The Skyline Agility Club, the history of
The first widely documented appearance of dog agility was as entertainment at the Crufts dog show in 1978. John Varley, a committee member from the 1977 show, was tasked with coming up with entertainment for the audience between the obedience and conformation competitions in the main ring. Varley asked dog trainer Peter Meanwell for assistance, and they p
resented a largely jumping-style course resembling something from the equestrian world to demonstrate dogs' natural speed and agility.[1] Many obstacles recognizable to modern handlers were already present at that demonstration, including the 'Over & Under' (A-frame/tunnel combination), 'Tyre Hoop' (tire), 'Weaving Flags' (weave poles), 'Canvas Tunnel' (collapsed tunnel) and 'Cat Walk' (dogwalk). In the United States, several people experimented with dog agility based generally on the British rules. The pivotal founding groups were the NDCA and the USDAA. Today, the NDCA has merged with the United Kennel Club leaving the USDAA as the dominant force in the U.S. Somewhere in 1993 in Chris Miele’s backyard in Old Tappan, NJ, people were circling an infamous pear tree and running through poison ivy with their dogs to learn the new sport of dog agility. Some of these pioneers were Helen Sherman, Phoebe Teramoto, Stephanie Stazack, Laura Gray, Alan Dingman, Betsi Hartman, Sue Doelling, Kathy Macintosh, Dave and Sheila Seligman soon followed by Regina Schwabe, Susan Benevy and a host of others. The AKC's first agility advisory committee met in August 1993 and started the process of creating its own agility rules and standards. When the AKC entered the field, each competition had only one standard course. The first AKC sanctioned agility match was held in 1994, at the Houston Kennel Club show held at the Astro Arena in Houston Texas, and on August 11, 1994 the inaugural AKC Agility trial. Also in 1993, Sharon Nelson formed her own agility organization, the North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) the rules developed for ASCA. In 1994, ASCA approved using the same set of rules in lockstep with NADAC, so that competitors could earn either ASCA or NADAC titles, or both, at dual-sanctioned events, starting in January, 1995
In October of 1994, The Skyline Club of Northern New Jersey was formed and became a NADAC Affiliated Club which also hosted AKC Events. They absorbed the North Jersey Agility Club which had Stephanie Stazack, Laura Gray, and Greg Beck. Since NJAC had Sportmens Insurance, Skyline took over the policy and granted them free membership. Greg Beck designed the original logo which was later modified to the current logo. The original logo was a city-scape clip art with a stylized dog flying over the city and the landmark jump was the Empire State building. Skyline’s founding Board members were: President - Chris Miele, VP - Barbara Levison and Secretary/Treasurer Melinda Harvey and Directors were Helen Sherman, Phoebe Teramato, Diane Sobel (Meyer) and Stephanie Stazack. Other founding members included Sue Doelling, Joey Bugholzer, Kathy Machintosh, Bonnie Clauss, Regina Schwab, Becky Tachna, ME Jackson, Laura Ashtyani and Mary-Anne Gross. In a very ambitious 1995, Skyline held its first seminar, an agility games seminar by USDAA Judge Jean McKenzie, a fun match in March, a sanctioned AKC “A’ Match in May, a chiropractic lecture in June, their first AKC Agility trial in October and a 2 day AKC Judges seminar in November at which Lavonda Herring became an AKC Judge. From October 1995 until 2011, Skyline continued to host their Annual Outdoor AKC Agility Trial, first at Silent Farm in Goshen, NY then at FDR Park in Yorktown Heights, NY. In 1996, Skyline co-hosted a NADAC Trial with the Contract Agility Club in Connecticut. And from May 1997 until 2011, Skyline hosted their Annual Outdoor Agility trial first Silent Farm then at FDR Park. After 1996, more members joined Skyline like Sevasty Entwistle, Betsi Hartman, Lavonda Herring, Ruth Bryden, Paula Straza, Druscilla Mallery, Kay Davidson, Elinor Learner, Susan Benevy, Betty Batcheider, Claudia & Ken Costa, and Barbara Dressel. There was a short time in a warehouse in Palisades, NY where some of the horse mats were purchased. Chris Miele recalls her and Melinda Harvey looking at each other with alarm when the mats arrived on a flat bed truck - each one weighing 60 lb s - and the driver asked where their skid steer was. They unloaded all those mats onto dollies and into the building. A few months later, equipment, mats and classes moved to Regina’s backyard. In 1998, Regina Schwab found the Garnerville location where her brother practiced with his band - it was covered in trash - ribbons, books, barrels of junk. The owners had agreed to have the place broom clean by the time Skyline moved in - well it was just as cluttered as when they first saw it. Through the years 1998 - 2011, Skyline held weekly Agility classes, many many Seminars and special events such as Pet First Aid and CPR. The membership grew from original 16? Founding members to 80? The rent was very reasonable and they stayed there with all the varnish fumes, parking woes and floods until the place was damaged in 2011 after Hurricane Irene and then condemned in 2012 after Hurricane Sandy. There are many stories of members who towed the trailer or drove a box truck to Garnerville, loaded the equipment using the “rickety” elevator, down a 60 foot ramp, into truck, drove to Silent Farm and then later to FDR Park, unloaded the truck, set-up the rings, ran the two day trials and then on Sunday, broke down everything, loaded all the equipment, drove back to Garnerville, unloaded the truck, back up the ramp into the elevator and reset the building. After a few years, Skyline hired Irene and Al Lamphere of Max 200 to supply the equipment at FDR Park and Gail Shaw of Fast Times as the Trial Secretary. Back in 1998, Canine Performance Events (CPE) was founded by Linda Eickholdt, who took suggestions from other exhibitors, judges and host clubs, and created an organization with more common and new unique games classes as well as the standard agility course. Jump heights do not exceed a dog's measured height, although an owner may enter a higher height if they wish. In 2006 Mary Phalon brought in CPE and the club start hosting which continued with 4 trials annually until 2012. There also were a few AKC Novice Trials hosted in 2008. In 2012, Arlene Spooner found through a family connection Skyline’s current location, a former dressage barn and indoor arena located in Middletown, Orange County, NY. And again Skyline went through a major growth period and change. In addition, to the weekly Agility classes, which includes 4 nights and 1 day, there are various Seminars, the Agility trials grew from the Annual 2 to 15 trials which now includes 4 AKC Agility Trials and 3 NADAC Agility Trials and 8 CPE Agility trials. Skyline retains a healthy volunteer membership. In October 2019, The Skyline Agility Club celebrated 25 years of Agility which all started around a pear tree and though poison ivy!!! Disclaimer: at this posting, this an excerpt taken from article, author unknown
