Stephanie Labo's Champion

"Oscar" finished his MACH in June of 2001 at the age of 8 ½. He was my first agility dog, and first major performance dog. He was 1 1/2 years old when we discovered agility. We watched agility for the first time at a trial in Woodinville (it was either NADAC or USDAA, put on by RAT) in the summer of 1994. "Oscar" was hooked. He spent the entire time watching the dogs. My other dog, was bored, and just slept. I was living in La Conner at the time, and there were no agility classes near by (and that trial was the first time I had ever heard of agility).

A couple months later I moved to Woodinville, and was contacted by a friend of mine that agility classes were being taught by Jo Ann Mather and Kay Jackson. I kind of knew Jo Ann, since I had shown under her in obedience. By the time we discovered agility, "Oscar" and I were working on our CDX. I eagerly signed up for agility class and was hooked. I think I started classes in September 1994 and we went to our first trial (USDAA) in April 1995. In January of 1995 I joined Jo Ann, Kay and some of my classmates in the creation of Sno-King Agility, and I have been a member since.

Throughout "Oscar's" Agility career he had one High in Trial; participated in 3 or 4 AKC Agility Nationals; attended 1 ASSA (American Shetland Sheepdog Association) National, in which we were one of only two Shelties competing in the 20" division. He also appears 3 or 4 times on the AKC Agility Video "Jump Into Agility".

"Oscar" is an oversize Sheltie. He measures at 19 5/8". He jumped in the 20" class in AKC, and most of the dogs in that class were not border collies. Our main competition thru his career was Barb Benner's Malinois, Lexi. He wasn't the fastest dog in town, but we managed to place most of our runs, and he was a pretty solid dog, staying on course regardless of what my body position was telling him.

In USDAA, he also did well, we completed our MAD. In USDAA he had to jump 22", which he didn't have any problem doing.

Throughout his agility career, we continued to dabble in other activities. He obtained his Herding Started title in AKC, plus picked up a couple of other herding titles in the ASCA organization. He was a great all around dog.

"Oscar" was a healthy dog during his agility career, and never sustained any injuries that sidelined him. But in the Fall of 2001, he had to retire from Agility due to a bone spur in his spine. It was hard to have him retire at the young age of 8 1/2, but I didn't want to risk him further injury. He still gets to come to agility trials occasionally, when I run my younger Sheltie, and he remembers his favorite people (like Molly Petram, who always had a treat in her pocket for him), and also assumes that most people he runs into have treats in their pocket for him.

As of this writing, Feb 2006, grand old "Oscar" is 13 years old. With a little bit of white on his face, he is now showing his age. He has slowed down a lot, but still an agility competitor at heart. He dreams a lot more now, and sometimes I like to think he is dreaming about out past agility runs and the great working relationship we had.

My "Oscar Nominee" will always be an "Oscar Winner" in my eyes.

MACH Leeason's Oscar Nominee CDX, HS, MAD

(plus some Elite NADAC titles, and ASCA herding titles)

Weave photo by Tien Tran

Mach photos by by Jim Rittiman

Additional photo by Barb Davis

Updated: November 07, 2007