The NAFA home page regularly changes the featured cover dog to showcase the many faces of flyball. Thank you to all the photographers for letting us use your great photos.

If you have a photo you would like to submit for consideration, please send it to the NAFA Webmaster. Include a brief bio of the dog, and who the photo should be credited to (please make sure you have permission from the photographer to use the photo).

2012

Dodger (Submitted by Denis Breno) His name is Dodger. He is an eight year old Aussie with a tail. He was a rescue from Buckeye Border Collie Rescue. He sat by my chair while we evaluated four other dogs for adoption. When the time came to choose between the other dogs to come with us, I just couldn't leave him there with his big brown eyes looking at me (I’m a powder puff). So he came home with us and has been the greatest friend ever since. It took him three and half years to learn flyball. Being a rescue, he had no idea what it was to play. The first time I lightly pitched him the ball, it hit right on the head. I figured it was going to be awhile before he would be playing flyball. We were just very patient with his training and it finally clicked for him. He now has his Flyball Master Excellent title and just love's playing the game. He squeals when his momma/handler is in running his older sister Bree. He runs in the 4.9-5.2 range. This past CanAm, he ran anchor on their team. Their team placed first in the Division 8 Championship race. His motto is "I will run for food, any kind of food. Got food ... Here I come”. Photo by Irene Cotter.

Eika (Submitted by Stacey Manley) Eika, “Eika von der Leidenschaft ONYX”. A couple years ago I was in search of something to compete in with my dog when I came across Flyball. We gave it a shot and Eika took to the sport immediately. Eika's drive and insanity for flyball make her a alot of fun to run. She is one of the few Giant Schnauzers currently competing in Flyball and has proven to be a reliable start dog and can easily switch to any other position. Eika recently earned her ONYX and her fastest time to date is 4.0. Photo by Donna Kelliher.

Clementine (Submitted by Aly Jabroki) Clementine is an 9 year old rescued Australian Cattle Dog that runs with the Denver Speed Demons, Currently she is the number 48 ACD with NAFA. She has been racing for six years, and runs between 4.5 and 5.1 seconds depending on her position. She will pass any dog, any time and can always be counted on to run cleanly (unless there is a thunderstorm nearby)! She used to be terrified of everything and never wanted to leave her owner to get the ball. After a few months of persistance, Clementine found her confidence and has never looked back. She now loves to bark all the way down to the box, but no one is sure what she is barking at! I think she just likes to "trash-talk" the dog in the other lane. When she's not playing flyball, Clem competes in agility and disc and trains in herding. She also is a trained service dog to her handler/owner, Aly Jabrocki. She is a shy, sweet dog at home, but as you can see - flyball really brings out her wild side! This photo of her is from the Westside Woofer's tournament in Grand Junction, Colorado, September 3rd, 2011. Photo credit to Keith Highley.

Sailor (Submitted by Randy Garvin) Sailor aka Golden Oaks Rori’s Sailor Jerry. Born December 1, 2009 and joined my clan in February. He comes from a flyball family, his mom is Rori & dad is Tyree, owned by Chris Sells. Sailor is closing in on the end of his 2nd year racing and he has come so far with Terminal Velocity. When he’s not burning up the lanes, he is learning agility and herding. Kelley Benham French took the fantastic picture!

Bella (Submitted by Lana Luhring) Bella was born into a flyball family on Labor Day 2007. At birth she weighed just 3.4 ounces. She lives with the Bailey family (Shawn and Lana) in Iowa. The household includes her dog father Bo Bailey and her dog mother Kia Bailey. Bella had one littermate, a brother named Wilbur, who also plays with Ball Driven Bandits in Omaha. This entire Jack Russell Terrier family plays flyball. Bella has a shy personality so training took a bit longer. She is now an outstanding height dog for Outrun Flyball Club. Bella has the ability to race in lineups with her parents and against her brother! Photo credit to John Petrucha.

Vanna (Submitted by Toby Emo) Coming into our house as a rescue dog that never left us, Vanna epitomizes those dogs who truly can’t wait for their turn at running. Racing with the Tampa Bay Barkaneers, her banshee screams while waiting to go are well known by all in Florida. We call her our secret weapon. Starting out was tough for her. It was much easier and faster to go around the jumps than over them. Once she “got the game”, Vanna, while not the team’s fastest height dog, is extremely reliable. Nothing fazes her in her quest for the ball. At 5 and with an FMX she is working on her FMCh. Her heart on the line and in our home as a pet is outstanding. Photo courtesy of Kelley French.

