Interview with Jane Bronson, handler of “Phire,” the 2022 AKC Agility Invitational Winner in the 20″ height category.
The Weekly Brief
The best of SHOWSIGHT editorials, weekly wins, and breeder commentary — delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning.
Jane Bronson: I have been competing in AKC Agility for about 20 years. “Phire” is the fifth dog I have shown in Agility. I discovered Agility after I’d repeated every pet Obedience Class with my husband’s dog that St. Hubert’s in Morristown, New Jersey, offered. I told him the dog needed a job, and St. Hubert’s offered Agility classes that looked like a good fit for her. Once you start Agility, you get hooked!
Jane Bronson: Preparing Phire for this year’s Invitational involved working with her fitness trainer, chiropractor, acupuncturist, and physical therapist, as well as hiking in the woods to keep her in top form. Our Agility instructor, Annie Pyle, reviewed recent courses designed by the Invitational Judges to look for patterns that we might encounter. The Invitational is my favorite event of the year, so once I get there I relax and enjoy it. I evaluate the dog’s path on course, figure out how to set the lines for Phire, and then try my best to stay out of her way!
I evaluate the dog’s path on course, figure out how to set the lines for Phire, and then try my best to stay out of her way!
Jane Bronson: I have competed in Obedience in the past, putting a Utility Dog title on my Novice A dog, but Agility eats up all of my time now.
Agility
Watch the AKC Agility Premier Cup on ESPN as the nation’s top agility teams compete for championship titles. Tune in Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
