I bring to the table 20 years of National Level AND International agility competition and prior to that, National level Equestrian Sports and gymnastics..
1995 was the last big win I had with my horses, I finished the year as the # 5 overall Small Hunter in VHSA and # 7 Conformation Hunter in AHSA with a great little filly whose name was “AMAZE”. I had bought her as a yearling in a well known PA thoroughbred breeding farm simply by seeing her walk. I have always had an eye for a great athlete.. .** Prior to 1995 I had been buying and selling and breaking young ponies and horses for trainers and myself since before I even finished high school.. AMAZE was the best of the best and I knew that I had won the lottery with her. At the end of her 4 year old year I sold her bought my first house and stopped riding.. .
In 1996 I started agility class with prompting from my Mother (who knew I was bored) with a little red border collie female named “Miss Be Haven” who I had purchased by giving her breeder a horse blanket in exchange for her I was a quick study and put a breed Championship on “SADIE” myself along with a CDX in obedience and 3 agility titles.. I was hooked but needed a dog with desire to compete. So I bought my second border collie, a little double merle who I named FLURRY out of the Baltimore Sun classifieds.. FYI- “FLURRY” is the great grandmother of MANY great agility dogs including Sue Tovino’s WHIP, and Anne Braue’s SCREAM just to name a few… ** She also gave great comfort to at least two different people who needed her very badly thus was born my eventual “Lend/ lease a dog” program…
By 1998 I won my first National Event with “Flurry OF Blue” – She became the 30 inch Steeplechase Champion and Won again with her in 1999 in the 20″inch AKC Nationals
The following year in 2000, ” TIMEFLIES! ” my third border collie, became the USDAA Team National Champion, The AKC 20 inch National Champion, was 2nd place in the Steeplechase Finals, and also made the FCI /AKC WORLD TEAM which competed in Helsinki, Finland and the team finished 4th ( Timeflies and I were 7th in JWW!) We also hold the distinct honor of receiving the coveted “FIRST MACH DOG OF THE YEAR” presented in 2001 at Madison Square Garden’s Show.
SINCE THEN … I have been in every FINALS of EVERY National Championship in EVERY venue that I have entered with the exception of twice as well as being a NATIONAL CHAMPION with 6 different dogs for total of FOURTEEN TIMES over the years including having the YOUNGEST AKC National Champion “SMART AS” a home bred border collie in 2007 and “GRAPHITE” the youngest National Champion in ANY agility venue in 2012
I STILL Hold the record for the youngest MACH in history with my girl “EVER SO CLEVER” aka “NEVER” the mother of ‘SMART AS” as well as being the mother of my 3 time National Champion and World Team reserve dog “F5 TORNADO”
I have the honor of having bred a Crufts Agility Winner as well as breeding several dogs that have been on the FCI WORLD TEAM, the IFSC WORLD TEAM the WAO TEAM and the EO. (Abby Peach, Carrie Jones, Jenna Williams, Kaitlyn Dreese) I also have bred several National Champions run owned by people OTHER than myself.. ( Leigh Peper, Carrie Jones, )
I have had multiple students win the Nationals and do well on International Teams..
****Most recently, I had a horrible horrible 2016-2017 injury wise- double pneumonia, broken ribs broken wrist then topping off with a broken hip and torn shoulder at AKC World Team tryouts..! I still managed to pull off 5th at the AKC Nationals in the 20 inch division with Graphite ( In a cast!) and I WON on to the EO team in Italy but had to stay home due to my hip… HOWEVER, I fought back VERY hard and did some life changing physical therapy and conditioning which had a tremendous pay off!!
Not only did GRAPHITE WIN the UKI Cup in JULY but we won the Cyno Sport Biathlon Championship, ( we were also 4th in the Steeplechase Finals and 6th in the team Finals) we WON the UKI Games Championship at the US OPEN ( as well as placing 2nd overall at the US OPEN) We WON on to the WAO 2018 TEAM going to Amsterdam in May and Most recently Graphite and I WON the 20″ inch division at the INVITATIONAL two weeks ago!
GRAPHITE IS NOW A 4 TIME NATIONAL CHAMPION!!!!
Its been quite a ride and I look VERY forward to helping as many people as I can..
Branchwater 