Worldwide Championship 2024 Patch

Description

2024 Worldwide Championship

Dogs:
Wally of Atlanta Georgia Captain Troy McConaughey
RENCEE of Thornton, Colorado Captains Darrel and Marie Earle
Spade of Joliette, Quebec Captain Danièle Pichette

2024 Worldwide Champion: Kansas City, Missouri

Complete Results

 

RENCEE, Wally & Spade Fly on the
2023 K9 FRISBEE WORLDWIDE CHAMPIONSHIP Patch

++ Just 1 Season left to Qualify (SEE BELOW) ++

Everyone who plays at a 2024 Worldwide Championship Regional that runs between Saturday, September 7 and Saturday September 14, will take home this year’s patch that honors 3 dogs RENCEE, Wally, and Spade who, combined, have played in 55 K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch League Seasons.

For this 5th Annual 2024 Worldwide Championship, we salute these dogs and their human Teammates:

Wally & Troy, Brightside Dacula (and Atlanta), Georgia

If the Atlanta, Georgia K9 Frisbee Community had a Hall of Fame, Troy McConaughey would undoubtedly be a first-round inductee. For over 20 years, Troy has been a driving force in keeping K9 Frisbee alive, exciting, and growing throughout the Peach Tree State.

Troy has been a leading member of the Greater Atlanta Dog & Disc Club (GADDC), one of the oldest disc dog clubs in the world. He has anchored and organized major events like the Atlanta Dogwood Festival and the USDDN World Championships in Cartersville. Additionally, Troy is a world-class competitor on the disc dog field, with a career spanning two decades.

Troy’s K9 Frisbee journey began around 2003 when a border collie named Einstein entered his life. Having grown up with pugs, poodles, and a Labrador retriever, Troy wasn’t initially into performance dog sports. However, Einstein, his first border collie, changed that. Einstein earned ADCH & MACH titles in agility and was a 9-time disc World Finalist. Troy fondly remembers him as his right-hand man and believes the world would be a better place if everyone had an Einstein, who passed in 2019.

In 2006, Mikey, another border collie and a 3-time disc World Finalist, joined Troy’s pack. Mikey’s untimely passing left a lasting impact on Troy, who deeply misses him.

Today, Troy continues to lead the Atlanta disc dog community as Co-Captain of the Brightside Dacula, Georgia K9 Frisbee League Club. He keeps his disc-dog skills sharp with his border collies, Ally, a 5-time disc World Finalist, and Wally, who has notched 6 World Final appearances so far.

“Wally’s my current go-to guy. He’s covering all the bases, and we’re just getting started. Wally has been my companion in adventure races, hard court Frisbee demos, numerous agility and Frisbee demos, and he’s competed in 6-disc World Finals and one agility trial. He’s also a 25′ dock jumper and happily takes on any challenge I throw at him.”

Troy and Wally’s first K9 Frisbee Worldwide League season was back in the Fall of 2016, the League’s fourth season. Since then, the team has played in 14 League seasons, consistently achieving Expert-level scores, including the recently ended 90/5 June Season. Wally is super people-friendly but always ready to go, making him a fun dog and a fantastic teammate.

In honor of Troy’s dedication to supporting and growing the sport, we’ve chosen Wally as one of the dogs to grace the 2024 Worldwide Championship patch. Congratulations, Troy and Wally, on this well-deserved recognition! Your story is an inspiration to the entire K9 Frisbee community.

RENCEE & Marie and Darrel Earle, Thornton Colorado

In 2012, the lives of RENCEE and her devoted handlers, Darrel and Marie Earle, intertwined when a friend informed them about a Flyball student looking to rehome a Black & White Border Collie.

The student’s son found the young puppy too much to handle, and she was being kept in a crate with plans to be listed on Craigslist. Thirteen years later, RENCEE, named using the initials of Marie and Darrel’s fathers, has enjoyed a successful and vibrant Frisbee career with both handlers.

