
Sophie
My first agility dog, Sophie, loved loved loved the game but was saddled with a novice handler who could not stop flapping her arms. In spite of this, she did earn the Golden Retriever Club of America’s honorific Agility Dog Hall of Fame (ADHF**), but a ruptured CCL ended her agility career before she could earn her MACH*.

Riley
Riley liked agility but was not built for the sport and was medically retired at 4, a few QQs short of a MACH*.
After retirement from agility, Riley earned the Rally Novice and Beginner Novice titles but obedience was not his thing.
He was a trooper and always traveled with us run the RV every agility trial and made a show of announcing himself upon entry to the venue. We lost him about a month shy of his 13th birthday and he kept his very precise daily schedule to the very end.

Finnegan
Finnegan loved running with me and all 75 lbs of him floated beautifully around the course. Like Riley, Finn earned a Rally Novice and Beginner Novice title but preferred the agility ring. He earned the ADHF** as well as MACH* 2 before cancer took him at 7. He was handsome, he was my Puppy Rock, he loved his people and was obsessed with his puppy, Darcy, and his cat, Sylvester and was rarely ever more than a few feet away from his Uncle Riley.

Darcy
Darcy and I finally got our act together after hip pain, surgery and recovery … then Covid … and she earned a MACH* followed by a PACH* a year later. Darcy earned 2 ADHF** honorifics – regular and preferred. In 2016, while we were really coming together as a team (before my hip fell apart) Darcy was listed as the #1 20″ Golden Retriever on the Bad Dog Agility*** rankings and made several appearances in the rankings over the following years.
In 2020, we began dabbling with shaping behaviors and through the AKC Trick program, Darcy earned her Novice and Intermediate titles before she said “enough of this … just throw the ball already.”

Pippin
In 2020 during Covid when we were not traveling to agility trials, we began dabbling with shaping behaviors and through the AKC Trick program, Pippin earned her Novice, Intermediate and Advanced Trick titles. Pip loves tricks and her whole body wags while we play.
In the agility ring, Pippin and I have worked through a LOT … she moved up to Masters quickly and then began struggling with ring stress, focus and worry along with thyroid imbalances. That’s a lot for one dog to overcome, but overcome she did. In 2024, Pippin earned her ADHF***, an ATCH**** in ASCA and is closing in on her MACH* in AKC.

Cassidy
And then there’s Cassidy. Also known as The Beast. Lots of dog and energy stuffed into a 43lb body. Cassidy is still young, but has decided that the world is her oyster and holy crap is she fun. Can’t wait to see where we go as a team.
Cassidy enjoys anything that she can DO, so we did … a lot … and she earned her Novice Trick Title at 4 months. She loves learning new behaviors and quickly earned her Intermediate and Advanced Trick titles. We love adding little “tricks” into our day. They get a few extra cookies and I get entertained and inspired.
* AKC Master Agility Champion (MACH) Requirements
Championship points: Earn at least 750 championship points (earned when dog is under the SCT or Set Course Time).
Double qualifying scores: Earn 20 QQs (a double qualifying score is earned by qualifying in both the Master level Standard Class and the Master level Jumpers with Weaves Class on the same day).
AKC Preferred Agility Champion (PACH) for Preferred Jump Height
PACH requirements are the same as the MACH, but dog jumps 4″ lower than height class dog measured into
** GRCA Agility Dog Hall of Fame (ADHF) Requirements
The Agility Dog Hall of Fame (ADHF) was created to recognize those Golden Retrievers who display superior achievement in the sport of dog agility. The criteria for earning the ADHF title is as follows:
ADHF certificates and acknowledgement will be given to GRCA members only.
Dog has both MX and MXJ titles.
Dog has 10 Double Qs.
Dog has 375 MACH points.
Dog has earned 15 placements (a placement being any place 1st – 4th) of which at least five come from the Excellent B Standard class and five from the Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves class. In addition, six of the 15 placements must be earned on Double Q runs (dog must place in both the Excellent B Standard class and the Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves class at the same trial on the same day, three times). Placements are counted in Excellent B Standard from the time the dog has its AX, and in Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves from the time the dog has its AXJ. Double Q placements are counted from the time the dog has both its AX and AXJ titles.
*** Bad Dog Agility Breed Power 10
The Breed Power 10 is a group of the top 10 dogs in each breed at each height ranked by PowerScore. The Breed Power 10 recognizes the fastest dogs in our sport by using average yards per second, rather than double qualifying (QQ) runs or points.
**** ASCA ATCH Requirements
The Australian Shepherd Club of America ATCH Certificate will be awarded to dogs which have completed all of the following requirements:
Successfully earn a minimum of one hundred (100) points in the Jumpers Classes at the Elite Level in one of the three divisions after earning an Elite Jumpers Certificate.
Successfully earn a minimum of two hundred (200) points in the Regular Classes at the Elite Level in one of the three divisions after earning an Elite Agility Certificate.
Successfully earn a minimum of one hundred (100) points in the Gamblers Classes at the Elite Level in one of the three divisions after earning an Elite Gamblers Certificate.