October 4-6, 2002 - Dortmund, Germany
Friday, October 4, 2002
The World Agility Competition began today in Dortmund, Germany and the AKC/USA Mini team is in first place, leading their division. Erin Schaefer and Jag, a Shetland Sheepdog, took first place in the Individual Mini Team competition with Roger Coor and Moso, a Papillon ranking fifth.
The Midi Team closed today's competition in fifth place and Barbara Lombard with her Shetland Sheepdog, Turbo, ranked 16th in the Individual Midi competition. Jean Lavalley and Taz, a Shetland Sheepdog, were 44th.
Results of the Maxi Team are not available as of this writing, but watch this web site for updates, commentary and results of the AKC/USA Agility Team Days in Dortmund throughout the weekend.
Click on image for caption and larger view.
![](javascript:PopIt('/events/agility/world/2002/popup.cfm?image=02_DSC00079.JPG&caption=AKC Mini Team (14" jump height): Cheryl Fischer and Turbo, Erin Schaefer and Jag, Kathy Leggett and Heather, Roger Coor and Moso', 460, 410)) |
![](javascript:PopIt('/events/agility/world/2002/popup.cfm?image=02_DSC00074.JPG&caption=AKC/USA Midi Team (18" jump height): Left to right: Jean Lavalley and Taz, Barbara Lombard and Turbo, Barb
Davis and Shimmer, Nancy Kleinhans and Joni', 460, 410)){kind=spacer} |
![](javascript:PopIt('/events/agility/world/2002/popup.cfm?image=02_DSC00072.JPG&caption=AKC/USA Maxi Team (26" jump height): Left to right: Chris Parker and Mayhem, Linda Kipp and Jessie, Nancy Gyes
and Riot, Elicia Calhoun and Suni, Jen Pinder and Static', 460, 410)) |
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Saturday, October 5, 2002
In the Saturday Competition, the Maxi Team ranked 14th and three members were in the top 100 Individual Maxi runs. Elicia Calhoun and Suni are 74th, Nancy Gyes and Riot are 82nd and Jen Pinder and Static are 97th.
The Mini Team moved to second place behind Russia and the Midi Team slipped from fifth place to ranking sixteenth.
Sunday, October 6, 2002 - AKC/USA Mini Team in the Medals
The AKC/USA Mini Team Wins Silver in Dortmund Mini Team Member is Number One The USA/AKC Mini Team brings home the silver medal for second place in the World Agility Championship held in Dortmund, Germany October 4, 5, and 6, 2002. Team member Erin Schaefer and Shetland Sheepdog, Jag, took first place in the Individual Mini Class the first day and held that spot throughout the competition.
The Mini team dogs jump 14 inches and scores are combined from both the Standard Agility course and the Jumpers course. The team was in place after the first round of competition, but slipped to second on day two of the prestigious event. The second place is a repeat of the silver victory scored by the Mini Team last year in Portugal. The 2002 team members are: Roger Coor and Moso, a Papillon, from Arizona; Cheryl Fischer and Turbo, a Papillon, from New Jersey; Katherine Leggett and Heather, Shetland Sheepdog, from California, and Erin Schaefer and Jag, Shetland Sheepdog, from Pennsylvania.
In the 2001 World Agility Championship, Erin and Jag ranked 6th in Mini Individual competition and in 2000 won their division at the AKC National Agility Championship.
In the Midi Team competition the USA/AKC team finished in the 16th spot after a fifth place ranking in the first round. The all Shetland Sheepdog team jumped in the 18 inch division and team members were Barb Davis and Shimmer from Washington, Nancy Kleinhans and Joni from Florida, Jean Lavalley and Taz from Tennessee and Barbara Lombard and Turbo from California.
Midi team member Barbara Lombard and Turbo moved down slightly from the first round ranking of 16th to finish 18th in Individual competition while teammate Jean Lavalley and Taz moved up from 44th to the 34th spot.
The Maxi Team placed second in the Jumpers round and their combined scores ranked them 14th at the end of the competition. Team member Nancy Gyes from California, raced with Border Collie, Riot, to win the Individual Maxi Standard Agility round, but their combined scores placed them at 37 overall. Jen Pinder and Static, Border Collie, ranked 54th individually. Elicia Calhoun with Australian Shepherd, Suni, the reigning AKC National Agility Champions in their division, were number 60. Linda Kipp, also a former AKC National Championship winner, and Border Collie, Jessie were also members of the Maxi team.
Gail Storm, AKC Agility Field Representative, who accompanied the team, reported at 4:00 a.m. Dortmund time saying, "It has been an exciting and emotional experience. The teams were great and the cheering fans never stopped. We are ready to head home and we'll probably sleep all the way... although team members are already talking about the AKC National Agility Championship..."
From Sharon Anderson - AKC Director of Agility
The World Agility Champion was crowned this past weekend, October 2nd and 3rd, during competition held in Dortmund, Germany. The USA Mini Team (which won the Gold last year) defended its title well, but the crown was passed to France. France's Mini Team, which jumped the 16" height, was comprised of a Schnauzer, Boston Terrier and two Berger Des Pyrenees - a French dog that resembles an English Cocker. Their time was incredibly fast with no faults. The US had no faults the first day, but the second day of the competition ended with two dogs taking faults on a long fast-moving course. This can be attributed to the high speed necessary to match the top-notch mini dogs in competition.
First Place was France
Second Place was Denmark
Third Place was Finland
The Standard Team competition was won by the host country, Germany. This 26" jumping team was comprised of three Border Collies and one Belgian Malinois. The team had no faults for the weekend and was incredibly fast.
The US team had problems on the Standard Team run, but had fast and clean runs in the jumping class. Only two teams made it through the two days of competition without faults.
First Place - Germany
Second Place - France
Third Place - Sweden
In Team Competition, the USA Mini finished in eighth place and the Standard Team came in twelfth.
In the individual rounds, the USA team members fared better. Nancy Gyes (from California) and her Border Collie, Scud, placed sixth in the world with two clean runs. Stuart Mah (Florida) with his Border Collie, Reece, was thirty-sixth with one bar knocked down, Elicia Calhoun (New Jersey) - Australian Shepherd, Suni - was fifty-second, and Steve Frick (Georgia) - Border Collie, Maggie - was fifty-fifth with two faults. There were 131 Standard Team dogs. This was a to-flight-for class that made you run fast and push hard.
First Place in Standard individual - 26"
France - Border Collie
Second Place - Belgium - Groenendahl Belgium Sheepdog
Third Place - Border Collie - Germany
The individual Mini class was very exciting for the US - after the first day we had three in the top 20. Kathy Leggett and her Shetland Sheepdog, Heather, was fast and clean, coming in to capture fourth place in the world. Diane Bauman and her Cocker Spaniel, Torville, was twelfth and Donna Webster and her Shetland Sheepdog, Promise, was seventeenth. This was the best showing ever for the US in individual runs.
The competition is over but plans are already being made for next year in Helsinki, Finland. The team thanked all their fans for their cheering, decorating and great support for the weekend. Now it is off to a day of castle visiting, shopping and relaxing before heading home.
