I came from a background with horses, everything from barrel racing to dressage, but mostly just riding bareback for the fun of it. In about 1995 when I injured my back and had to give up riding, I discovered Dog Agility. Actually, Rysa, my All-American discovered it at a demo while still living in Dallas, TX. We were both hooked from the beginning. She was absolutely the best dog for me to learn the sport with because of her endless enthusiasm and her uncanny ability to do what she was supposed to on course instead of what I was telling her to do while I tried to improve my handling.

My next dog, Tess, was an adult rescue border collie. She has taught me so much about how to deal with a dog’s emotional issues and fears and she has taught me a lot about how to teach a dog motivation. Above all, she has taught me patience - - at least a bit more of it than I used to have. We've come a long way and much of what I’ve learned from her I am pleased to pass on to my students and their dogs.

Cue Ball, my most recent addition, is a JRT rescue and was the best thing that could have happened to me after dealing with all the issues I had with Tess. He’s a dynamite little dog and has moved up through the ranks in USDAA pretty quickly.

I offer all I know to my students and all that I can learn through my experience and by attending seminars, camps and lessons with some of the top trainers in the world. My philosophy in agility has stayed the same since the beginning:

To learn together with my dog, to have the most fun possible, and to make my relationship with my dog the best it can be. I love the sport for the competition, the challenge and the camaraderie, and I hope to project the importance of these things to my students.