Remembering friends who have passed away...
Dr. Ann (Atkinson)
1935 - 2024
Dr. Ann Atkinson's initial entry into the dog
world was through her interest in obedience whist with with Melton Dog Club in
the 1970s. She took part with Penny, a lovely dog who also used to keep her in
the surgery while she was attending to her patients. She also competed with Fran and
Gail.
Dr. Ann attended the very first agility show
in Lincoln. She also spent some years with Empingham DTC. For many years, she
enjoyed many years competing at agility shows around the country. Dr. Ann was
the Medic at Dogs in Need for several years during the 1990s.
Dr. Ann and her dog Jimmy were extremely
successful - and very popular - with the spectators at the fast and exciting
sport of Clever Dogs, a combination of agility and flyball, held at country
shows up and down the country. They held the title of the UK Clever - Dogs
Champion and that title remains with Jimmy over the Rainbow Bridge.
She successfully took part in BFA Flyball
with the Melton Rovers Flyball team for many years and, in her later years,
enjoyed her time with Wuff 'n Ready Flyball team. She also liked to take part in
exemption dogs shows especially where the proceeds were going to charities,
Dr. Ann was a big part of East Midlands Dog
Agility Club (EMDAC) and gave us much support when we embarked on starting up
the first independent (non-KC) agility shows. As a trainer for EMDAC, she had a
very caring and encouraging manner, and she had a special skill at putting her
nervous pupils at ease. She attended the BAA shows around the country and always
had kind words for for all the competitors and show organisers.
Dr. Ann was a very kind and caring person,
respected by all. She will be sadly missed.
June Bass
Polly Williams
29th October 1947 - 11th January 2024
Polly was a well known
agility helper at shows and competitor over many years. She adored her horses
and her dogs.
She was a true free
spirit in the 1960s who loved travel (including many hitch hiking adventures),
It was in the 1980s
whilst riding her horse home that she saw someone working their dog over agility
equipment in local parkland. She immediately thought this needed further
investigation and returned to the location later with her dog. She met Kathrin
Tasker there and she was soon addicted to agility.
Over the years she
worked different breeds. In 1997 she won the first Agility Club Starters
Challenge with her collie Jeanie.
Latterly she was better
known for working her Papillon Daisy and then her Shelties.
She was also well known
for her somewhat dilapidated caravan called Pumpkin. She loved to be able to
arrive at shows early and help set up, enjoying the opportunity for good
'chats.'
Polly leased a field
adjacent to her house which she equipped with agility equipment. Over the years,
apart from giving her friends free access to her field, she hosted many training
days with top instructors - most of whom are still going strong! The finale to
each session was tea or soup, baked potatoes and biscuits in her large,
double-fronted garage furnished with chairs and tables. Chatter and laughter
would go on for hours.
Unfortunately, Polly
suffered a debilitating illness in her mid 60s which meant she could no longer
compete but she continued to welcome friends to enjoy her field.
She passed away quietly
and peacefully, with no fuss, which was exactly how Polly would have wanted.
Debbie Palmer
Martin of M&B Catering
We
regret to announce the passing of Martin of M&B Caterers on 7th January 2024.
He
was a lovely man - always cheerful and welcoming to their stall and always
cracking jokes while keep agility people fed.
The funeral will take place on Friday, 26th
January 2024 at 3pm at Peterborough Crematorium (PE6 7JE)
All are welcome to a gathering afterwards at
Peterborough Rugby Club (PE1 5XA) a=ti remember and celebrate Martin's life.
Please wear bright colourful clothing and a smile!
Val Amps & Others
Rose
Emberton
1961-2023
Sad
and - in disbelief - to hear that Rose has been cruelly taken far too soon. I am
lucky to have met such a lovely, friendly, happy person with such a positive
attitude.
She
was one of dog agility's great distance handlers who was always thriving to
bring out the best in Rags and not let her bad ankle prevent her from competing.
She didn't even realise how good she had become.Her friends are sponsoring a
steeplechase class at JDA in her memory as it was Rag's favourite class.
Will
really miss her at my monthly training groups at Sharnbrook.
My
thoughts are with her family, closest friends and pets.
Sam Lane
Bill Chuter
It is with a heavy heart
that we report the very sad news that our dear friend Bill Chuter has passed
away.
