Reflections on the Crufts 2026 Agility Rescue Demo
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It wasn't about winning but transformation...
At Crufts, spectators see speed and skill. What they may not see is the journey - the nervous dog who once lacked confidence, the misunderstood dog who simply needed purpose, the partnership built on trust after a difficult start in life. Agility showcases what is possible when potential meets opportunity. All Rescue dogs are not defined by their past. They are defined by the futures they are given. The Dogs Trust was the initial display organiser along with a group of other dog charities, probably more than 25-30 years ago. When they stepped down, Valgrays and Battersea took over the reins. Each rescue is allowed six dogs and they must all be rescued from that organisation and have done a bit of agility. It's not a competition but a showcase of rescue dogs who are enjoying a second chance thanks to agility.
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Brooke Maxted & Kobey I saw Kobey's photo on the Valgrays page in 2018, and I instantly fell in love! I couldn't get him out of my head. Eventually I gave in and applied. Val had taken him on when he was picked up from the street. He didn't respond to people at all. He just wanted to chase the birds in the sky. I tried obedience classes but he couldn't cope with lots of dogs that close, so I worked on getting him to listen to me. Then we started agility. Once he stopped looking at the sky after a few weeks the change was amazing. He loves agility and just needs one more win to make Grade 5. Two years ago, my granddaughter started training him to get him to work for her. He now goes with her as long as he can see me and this year has qualified to run in Crufts Young Kennel Club in two classes. After words... I had always wanted to run in the main ring like the champ agility competitors. It was really fun I’d love to do it again. I wasn't sure if Kobey would run in there as it is so big and noisy, but he treated it like any other run, I was really proud of him. We had the absolute privilege of taking Susie Q to compete at Crufts, where she took on the Rescue Dog Agility like the little superstar she is. |
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Vikki Adams & Rey We have had several dogs from Val so when we were looking for a new member of our family we turned to Val again. She told us she was expecting two young collies who were very nervous and had a troubled start to life. They would need an understanding home. She sent photos and we just fell in love. Val settled them both in and we arranged to see them a few days later. Both had been badly treated by previous owners. Unfortunately one of the girls did not survive the trauma her injuries, despite all of Val's best efforts and tender care. We went to see Luna, now called Rey, and decided then and there she was coming home with us. She was so nervous but has gone from strength to strength. She loves her new sisters, ball games and her agility. We are so pleased she came home that day and we love her to pieces. At first Rey was very nervous but, with the help of her new sisters, she has grown in both confidence and character. She loves agility, is obsessed with a ball and lives to herd her sisters up on a walk. That and, of course, cuddles. After words... Running in the rescue dog agility team at Crufts was a truly unforgettable experience. While Rey didn't follow the course to the letter, her performance was a masterclass in pure, unadulterated joy. With her tail wagging incessantly and a chorus of happy barks, Rey reminded everyone that the 'win' isn't always about a clean run. It's about the love of the game. She soared over jumps not just for the sport, but for the sheer delight of playing her favourite game in front of a cheering crowd that loved every second of her enthusiasm. Beyond the agility poles and A-frames, this moment represented something much deeper. Seeing Rey thrive on such a massive stage was a powerful testament to her resilience. Moving from a past defined by fear and harm to a present filled with confidence, proving that with patience and time, love and trust can be fully regained. Being given the chance of showing the world exactly what rescue dogs are capable of when they are finally given the chance to shine was amazing. We are both so incredibly thankful to Valgrays both for allowing Rey to join our family, for the opportunity to share our journey and show that every dog, no matter their start, deserves a standing ovation. |
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Tiffany Faiers &