Stingray (Submitted by Susan Chapman-Bonofiglio) This is StingRay! A borderjack with Canine Mutiny, she loves to go hiking, swimming, play Frisbee, Chuck-it, and Flyball of course! Her fastest time is 3.8 seconds and she is 15.5 inches tall. She is my constant companion and best friend in a furry suit. Photograph by Len Silvester

Piper & Kierra (Submitted by Toby Emo) This is 5 year old Piper Emo and her 9 year old Labrador Keirra. Piper is a member of the Buffalo Wings Flyball Club based in Buffalo, NY. This photo taken by Michelle’s Event Photography is from the Fetch ’n Fly March 2011 tournament. This event was Piper’s first tournament running Keirra without any assistance. Piper is a very enthusiastic junior handler with thankfully a very patient and obedient dog that loves to please her girl. Keirra has been running for about eight years, but is actually running about half a second faster for her girl. Although Keirra outweighs Piper by about 30 lbs, Piper handles Keirra quite well on the racing lanes and clicker trains her daily to do whatever pops into Piper’s head. Piper is looking forward to a long racing career with Buffalo Wings.

Sparrow (Submitted by Rhonda Noetzelman) Sparrow is the first Pekingese to earn a flyball title, through NAFA and any other flyball organization world wide ( that I can read)! At a young age we found that Sparrow loved to retrieve, especially in the water with a Pekingese sized dummy. Now, Sparrow works her short little legs off getting down to the box and back with the ball. When not tied up with a flyball tournament Sparrow also competes in obedience and voluteers as a registered therapy dog at Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis. Photograph by Jeff Skorich

Maggie Mae (Submitted by Anne St. Pierre) Maggie Mae is a proud cairn terrier. At only 10 inches and 12 pounds, she is one of the smallest members of the Canine Mastery Jumpmasters flyball team in Massachusetts. She is also the oldest, at 9 years old. But don't let her compact size or age fool you! She is very fit, confident, and stubborn, and just ran her personal best of 6.26 seconds in May 2011. Maggie was adopted in 2002 from the Bangor Humane Society in Maine. She acquired flyball fever in 2007 and ran in her first tournament in 2008. Maggie is one of the top seven cairns in NAFA. She aspires to be part of the top five. Go cairns!

Murphy (Submitted by Elizabeth Theesler) Murphy is a very unique Duck Toller that runs with the Happy Hurdlers in Region 3. Murphy joined her flyball home when she was 1 1/2 years old. She was returned to her breeder from her hunting home for being gun shy. Although they reported that she loved tennis balls. Murphy doesn't just love tennis balls, she is obsessed with them. Due to that obsession and wanting every ball on the floor it took 3 1/2 years to train her to become a reliable flyball dog. During her flyball training and career she took time off to raise 2 litners of puppies, time off for a self inflicted belly wound she got by jumping over a heating duct, time off for a root canal and to have 3 teeth pulled that she damaged trying to get out of a crate to get a ball, time off to be spayed and finally time off after almost killing herself by ingesting 1000mg of Rimadyl. To get to the Rimadyl she escaped from her crate in the car, opened a locked purse and managed to open the child proof cap. Most people would have given up on this very stubborn and determined dog. But at the age of 8 1/2 running anchor on our vets team she earned her ONYX! Photograph by John Petrucha

Koko (Submitted by Judy Jarvis) aka Koko Taylor Red Hot Blues a 4 yr old Standard Blue Poodle running on Texas Allstar Express. She has a REAL JOB as a Service dog. Her love for the ball lead her owner to flyball a year ago. Koko is a real crowd pleaser. People always laugh when she runs with her ears flapping & fur flying. She gotten to be known as the "Famous Flying Poodle" in Region 5. Also at the third jump she starts to bark, announcing she is coming for her ball. For anyone that has not experienced this, it is a real shock. She is determined to get her ball wherever it is & return to her owner. Her drive is incredible; whether it's a start dog or anchor dog, flyball is her sport of choice. Her best time, has been 4.287 at CanAm 2011 running as a guest on K9 Kommotion and now has her FMX. Photo by Natasha Sills