RENCEE’s journey is filled with achievements. She has excelled as a Disc Dog, Dock Dogs, and Quadruped Champion. In 2018, they joined the K9 Frisbee Worldwide League’s Thornton, CO North Metro League to reconnect with Disc Dog friends. RENCEE has played now in 22 League seasons while Marie and Darrel have risen to become the current Thornton Club’s Captains.

RENCEE, the senior of their four-dog group, is known for her calm demeanor and nurturing nature, often helping to stabilize foster dogs awaiting their forever homes. She has a unique affinity for cashews and chicken fingers, and her team color is a striking purple, evident in her discs, bandana, and even a painted purple spot on her forehead. Marie adds to the charm by coloring the bottom of her hair purple to match RENCEE.

One memorable summer session a few years ago, RENCEE celebrated her birthday on June 18th, just a day before Marie’s on June 19th. To mark the occasion, Marie brought a birthday brunch for the League, complete with muffins, fruit, OJ, homemade dog cookies, and dehydrated liver for the dogs. Despite the heat, they enjoyed the day with a pool set up for the dogs to cool off.

During one of their rounds, RENCEE started slowing down, and Marie encouraged her with, “Come on, you Ole Birthday Girl.” In response, RENCEE dropped her disc in the middle of the field and headed straight for the tent, leaving everyone laughing and reminding Marie not to call her teammate “old.”

RENCEE is affectionately nicknamed “Princess Purple,” “Under the Bed Monster,” “Spitfire,” and “RENCEE Ann Earle.” Marie and Darrel have been playing the sport since 1998, with RENCEE being their fourth Disc Dog. They recently adopted their eighth dog, continuing their passion for the sport.

Congratulations to RENCEE and the Earles on this well-deserved nomination for the 2024 Worldwide Championship commemorative patch! Your story is a heartwarming testament to love, perseverance, and the joy of playing Frisbee.

Spade & Danièle, Joliette, Quebec

Meet Spade, the incredible 11-year-old Jack Russell Terrier born on May 14, 2013, and her devoted handler, Danièle Pichette, Captain of the Joliette K9 Frisbee League Club. Danièle, an accomplished animal wrangler, and Spade have graced television screens multiple times, captivating audiences with their remarkable bond and talent.

Their disc dog journey began in 2014, and by 2015, they were already competing in provincial championships and showcasing their skills at the Superdog event in Carp. Spade’s first freestyle performance took place on March 13, 2017, marking the beginning of a series of impressive achievements.

In 2019, Spade and Danièle qualified for the USDDN Super Open Freestyle Finals and the Skyhoundz World Championship, demonstrating their exceptional talent on the global stage. Their involvement with Toss & Fetch began in the fall of 2019, and Danièle went on to found the Joliette Club in the fall of 2020.

That same year, Spade became the #1 Jack Russell Terrier in the World Toss & Fetch Championship, sharing the top position with a dear friend. Additionally, Spade starred in the movie “My Spy” alongside Dave Bautista, showcasing her versatility and charm.

Spade’s record in extreme distance stands at an impressive 116’9″ in the tiny dog division, and she has accumulated over 1,000 points in her frisbee career with the CDDA. Despite starting to go blind in January 2021, Spade displayed incredible resilience, achieving her best season in the fall of 2021. Danièle adapted by dyeing one of Spade’s ears to help her determine which eye was still functional, allowing Spade to continue catching discs.

By 2022, Spade had lost her vision entirely but continued to participate in rollers at her club. In 2023, they participated in the Worldwide Championship Toss & Fetch using specially sized frisbees and a bell to help Spade locate Danièle and track the frisbees by sound.

Spade, who recently completed her 18th League Season, began competing in the K9 Frisbee Worldwide League in the 2018 Fall Season with the Laval K9 Frisbee Club. A year later, Danièle founded the Joliette Club as a Squad and has been growing it ever since to where they field 20 to 25 Teams a season.

Spade’s journey is a testament to her indomitable spirit and the unbreakable bond she shares with Danièle. Congratulations, Spade and Danièle, on this well-deserved nomination for the 2024 Worldwide Championship commemorative patch! Your story inspires us all.