Ollie After losing our previous collie, we were searching for a new best friend. I contacted Val at Valgrays to see if they had any dogs looking for a new loving home. She explained they had just rescued a collie from a dog hoarding situation where he was living with 45 dogs in a one-bedroom house. We had a home check done and off we went to meet Val and the potential dog. As soon as we saw Ollie we fell in love. We took Ollie the Collie home the same day! Ollie was reactive to most things that moved when we first took him for a walk - bikes, cars and even people on the other side of the road. Being used to living with so many dogs, he had separation anxiety when left at home. We worked with him and joined a weekly obedience club where he passed his bronze and silver good citizen dog scheme awards. Unfortunately lock down hit so he was unable to continue to do his Gold. In 2024 we joined a weekly agility club and we have participated in a couple of demonstrations at village fêtes with the club. We have also done a handful of fun agility competitions where he has picked up a 3rd. At the beginning of 2025 he sustained an injury and had four months off agility. We weren't sure if he would be able to return to the sport he loves but, with gentle introduction back to it and not pushing him, we are back doing what we both love! He's gone on to do his first fun agility competition in 2026 and won his class! We are very lucky to have found the best most loving dog we could ask for. After words... Ollie the Collie of Valgrays and I had a great time at Crufts. We are so honoured to have taken part in such a great show, showcasing that rescue dogs can go on to achieve anything. I was so nervous not knowing what to expect not having done anything like that before but, once out in the arena, I just focused on me and Ollie and we had a great time! Being a rescue that was quite reactive to most things that moved, I wasn't sure how Ollie would cope with such a big show, but he loved it. His tail was on the way round. I'm so proud of him. Thank you so much for a great experience and memories that will last a lifetime. |
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Samantha Hadingham
& Mac I adopted Mac from Valgrays Border Collie Rescue in October 2019. He had arrived at the rescue with his brother at just ten weeks old, a pair of unwanted puppies being advertised in the free ads for £50. Mac is 75% Yorkshire Terrier and 25% Border Collie, but from the moment he came home it was clear that the Border Collie side of him shone through - a strong desire to work, run fast, and learn new things! Mac started puppy classes just before lockdown and absolutely loved them, soaking up every new skill. However, navigating lockdown with a high-energy puppy who was interested in absolutely everything proved challenging. When we returned to training classes in 2021, it became clear that Mac found working around the distractions of other dogs and people very difficult, and he would often run off to greet his many adoring fans. Persistence, patience, and positivity were key, and eventually Mac began competing in agility competitions in March 2022. He is the happiest little dog, always smiling and making people laugh. He loves agility and thrives on an audience. He's a real class clown. He can't hide his excitement on the start line, with his big smile and constantly wagging tail. He is so much fun to run with, and truly is the perfect teammate. Once we started competing, Mac stormed through the grades and won his way into Grade 7 in February 2024. Since then, he has been competing at Championship level and has achieved more than I could ever have dreamed of, including:-
I am unbelievably proud of Mac and everything we have achieved together, and I know there is still more to come on our agility journey. I am proud to tell everyone that he is a rescue dog, showing the world just what can be achieved when dogs are given a second chance! After words... Mac thoroughly enjoyed his day out yesterday, attending Crufts and taking part in the Rescue Dog Agility demo. His tail didn’t stop wagging and he had the biggest smile on his face all day! He loved getting a big cheer and round of applause from the audience in the Main Arenaring, and lapped up all the attention he got at the Breed Rescue stand with Valgrays in the afternoon. It is such a great day out - a chance to make memories with our amazing dogs, and such a fantastic way to promote the work of the Rescue Centres. |
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Nina Neicho &
Eddie We are very excited to have been invited to take part in the Rescue Dogs Agility Demo Team and to share a little bit about our wonderful Eddie. He joined our family in April 2024 from Valgrays Border Collie Rescue when he was just six months old. He was picked up as a stray and we don't think he had ever lived in a house before, in fact on his first day at home I opened the fridge to get something out and he jumped straight in! With his scruffy face and cheeky expression, he looks very much like a little terrier mix, albeit with a long body, so you can imagine our surprise when we decided to do a DNA test and the results revealed that Eddie has an astonishing 13 breeds in his mix. The largest percentage is Miniature Poodle at 42%, followed by 18% Yorkshire Terrier, 11% Shih Tzu, and smaller amounts of West Highland White Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Sealyham Terrier and even Chihuahua. It