5 Under 20
BJAC’S Top 5 Junior Handlers of 2024
What is 5 Under 20?
We have had the profound pleasure of meeting and getting to know so many amazing junior handlers in agility. We made 5 Under 20 to highlight the junior handlers who are the future of our sport! Each of the juniors selected are exemplary members of our sport who consistently demonstrate kindness, inclusivity, and generosity. We are inspired by each of these juniors and are thrilled to promote them.
Rylee Harper
BJAC: What’s your name, how old are you, how long have you been doing agility, and what dog(s) do you run?
RH: My name is Rylee Harper, I am 18 years old, and I have been doing agility for 4 years. I'm currently running my two dogs, Preslee the Mini American Shepherd, and Envy the BorderPap as well as my trainer/mentors two dogs, Miley the Sheltie, and Marshall the BorderPap.
BJAC: How did you discover agility?
RH: I discovered agility from Preslee's breeder, when she invited me to come try out her junior handler class. I joined with my 6 year old chihuahua mix, and the rest took off from there.
BJAC: What’s your favorite agility memory?
RH: My favorite agility memory so far has to be a tie between running clean in the 2024 West Coast Open SpeedStakes Finals with Marshall, or stepping to the line internationally at the JOAWC with Lyla. Both were amazing experiences and gave me the true rush of adrenaline that makes agility all worthwhile.
BJAC: What’s your biggest agility goal?
RH: Long-term wise, my biggest agility goal would be to make the USA's WAO Team. In general, I would love to continue to grow my dog's toolbox of skills, and travel around the USA competing and having fun with my best friends!
BJAC: Who is your biggest influence/role model in agility?
RH: My biggest inspiration and role model in the agility community is Amber Abbott. She is an incredible teacher and someone I look up to in all aspects of life!
BJAC: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of agility?
RH: Outside of my life with dogs, I love to cook, explore new areas, hike, and just spend quality time with my family and friends.
BJAC: What is a piece of advice you would tell to a junior handler who is just getting started in agility?
RH: A piece of advice I would give to a new junior handler is to appreciate any and all accomplishments you have with your dog. I know 4 years ago Rylee would be shocked to see myself now, yet I still have a hard time remembering that, and am constantly striving to work harder and be better. The learning and growing in this sport never ends, and I think it's super important to stop and appreciate where you are in that moment, because you have already come so far!
Evelyn Lively
BJAC: What’s your name, how old are you, how long have you been doing agility, and what dog(s) do you run?
EL: My name is Evelyn Lively and I am fourteen years old. I have been doing agility since 2021 and I currently run a female Lab/BC/ACD mix, Sable, and will start competing in the spring with my female Border Collie, Mighty. I also run a loaner dog, a male Nederlandse Kookierhondje named Skye.
BJAC: How did you discover agility?
EL: I discovered agility in early 2018, when my family visited a trial for fun one weekend and we were welcomed by a junior who gave me an agility book. We didn’t have a dog, but when we adopted Sable in November of 2020, I quickly started teaching her tricks, and when I rediscovered the book the junior gave me, I decided to train Sable to do the obstacles. Soon, I started taking classes with a local competitor, and the rest is history!
BJAC: What’s your favorite agility memory?
EL: This is a hard one, since any time I have a fast and connected run is so special! But, I would have to say my favorite agility memory is from the 2024 UKI US Open! Sable, who can be very anxious at large events, was the least stressed in our Last Chance Masters Agility run, so consequently, she was blazing fast and very happy, and we even placed fourth in her height!
BJAC: What’s your biggest agility goal?
EL: My agility goals are to make the 2025 JOAWC Team USA with Skye, and to make the JOAWC and WAO teams in a few years with Mighty. However, it is most important to me to be known as someone who is kind to my fellow competitors and my dogs, handles my dogs well, and competes successfully with them while doing that.
BJAC: Who is your biggest influence/role model in agility?
EL: My biggest role model in agility is anyone who kindly helps me to be a better handler, including my current trainer, Steph Jones, and many of my agility friends I’ve made along my journey in this sport.
