Scroll down to read the biographies of Lynn Nestman, Andrea Richmond and Sam Riesco. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge them
Lynn Nestman
My
name is Lynn Nestman, and I have over ten years experience training
sports dogs, the best job in the world! I was born in Furry Creek BC
where my mother claims I came out loving dogs over people from the
start.
In 1994 I became the owner of two high energy Jack
Russell Terriers named Tailor, who helped jump-start my career as a
canine sports trainer, and Tinker. On an invite to the park with a
friend, we encountered a group of handlers and their dogs playing
agility. And the rest, as they say...is history! Tailor, Tinker and I
were to become life long agility addicts.
I started The K9 Club
in 1995, after discovering that there was nowhere to play agility on
the coast. My husband, Ted Roberts took on the task of building
various pieces of equipment and fencing roughly 2 acres of open field,
saying if you build it, they will come and he was right.
I soon
found out that I needed some more in depth training. With the help of
Barry Beckner I got the ball rolling and began attending a wide variety
of training seminars on both agility and canine behavior with many
different instructors. Working with renowned trainers like Stuart Mah and
Richard Ford would prove to be extremely memorable and enlightening experiences. In 1997 Tailor and I ranked in the top 100 dog-handler teams in Canada.
A
rising need for public education eventually led to the creation of The
K9 Club Dog Smart Kids program in 2001. This interactive program
teaches kids how to be safe around all dogs and what to do if they find
themselves in a potentially dangerous situation. The K9 Club tours the
coast at least twice a year speaking to students in schools, day- and
summer-camps, and other community based organizations. The Club has
also broadcast a total of four dog related educational programs on the
Coast’s local TV station, Coast Cable 11. Feature programs include
information on Go to Ground, Sheep-herding, Obedience, Water sports and
the annual Hoof and Woof as well as some coverage of The K9 Club’s
first few agility trials.
Tailor and I competed in the 2001
AAC BC/Yukon Regional Agility Championships placing 4th over all in the
16 inch division out of 200 other competitors and progressing to the
Nationals, held in Calgary, where we placed 7th overall. The two of us
had many super years in the show ring where we learned and refined the
multitude of skills one needs to excel in agility. Tailor captured the
title of Masters Agility Dog of Canada in 2002 but we were unable to
continue competing due to Tailor having been diagnosed with cancer, he
passed away in 2005.
I currently own three dogs: Bender, Jet
and Tinker 2. Bender is well on his way to becoming
a super star, with both his Agility Dog of Canada and Advanced Agility
Dog of Canada titles. Jet is a level 5
tracking dog; he also participates in Ratting and Sheep Herding. Tinker 2, is a feisty Chihuahua cross whom I rescued from a puppy mill in November of
2006. When not training in Agility, she enjoys antagonizing her brothers, cuddling and eating.
My goals are to keep working hard
at bettering the lives of every dog and handler that I meet and to see
all my students standing on their own podium. With over fifty members
the Club continues to grow and there is no looking back. I love tuning
people in to the world of dog sports and showing them what their friend
was born to do.
Andrea Richmond
My husband, Bruce and I adopted our first dog, a Bouvier-Pointer cross named Princess in 1998 and I immediately enrolled in an Obedience class. In 1999, I began looking for a place to fine tune and proof our Obedience and became acquainted with positive agility dog trainer Lynn Nestman of The K9 Club. Both Princess and I became agility fanatics. I found that reward based training could be applied just as easily to Obedience, the foundation on which the dog-human bond is established and built upon, extending to include all dog sports.
In 2001, I joined the Agility Association of Canada and Princess and I began our competitive agility career. During the same year, I joined forces with Lynn Nestman and Ted Roberts, assisting them both on and off the field, maintaining the Club's data base and scheduling classes. This partnership also led to the creation of The K9 Club Dog Smart Kids program. My knowledge of dog training continued to grow as I attended a number of group and private lessons, training seminars and workshops in both obedience and agility. Bruce and I adopted Ponto, an English Pointer in October.
During the summer of 2006, Princess and I "freed our spirits and chased the dream" while competing in the AAC National Championships. Princess performed flawlessly and placed 21st out of the 66 dogs who were running in the Veterans 16 inch division. Near the end of the year, I became webmaster of The K9 Club website and was later joined by Sam Riesco ("Dog Trainer in Training").
In September of 2008, Sam and I created a flat work program for The K9 Club under the business name of On Q K9 Training, which we have now expanded to include leadership, pet manners and relationship building for all pet dog owners (Focus On Fun). On Q K9 Training and the Focus On Fun curriculum will continue to evolve and provide positive, upbeat programs for The K9 Club and help both two and four legged students to realize the value of Obedience training.
Princess attained the very prestigious title of Masters Agility Dog of Canada and was an integral part of The K9 Club's Dog Smart Kids demonstrations; Ponto successfully completed his Level 3 Tracking Dog title in addition to overcoming many difficult behavioural issues. Both Princess and Ponto passed away in May of 2011. They will be greatly missed.
But yet another 'royal' has entered my life since then... Tess- short for 'Countessa' is an exuberant young dog of undetermined ancestry who loves to play with and greet everyone she meets. She is currently taking lessons in Agility, Obedience and Sheepherding where her boundless enthusiasm for life, learning and physical activity can be put to good use!
Sam Riesco "Dog Trainer in Training"
I have began participating in Club activities with my two rescue dogs Kita (1996-2009) and Twinkie since 2001 and for several years now have maintained my position as assistant trainer, web editor and Andrea's organizational sidekick.
Twinkie frequently
accompanies me to the Club field where we are both students as well
instructors, and to the houses of On Q students, where he helps provide a
controlled distraction. He is also certified as a Therapy Dog through
Therapeutic Paws of Canada.
I have attended a few seminars conducted by trainers Barry Beckner and Richard Ford and T-touch practitioner Becky Beaton. I continue to gather experience, instructing obedience and agility classes, as well as the occasional private lesson, alongside Andrea and Lynn.
I am currently attending Capilano University- North Vancouver campus, studying Geography and Sociology part time. In the future, I would love to travel to South America and Europe! I hope to pursue a career training both Service Dogs for the disabled and pet dogs.
As this website is being continually updated and improved, please feel free to come backoftenand see what's happening! Or drop by the field, talk to us in person and see the dogs (and handlers) in action!
1554 Hwy 101 Gibsons, B.C. Canada (across from Woodcreek Park)