certainly explains his intelligence, his bounce, and perhaps his occasional stubborn streak. At home, Eddie lives with me, my daughter Abby, and our two other dogs: Harry the Border Collie, and Tiggy the Cockapoo. Life in our house is busy and full of energy, and Eddie fits right in. He absolutely loves playing tug with Harry, zooming around the garden and, of course, our daily walks where he seems to easily cover three or four times the distance of the rest of us. Despite all that energy, he is incredibly affectionate and adores cuddles on the sofa in the evening. From the moment he arrived, it was clear that Eddie loves learning. He is incredibly bright and thrives on training and will happily work for either toys or food, which makes shaping new behaviours both fun and rewarding. His enthusiasm and focus make him a joy to train. Agility and hoopers have been a fantastic outlet for his busy brain and spring-loaded body. I am so grateful to my wonderful trainer Lisa Jordan for all her support, encouragement and words of wisdom. As he was so young when we got him, we started his training with hoopers which is a non-impact sport and this was brilliant for his forward-focus, the skill of looking at the first obstacle and not at me. Once he started agility, his innate enthusiasm shone through. In fact, the hardest thing is often calling him away from the obstacle in front of him to the correct part of the course. He has competed in Jumping classes at KC shows and has several wins under his belt already. However, he is not keen on the movement of the see-saw so we have backed off that for a bit to let him get his confidence. Eddie already has a repertoire of favourite tricks. He particularly loves weaving between my legs and shutting doors on cue. We are currently working on stacking rings and tidying his toys into his basket, both of which he approaches with his usual eagerness to figure things out. He genuinely seems to enjoy the process of learning as much as the reward at the end. Of course,
sometimes dogs teach themselves things. After a few times early on where
food disappeared from the middle of the kitchen island, we set up a
‘sting' Eddie's least favourite things are the bath which he tolerates with a true hangdog expression, and surrendering a stolen crisp wrapper. His ability to locate and 'rescue' discarded wrappers is unmatched, and persuading him to give them up involves a Hansel and Gretel style trail of treats to lure him away from where he has chosen to hide. He is living proof of the potential that rescue dogs have when given the chance. He has brought laughter, love and boundless energy into our home, and we are so proud to represent rescue dogs together as part of the agility demo team. After words... What an exciting day! The scale of Crufts is hard to comprehend if you haven't been before. Thousands of stalls, people and dogs, dogs, dogs. Eddie was completely overwhelmed from the moment we walked in, his tail was between his legs and he became extremely clingy. He wasn't interested in his toy and, at one stage even refused food (unheard of) so I wondered if he would do any obstacles or just shut down. Luckily once he saw the hurdles in front of him his love for agility took over, and he knew exactly what he needed to do. Hhe finished completely unfazed by it all. An amazing experience. |
Breed: Collie X
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Jodie Parry &
Susie Que We found Susie Que in the most heartbreaking way, abandoned in a cardboard box at the side of a road in Romania, terrified and alone. From the very start, it was clear she had already learned that the world was not always a kind place. Loud noises, especially things like metal pans crashing, would send her running, and she was deeply frightened of men and unfamiliar situations. But beneath that fear was a bright, independent little soul who just needed patience, love and time. Our journey with Susie has been one of slow, gentle confidence-building. Training was never about perfection. It was about helping her feel safe. We focused on trust, positive reinforcement and letting Susie move at her own pace. Every small win, whether it was walking calmly past a stranger or staying relaxed in a busy environment, felt like a huge victory. This year has brought its challenges. Susie developed a cataract in one eye which the vets have sadly deemed inoperable, and she was also attacked by another dog, leaving her needing stitches and time to heal both physically and emotionally. But true to her resilient nature, she kept going - brave, determined and still eager to try. Preparing for Crufts has been about more than just training for the main arena, it has been about showing Susie that the world can be safe, exciting and full of wonderful experiences. From a frightened little street dog to standing proudly on one of the biggest stages in the dog world, her journey is a testament to her courage and spirit. Susie Que is living proof that rescue dogs don't just survive - they shine! After words... Our Susie sausage roll trotted into that arena as cool as you like and absolutely smashed it. No drama, no diva moments – just steady Susie doing her thing while the rest of us tried not to burst with pride (or nerves). To top it all off, her run was featured on the Crufts page in a video called Super Steady Susie, which has now racked up over 20,000 views! Not bad for a little rescue dog who once found the world a bit scary. Safe to say Susie has fully embraced her new career as an internet sensation, although she still expects to be paid primarily in snacks. |
