Ray & Mardee Jang - 2019 - Volunteers of the Year

Ray Jang is considered the “MacGyver” of agility trials – he can set up and fix any equipment. Mardee Jang can usually be found at the score table – but only after she and Ray help unload equipment trailers; set up rings, pole setters and leash runners; and do whatever else needs to be done to make an event run smoothly.

They’re life savers, certainly, in more ways than one – even literally, as they carry The Bay Team’s AED (and are certified to use it), along with the people and dog first aid kits.

Ray and Mardee have been volunteers since they started in agility in 2001, mostly at The Bay Team trials, but at other clubs’ events as well. Since 2006 they’ve also volunteered at USDAA’s Cynosport® when it has been in Scottsdale, as well as when it was in Morgan Hill (2014).

Both will tell you they enjoy “contributing to making the events run smoothly, seeing the happy faces of the competitors enjoying their dogs, and being with [their] agility family and friends.”
Mardee adds: “I really like being part of what makes the trial work. I like feeling part of the team.”

Even after volunteering for many years, the energy and excitement of competition make it all worthwhile.

Ray recalls: “At one of our earlier Cynosport attendances, we worked for the first time at the score table for the Grand Prix finals. The emotions and energy of the competitors after they completed their runs was something I'll never forget!”

They both know about the excitement of competition from inside the ring as well. Mardee competed from 2001 through 2012 with Ally (Australian cattle dog) and since 2007 with Clark Kent (Pomeranian). She also was a trainer or assistant trainer from 2000 through 2010. Ray competed from 2002 to 2013 with Tater (Pomeranian), whom he said was “a wonder with Performance Top Tens (2007–10) and Cynosport Performance National Standard finals 2007 (5th) and 2008 (4th).” 

When she’s not competing or volunteering, Mardee works as a registered veterinary technician at Los Gatos Dog and Cat Hospital, where she specializes in acupuncture.

Ray, now retired from competing and working, after 32 years at Oracle via Sun Microsystems, enjoys gardening, music (CD collection and research), going to flea markets with Mardee, and being the “fix-it” guy.