Friendship grows for young dog handlers

Local girls headed to AKC Agility Championships after forming close bond

By ANDY JASNER • Special to The News Journal • March 24, 2008

Lauren Blackson and Jessica Crawford didn't know each other until they met last year at an agility class in Newark.

Now, they have become great friends with a similar success story to tell.

Blackson, a senior at Ursuline Academy, and Crawford, a sophomore at St. Mark's, both qualified for the AKC National Agility Championship, to be held Friday through Sunday at Expo Square in Tulsa, Okla. Both families are packing up their cars Tuesday morning and driving to the national competition.

Blackson will be competing with her 4-year-old blue merle border collie, April, while Crawford will be participating with her 4-year-old black and white border collie, Chase.

The two Delaware high school students are among only nine junior handlers scheduled to compete among at least 700 handlers.

"We've become the best of friends," Crawford said. "I couldn't imagine agility competition without Lauren. We have a great time together and it's going to be a lot of fun making this trip with her."

Blackson said that once they began talking, a friendship instantly started.

"One day we started to talk about agility training and we found out we had a lot in common," she said. "We've been friends ever since."

Both of them competed in numerous events throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland and qualified at different times for the national competition. Blackson found out in September, while Crawford was given the good news about five months earlier in April.

With so many handlers competing, both girls understand the monumental task of reaching the finals.

"I'm so excited," Blackson said. "I've worked very hard to qualify. I'm a little nervous, but it's going to be so much fun. She [April] works well for me. She loves to run. We're going to do our best. It will be very tough to get to the final round. We'll see. I'm definitely going to have a good time."

The same goes for Crawford.

"It's really, really exciting," she said. "Chase is my very first agility dog. It's been a lot of fun. Chase is a very accurate dog and will do what I ask. We've been practicing a lot. I hope to make it to the finals. We're going for the best runs we can. I can't wait."

Both girls will have a chance to win prize money, supplies or even money toward a college scholarship. Regardless of what happens, the experience will be something they will remember forever.

"I hope to have one of the fastest dogs," Blackson said. "You can't have any mistakes if you want to win. If not, it will still be so much fun."

"I'm going with my best friend, so it's great no matter what," Crawford added. "We've become so close through the sport. We're going to have a fun road trip."