Bill was one of the first
every people to compete in the 'new' sport' of agility with his stunning GSD
Nesta (Odeon Nesta Square.)
A lifelong Burridge DTC member and one of the founder members of
The Agility Club, Bill was the ring manager at the infamous and much loved
Southsea Show. He was also the person who introduced agility in The Netherlands
in the 80s.
Our thoughts at this difficult time are with his wife Fiona and
daughter Rebecca.
The funeral; will take place on Tuesday, 21st November at 11.30
at the Aldershot Crematorium (GU12 4BP) All welcome to attend but could you
please send a message so that Fiona has an idea of numbers.
Ann and Gwyn Roberts
Derek
Dragonetti
1939-2023
It is with sad heart that I write this for those who can remember
a little Scottish guy by the name of Derek Dragonetti who passed away yesterday
after a battle with cancer. I am sure he will be remembered for his
somewhat wicked sense of humour but maybe more for his stubbornness. He was a
small guy with a big heart.
He was a large part of agility many years ago and enjoyed his
visits to the Lune show each year. When my world fell apart, both he and Rena
were there for me and I have been there for him.
Having lost his first wife Rena, Derek married Pauline and moved
to the Burneside in the Lake District and where they has lived for the past 11
years.
On a personal note, he was a great support to me and my daughter.
I had the privilege of him giving me away at my wedding last year.
The
funeral will take place on 19th October at 11am at Beethams Crematrium (LA7 7BQ.
After the service, there will be a wake at Crooklands Hotel (LA7 7NW).
If you
are looking to attend, please contact Deborah Kenny so she can pass the numbers
on to Pauline.
Deborah Kenny
Jane Furlong
Died 20th
September 2023
This is a
p post I always hoped I would never have to write. Our lovely brave, amazing
Jane lost her fight yesterday. I really don't know what to say and really don't
want to believe it. Always hoping that she would be back with Bertie to carry on
her training. I was just keeping him ticking over until that day came.
Rest
easy, Jane. We love you.
The
funeral of Jane Furlong will be held on Friday, 27th October at 2pm at Worthing
Crematorium, followed after at The Black Horse Inn Findon for a celebration of
life.
May we
kindly ask that flowers are from family only. Donations in memory of Jane may be
made to St. Peter & St. James Hospice, Burgess Hill. No dress code requests but
a touch of colour would be nice
Ashley Carter
Dave Ray
Died 2nd September
2023
Having
spent the last week in Rugby hospital by Dave' s side, I' m very sad to say he
passed away peacefully this afternoon.
Thank you
to my friends for all their support at this heartbreaking time. I couldn' t have
coped without you .
Together
for 49 years, married for 45. Sleep well my soul mate.
Mary Ray
Funeral arrangements
Dave Ray's funeral will be
Thursday, 28th September at 12 noon at the Rainsbrook Crematorum, Ashlawn Road,
Rugby CV22 5QQ. To gain an idea of numbers and make arrangements for the wake,
please contact Bev Hotson, Mary Ray or Skate Smith-Moore via FB.
Steve Croxford
I have just heard the sad news that Dave Ray has passed away.
My condolences to Mary Ray and the family. Dave was an inspiration to me and
his contribution to the sport of Agility was immense both here and in other
countries. It' s hard to believe another of our Agility pioneers has gone.
Pauline Barr
There's one more
bright star in the sky tonight, so sad that
Dave Ray
passed away peacefully this afternoon with his beloved wife Mary beside him.
I had the privilege of working for him, I only went to help him out for a
couple of weeks in the run up to Olympia and ended up staying for a few
years! As I worked from Dave's home office it meant that we had to get on or
it wouldn't have worked and we did get on really well and used to have quite
a few laughs. He used to make me nice cups of coffee and I used to take
round the occasional lemon drizzle cake which he loved. He worked so hard
and did so much for the different KC dog disciplines - obedience, agility
and heelwork to music. He was such a good organiser, just brilliant at
running events and his barbecues and roast dinners for the helpers were
legendary. He loved the dogs and was very proud and supportive of Mary's
many achievements, they were a great team together. Sleep well boss.
Lesley Olden
Such sad news.. I' m
in tears. I' ve just heard that Dave Ray has passed away.
