Stuart Mah has been one of the nation's leading and innovative agility personalities for almost two decades. He is also considered one of the foremost authorities on course design and course analysis.
Stuart has been an 8-time member of US international agility teams. He is also a 13-time USDAA national championship finalist and 5-time AKC finalist.
His dogs have earned the highest titles in several agility organizations including 5 ADChs and 3 MACHs. They have also earned 4 individual national champion titles (USDAA and AKC), 2 national team titles, and a world championship title in 2006.
Stuart is currently competing with his 8 year old Border Collie, Qwik (ADCH, MACH). Qwik finished his USDAA Agility Dog Championship in exactly one year from the date he entered his first trial in starters. Qwik's accolades include a gold medal at the 2004 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge and several silver medals at the 2004 and 2005 ESPN Great Outdoor Games. He was also on the winning team at the 2005 USDAA Dog Agility Masters Team finals in Scottsdale, AZ. In 2006, Qwik became a world champion winning two gold medals at the IFCS World Championships in the Agility Biathlon and Power and Speed events.
Stuart has judged for all of the major US agility organizations. In 1991 he was inducted into the USDAA agility Hall of Fame and in 1995 was the USDAA's Agility Person of the Year. He was also designated as an Agility Pioneer by USDAA in 2005. He has served on agility advisory boards for both USDAA and AKC.
Stuart has written articles for numerous magazines and is also the author of several books on agility, including "Fundamentals of Course Design for Dog Agility" and "Course Analysis for Agility Handlers". A new book, "Fundamentals of Course Design and Analysis: Specialty Classes" is due out soon. He has also worked with television and media groups such as PBS, Animal Planet, and National Geographic about agility.
Pati Hatfield Mah began agility in 1993 as a way to give her Belgian Malinois, Lilly (CH, ADCH, APD, MACH, U-ACH, CDX, MXP, MJP, NAC, NGC, RS-N, CGC) something else to do. Pati and Lilly quickly became one of the top teams competing in the sport. They were members of the AKC World Agility Team in both 1996 and 1997, representing the United States in international competition in Switzerland and Denmark. They won the 1997 USDAA Grand Prix National Championship, 30 inch division with the fastest time of all jump heights.
Pati and Lilly were also members of the winning team at the 1997 USDAA Dog Agility Masters Team Tournament in Fairhill, MD. Pati and Lilly finished second at the 1998 AKC nationals, 20 inch division, and the 1999 USDAA nationals, 26 inch division.
Pati's dogs also include her Malinois, Gracie (CH, ADCH, U-AGII, AX, MXJ) and her Border Collie, Jet (ADCH, MX, MXJ, XF).
Prior to agility, Pati worked extensively with modifying problem behavior in family dogs. For this reason there is a great deal of focus in her training programs on the behavioral aspects of training - both dogs and handlers, as well as solving problems.
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