At last, what you’ve all been waiting for, the schedule of seminars taught by Mary Ellen Barry here at Quicksilver again in November 2025. First, in case you aren’t already familiar with this excellent competitor and teacher, here are a few words about her. if you have not worked with her before, I and many others cannot recommend her highly enough.
Mary Ellen has been participating in agility for 29 years and has been involved in all aspects of the sport including: training, competing, teaching, coaching and judging. She is a 3 time member of the IFCS team, a 5 time member of the WAO team and is currently the coach of the WAO Team USA. She has won multiple medals on the national and international stage at WAO, IFCS, Cynosports, and the US Open. She began judging in 2018 and her courses have shown to be fast and flowing for the dog, yet challenging to the handler. She lives in Norristown PA with her 4 border collies and runs a full time agility business, KineticDog, LLC which offers training and competition events.
Schedule of seminars offered:
- Thursday November 6
- Walking Agility – 10 am – 2 pm
Stop rushing! You will only be allowed to walk – no running. The purpose of this is to help you slow down your mind so that you can focus on reading your dog and giving handling cues at the correct time versus always running to try to “get there”. Handlers should have the skills seen on higher level coursework in North American venues. Obstacles may include contacts and/or weaves. - Lines, Lines, Lines – 4 pm – 8 pm
Are you cueing your jumps and tunnels proactively enough that your dog can anticipate the exit line that you want. Do you fully understand your elements of handling and how they can be combined to help your dog achieve this?In this workshop, we will help you better understand your dog’s line upon the completion of the obstacle and what you need to do as a handler to achieve that.
These will be very short sequences and may include some technical elements such as backsides and threadles. Dogs should be sequencing jumps and tunnels confidently. Handlers should have a thorough understanding of the 7 elements of handling (motion, chest, position, eyes, feet, arms, verbals).
- Walking Agility – 10 am – 2 pm
- Friday November 7
- Mastering the Basics – 10 am – 2 pm FULL – To be put on waiting list email Leerie.
This is the perfect workshop for young dogs that are just learning to sequence or handlers that are looking to focus on basic handling skills. Skills will focus techniques such as front, rear and blind crosses as well as deceleration and lateral pushes. Sequences will be 5-10 obstacles consisting of jumps and tunnels only. - “Just Do It!” Blind Crosses (aka the Nike Blind) – 4 pm – 8 pm
Learn Mary Ellen’s “Just do it” blind crosses, where you do not wait for commitment first, you just do it and the dog magically adjusts to the correct line. We may also do either/or with layering in which the dog would stay on his line and/or bypass the jump. Contacts and/or weaves may be used. Suitable for dogs and handlers that understand the concept of blind crosses.
- Mastering the Basics – 10 am – 2 pm FULL – To be put on waiting list email Leerie.
- Saturday November 8
- Basic Tunnel Challenges – 10 am – 2 pm
We will work on short sequences of jumps and tunnels with different tunnel challenges such as exits, entrances, and discriminations. Sequences will be somewhat basic in nature and will consist of jumps and tunnels only. - Extreme Tunnel Challenges – 4 pm – 8 pm
You will be tested with difficult challenges involving all things tunnel! Learn how to effectively manage discriminations involving tunnel entrances and exits. Sequences will be about 15 obstacles each and may include contacts and weaves.
- Basic Tunnel Challenges – 10 am – 2 pm
- Sunday November 9
- US Open Prep – 10 am – 2 pm
Get ready for Jacksonville! We will work courses with challenges likely to be seen at the US Open in Jacksonville, Florida. - Lines, Lines, Lines – 4 pm – 8 pm
Are you cueing your jumps and tunnels proactively enough that your dog can anticipate the exit line that you want. Do you fully understand your elements of handling and how they can be combined to help your dog achieve this?In this workshop, we will help you better understand your dog’s line upon the completion of the obstacle and what you need to do as a handler to achieve that.
These will be very short sequences and may include some technical elements such as backsides and threadles. Dogs should be sequencing jumps and tunnels confidently. Handlers should have a thorough understanding of the 7 elements of handling (motion, chest, position, eyes, feet, arms, verbals).
- US Open Prep – 10 am – 2 pm
Each workshop is $150 and is limited to 8 working spots. Unlimited audit spots, $75 per session. $90 for auditing both sessions in a single day. For any questions email Deb Norman.
Payment
Upon being accepted into the session, you will receive an invoice. This is how you know you’ve gotten into the session. Please pay using the invoice, or you can send check or money order to:
Quicksilver Canine
3331 Beaver Creek Rd
Burlington NC 27215
Payment is due by October 31st, or your spot will be offered to the next team on the waiting list.
Registration
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