The Junior European Open 2015 agility competition was held at Rožnov pod Radhoštěm of Czech Republic on July 10th - 12th. Seventeen talented teams of junior handlers and their dogs travelled from Finland to attend this exciting event.
The Finnish team small consisted of Sini-Maria Kuula & Sheltie Olga & Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Nana, and Hanna Kimmonen & German Spitz Mittel Wiksu. There were seven teams competing in the medium class: Kim Berglund with Shelties Spike and Peski, Elsi Pulli with Mudis Didi and Skitso, Saana Koivunen & Miniature Poodle Welmu, Suvi Reini with Kooikerhondje Maggie and Lotta Tuuva with American Cocker Spaniel Ossi. The seven large teams were: Ida Viitanen ja bordercollie Håp, Helena Heino & saksanpaimenkoirat Sissi, Pink and Fifi, Kim Berglund & Border Collie Ranes, Saaga Torvinen & Border Collie Leo and Suvi Reini & German Shepherd Armi. The team leader was Tomas Berglund, just like last year.
Building a solid foundation and having a strong support system of parents, coaches and friends, have been important factors for these young handlers. Many of these brisk and skillful juniors have been competing also against adult competitors in Finnish Championships and the Finnish National Team Tryouts this summer. Agility is one of the sports where age doesn't really matter!
Elsi and Didi won silver
The 4-day competition started with a veterinary control and team leader meeting on Thursday. After the opening ceremony on Friday, the competition started with the team agility run. The individual championship competition started on Saturday morning with a jumping course, and the team competition continued in the afternoon.
The team large competition was won by a Czech team called Czech Gummy Bears and the small-medium Team Champion title went to an Italian team. Sini-Maria Kuula & Olga were competing in a medium US team that was placed 8th!
The competition for individual Champion titles was run on Sunday. Elsi, who is a familiar face also from the OneMind Dogs Next Level videos, ran a fantastic clean run with her Mudi Skitso and won the jumping course of medium dogs! Elsi did well also with her other dog Didi, being placed 4th. Elsi got to step on the podium also on Sunday, when she was placed 2nd on both the medium agility course and the total results. Ida & Håp ended up on the podium, too: 3rd place on the large agility course! You can find a playlist of some of the Finnish junior handlers here!
OneMind Dogs congratulates all participants of Junior European Open for great runs!
