Judges » Kirstin Graves

Ms Kirstin Graves

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Senior Agility

About Me

I started the sport of agility in 2003, mostly by accident. During an Obedience class at Akarana Dog Training Club I mentioned I was not enjoying heel work and neither was my Golden Retriever Kaia - we needed to do something more exciting! Someone pointed me in the direction of the beginners agility class at the club, and between Brian Todd and Sue Connor I was hooked. So hooked I gave up netball for agility!

Since then I've run my wonderful Golden Retriever Kaia until she had to retire in 2008, my next Golden, "the crazy white dog" Karisma until she retired in 2012, the mad, bad, but entirely loveable BC X "AgCh FdCh Key" until I retired her in 2017, and soon KitKat another Border Collie will enter the agility scene. After four years of going to shows, being show secretary and doing all those other wonderful jobs, I decided to try my hand at judging. Having umpired netball for years, and with a bit of encouragement from Nick Chester I figured it couldn't be that bad. There aren't fourteen players on the court, plus their family and supporters to abuse you if they don't like your decisions. Right??

I really enjoy designing a flowing course that dogs will enjoy running and hopefully their handlers too! Getting comments to that effect is always uplifting, but the best part of judging, is to see a handler and their dog put together a run of which they are proud. I especially enjoy seeing the dogs having a good time. That makes all the standing in the sun and rain, and the time spent designing a course worthwhile!

When I'm not doing agility I'm usually busy with friends, working around my ten acre block or travelling. Oh, and of course I do some work to pay for all these sports. I'm a self-employed Project Manager who works on contract for various Auckland companies.

Recent Shows Judged At

I have recently judged at:
2017 Queensland State Titles
2016 NZDAC
2016 ANKC Nationals (Adelaide)
2015 Queensland State Titles
2011 NDTA
Counties
Hawera
North Taranaki
Mt Maunganui
EBOP
WAG
Cambridge
Huntly (inagural ribbon trial)
Hibiscus Coast
Tauranga
Hawkes Bay
Feilding
Mangawhai
Tokoroa
Rotorua
Z1 team trials
Manukau
Nor West
North Shore
ACAC
Akarana
Waimak
OCTC
WAG/Cambridge RT (202 dogs + YKC in C Jumpers followed by 120ish dogs in starters in a single day)

I am looking forward to hopefully judging at some of my favourite shows in the future, you know the ones you go to every year regardless of the distance travelled or whether you can spare the time.

I usually only accept one judging contract per month, so that I am still able spend time running my dogs and having a life outside of agility. (Crazy I know!)