Dave
was instrumental in making agility what it is today, and we all have so much
to thank him for. He was Mr Pedigree Chum ‘Olympia' and Crufts, sat on many
KC committees for so many disciplines and always up for fun and a joke.
Amanda Luttman
When you step on the
line tomorrow to run your dog, remember Dave Ray. Some may not know him or
have even ever heard of him if you' re new to agility. But for so many years
Dave was a pioneer of our sport along with others. He is most definitely Mr
Olympia. So many great memories of being at events like Olympia, Crufts and
Discover dogs with Dave. Both as a competitor and working with him. He was a
fantastic guy. A legend of agility.
He is
another of those where we can safely say agility would not be what it is
today without him.
Jacky Carter
Very, very sad to
hear the dog world has lost Dave Ray. I' ve many happy memories chatting at
shows. Dave was just the nicest person, and did a massive amount to make
agility what it' s become today. He was heavily involved with obedience,
agility, HTM, Olympia, Crufts, Discover Dogs, national finals, club events,
the list goes on and on. He even hosted his own dog/game show. Although it
is a while since I competed, I feel lucky to have known him as a friend. The
dog competition world is a better place because of Dave. There' ll be a lot
of collies, plus a few lurcher/whippets, waiting for him at the bridge.
Elaine Auty
I find myself reflecting on what agility was way back when! The very sad
passing of Dave Ray has me feeling very thankful that Brian and I got to
experience the amazing buzz qualifying for Olympia and Crufts was under the
helm of Dave. Getting that phone call saying we were off to Stoneligh was so
ver special and the times we spent there over the years was simply amazing.
Greg Derrett
A sad day for Agility with the passing of Dave Ray. I feel
lucky to have grown up and spent my top competitive years in a sport that
Dave ran in the UK. Most of my most memorable moments in agility, Dave was
the man behind the event and he made them truly special. Whatever todays
handlers say, British agility when Dave was at the helm was at its best. He
set the standard on how agility events should be run and was by far the most
influential person to me and the inspiration for how I try to run events
today.
Keran Breslin
Died 17th August 2023
So sorry to learn this morning of the untimely death of Kieran Breslin, the 'Man
from Donegal.'.
I
knew him as a sensitive and generous man, a true gentleman. I loved watching him
in recent years as he developed his skills in dog agility. He got so much
enjoyment out of it.
He will be missed by many of us and particularly by his training friends in
Donegal.
RIP.
Ronnie McAleese
Teresa Jones
Died 6th July 2023
For those who know Teresa Jones, I'm sad to
let you know that she passed away on 6th July. She fought so hard for such a
long time.
She started out in agility over 20 years ago.
She loved agility and trained at Ewell and Scrambles with her dogs - Ellie and
Lexie - competed in many shows in the South East of England until ill health
meant she was no longer able to.
Teresa was a lovely person - good humoured
and positive - and will be much missed by those who knew her.
Hazel Fletcher
Jayne Fuller
Died 3rd June 2023
As some of you may know, our darling Jane
lost her battle with cancer on 3rd June 2023.#
Those of you wishing to celebrate her life
are invited to Breckland Crematorium, Norwich Road, Norwich NR9 4NR. The
ceremony will be 22nd June, starting at 2 o'clock. After, everyone is invited to
raise a glass, share memories and stories at the Railway Tavern, 21 Yaxham Road,
Dereham, NR19 1HB. which was one of Jayne's favourite places for a gin or two.
As a family, we request no flowers, but
anyone wishing to make a contribution can donate to Priscilla Bacon Lodge where
Jayney spent her last week with fantastic care. Cheques should be made out to
Priscilla Bacon Norfolk Hospice Care Ltd. Please write Jayne Fuller on the
reverse of the cheque. Donations can be made online, too.
As a family, we have appreciated all your
kind words and tributes.
Sophie Marie Fuller
Graham Taylor
Died 21st May 2023
Graham Taylor passed away peacefully in his
sleep on Sunday, 21st May after weekend of his beloved agility - probably the
way he would have wanted to go.
He had so much enthusiasm for the agility
game. Way back in the 80s he organised great fun competitions such as Barbour
Pairs, Clockwatcher and Jump and Drive with finals at the Royal Show.