BJAC: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of agility?
EL: Outside of agility, I love to work on my current pet portrait commissions, go on long walks, and do fitness training for both me and my dogs. I also love hanging out with my school and youth group friends.
Abigail LaSpina
BJAC: What’s your name, how old are you, how long have you been doing agility, and what dog(s) do you run?
AL: My name is Abigail Laspina. I am 13 years old. I have been doing agility trials for just a year with my Shetland, Sky.
BJAC: How did you discover agility?
AL: I got my first dog at six years old and did not know that Agility was a sport. I met a woman named Catherine who showed me that playing in my backyard with my dog and making obstacles was a sport and she opened my eyes to this amazing world of Agility.
BJAC: What’s your favorite agility memory?
AL: My favorite Agility memory is going to BJAC camp. Living in a small town and doing trials in our area there are no Junior handlers. To be in a camp that had kids, my age and the passion I have for their dogs made it an incredible experience.
BJAC: What’s your biggest agility goal?
AL: My biggest agility goal is when I get to be an adult is to become a trainer for juniors. I’d love to show them the incredible sport and do hopefully show them the passion that I had for the sport. It is so hard to find coaches and people that are open to work with kids and I’m hoping to give them that opportunity.
BJAC: Who is your biggest influence/role model in agility?
AL: My biggest influencer and role model from the beginning of my journey with Agility was Catherine. She is the one that helped me find sky, my partner. Catherine opened my eyes to this sport and She has helped me with sky in so many ways between having her backyard open for me to train in, to just going to seminars with me and being there for support. Catherine is the person I look for at trials to be my support and just a listen ear. The main place that has influenced my Dog Agility journey is Dream Dogs. The place has helped me find incredible people to work with that are from all around the world and to be a place that I trial at most, it’s like my home base.
BJAC: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of agility?
AL: My other hobby outside of Agility is Ballet. I love the way I can express myself through Dance.
BJAC: What is a piece of advice you would tell to a junior handler who is just getting started in agility?
AL: The thing I would tell Junior handlers just starting out in Agility is to just have fun with your dog and know that every time you get out there and play with your dog in training or a trial is precious. The partnership that is created with you and your dog is a feeling that can’t be explained. Know that you are always learning and never give up on yourself or your dog.
Elsa Scheidmantel
BJAC: What’s your name, how old are you, how long have you been doing agility, and what dog(s) do you run?
ES: My name is Elsa Scheidmantel. I am 16 years old. I’ve been doing agility for 5 years. I run Style, a border collie, and Kat, a rescue border-aussie mix.
BJAC: How did you discover agility?
ES: I discovered agility when I saw it on TV. At the time, my only dog was my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Peebles, and after seeing agility for the first time I immediately tried to get her to jump through a hula hoop in my backyard. I entered her in my first agility class soon
after that and the rest is history!
BJAC: What’s your favorite agility memory?
ES: My favorite agility memory is probably the first trial I went to. The environment and energy there was incredibly electrifying, and I couldn’t wait to go to more!
BJAC: What’s your biggest agility goal?
ES: My biggest agility goal is to get on an international team with Style!
BJAC: Who is your biggest influence/role model in agility?
ES: All of my instructors (especially BJAC instructors :) ) have had a huge impact on me.
BJAC: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of agility?
ES: I do a lot of outdoor activities outside of agility. I love to go hiking, biking, and paddleboarding! I also play the flute and do trick dog with my mixed breed Hercules!
BJAC: What is a piece of advice you would tell to a junior handler who is just getting started in agility?
ES: I would tell a junior handler who is just getting started in the sport to be resilient and not give up. Agility takes a lot of hard work and patience, and it can be discouraging at points, but it’s important to not give up!
Lelah Clutter
BJAC: What’s your name, how old are you, how long have you been doing agility, and what dog(s) do you run?
LC: My name is Lelah and I am 9 years old. I currently run a 9 year old border collie named Trinity. I started doing agility in 2020 with my mom's semi retired cavalier, Nora. I ran my first Time to Beat course at a local trial in 2021 at the age of 5 and qualified with Nora under one of my most favorite judges Roger O'Sullivan.
