It
was in 1988 when a friend named Jill Crawford introduced 11 year old Jason Loper to the sport
of dog agility. Little did she know that he would be hooked for life! Jason likes to share his
insights and stories with other Samoyed owners and people who do the sport of Dog Agility. He
believes it's helpful for beginners to learn about other people's 'First Times' at an agility
trial. With that he is going to tell you about his first show with his boy Quazar!
At
first Windy (aka Silver Hollow's M & M's Windy) and I tried our hand in USDAA agility with
Jill's guidance. We just gave her the money, and she entered the classes for us. Little did we
know that she had entered us in every class! As the year continued, I started to build my own
equipment at home, confiscating old tires for a tire jump and fence stakes for weave poles.
Soon enough I had almost a full course I could set-up. I even had a dogwalk of some sort that
went between two huge dirt hills.
Playing Agility
One Saturday on a stormy Fourth of July weekend in 1992, I entered my
parent's
dog Windy in her first NADAC agility match, dragging her kids Kandi and Quazar along for the
socialisation with other dogs! Although this was Windy's debut in NADAC agility, my Mom
suggested I try Quazar. I had 'played at' agility with Quazar since he was about ten weeks old.
Now at the age of two, he loved agility and at times it seems like we were playmates. I didn't
see why he couldn't have a go at the match too! The enjoyment that comes from working with
Quazar, at times, takes my breath away. I thought I could settle for playing until that
Saturday.
As
I watched other dog and handler teams run their course Quazar, Windy and I made ourselves quite
at home, at least the best we could in the pouring down rain, sneaking in and out of the car
for shelter. After all, I had been handling Windy for over a year, and Quazar always came along
for the socialisation! So it was time for us to head for the practice area. I stretched him
out, sat him in front of a jump and set the bar to 24 inches. Without a thought I took off his
collar and leash, sent him over the jump and into the practice weaves. We practiced calmly for
a few moments longer. Me and my boy were just having a good time working together. Out of the
corner of my eye I could see someone was waiting to practice, so I quickly scurried to get
Quazar's collar back on and move out of the woman's way. That woman is actually competing, I
thought! And here I am playing with my pup and getting in her way. That's when it hit me. We
WEREN'T just playing, we were OFFICIAL! Gulp!
Show and go
It was down hill from there. My knees grew weak, my stomach started to churn and in my mind the
old 'what if...?' game. I was numb all over. I started to pace. My breathing became short. The
gate steward called dog after dog, and soon it would be our turn. Windy had gone long before
her son, but this was different. There was no backing out now. We headed for the ring gate.
'The next dog is Quazar, and he is making his debut,' the
gate steward seemed to scream for the entire world to hear. I was petrified as I asked Quazar
to sit at the start line. Thankfully, with nerves of steel, he gladly obliged and looked up at
me as if to say, 'You mean I get a chance to play?'
With ice cold hands I turned and walked out to begin our course. I took a deep breath, looked
back at Q-man (he was still on a sit-stay) and signaled the first jump! And with all enthusiasm
and sincerity that makes him so dear to me, my boy and I began to dance. The whole world stood
still as we ran, smooth as silk, even more connected than before. I was so overwhelmed as he
took the last two jumps out ahead of me, I wasn't sure I'd make it across the finish line. The
roar of the crowd brought me back down to earth. Our debut was over. We had done it. No ribbon.
No legs. Just a show and go. A moment in the spotlight that will shine in my heart for a very
long time! Quazar and I standing in the pouring rain, soaking wet had just 'played.'
Quazar (Silver Hollow's Cosmic Quazar) is now nine years old and unofficially retired! He is my
buddy and the reason behind my kennel name Cosmic Samoyeds! To this day he still loves to do
agility. Sometimes he reminds me of that energizer bunny - he keep going and going and going! I
know the trials get harder and harder, but remember it is important in this day and age of
agility to just go in and play with a positive attitude! It'll make you a better partner and
your Sammy a better companion! Well, that's it for now everyone until next time!
About the author...
Jason Loper is the owner, handler and trainer of Cosmic Samoyeds & Agility Training
in Yelm, Washington in the USA! He lives on 10 acres with his parents Steve and Cheryl Loper!
