05/07/2026
A word from the Governor
🌟 Student Spotlight Jaz & Zap 🌟
At this moment in time I’d love to shine the spotlight on one of my amazing students, Jaz and her gorgeous Duck Tolling Retriever, Zap.
Jaz first came to me around two years ago, having never done agility before, and wanting to learn the exciting sport with Zap. From day one, she showed determination, a real willingness to learn, and, most importantly, a fantastic partnership with her dog. Not bad for someone who started from scratch, really.
Life is incredibly busy for Jaz , balancing work, family life, and being a mum to her young son, Harvey. Despite all of that, she’s stayed committed to her training. And because apparently one busy life wasn’t enough, Harvey has now started handling Zap too, making agility a proper family affair.
Jaz and Zap’s first competition was a non-Kennel Club show at Dog Barn. Their next competition was also at Dog Barn and was their first Kennel Club show, where they earned their first win towards Grade 2. Nice and casual then, just casually collecting wins like it’s no big deal.
Since then, they’ve gone from strength to strength. On 10 May, they reached Grade 5 at P3 and are now just one win away from Grade 6 , an incredible achievement in such a short time.
When you speak to Jaz , she is always the first to tell you that she didn’t feel it was her best run, or she’ll say something like, “Well, it wasn’t great, but he was a good boy.” She will also be the first to tell you that I do push her, simply because I know she has the ability to do what I have asked of them both. We have also changed from stop contacts to running contacts, which in itself is a real challenge-because obviously agility wasn’t already complicated enough.
One of their biggest highlights came in Jaz”first year, when she won the Dina’s Championship Show Final. it was a fantastic run. Then on 5 July 2026 she went on to win the Agility Club Final. In between those successes, they also won trophies for last year’s agility league: Best Toller Under 3 and Best Grade 1 and 2 Toller.
Watching Jaz and Zap grow as a team has been an absolute pleasure. Their success hasn’t happened by chance; it’s the result of hard work, consistency, and the strong bond they share. I’m incredibly proud of everything they’ve achieved and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.
Well done, Jaz, Zap… and Harvey too! Your agility journey is only just getting started, and I know there are many more rosettes to come. 🩵🐾🏆
