Meet the Team
Annie
DOB: Sept 11th, 2006
Owners: Bill & Colleen
Handler: Colleen
Annie was born in Sooke, BC, and had many brothers and sisters. She was the last pup to go, and you know what they say about saving the "best for last". She has a cat named Casey as her partner in crime, and because they are both black, brown & white, you never know who is the trouble maker when something's up. We nick named Annie a "lap jack" because that is her favorite place to be. She started flyball in the Spring of 2007. She has not been in competition yet, but has participated in the Strawberry Festival and helped as a warm up dog in our last tournament. She really enjoys flyball practice and hopefully soon she will be ready to compete.
Favourite Things: Chewy stix, walks with her mom and chasing bunnies.
Buster
DOB: April 28, 2001
Owner/Handler: Liz
Buster was born April 28, 2001 and he’s a Jack Russell Terrier in every sense of the word. He started a bit late to flyball - he was five. But once the light bulb came on and he figured it out, he became a real team player...
He only has one problem - he sort of takes his time coming back with the ball; he loves to have an audience and a lot of applause!!!!
But aside from that one issue, Buster loves his Monday nights at the barn, playing and having a good time with his new and old
buddies!!! Almost as much as he loves his treats!!!!
He is a lovely dog and is much loved by all his family.... but not by Quincy and Moof.... the two cats!!!!
Dancer
Breed: Miniature Australian Shepherd
DOB: April 16, 2005
Titles: FD, FDX, FDCh, FDCh-Silver, FDCh-Gold, FDM; TFI, II, III, TFE
Owner/Handler: Kathi
This red bundle of energy is known by several names...Kisser, Shrieker, Bouncer. You get the idea. Flyball is his sport of choice, where else can he bark so piercingly and not get scolded. Dancer's fastest time, unofficially, is 4.9 seconds. In his zest to be unique, he's chosen to only retrieve squeaky tennis balls, refusing to be trained onto regular ones. It's easy to find his start position at the line, just look for the wet spots left from his excited shrieking. Think he learned to be so noisy from his older "brother" Wyatt?
Jackson
DOB: October 31, 2007
Owners/Handlers: Jackie & Rohn
Jackson was born on October 31, 2007. He is our Halloween rascal!
Jackson has just joined the fly ball club. He sat and watched for a number of months and is now very excited to begin practicing.
Jackson is a thinker,he studies things very carefully before he joins in. He loves to swim and dig in the ocean, often digging up crabs or very large stones. He is a determined little guy, sensitive and loving.
Ruff
Sir Ruffenuf
DOB: May 13, 2005
Origin: Three Winds Ranch, Keremeos, BC
Owners: Tony & Marg
Handler: Marg
Freight train, Ruffneck, Ruffian.... these are all names which suit this wild little guy. Ruffy has passed his third birthday, and his family despair of him ever growing up. He uses Truby as a tug toy, and is constantly trying to get Cleo to play dog games! He’s a music critic as well, and lets his people know it if they try to hum or sing.
Ruff went to his first flyball practice as a puppy, and immediately realized that this was the sport for him. It took some time for him to learn some of the finer points of flyball, such as returning to his handler rather than chasing off back down the lane after the next dog, but once he mastered this, he hasn't looked back. He was the recipient of the Barn Stormers Most Improved Flyball Dog award in 2007. Running a fast 4.0 seconds or better, he's been a valued member of the team, and has quickly earned his titles, FMX in NAFA, and TFE (Top Flight Excecutive) in Ufli. With continued improvement on the part of his handler, Ruffy should have a long and successful flyball career.
His favourite hobby is playing with anything or anyone.
Rusty
DOB: October 17, 2006
Owners/Handlers: Jackie & Rohn
Rusty was born October 17, 2006. Rusty and Jackson have the same mother but different dads.
Rusty has been a part of the fly ball club for just a few months. She is a very active girl and loves to go to fly ball practices.
Rusty's main joy in life is the game of fetch. She is a born retriever and does not quit until the chuck-it is put away.
Rusty loves to run and jump, is always happy and often very cuddly.
She is always curious and I must say determined.
Sadie
Owners: Heather & Derek
Handler: Heather
Sadie’s birthright and cultural background are somewhat of a mystery. I believe she attended an elite boarding school then Canis College Oxford, her Dogterate thesis being “the manipulation and domination of your human by superior canine intelligence (or how to get your human to do everything you want)” She has been successful putting theory into practice although she has made one or two concessions; no full time activity coordinator and no venison pate on a daily basis. Where flyball is concerned she does enjoy it, although she does it more for Heather than herself, but even she can’t deny she is totally BONKERS for tennis balls!
Saffron
DOB: Dec. 26, 1994
Origin: Faruk Creek Farms, Madeira Park, BC
Owner/Handler: Lynn
Saffron (aka "Pup") is a working/field Golden Retriever born Boxing Day 1994 and has been playing flyball for 12 years. She was always a steady and reliable dog and achieved her FDCH - Gold later in life. She came out of retirement twice to play and retired for real in 2007, receiving her “official” retirement award. Now that she just turned 14, she still likes to do a couple of recalls at practice. She is also a long-time member of Pacific Animal Therapy Society and her loving (if overly exuberant) nature makes her a great therapy dog. She regularly visits patients at Eric Martin Pavillion. She shares a home with her owner Lynn and Walker, a sheltie.
Her motto: "I love everyone! Here's a sock!"