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Lorna Goodban &
Molly Molly came from Valgrays at eight months old. She had been really badly treated and was very nervous and bitey. In the weeks that Val had her, she worked on trying to get her to trust people again and I then carried this on when she came home, with help of friends. I think if Val hadn't taken her in, she wouldn't be here today. Thank you, Val, for saving Molly! Agility has helped her so much with her confidence. She loves whizzing round the agility courses so we do a fair bit of distance handling and we've reached Grade 6 in agility. She can still get nervous sometimes, but we can mostly work through things. She's a joy to own, and I feel very lucky to share her life. I recently got a little farm rehome collie called Ella. They get on so well and love running together. After words... Molly and I very much enjoyed taking part in the rescue Dog Agility demonstration in the Main Arena at Crufts. She stopped beautifully on the dog walk contact which has been an ongoing project. Further round the course she put in a go round that wasn’t in the course. We then spent some time on the Valgrays stand chatting to people about rescue dogs and lots of the public were fascinated with Molly’s different colour eyes. Thanks to Nickie and Val for arranging for and all the work Valgrays does for Collies and other breeds all year. |
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Kelly Smith &
Penny Penny (formerly known as Snoopy) came into my life three years ago, around six weeks after losing my Staffy X Lurcher, Poppy. A friend spotted her being brought into the Berkshire branch of the NAWT. At the time she was eight months old. Once I'd been to see Penny and my other dog Pippin had met her, I knew she would be a perfect addition to our family. Penny and Pippin have been the best of friends since day 1. She is my first rescue dog so I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I found the Kennel Club Good Citizen training a great way to help me with her training early on. We started agility training once she was old enough to give her something for her to keep her occupied . It was a great way to us to learn how to work as a team and, most importantly, have fun! Penny is a very goofy little princess who never fails to make me laugh daily. I will always be grateful to her as the dog who taught me it's okay to love another dog after losing my first dog. After words... For Penny and I, it was our first time taking part in the agility display at Crufts. Everyone was so welcoming and encouraging. Penny, who is just a little country dog, handled the whole atmosphere beautifully. I was expecting a zoomie from her at some stage, and she didn't disappoint! She provided some great entertainment with her zoomies, then finished the course perfectly. It was such an amazing experience. I am am so proud of her for showing what rescue dogs can do. We look forward to taking part in 2027. |
About
the article organisers...
At Valgrays Border Collie & Animal Rescue, each dog is
carefully assessed, supported and given the opportunity to rediscover
confidence. For many, agility becomes more than a sport. It becomes a pathway to
healing. For a rescue dog, that structure and partnership can be life-changing.
Linda Gore spends a lot of time capturing memories in the ring. For more information see Linda Gore Photography on Facebook.
Photos at Crufts 2026: Linda Gore Photography
First published March 2026
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Whether
you're searching for an energetic
agility partner or a loyal companion to share your adventures, there are many
rescue dogs are waiting for their second chance. This year Valgrays Border
Collie & Animal Rescue has been asked to organise the Rescue Dog Agility
display
at Crufts 2026, demonstrating that dogs given a second chances can achieve extraordinary
things. Joining Valgrays will be handlers from Battersea Dogs & Cats, Woodgreen Pets Charity and the National Animal Welfare Trust. Linda Gore
introduces some of the
dogs on the team and then found out what they thought of their experience after
the show.
At Crufts, the world
watches dogs perform agility at breathtaking speed and precision inside the
arena at the NEC It's one of the shows most electrifying highlights, a
celebration of partnership, trust and athletic brilliance. But behind the jumps,
tunnels and weave poles lie powerful stories. Some of the most inspiring agility
dogs began their journey in rescue.
