Remembering agility friends who
have passed away
 Sadly every so often
we lose one of our agility handlers or someone we have known from training, clubs or shows. We
may have just stood in the queue with them, shared a bacon roll at a show or held their dogs
while they went to check their times after a run. Some of them have been close friends, with
whom we have shared triumphs, tribulations and the love of our dogs and our sport together.
Here we try to remember those people, young, old
and in-between, who have shared our passion and who, by their presence, have made their
contribution to the sport we love. They leave behind family, friends, dogs and, of course,
memories. If you want to share your recollections of your friends with us, just email them to
Agilitynet.
Darien Frankham
Darien Frankham lost her brave fight against cancer this Wednesday, 25 June.
The funeral will take place on Friday, 4 July at 3pm at
Crownhill Crematorium and Cemetery Office
Dansteed Way
Crownhill
Milton Keynes
Bucks MK8 0AH
Our thoughts are with Miranda at this very sad time and I know the Agility
community will support her in anyway they can. Darien - rest in peace now.
Sharon Wild
Darien Frankham will be sadly missed. My memories are of many happy times
competing against Darien particularly in mediums with Muffin who would quietly listen to every
command from Darien and make the 'course from hell' look easy. My thoughts and support are with
Miranda now and in the future.
Sharon Brewster
(28/06/08)
So very sad to hear Darien Frankham ha s died. She really did fight her cancer. My rocket
collie Bliss was the first small collie to hit the "Midi" scene and amongst the many
unwelcoming faces Darien and Miranda were the first to smile ,chat and involve me. I did so
appreciate it.
It was an education to watch Darien handle Muffin round a course and with whom she had so
much success.
Diana Muirhead & Bliss (28/06/08)
I have lost a very dear friend and will miss her very much. It is through
Darien and Miranda that I got Tarot, my tricolour Sheltie, followed by Tipsy. We camped
together many times and I will fondly remember the evenings I spent in their caravan, eating,
drinking, playing cards, watching TV or just chatting.
Darien had an excellent eye for walking a course and helped me on many an
occasion.
She was such a strong and private person, so courageous in her battle against
cancer. You are free from pain now, Darien.
My thoughts are with Miranda now.
All my love from Christine (30/06/08)
I too would like to add my message of condolence for the loss of Darien - a
very sad loss to agility. Darien's knowledge, training and competing was awesome and I shall
sorely miss our discussions on agility issues etc. Miranda my thoughts are with you and hope
that we will see you on the agility circuit soon.
Enid G
(30/06/08)
I was sorry to hear that Darien lost her battle with cancer and I know she
did battle it! I can do nothing but admire people such as Darien who despite illness still go
to shows to run their dogs and support their friends and family. I have known Darien & Miranda
for about ten years basically since I started agility and trained with them at various clubs
and fields around Milton Keynes. I know that Darien will be missed she always smiled and said
hello and I never heard her once complain about being ill. My thoughts are with you Miranda.
Hayley Wilson (03/07/08)
Maurice Malyon
 Maurice
Malyon sadly passed away on Tuesday, 27 May 2008 following a battle with illness. He had been
in Agility for many years and was always seen competing and helping at the local shows in the
South East, the highlight of which was when he won the Starters Supadog Final with his dog
Megan and the following year, the pair of them won out of Starters at the very same show.
For many years he was the Chairman of the Uckfield and District Agility Section (now known
as Weald Agility.) He was also a very active member of the Downland Agility Club.
He did lots of volunteer work for the Kit Wilson Trust and took on several rescue dogs
himself over the years all of which competed very successfully in Agility.
He also had a love of the Flower Shows and always found it hard to choose which shows to go
to Agility or Horticultural.
He was a lovely man who will be sadly missed by us all and our thoughts go to Lyn his wife
at this very sad time.
Sue Culmer
Izzy Gilbert
Issy Gilbert past away suddenly on Sunday, 16 March.
Agility was Issy's life, and she never let her failing health stop her from
travelling and competing at as many shows as possible. The tribute posted by Rosemary and Ian
Stowers perfectly sums up the Issy we knew.
Her funeral will take place on the 2 April at 3.30pm at St. Faiths
Crematorium, Manor Road, Horsham St Faiths. No flowers please but donations, if desired,
to F.A.I.T.H Animal Rescue, Stubb Road, Hickling, Norfolk NR12 0BW.
Toni & Peter Harrison-Jones
A Tribute to Issy Gilbert
from
Rosemary & Ian Stowers
Izzy was such an inspiration to all of us.
She clearly had health problems, but through all this she ran all of her dogs and got
phenomenal results with her dogs.
She always helped at our shows and was such a lovely person.
I
want to pay a huge tribute to Izzy.
She loved her dogs but, above all, she loved competing with her dogs.
Izzy will be remembered for her competitive spirit and her love of her dogs.
She
was such a lovely person.
Les Parker
Les, my lovely husband of 32 years, died instantly on Tuesday 12 March whilst
cleaning the roof of our motorhome. Don't know what it was yet but he was a fit as anything one
minute and then I found him. Paramedics tried for 20 minutes to bring him back. All the doggies
said goodbye to him on the back lawn.
