Page 42 - Aussie Magazine - 2024 Issue 3

Sport

Bikejoring

Last time we wrote about world well known sport AGILITY. Here we go with

the short stories you sent us – thank you all; it was difficult to choose a few; we
can´t print all of them, but all were amazing; it was a pleasure to read how you
do agility together with your dog and together spend a great time.

…Aja - my Australian Shepherd and our agility training

My name is Lucka, and I tried agility for the first time in 2013 with our two mix breeds, Vilda and
Sary, which we rescued from the shelter. The main reason why we decided to try agility was that
Vilda was really excited about jumping over the various obstacles. As I tried this dog sport I liked it a
lot. It is an activity open for all dog breeds and all people from children to seniors. I like that you can
develop your skills and relationship with your dog.

Aja came to our family in 2018, and it was a little bit unexpected, but definitely the best decision
we have made. Her pedigree name is Astraia von Hopschodie. Aja was a very active puppy, and she
enjoyed every activity I tried with her; her ability to be happy no matter what we are currently doing
I like a lot about her. I started to systematically prepare her for an agility career since she was young
by methodical puppy games and activities, developing our relationship, her focus, and building a
connection to food and toys as a reward. When Aja was old enough to start „the real agility“ training,
we started to train various short technical sequences on the one hand with a combination of the
training of the whole course on the other. Now, when Aja is almost six years old, we train 1 -2 times
per week with an experienced trainer. We also have the possibility to train at home, as I have the
agility equipment in my backyard.

Currently, we compete in category I3, and for the second year (from three years in total), we have
already met the conditions for the title A3Ch, which is in the Czech Republic, the highest title
related to agility. Our biggest achievement is the title Master in Agility of Australian Shepherds of
the Czech Republic, which we won for the second year in a row. This year, it was for the first time in
the new official category I (Intermediate) as Aja has a faucet height under 48 cm. Aja is a versatile
Aussie with an incredibly good nature for family life but as well a nice drive for work and various
sports. Besides agility, we also train nosework; Aja has already successfully passed through several
nosework exams (UZ, NZ, WZ, DZ, U1, N1, D1). She likes also canicross and bikjejöring. In 2022,
Aja had her one and only litter, and the next generation of sporty-aussies continue also with her
daughter Bibi (Evening Star Bibi von Hopschodie). Bibi is also systematically prepared for her agility
and sports career. I’m grateful for my sporting dog family, but my biggest wish is to see my dogs
healthy as long as possible; it is the most important thing.

Have fun with your Aussies, Lucka Morgensternova. Photo by Milada Kreuzova

Text written by: Martina Svecova. Photographs provided by: O. Vizner, K. Novakova, M. Kreuzova, Pix´n Pages

42 | A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 3/2024