BJAC: How did you discover agility?
LC: My mom ran agility while she was pregnant with me so I was born into the sport and have been going to classes and trials since I was weeks old. I enjoy the agility community because I am a very social person and enjoy talking to everyone at the trials.
BJAC: What’s your favorite agility memory?
LC: My most favorite memory is when Roger allowed me to run Trinity for her MACH13. He did not tell me that it was for her MACH but met me at the end of the run with the ribbon and bar and told me to go take the victory lap. I also competed in the 2022 AKC Junior Agility Invitational at the age of 7 with Nora and earned a second place overall in the 12 inch jump height and have wonderful memories of that event too.
BJAC: What’s your biggest agility goal?
LC: My immediate goal is the earn the bye into the AKC junior agility competition with Trinity. A future goal is to save enough money to buy my own dog and train it and put my own MACH on it by myself.
BJAC: Who is your biggest influence/role model in agility?
LC: My biggest influence is Mr. Roger. He is my instructor and owner of Trinity. He teaches me so many things and is very patient with me. Ms. Mary was my first instructor and she helped me with Nora and was responsible for suggesting that Trinity and I become a team.
BJAC: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of agility?
LC: I enjoy playing soccer at the YMCA. I enjoy playing my violin (which I just started lessons in August 2024) and being a part of American Heritage Girls and serving in our local community.
BJAC: What is a piece of advice you would tell to a junior handler who is just getting started in agility?
LC: Just have fun.
BJAC’S Top 5 Junior Handlers of 2023
Anabel Kubacz
BJAC: How did you get started in agility?
AK: I got started in agility January of 2022 when I was 11 years old. We attended classes at a local training facility once a week until about a year ago when I first learned about the JOAWC team. Molly couldn't weave or do half of the contact obstacles but over the course of the year we worked at home and in class to get to a place were we could compete and try out for the team this year!
BJAC: What is your favorite part about agility?
AK: My favorite part about agility is getting to do the sport with my dog Molly. Seeing her enjoy the courses and the trial environment as much as I am is very rewarding, even more so than being successful to me!
BJAC: What are you most proud of from 2023 with your dog?
AK: Some of the things I am the most proud of accomplishing in 2023 is going from not even being able to complete a full course to running at our first national event and qualifying for our first international team! She also got both her Open JWW and Excellent Standard AKC titles, and a 17th place challengers run at the UKI us open! I am also really proud of how far we have come as a team!
Mia Federico
BJAC: How did you get started in agility?
MF: In 2021, I took a puppy class with my American Hairless Terrier, Pippa. I got her as a show (conformation) prospect, but wanted to try sports too after seeing some YouTube videos. In that class, I met my friend, Portia, who did agility and suggested I try it with my adult dog, Mochi. I signed up for a NADAC trial without knowing anything and she helped me through the weekend. I owe it to her for getting me hooked on this sport.
BJAC: What is your favorite part about agility?
MF: While it is hard to choose just one, I would say my favorite part about agility is the problem solving aspect. All three of my dogs are very different, and I enjoy figuring out what works for each of them. I also enjoy figuring out how to adapt a training challenge when it isn’t going as expected.
BJAC: What are you most proud of from 2023 with your dog?
MF: For Pippa, I’m most proud of the confidence she exhibited during the entirety of our JOAWC trip. She ran fast and happy in the rainy, windy, and cold weather. I’m also proud of her second place finish at the Junior Agility Competition in 12” overall.
For Dera, her agility competition career only started in November, so not much to go off of, but I’m very proud of her first place overall 16” win at the Junior Agility Competition.
Katie Williamson
BJAC: How did you get started in agility?
KW: I started with my Beagle, Luna at first by teaching her fun tricks and eventually found agility through watching online training videos. Once I found what agility was, I was instantly hooked. I started taking local classes soon after. Then I attended BJAC in 2019 and was able to train with a lot of top level handlers that helped me gain more confidence and understanding of the sport.
