Newbies Shine at 2026 AKC National Agility Championship
Something was different about this year's AKC National Agility Championship (NAC), and we’re not just talking about the unprecedented (and very ill-timed) heat wave sweeping through Southern California.
The courses were challenging, the competition was fierce, and the best teams in the country came ready to run. But for those of us watching the Pembroke Welsh Corgi contingent this year, the most remarkable thing was the striking number of newcomers, running their first agility corgis, and some competing at the NAC for the very first time.
They didn’t just survive running in the brutal 100°F Temecula heat. Instead they thrived – running clean, running fast, and winning.
The Rookies are Raising the Bar
Glennda Hou and Kono from Los Angeles, CA, arrived as first-time National competitors and left with a thrilling Challengers Round win and a 3rd place finish in the 4" Preferred Finals — an accomplishment that would be exceptional for any handler, let alone one making her NAC debut with her first corgi.
Peter Wirth and Welly from Longmont, CO,cemented their place as one of the most formidable agility teams, claiming the AKC National Agility Champion title in the highly competitive 8" Regular class with a speedy, perfectly-executed run. Welly is Peter’s first agility dog and they have quickly established themselves as the team to watch, making headlines at some of the biggest competitions in the agility scene.
Rachael Breder with Chessy, Laavanya Sankaranarayanan with Chidi, and Czarina Ellingson with Pippin were some of the other younger competitors proudly representing our breed and showcasing their talented corgi athletes.
The Corgi Hype Squad Just Hits Different
One of the best parts of a national event isn't the competition — it's connecting with your people.
The agility corgi world has a tight-knit camaraderie that is hard to describe until you've experienced it. Handlers who've never met in person recognized each other from Instagram and became fast friends. Every time a Pem stepped into the ring, the collective corgi cheering section was the loudest group ringside. Clean run or not, the support never wavered.
In addition, several Southern California corgi owners made the trip out to Temecula not to compete, but to volunteer, ensuring that the event ran smoothly despite the record-breaking temperatures.
From the Agility Ring to the Breed Ring
This new generation of corgi agility handlers didn't grow up in the dog fancy. They are millennials who got a pet corgi, discovered a sport, and found a community. Agility gave them a reason to understand the breed and learn about what makes a good Pembroke Welsh Corgi — structure, movement, temperament, health, and longevity. And once you start caring about that, the path to conformation isn't as big a leap as it might seem.
Glennda, who started agility with her pet corgi Kono “just for fun,” now co-owns a show dog, Alfie, bred by Feli Noeller DVM (Perivale). Czarina, who ran with Pippin, has also added a show puppy bred by Dana Bull (Elfame). Laavanya, Chidi’s owner, recently added a second corgi from a show breeder (VPCorgis). All three are now active members of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of Southern California, turning into breed ambassadors not through a traditional path, but through the sport they loved first.
Why Breeders Saying Yes Matters
None of this happens without breeders willing to place puppies with newcomers.
And these newcomers didn't just become good pet owners — they became invested. They’re earning titles in multiple sports. They’re showing up and volunteering at club events. They’re getting show prospects. They’re becoming an integral part of the next generation who will carry this breed forward — in the breed ring, on the agility course, and perhaps in the whelping room someday if the bug bites that hard.
The fancy doesn't grow by staying closed. It grows when preservation breeders take a chance on someone who's passionate, willing to learn, and proven they'll put in the work.
Agility competitors wake up early, travel long distances, train consistently, and are deeply, sometimes embarrassingly, devoted to their dogs. They are the kind of people who will advocate for well-bred Pembrokes for decades to come. And all of this only happens because a breeder somewhere along the line decided to say yes.
Looking Ahead
Next year, the AKC National Agility Championship will take place in Tulsa, OK from March 11 through March 14, 2027. If this year at Galway Downs showed us anything, it's that the next wave of corgi talent is already here, already competing, and already making its mark. If you've been thinking about getting into agility with your corgi, there has never been a better time — or a better community to join.