Altogether they have 11 Cosmic Samoyeds - Beamer, Hogan, Tucson, Quazar, Lancer, Anna, Maxx,
Kandi, Charmin, Jamie and Parker! All are trained in agility and are currently competing with
1!
This year Jason marks this as 11th year competing and
participating in agility! Jason has won many firsts while in agility! He was the first actual
junior handler to compete in NADAC when there were no Junior Handler Programs, so he had to
compete with the adults! And he attended the first ever NADAC Sanctioned Trial and
Pre-Sanctioning Trials!
Although Jason says NADAC is his favourite organization,
he still competes in AKC and USDAA events too. One of his proudest moments in agility was when,
after two years of trying, they finally got their Novice Gamblers Title with 71 points total.
(You need 40 to qualify!)
Jason's future goals in agility would to become a NADAC
or USDAA approved Judge for Junior Handling! He would also like to get the last acquired AX
legs on his boy Quazar so he can go for his regular Agility License in AKC agility. When not
doing agility, Jason is going to college to be a Sign Language Interpreter for the deaf.
If you go out and over the next jump,
through the tunnel we too shall meet on the dogwalk!
But for now run fast and jump high for many successful legs.
Jason would like to 'talk' to anyone who has an agility Samoyed
or has been a Junior competing in adult classes. To contact him, just email him on:-
snowmandog@earthlink.net
It
was in 1988 when a friend named Jill Crawford introduced 11 year old Jason Loper to the sport
of dog agility. Little did she know that he would be hooked for life! Jason likes to share his
insights and stories with other Samoyed owners and people who do the sport of Dog Agility. He
believes it's helpful for beginners to learn about other people's 'First Times' at an agility
trial. With that he is going to tell you about his first show with his boy Quazar!
parent's
dog Windy in her first NADAC agility match, dragging her kids Kandi and Quazar along for the
socialisation with other dogs! Although this was Windy's debut in NADAC agility, my Mom
suggested I try Quazar. I had 'played at' agility with Quazar since he was about ten weeks old.
Now at the age of two, he loved agility and at times it seems like we were playmates. I didn't
see why he couldn't have a go at the match too! The enjoyment that comes from working with
Quazar, at times, takes my breath away. I thought I could settle for playing until that
Saturday.
As
I watched other dog and handler teams run their course Quazar, Windy and I made ourselves quite
at home, at least the best we could in the pouring down rain, sneaking in and out of the car
for shelter. After all, I had been handling Windy for over a year, and Quazar always came along
for the socialisation! So it was time for us to head for the practice area. I stretched him
out, sat him in front of a jump and set the bar to 24 inches. Without a thought I took off his
collar and leash, sent him over the jump and into the practice weaves. We practiced calmly for
a few moments longer. Me and my boy were just having a good time working together. Out of the
corner of my eye I could see someone was waiting to practice, so I quickly scurried to get
Quazar's collar back on and move out of the woman's way. That woman is actually competing, I
thought! And here I am playing with my pup and getting in her way. That's when it hit me. We
WEREN'T just playing, we were OFFICIAL! Gulp!
With ice cold hands I turned and walked out to begin our course. I took a deep breath, looked
back at Q-man (he was still on a sit-stay) and signaled the first jump! And with all enthusiasm
and sincerity that makes him so dear to me, my boy and I began to dance. The whole world stood
still as we ran, smooth as silk, even more connected than before. I was so overwhelmed as he
took the last two jumps out ahead of me, I wasn't sure I'd make it across the finish line. The
roar of the crowd brought me back down to earth. Our debut was over. We had done it. No ribbon.
No legs. Just a show and go. A moment in the spotlight that will shine in my heart for a very
long time! Quazar and I standing in the pouring rain, soaking wet had just 'played.' 
Quazar (Silver Hollow's Cosmic Quazar) is now nine years old and unofficially retired! He is my
buddy and the reason behind my kennel name Cosmic Samoyeds! To this day he still loves to do
agility. Sometimes he reminds me of that energizer bunny - he keep going and going and going! I
know the trials get harder and harder, but remember it is important in this day and age of
agility to just go in and play with a positive attitude! It'll make you a better partner and
your Sammy a better companion! Well, that's it for now everyone until next time!
About the author...