Crossed the Rainbow Bridge, May 2009
"Greatly missed by all who knew her"
Trouble
HRH the Lady Trouble
DOB: June 11, 1999
Origin: Nana Foundation Rescue, Victoria, BC
Owners: Tony & Marg
Handler: Marg
Trouble is an all Canadian mix, that breed which used to be called a Heinz 57. Turning nine in the summer of 2008 hasn't really slowed her down when she's playing with the kid as she can still catch him when he's racing around. She's the boss around the house, keeping Ruffy in his place, but being more tolerant of her cat, Cleo.
She learned the basics of flyball in 2001 but went for a couple of years without ever entering a tournament, only participating in demos and club practices; when the Barn Stormers was formed in 2004, she got to go to tournaments and developed her own style, becoming a steady 'anchor with quirks' for her team. Truby is best known for her attitude. She flies down the lane to get her ball from the box, saunters back doing the royal wave, and snarks at the incoming dog! In her career, she's achieved her FDCh-gold in NAFA and her TF (Top Flight) in Ufli. She still likes to play at practice, but will only participate in tournaments if the team really needs her.
Her favourite hobby is eating, eating, eating.
Check out Truby's webpage
Walker
Madselin Snow Walker
DOB: September 27, 2004
Origin: Madselin Shetland Sheep Dogs, Falkland, BC
Owner/Handler: Lynn
Madselin Snow Walker (aka Walker) is a 4 year old blue merle Shetland Sheepdog or Sheltie, as they’re commonly known. He was originally supposed to be a show dog but he grew 1/2 inch too tall so came to live in Victoria with his human, Lynn and his canine roommate, Saffron. He is a very sensitive little sheltie who loves to bark endlessly and flyball is certainly an inspiration for this. It's taken nearly 3 years to get him to stop spinning on release up to the flyball box or crossing into the other team's lane. Success at last! He finally received his FDCH and was the recipient of the Barn Stormers “Most Improved Flyball Dog” award in 2008. He also participates in agility where he is very fast, and still loves to bark if his owner doesn't go fast enough to keep ahead of him and give correct instructions.
His motto: "Bark, bark, bark, bark, bark, bark!!!!"
Wyatt
Breed: Australian Shepherd
DOB: July 1, 1999
Rescued: Second Time Around Aussie Rescue
Titles: FD, FDX, FDCh, FDCh-Silver, FDCh-Gold; TF
Owner/Handler: Kathi
After a rocky start at life, Wyatt has become a sweetheart of an Aussie. He's never met a human he didn't adore. He'll start the course for anyone who'll give the "ready" command, but watch out once he's come back, his reward is pats from his owner. While physical ailments have ended his competitive career, Wyatt still loves to play flyball. What he lacks in speed, he definitely makes up for with enthusiasm. He's one of the loudest cheerleaders in the club, and has even influenced his younger "brother" Dancer to follow in his footsteps.
Cali
DOB: October 18th, 2004
Breed: Golden Retriever
AKC: Golden Glen's California Girl, Redtail Retrievers
Feeders/Playmates/Trainers/Wrestlers/Cuddlers: Myrna and Wayne
Cali was born in Anderson, CALIfornia and to our surprise we got the pick of the litter. She was the first born, darkest in color and later on as we found out, the most aggressive and alpha leader of her pack. This posed many training challenges but we are all happy to say she has turned out to be a wonderful companion and lots of fun. She loves to go for runs, swim year round and is an obsessed ball dog. She's new to flyball, just starting the summer 2009 and we have high hopes for her in completing the final phase of her training...getting the ball.
Favorite things: the hunt, hide and seek and snack nights with the fam.
Buffy
DOB: June 23, 2008
Owners/Handlers: Ally & Lee-Ann
Buffy's roots are deep in the heart of Merrit, B.C.. Born to cattle dog parents, she still has a keen nose for cows and turns into "work mode" whenever she catches even the slightest wind of them. She was raised as a pup by a wonderful family in Metchosin where she learned her manners and the do's and don'ts of being a dog off the farm. I will be forever grateful to this family and their love for Buffy which shines through in her brilliant personality. Now it's my job to keep that ever working mind of hers active and busy. I often say I have two dogs - Buffy With The Ball, extremely excited, focused, driven and fast and I also have Buffy Without The Ball, loves the belly rubs, cuddling on the bed and kisses, kisses, kisses. The ball is her favorite plaything so it seemed natural for her to try flyball. Great people, great dogs and great fun!
Zeke
DOB: March 5, 2008
Breed: Australian Cattle Dog
AKC: Zeke-ous, Zekie, Zetzekie and blue dog
Owners/handlers: Darren and Stacey (and some times Sean)
What a difference a year makes! First I'm rescued from a shelter in Spokane, Washington, then I'm adopted by this great family and they give me a little chew toy, I mean "brother" Kona, (aka: the "Red Wiggler"). Bestest of all they let me try this super cool thing called Flyball! I just love to run really fast, jump stuff and play with tennis balls! Mom says I "go like stink" or was that "I smell like stink"?? Whatever at least I don't smell as bad as Kona! My family has also introduced me to Mountain Biking (I am the King of Steeze (read super cool), not you, Sean!), hiking (run up the hill, wait for Mom and Dad- run,wait -you get the picture), car rides (Mom... Kona's looking at me) and coffee at Starbucks. OK, I don't drink coffee but I do know what a double tall caramel macchiato is. I'm super excited about being a part of a Flyball team and can't wait to see how fast I can go! Now if Mom and Dad could just keep up with me and Kona would stop stealing my Flyball tug toy - life would be about perfect
