Junior Handler Makes Cynosport Debut
17-year-old Rylee Harper hopes to inspire other juniors in the sport
Four years since she was introduced to the sport of agility, Rylee Harper, 17, knows her future will include working with dogs. The Phoenix, Arizona, resident joined her first junior handler class with her 6-year-old Chihuahua mix, then entered her Miniature American Shepherd, Preslee, in puppy classes at Leaps N Bounds (Peoria, Arizona) when he was old enough. Her passion for the sport has only continued to grow. 
“Amber (Abbott) has been the most fantastic mentor,” Rylee said. “She’s taught me everything I know about agility and inspires me in countless ways. She supports all my dreams and was the reason I made the Junior Agility World Team this past year! One of the most valuable things I’ve learned from her is how to be a well-rounded teacher. She has an amazing way of breaking down things to communicate them clearly and provides valuable resources such as YouTube videos or handouts so everyone understands what to work on.”
Rylee and Amber started the Leaps N Bounds Junior Handler Agility Class in January to encourage more young people to get involved in the sport. Rylee loves to watch her fellow juniors build relationships with each other and their dogs while working through challenges together. By providing seasoned dogs from the rest of the community, Rylee and Amber can focus on building everyone’s handling skills instead of training a novice dog.
“Ultimately, my goal is to create an encouraging and uplifting environment for juniors to learn in,” Rylee said. “I hope to inspire them to have the same love and respect for the sport and our dogs that I feel, regardless of where this journey takes them.”
This year, Rylee made her debut at the Cynosport® World Games Presented by Purina® Pro Plan® with Preslee and two of Amber’s dogs, a Border Pap named Marshall and a Shetland Sheepdog named Miley. She was joined by her friend and fellow student Aubrey Taylor, 18, who competed with Amber’s Border Collie Flair in the Veterans Showcase.
“Aubrey has adapted impressively well to running a different dog than her own, and I was super excited to compete at Cynosport with her and Amber’s incredible dogs,” Rylee said. “It was definitely one of the biggest events I’ve been to, and it was super cool to see everything set up and watch everyone run! I can’t thank Amber enough for being by our side on this journey.
“My goals are to continue advancing in training and trialing with my dogs and one day earn the opportunity to join an adult world team,” she added. “My plans after graduation definitely include teaching and building my career around dogs and agility. I’m especially passionate about dog behavior and hope to work as a dog behaviorist someday!”