Oceanside CA— Oceanside resident and San Marcos business owner Liz Randall, and her “All American” dog Phineas will be competing in the 3^rd Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster in New York City on Saturday, Feb. 13^th, the opening act of the famed Westminster Week and its celebration of dogs.
Liz Randall and her “All American dog”, Phineas, will be among the more than 3,000 dogs competing in the events of Westminster Week, which includes the iconic 140^th Annual Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show and the agility trial. The agility trial is limited to dogs competing at Masters level, which includes both purebred and mixed breed (All American) dogs.
Phineas is one of the few All American rescue dogs chosen to compete in this year’s Westminster agility competition. Phineas came to Liz after a very rocky start. He was purchased in a Costco parking lot at six weeks of age, then shuffled between multiple owners before being adopted by Liz at only eleven weeks old. Working to overcome behavioral challenges in addition to training the complex skills needed for the highest levels of dog agility, the two are a tightly bonded team and have grown to become widely-respected competitors on the Southern California agility circuit. Phineas consistently places in the top rankings at local trials and will be seeded as a top competitor at Westminster. According to statistics rankings by Bad Dog Agility based upon AKC agility results in 2015, Phineas is the fastest mixed breed dog in the country. Liz works with dog owners on a daily basis via training and canine care at her dog daycare and boarding business Dogs Abound in San Marcos. Liz also teaches agility locally in North County San Diego, helping dogs and their owners communicate together with speed, accuracy and most importantly, fun.
The Westminster Kennel Club, FOX Sports 1 and Purina Pro Plan will team up once again for The 3rd Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster. Consistent with the prior years, the event will feature dogs and their handlers excitedly attacking an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels, weave poles, and more, racing against the clock. These talented teams have trained tirelessly to achieve these titles and are proud to showcase their efforts. The trial, to be held at New York’s Pier 94 on Saturday, Feb. 13th, 2016 precedes Westminster’s 140th Annual All Breed Dog Show on the following Monday and Tuesday. The Agility Trial finals will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1.
For the full Westminster week schedule, please see www.westminsterkennelclub.org.