Where are you located?
I live in Nieuw-Vennep a small village close to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Tell us about your experience competing in agility?
I compete in agility since 1993. This started when the dogs-school I attended for training and socialising my first dog at that time, began it’s first agility classes. As my dog was a Border Collie, the group insisted me to try this too. Soon we competed in Dutch national agility events. But it took me seven years to reach the highest class with him.
Unfortunately my next two dogs both had health issues that caused agility only could be done at lower levels.
In this time I was asked to start judging in agility. I found this to be as good fun as competing in this great sport.
Today I train and compete agility with one dog.
Do you participate in any other dog sports or training with your dogs?
My dogs bring me to sheepherding training and trials. And we also practise hunting-sports (only using dummies).
What types of dogs do you have and what are their names, ages, and any titles?
My dogs are Border Collies. Djingels (borne just before Christmas) will become 9 this year and Toyah (my favorite soft-punk singer in my younger years) has just turned 6.
Tell us something unique or that you love about your dogs.
Before dogs came into my live, because my wife wanted this very much, I preferred cats much more. We wanted to train our dog as well as friends had trained their dog. At first my wife started puppy class. When she was ill I temporarily took over her classes. From then on I realise how fantastic working with dogs is for me.
What do you do in your “other” non-agility life?
I am a surveyor working as civil servant for a coastal village, taking care for it’s land properties and geographical information.