The Olds area has a national champion in its midst after local agility competitor Lynda Caughlin claimed first place at the Agility Association of Canada Nationals in Oro, Ont., on Aug. 6 and 7.
Caughlin and her dog Coolhand Luc, a three-year-old Australian kelpie, were the best in the 22-inch regular height division, beating out 121 other dog and master teams. About 600 dogs competed at the event in several different divisions.
Competitors ran six different agility courses over the two-day event, with the team having the most points at the end of the competition declared the winner. Caughlin said practising her craft with some of the best people in the sport helped get her over the top.
“Training with some of the best people in North America and just being consistent in looking for positive ways to train your dogs,” she said.
Caughlin, a veteran of the competition circuit, has been going to the national championships since 2005.This was her first time winning the championship.
“I had placed at the nationals before in the top 10 with another dog, but this is my first time that we won first place,” she said.
Caughlin added that while the competition was focused and intense, fellow competitors were still friendly and form a fraternity of sorts, especially at other events on the circuit.
“It's a very good social event. People support each other. People are there with a common bond with the love of their dogs. At the nationals, people are a little bit more focused, a little bit more in their own zone. They're still polite and well wishing but there's not quite as much visiting going on,” she said.
“It's a huge network. So when somebody loses a dog, they'll get many e-mails and cards in the mail … or a huge win. I got e-mails and (comments) on Facebook from hundreds of people congratulating us.”
