Meet the Team - DC Nimmo & Skye & Asha

The pink princess’s in 2009, Neela at the back lying down, Asha the blue merle sitting in the middle and Skye black and white sitting at the front.

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Flying Scots Flyball Team Members

Tell me something about yourself and your dogs
My names Donna-Claire or DC for short and I’m the technical team coach for the Flying Scots, that basically entails supporting the team by keeping track of every single handler and dog’s performance in training and competition. My dogs Skye, Asha and Neela are fondly know as the Pink Princess’s. In the team I’m the one that shouts “REEEEEADDDDDDDYYYYY REEEEEADDDDDDDYYYYYY” in a really high pitch its great for getting the dogs excited and ready for the racing. If you’re at Crufts this year you’ll hear me J

Why did you want to do Flyball?
I’ve always been competitive and love the thrill of the race. I joined Clatto Clangers way back in early 2005 who introduced me to the excitement of BFA flyball and I haven’t looked back. It took a few more years then the Clyde Valley Flyers/Flying Scots was formed in 2007 and we started doing Crufts Flyball to.

Tell me about your Team Dogs I.E Skye and Asha
Skye: My first Border Collie and my shadow. I owe so much to this very special pink princess. Skye is eight this year and has been my faithful companion and teacher into the amazing world of agility and flyball. Her patience with me as I learnt was unbelievable. For example at the start of my agility career I would fall over a lot normally quite specturelarly, Skye would stop dead where ever she was and just wait til I regained my bearings and off we’d go again.
Asha: I searched so long for the right pink princess N02 and I almost gave up hope but she finally came in 2006. Asha is a dream BC so easy to live with so laid back that unless she is doing something i.e. flyball she is like why waste the energy. Her work ability is phenomenal she is so keen and quick to learn, I swear if she could she’d ebay me off for a better handler she would. Her other passion in life is water (gets this from her daddy Ghost) if she can splash, paddle or swim she will be in the water. I recently started a new job and its right on the coast next to a beach. On my first day I took the pink princess’s out to the beach, it was the first time Asha had seen the sea. She stopped in awe I swear she was saying “OMG mom has found the biggest puddle in the world”. After a moment’s hesitation she was off and swimming for Greenland, thankfully I had a tennis ball the only other thing in the world she loves more than swimming.

Which other dogs do you train in Flyball and how are they progressing – Future team members?
Neela a wonderful wee cracker is progressing extremely well with an awesome box turn, but she does take the princess part very seriously and is a little dainty when it comes to the running part. I’m very proud of her and right now she is taking sometime off to be a mom. Also a wee surprise even to the team might be a new prince or princess on the horizon for me watch this space………

Do you enjoy going to Crufts?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Crufts, there is nothing to match that feeling of racing on the green carpet centre stage with the crowd roaring you on. Once the racing is over I enjoy the hustle and bustle of it all, shopping for pink presents and anything else pink that my princess’s might like. Catching up with friends, watching all the other displays in the main arena and not to mention all the other activities going on throughout the whole of the NEC. There is just so much to pack in I’m exhausted when I get home.

What are your goals for the future?

Over the past few years I’ve taken time out of competing to complete my PhD. This year will be my big year back and I can’t wait. Both Skye and Asha are Grade three agility dogs but we’ve been working hard and have high hopes of progressing a little up the grades in the coming year. As I mentioned before we also do BFA flyball and Skye has gained her Flyball Dog Graduate award with 3729 Points. We’re gonna keep working hard as I’d love for Skye to get to 10,000 and achieve the Silver milestone Award before she retires. Asha has competed at fewer BFA shows than Skye but still has gained her Flyball Dog Intermediate award with 2095 points. I’m really hoping for Asha to be part of a team that goes to the BFA summer championships in August. We will have to wait and see how the team gets on at its first official BFA competition to know if we will get there (Watch this blog for details on how we do). Also not forgetting Crufts flyball we’d love to be crufts champions J We also for fun do a little sheep dog training afterall it is what the BC’s are breed for, Neela is actually pretty good and sometimes helps out my best friend who is a shepherdess, Skye is a natural but started a little late in life and well Asha hasn’t had the pleasure as I’m worried she might like it to much and forget all about the tennis balls J
Apart from the goals set out above, all I want to do after a few years of high work stress is now enjoy my weekends away with my pink princess’s doing what we love having fun. Also I’m looking forward to spending weekends with my friends hopefully celebrating amazing achievements and having just as much excitement toasting those almost wins J What ever the future holds for us I know we’ll have fun and enjoy the pinkness along the way.

Any other hobbies or interests?
I don’t have much spare time that doesn’t involve the pink princess’s. When I do get moments to myself I love chilling out with my family, reading books (right now I’m enjoying the Sookie Stackhouse novels). I love films any chance I get I will go to the movies or be hiring dvd’s. I’m also secretly addicted to computer games I love just switching on my console and immersing myself in the action.