It’s All About the Jump

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By John Burton
TINTON FALLS – Remi may not have garnered Best In Show but as far as his owners are concerned he is top dog.
“I think it’s pretty awesome,” said Barbara Kappe, about how well her Remi performed last Sunday in the storied 139th Westminster Dog Show’s Agility Competition, capturing fourth place.
Remi, actually officially Little Red Remi, if you please, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC) registration, is a 5-year-old male Australian Shepherd – a breed that are usually referred to as Aussies – that Kappe and her husband, Roger, have owned since Remi was about 8-weeks-old.
Remi and Barbara competed in the 139th Westminster Dog Show’s agility competition to a packed house at Pier 94 in New York City. Remi, performed admirably, Kappe beamed, with the shepherd coming in fourth out of 87 contestants in the 20-inch-dog competition.
“We never expected to get to this level,” she acknowledged.
This is the second year for the agility competition, Kappe noted. It involves the competing dogs to take on a series of obstacles—such as running through a large tube, over a teeter-totter, hopping over hurdles, through a series of rings and a host of other, challenging and difficult tasks. “It’s sort of similar to an equestrian competition,” was how Kappe, who’s also a horse owner, described it. “It has a lot of jumps.”
It also challenges the owner who must run along the entire course with the dog, coaxing, giving commands and guiding the dogs to the proper obstacle, which changes up several times throughout the competition.
A family friend had first encouraged Kappe to consider Remi for training and possibly participating in the competition.
“We just went into it,” having Remi undergo training a couple of times a week with a couple of actual trainers for most of the calendar year for the last couple of years, Kappe said. And “We got hooked,” on it, she added.
And that meant Remi as well, the affectionate Aussie, equally enjoying the training and seemingly the competition.
“He really likes it,” Kappe noted, believing, “I think he can sense when he’s done well.
“If he didn’t like it he wouldn’t work so hard at it,” she added.
And for his efforts, Kappe pointed out, Remi was awarded a ribbon and certainly bragging rights. As wonderful as they are, it was clear Remi was just as happy getting to play with his favorite toy—a well-gnawed tennis ball, according to Kappe.
The agility competition national finals are in March, in Nevada. The Kappes didn’t think they would make it with Remi this year. Next year, however, when they are held in Oklahoma, count Remi in, Kappe said.
When the Kappes first met Remi, it was in Florida and the couple was considering another dog. Remi was one of a large litter. “He just came over and kept sitting in our laps,” Kappe remembered. “And I thought, I guess he’s the one.”
Not that Kappe needed much coaxing to take in another pet, she conceded, having always been a self-described animal person.
On their 10 acres off Tinton Avenue, which had many years ago been used by the U.S. Cavalry unit stationed at the former Fort Monmouth. The Kappes have three of their own horses, two dogs, a pig, a goat, geese and chickens. Kappe, who works with a horse veterinarian and boards three additional horses on her sprawling property, said, chuckling, “”When my husband asks why, I say because I can.
“I’ve always been fond of my creatures,” she said. “It’s just who