Carol Luckett ( Agility Trainer )

Hi my name is Carol and I instruct one of the agility classes held at Alborough Hall.

I first became interested in dog agility in 1988 when I was 10 years old, when my dad (Colin Luckett Bretons DTC club treasurer) started taking our family pet dog Angie to agility classes held at Bretons Farm on a Sunday morning. I spent many a Sunday morning watching (often hidden behind a tree so Angie couldn’t see me) as my dad wouldn’t let me have a go as Angie was still learning. Then one Sunday when the sun was shinning my dad slipped over and twisted his ankle! With a little encouragement from the trainers Queenie Teather and Maureen White my dad was convinced to let me have a go. Well my involvement in agility went from there.

Once Angie was ready to compete at shows I was entered into Junior classes in the under 12 category. Angie was a nervous dog and left the ring on our first outing, but we were not put off.  Angie went on to qualify for the Junior competition at Crufts in 1992 where she finished 6^th – not bad for a little crossbreed.

As I was sharing Angie with my dad I didn’t get much chance to compete as junior competitions at the time were few and far between. Queenie Teather was kind enough to allow me work her little rescue, Lassie in the junior competitions as well. Lassie and Angie were both great dogs and really helped teach me most of what I know about agility. In 1994 Lassie and I won the Spillers Junior Handler of the Year competition and in 1995 we finished 2^nd.

Towards the end of the 90s both Angie and Lassie retired from agility and I was left beg, borrowing and stealing runs from anybody willing to let me have a go (normally my dad who by this time had a little Border Terrier). I was not in a position to have a dog of my own until returning from Uni and moving out of home in 2006. The rather handsome chap at the top of the page is Wotsit. He is the first dog I have ever trained from a pup and he is progressing really well.

I began assisting an instructor in agility when I was 13/14. I started helping with the beginners class which was then held at Harwood Hall in Upminster on a Monday night. I thoroughly enjoyed helping out and learnt a lot from the experience. I now instruct one of the more experienced groups of handlers all of whom compete in agility shows throughout the UK.