Blog by Taylor L. (Year 12)

This May, I will be travelling to Ermelo in the Netherlands for 10 days to compete at WAO (the World Agility Open) with Asher, my four-year-old working cocker spaniel, as part of Team England. Last year, in the middle of taking my GCSE exams, I competed at the same event after qualifying the previous July. The school, my teachers, and especially the exams officer, Mr Marin, were exceptionally accommodating, helping me to continue with my exams while travelling to the competition. Team England was incredibly successful, coming home with multiple team and individual medallists. Asher and I achieved multiple top-30 finishes among the best dogs in the world, as well as gaining valuable experience, new friends, and unforgettable memories.

In October and November 2025, the two stages of the England Tryouts for this year were held, comprising multiple runs, all of which counted towards an overall Win on Spot, rewarding consistency. The second Tryout Day in November fell on Remembrance Day, and I was honoured to be part of the Kimbolton CCF Guard, commemorating those lost in war and conflict. Having completed my duties at the parade, I was quickly dismissed by my teachers and left immediately, arriving in time to complete the final round — which proved enough to secure our place on Team England.

I am so excited to be competing for Team England for a second year. The atmosphere at the event is electric, with three arenas, one of which is indoors with tiered seating on three sides. Alongside two standard competitions — Biathlon, with two classes, and Pentathlon, with five — there are also Games classes. These include Snooker and Gamblers, where you design your own course to accumulate as many points as possible. These are my favourite classes, as they combine the near-perfection required for agility with the intelligence and attention to detail needed to design a course that fits the rules of the game while maximising points.

Competing on the international stage is always tough and daunting, but the entire team is always so supportive and we cheer each other on.

At the moment, Asher and I are training on astroturf in preparation for GB tryouts in February, but after that, we will begin to train on sand surfaces as that is what we will find at WAO. The courses are always very spread out at these competitions, so both Asher and I must be physically fit. I must be able to sprint around the courses and change direction quickly to keep up with Ash, so I have to do a lot of conditioning work to ensure our success.

I would recommend this sport to anyone of any age. The YKC (Young Kennel Club) has so much information about how to get into dog sports as there are lots to choose from. From local training sessions to competing for YKC supported Agility Team GB, there is a stage for everyone and always a way to progress.

Here is a link to a video that my dad made of our journey to the Netherlands and the event: