diane’s Clever K9s, both Durango trainers, are also members of the club. They are a good place to get the information and basics that may be needed, Owen said.
The next three-day trial meet for the Durango club will again be held at McGee Park in Farmington on May 31, June 1 and June 2.
