DASH Celebrates 30 Years
Dog Agility Sport Handlers was one of earliest clubs in Southern California.
Dog Agility Sport Handlers (DASH) celebrates 30 years of amazing sport this October.
DASH was one of the earliest agility clubs established in Southern California. Based in Orange County, the club’s first meeting was held in October 1994 with more than a dozen dog enthusiasts in attendance, including John Ostrowski (president), Janine Grinta (secretary/membership), Susan and Larry Brockett (treasurer), Lynn Morgan, and Keith and Sharon Williamson. At the time, the club was known as the South Coast Agility Trainers (SCAT).
"John worked with a friend in the Costa Mesa Recreation Department to secure our practice permits, and we used TeWinkle Park almost weekly for several months on Sunday afternoons," Sharon recalled. “When he stepped down after the first year, I took over securing the permits, and John sold his equipment and trailer to the club, which were stored at Lynn’s home for quite some time. Somewhere in there, Mark Upshaw also joined as our equipment manager/practice guru. I have lots of fun memories of those early years. What a game changer it has been in my life!”
SCAT was renamed DASH in 2011 to keep entries from going to the dead letter office after a mail sorter thought that SCAT was a strange group playing with poop. The new name also better reflects the club’s membership, which includes not only agility trainers and judges but handlers of all skill levels.
In 2024, DASH’s schedule features eight club practices, 10 trials across multiple venues, up to four seminars and its first “Super Seminar” weekend with Nancy Gyes and Mia Grant. Several charter members remain with the club, now 78 strong with many longtime volunteers and board members.
“I’m so glad that DASH is celebrating its 30th anniversary,” said Terry Long, who joined many years ago to build confidence in her dog, Buster. “It’s a great club with great people and great dogs passing the torch along to the next generation. When I first called about introductory classes, I had no idea what the sport was about. A whole new world opened up! Somehow I became club president, began competing with all my dogs, bought a ton of agility equipment and eventually started teaching classes in Long Beach, California.”
Holly Sjogren, DASH’s volunteer coordinator, started in the sport with her German Shepherd, Addie, a year after the club was formed. Although she took a break from trials when coaching her daughters’ soccer teams, she never stopped practicing and playing with her dogs. “Since the early days, we continue to be involved with DASH and have come full circle, helping out on the board and running trials,” Holly said. “I still love my hobby of 20+ years and will continue to compete for as long as I can!”
According to Marty Fenton Frear, who oversees membership, the 30th anniversary logo is the original SCAT logo from 1994 featuring John’s Sheltie jumping across the top, combined with the current DASH dog design along the outside. It was featured in a commemorative T-shirt sale through August, with more festivities planned for when the club kicks off its official celebration in October.
More information can be found at https://dashagility.com/ and on the club’s Facebook page.