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Watching my students in the ring...
 Dogs
in Need 2025 was a landmark show for the house of SAS
Dog Agility as their trainer Shellie Smith had not one, not two but
three of her students qualifying for the finals. Proud mama Shellie was
bursting with pride when she wrote this.
As a dog agility trainer, you think you
know what competition day will feel like. You've drilled the contacts,
fine-tuned the turns and shouted YES! so many times you could do it in your
sleep. But nothing quite prepares you for standing on the sidelines, heart
pounding, watching your students take their place in the big ring.
Sometimes they fly - everything clicks.
The dog reads the cues, and the jumps seem to float beneath it. You can feel
their joy from 20 paces and, in that moment, it's as if you're running right
there beside them.
And sometimes, the weave poles turn into
spaghetti, the tunnel looks suspicious or the wrong jump somehow
becomes the jump. It happens. But here's the thing. I'm still bursting with
pride. Because every run -flawless or wobbly is built on hours of training,
blood, sweat and tears, not to mention endless treats and patience.
Success isn't just a podium finish. It's a
handler who kept their cool when the plan went sideways. It's a dog who braved
the scary seesaw for the first time. It's the bond that grows stronger with
every mistake and every triumph.
Whether they leave the ring with a rosette
or with a story that starts, 'Well, that was interesting...' I'm proud always
because the goal was never just to win. The goal was to grow together, one jump
at a time.
 This
year has been extra special for me, watching my crew absolutely shine. My
newer handlers had the best first experience and those who've been before
showed such huge improvements since last year.
Today
was one of those days that reminds me exactly why I do this. I couldn’t be
prouder of my girls. Zoë Eves and Waffle stormed their way to a 3rd place
the finals for Grades 5–6, after finishing top of the qualifiers. Donna
Clack and Daphne ran their hearts out for an unplaced 6th, which is still a
fantastic result and less than a whisker from the top spots. Their hard
work, determination and pure joy in the ring mean more to me than any ribbon
ever could. Jazz Scott and Zap finished at the top of the Intermediate
League qualifiers and finished in 1st place in the Final. This partnership
is only just starting.
Dog agility has given me
more than just results - it’s given me incredible dogs, lifelong friends, and
the privilege of sharing in my students’ journeys, through every triumph and
every near-miss
 About
the author...
Shellie Smith has been in the world of dog agility for around 16
years and, for all that time, she was a proud member of her training club CKT.
In 2022, she decided it was time to take the leap and launched her own venture,
SAS Agility Training Academy.
Over the years, she's trained five of her
own dogs in agility - Marli, Riko, Freddi, Kodi and River. Marli, a little JRT
with a huge heart, took her all the way to Grade 7. Then she went over to the
dark side - Collies! Her top collie sadly had to retire early due to injury, but
she now has two exciting youngsters coming through.
First published 20th August 2025
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