I'm so devastated. I can't begin to say what a soul mate he was to me,
constantly by my side. We did everything together, run businesses, travelled the world, hobbies
etc. The one constant throughout his entire life were dogs. He was born into a house with 13
GSDs and always had dogs. I don't know how i'm going to finish my life without him at the
moment.
His funeral is at 3pm on 19 February at Chichester Crematorium. Any donations
should go to Battersea Dogs Home.
I still intend to 'do the circuit' - it's all I have left now but oh how hard
it will be without him. Everyone will remember him always being at the Start and Finish line
for me. I would like people to come speak to me to help me through this tragedy.
Lynn, Jimmy, Cassie, Jessie & Hooch xxxx
Marianne Burrows
Posted on behalf of the family of Marianne who
passed away at Barrow Show last year.
You may remember Marianne Burrows who passed
away at Barrow Show last year. So many people said that they knew the name but couldn't put a
face to it, so am including a photo of her.
We have now received letters of thanks and
acknowledgment from the two Charities which benefited from the money which was contributed
instead of flowers. The breakdown was Christies received £500 and Border Collie Trust received
£550. Thanks to all who contributed. She would have been so pleased that so much money was
raised and that these two charities have benefited. We still miss her dreadfully.
Sharon Hardman
Sharon Hardman
passed away peacefully in the early hours of New Years Eve, after her brave battle with cancer.
She was a lovely person, She knew how to make us laugh, sometimes with her, sometimes at her.
She was brilliant at coming over the finish line, cheering and waving, only to be told she'd
missed a couple of jumps out.
Her middle name
was Joy, and that was what she was - a joy to be around, and a joy to have as a friend. Her
cheery face will be missed by so many people.
Her dog, Drum,
has gone to live with Mike and Jackie Richardson who bred him. Cap has gone to a friend of ours
who lost hew own collie a few weeks ago. Both dogs have settled in their new homes really well.
This was a great comfort to Sharon.
Sharon's
funeral takes place on Tuesday, 8 January 2008 at 12.45pm at Overdale Crematorium, Chorley New
Road, Bolton BL1 5BU. Directions can be found on their website. No flowers please, but
donations, if desired, to the East Lancashire Hospice, Park Lee Road, Blackburn.
June Burrow
Thank you ...
Sharon Hardman's Mum Joyce and her partner Ged would like to pass on sincere thanks to
all of her agility friends, for their kindness, cards of condolence and donations received
after her sad loss.
Mike Webb
Over the past nine
years, Mike Webb has been on the agility scene along the South Coast from East Sussex to Dorset
and up to the Oxford area with his big blue merle border collie Tenita Happy Herbie.
Herbie gave
him success by winning out of Elementary and then the next year winning out of Starters twice
in three weeks. As Herbie had arthritis - he was coming up 11 years - Mike decided to do the
judging course to put something back into a sport that he really loved. However, that was not
to be as he died suddenly on 29 December.
At the moment there
are not any arrangements for the funeral as everything is behind because of the Christmas
backlog but you can contact Nola Webb on her email at Nola Webb
[nolaw@hotmail.com]
Nola Webb
Chris Last
Last night a great friend and an inspiration to all that knew her lost her
battle with cancer. Chris last made us laugh with her antics and filled us with pride when we
watched her run her beloved Miniature Schnauzers. Despite everything, she always had a smile
and a good word to say to everyone and still enjoyed camping and celebrating agility wins with
her friend's right up to the end of this season. She could often be seen around the rings in
her buggy and in the rings with her dog's, even this year at Supa dogs she didn't let the mud
and rain dampen her sprits.
 Chris
was a lovely person and, if you were lucky enough to call her your friend, she enriched your
life. She leaves behind her husband, daughter (Helen Flatt) and four lively little schnauzers
and will be missed by all her friends especially those at Barking Mad Agility.
The funeral will take place on Friday, 21 December at 3.00pm at
Helmingham Church. Family flowers only please. Donations to St Elizabeth's Hospice.
From Den Keeler...
Chris Last was one of the best. She didn't have a bad word to say about anyone. Will miss
her loads. She loved this picture and still won limping. A great woman.
(17/12/07)
From Soraya Porter
Chris Last was a dear, dear friend. I first met her when I returned her daughter - then
still in her early teens - home rather apologetically, after my donkey had skimmed Helen across
the field, like some people skim stones on water. Helen was my youngest sister's best friend at
school, and the family lived just up the road from us. When I met up with Chris again at Nigel
Rudd's agility club, we became firm friends.
I have too many treasured memories of my times with Chris to write here, but
I shall always think of her juggling Schnauzers at club; telling me they were all attached to a
ground stake, as they careered off in several different directions across the field; her
delight on winning a class; her tears of joy when Helen qualified for Crufts.
Chris had amazing determination, and agility was her whole life. Her love of
the sport helped her to cope with the increasing restrictions that her illness caused. I will
never forget her telling me that because she was not as mobile as she used to be, she was going
to retrain her dogs to work with her new handling techniques, and with that she went off and
did it! Seeing her work Zebbie from the middle of the ring at Masters brought me to tears, and
she was a testament that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it!
The agility world has lost a lovely lady who touched many people's lives, and
will always have a very special place in the hearts of those who knew her. (18/12/07)
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