Teenager proves she's a champion dog handler
Tamlyn Stewart | 19th May 2010
Rotorua's Chelsea Marriner has won gold for New Zealand at the World Agility Championships in Britain.
The 18-year-old dog handler competed at the championships over the weekend - with a borrowed dog - and won first place in the jumpers competition.
Chelsea's mother, Alix Marriner, said Sunday night had been very exciting as her daughter kept her up to date with her progress through text messages.
"At about 9.30 [Sunday] night we got a text from Chelsea to say she'd had a really good run in the jumpers competition and she was really pleased with it.
"Then she sent a text which said 'Well I do believe we just won gold at the jumpers'," Mrs Marriner told The Daily Post.
But Chelsea and her parents had to wait several hours for confirmation she had won gold.
"I didn't get much sleep [Sunday] night, I was highly excited. She said she wasn't getting excited until it was confirmed," Mrs Marriner said.
Once the win was confirmed Chelsea said it was "absolutely awesome".
The teenager also excelled in another category, missing out on a medal by just one place.
"This was with a dog she was only working with for three days," Mrs Marriner said.
Because of the expense and logistical difficulties of transporting dogs overseas, Chelsea had to use an England-based dog for the competition.
The dog's owner, Dave Jolly, told Mrs Marriner he was thrilled with the result. However, Mr Jolly said he was concerned if he made any errors when competing with his dog in future, people might suggest Chelsea run the dog instead as she could do it better.
Mrs Marriner said she was very proud. "For such a homebody of a girl she says the experience has been awesome."
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Chelsea’s dogs show off new tricks
Posted on 10 June 2009 By Jono Dawson
Dog trainer Chelsea Marriner and her troupe, the Dog Stars, are up to their old (and some new) tricks at the Village Green every day during Fieldays.
Chelsea and her dogs are performing three shows a day. Chelsea says she looks forward to the performances as she enjoys the Fieldays atmosphere.
“I like the fact that a majority of people who come to Fieldays are rural types and the interaction is awesome.”
In preparation for Fieldays this year Chelsea has taught her dogs some new tricks, some of which are designed to add humour to the show.
And, for the first time, Chelsea is also involved in the Rural Bachelor of the Year event where the dogs will be used for an agility/tricks heat.
But while the bachelors may be feeling the heat, nerves are not a problem for Chelsea and her dogs. They have performed at a number of events such as the Christmas in the Park and Royal Easter Shows.
“The dogs love any kind of action and I’m pretty sure they get excited instead of nervous. The same goes for me!”
Chelsea, from Rotorua, appeared on the reality television show New Zealand’s Got Talent with her dog Quest. They made it to the semi-finals.
“I love working with dogs and showing people what can be achieved with time, patience and a good bond.”
Her dogs are called Bree, Flash, Ikon, Spy, Shift, and Quest.
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Chelsea's Dogs Shine at Fieldays
by Samantha van der Sande | Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Move over Lassie, there's some new pooches on the block and they're keen to show their tricks!
Visitors to this year's Mystery Creek Fieldays were treated to a fine display of dog agility from Rotorua's Chelsea Marriner and her team of 'dog stars'. Hundreds of dazzled onlookers watched as Chelsea's dogs were put through their paces, performing an array of tricks from fetching cold drinks from a chilly bin, washing their own paws and holding a flag.
Four dogs performed individually throughout each show, each dog having its own key tricks and being controlled only by the subtlest of voice and hand commands. One dog even displayed dressage movements - something usually reserved for finely bred riding horses! The variety of tricks shown only added to Chelsea's credibility as a highly talented and dedicated dog trainer.
As the dogs dashed and darted throughout tunnels and leaped through hoops, Chelsea's mother (Alix Marriner) provided a witty and entertaining commentary about the dogs' background and training regimes.
Chelsea has forged a name for herself as a dog agility trainer and has built up her show team of dogs with which she appears at various shows and events throughout New Zealand. But it's no surprise that Chelsea and her dogs are agility champions considering Chelsea's been performing with dogs since she was eight years old!
It all started when Chelsea took over her father's twelve week old pup after insisting the puppy should be hers at the young age of 2 and a half years old. Since then, she's never looked back and now with seven very talented agility dogs and a very enthusiastic young pup in tow, Chelsea spends all day training and playing with her dogs and states "The dogs are my life".
Chelsea set up her current business venture 'Chelsea and the Dog Stars' approximately three years ago, and while she's now in hot demand for shows and events, and even the occasional television commercial, Chelsea's also a successful dog agility competitor!
Last year Chelsea claimed the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th placings at a Championship Agility Show held in Hamilton, setting a national record for the only handler to take out the top five placings at a championship show.
Since then Chelsea was selected as one of three New Zealanders to compete on the dog agility competition circuit in the United Kingdom. Due to financial restraints Chelsea was unable to take her own dogs with her to compete, but defied all odds by winning gold as top handler with a borrowed dog she had barely known for three days!
For now Chelsea's dogs have come to a well earned break after four days of top class canine performance. No doubt they can be seen at a show near you in future so make sure you check out Chelsea's website for more information and show details:
www.dogstars.co.nz.
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