BJAC: What is your favorite part about agility?
KW: The most rewarding aspect for me is creating a deep bond with my dog. I love the challenge of problem-solving during training sessions. The exhilarating rush of adrenaline while participating in big events is something both my dog, Voulez, and I crave. Additionally, agility has given me lifelong friendships
BJAC: What are you most proud of from 2023 with your dog?
KW: My favorite accomplishments with Voulez in 2023 was making AKC NAC finals, making the JOAWC team for a 2nd year in a row and making multiple podiums at the West Coast Open.
Hiromi Lombardi
BJAC: How did you get started in agility?
HL: As a little kid I loved teaching my dog simple tricks. In middle school I came across some agility videos online and thought it looked super fun! I was lucky to have a local facility near by where I started taking classes.
BJAC: What is your favorite part about agility?
HL: My favorite part about agility is that different teams will always have different answers to solving a course. I love finding the balance between learning, knowing, and playing to your team’s strengths while also pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to try new things. This takes a strong relationship with your dog and being open minded!
BJAC: What are you most proud of from 2023 with your dog?
HL: This year I am most proud of how our connection and teamwork has grown. 2023 was our first full year of competition as a team and we had a lot of success—most notably winning the Stakes Final at WCO! As my understanding of Savvy and trust in our teamwork grew this year, so did our success as a team. Getting to know her not just from an agility perspective, but also for who she is as a dog has been incredibly rewarding. I cannot wait to see what 2024 has in store for us!
P.S. Biggest thank you to my mentor, Annette, for sharing her Savvy with me.
Tessa Trusner
BJAC: How did you get started in agility?
TT: For as long as I can remember, I have loved dogs and dog tricks. When I was in 4th/5th grade, I was self-studying to teach my puppy, Molina, and my older Schnauzer mix, Ozzie, freestyle and performance tricks for fun in my spare time. When I first moved to my current location in Northern Virginia in 2020, I began to focus less on freestyle and disc and started pursuing my interests in agility skills. After playing competitive travel soccer since I was 8 years old, the switch to a new team, new position, and new environment after the move was something that was no longer of interest to me. At my new school, I discussed my interest of dog training and dog sports with my local sources, such as my school principal and teachers. One of my amazing teachers trained therapy dogs and knew of an agility facility in West Virginia. My teacher sent me the information. I reached out to the facility owner, dropped my soccer career, and began in classes based on my set of skills at the time. The rest is history and I am forever grateful and thankful for the people who helped and supported me at the start of my career!
BJAC: What is your favorite part about agility?
TT: There are many parts about agility that I greatly value. However, my absolute favorite part about agility would have to be the bonding experience and deep level of understanding the sport creates for dog/handler teams. The sport of agility requires a completely new level of understanding of your dog. Along with the understanding of your dog, agility also holds handlers accountable for their determination and grit. Agility allows me to set goals for something to work towards when training and spending time with my dogs. The understanding, companionship, determination, and commitment of agility are all pieces that build the bond between you (the handler) and your dog. Competing and training in agility creates a bond like no other with your dog; that is what is most important to me when participating in the sport.
BJAC: What are you most proud of from 2023 with your dog?
TT: In the year of 2023, I experienced things I could’ve never dreamed of. For Molina, I have to say I am most proud of our consistent placements at large events, and especially our showing at the 2023 WAO. As a Novice team, Lina started as a slow, careful dog. After putting in the hard work for years to build Lina’s confidence and skills, she is beginning to become a force to be reckoned with; I could not ask for a better partner as my Novice A dog! With my younger dog, Marvel, I am beyond proud of his progress in training and our relationship as a team. After WAO with Lina, I started to take Marvel’s performance seriously. He totally showed up to UKI Cup, UKI Classics, and the US Open ready to prove our hard work and progress. Marvel proved himself even in results, such as winning 1st in the Junior Award at the UKI US Open, and even beating Molina who won the 3rd Place Spot! Results aside, in this past year, the amount of hard work, trust, and support my dogs and I have put into each other is the most valuable to me.