My dad's funeral will take place at 1pm at Oakleigh Wood Crematorium, CV33 9QP
on Thursday, 22nd June. The wake venue is yet to be decided but if you wish to
attend we would be grateful if you could follow the link
https://forms.gle/rnvMnttnYoqvoS9p9 .
Dad was always putting on a great spread, and we wish to ensure this is the same
at his celebration. Please no black and charity to be announced. Thank you to
everyone for cards, texts and phone calls.
Luke Taylor
Gail Beasley
1947 - 2023
Gail Beasley passed away on 14th March 2023
after a short illness, aged 75. Lots of people will remember her from Bitz 'n'
Bobz, Pawsome and Agility Vision shows.
She was a wonderful woman who will be missed.
The funeral service will take place at
Countesthorpe Crematorium on Tuesday, 11th April. Family flower only. Donations
may be made in memory of Gail to Cancer Research UK and Border Collie Trust.
Eileen Wischnia on FB
Remembering Ron Oliver
Died March 2023
When he
he did his National Service, Ron was a boxer but in civilian life, he was a
builder, a very good one. Once he discovered agility he certainly loved it and
his dogs.
On
my first visit to his house, I couldn't believe what I saw. It was plastered in
rosettes and trophies from his many years competing.
Ron spent
every available weekend at a show somewhere in the country. One of his favourite
shows was Beachside in Norfolk and, of course, Redhill where he would get spoilt
and looked after by Lisa in the Club.
He was
rarely seen without a pint of Guinness in hand, and many an evening we would
watch him stagger back to his caravan.
We were
very happy to throw Ron an 80th birthday party at Redhill. Lisa got him a cake
in the shape of a pint, and he partied the night away only to get up early and
do several laps of the venue to keep himself fit.
As Ron
and the dogs got older, the big shows and fancy new entry methods got too much
for him. Jumping Jacks was his final show before he was forced to retire with
arthritic knees.
I hope
you took your blue vest with you.
Rest in
peace, Ron.
Kate Theobald
Tribute to DDD Dave Roberts
1951- 2023
The agility community
will never be the same without Dave. It is truly the end of an era.
We met Dave around 1999
when Lucy took our BC Jess for training at our local club. Dave was also
starting agility with his staffie Sophie. He soon became part of our family and
a good friend.
It was Dave who encouraged us to join him in running an agility show
in 2007 to celebrate 30 years of agility. It was our first show and it was a huge success with the surviving
founders attending and a great sponsorship from the American Kennel Club (AKC.)
It was even more special as agility was founded in Lincoln. Following the
success of our first show together, Lincoln Agility Enthusiasts (LAE) was born.
Dave has been a big part of it from the beginning even though organisation was
never his forte.
He was well known on the
circuit for his quizzes and always helping on the rings and maintaining an
orderly queue. When he wasn't helping, he was filming his staffies running and
whizzing around on his scooter.
Dave's first job was as a
Red Coat at Butlin's, and he had plenty of tales to tell, many less than PC. After leaving Butlin's, he found his passion for music and became a DJ. He
played a large part of putting Lincoln on the club scene. As you can imagine,
this stories got even less PC.
He loved BMXX riding, and
still holds the world record for Bull RIding as seen in Roy Castle's Record
Breakers. The passion for riding was strong Dave's family as his sons went on to
be avid horse riders. Paul led a hunt, and James became a Master of Parelis,
something Dave was always very proud of.
Dave was a true
entertainer. He knew lots of the rich and famous and made many life-long friends
along the way. One of his favourites was The Detroit Emeralds with whom he toured when they visited the UK.
 Dave was one of a kind.
He had time for everyone especially if you liked staffies, music or football. He
loved people and had a heart of gold. He was a true legend.
His dogs have found the
perfect homes as would have been his wish. Bernie has a wonderful forever
family, and Kelly is staying with Dave's sister where she can retire happily.
Here is the
link for
Dave's funeral with all the information. Everyone is welcome to the wake to
celebrate hisd life and share a story or two. The collection had to involve
staffies and Dave always thought highly of the Air Ambulance, so those are the
charities in we will be donating towards.#
Always in our thoughts,
Dave.
Cindy Osborne
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