Annette Alfonso
Annette is an accomplished dog trainer and competitor from Puerto Rico who turned her passion for training into a profession in 1997. After spending several years traveling the country performing with her canine team as part of the Purina Incredible Dog Team, Annette started teaching Agility full time in Miami, FL.
She has competed with her dogs at numerous AKC and USDAA National events and represented Puerto Rico on an international level while competing at the World Agility Open Championships in England in 2011 with her dogs Dealer and Legend (Legend placed 4th in the Pentathlon class), at the IFCS Worlds in Texas in 2012 (Legend) and again at the World Agility Open Championships in Spain in 2013 (Legend). In 2014 at the IFCS CCOA Annette and Legend won silver in the Individual Biathlon. More recently (2013-2016) Annette has traveled to England, Austria and the Channel Islands to compete in various agility Festivals and Open competitions.
Over the years, Annette and her dogs have earned many honors and titles, including the AKC Companion Dog Excellent [CDX], Flyball Dog Champion [FDCH], several AKC Master Agility Champion [MACH] and USDAA Agility Dog Champion [ADCH] titles, Agility Dog Champion Bronze [ADCH Bronze], Agility Dog Champion Silver [ADCH Silver], Tournament Master-Silver and Life Time Achievement Awards. She also has qualified and competed with her dogs at several USDAA, UKI and AKC Agility National Events and earned placements [2nd] with her dogs Poison and Legend at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge (Eastern Region).
Outside of the competition ring, Annette’s canine team has performed in front of the camera for TV/movie work and advertising campaigns. Television appearances include “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, “The David Letterman Show”, as well as NBC’s “Today Show”. Her dog Dealer had a lead role in the Spanish Soap Opera “Perro Amor” while her dog Decker starred in the movie “Marley and Me”.
As much as she enjoys performing with her own dogs, Annette thrives on coaching others to be the best they can be and helping students achieve their training goals.
For Annette, training the ‘perfect’ dog begins with a strong relationship and realistic training goals geared toward the dog’s individual talents. Most importantly, it doesn’t matter whether you are training the next world champion or your best canine companion, keeping it fun is always the most important rule!
Annette has been part of the AKC European Open Team USA management team since 2017 and served as World Team Assistant Coach from 2019 until she was appointed Team USA Head Coach in June of 2023.
Annette currently offers group classes as well as limited private lessons and workshops in Landrum, SC and surrounding areas and is available for seminars upon request.
Kat Brown
Kat has been involved in dog sports since 2009. Some of her favorites include Rally, BarnHunt, Agility, Disc, Obedience, Tracking, Scentwork and Trick training though she currently competes mostly in Agility and Rally.
Her BorderStaffy Nemo – now enjoying semi-retirement – has earned Championships in Rally, BarnHunt and Agility – in both UKI [IAC3 and IWAC2] and USDAA [PDCH Silver] – and podium finishes at Regional and National events. He is also a certified Therapy dog, DMWYD Trick Dog Champion, and Utility Dog [Competition Obedience].
Her Border Collie Elite is a two-time USDAA Agility Champion, dual UKI Champion [IAC, IWAC], winner of the Rally Advanced class at Rally Nationals (RNC) in 2021 and Top Ten finisher in the Rally Excellent class at RNC 2022. She recently earned her AKC Rally Championship in only eight trial weekends and with 9 High Triple and 8 High Combined Awards for highest scoring dog.
Her SportsMix Medley is a two time UKI Agility Champion currently training in rally, obedience and scentwork.
Kat has been teaching for 11+ years and enjoys seeing her students thrive and realize their goals.
Kat offers Drop off training as well as Rally, Obedience, Tricks, Fitness and Enrichment classes for dogs of all ages in Landrum, SC. Kat is also an AKC approved CGC Evaluator.
Mardi McGuire-Closson
Mardi started Agility in 1998 when she and her husband got their first Golden Retriever who needed a job! She quickly became addicted to training and competing and it wasn’t long before a second Golden joined the family so both Mardi and her husband could enjoy the game with their own dogs.
Somehow, during her very busy 30-year career as Dean of Students at a local community college, Mardi always found the time to train her dogs, which often sparked ideas for helping her students work through their academic challenges.
Over the years, Mardi has competed in AKC, USDAA and dabbled in UKI. Her dogs have attained many MACHs as well as a couple of ADCHs. Her love for Goldens brought her to breeding and over the last 15 years she has produced 6 litters of incredible performance dogs that have gone on to compete at highest levels, including running in AKC Agility National finals as well as many other big events. Mardi’s dog Sassy [MACH5 and CDX] was named top producing Golden dam of all time of MACH dogs – an accomplishment Mardi is most proud of.
Mardi enjoys sharing her passion for the sport and strongly believes in keeping training fun! She understands that all dogs are unique, and that one size does not fit all.
Mardi teaches Puppy classes as well as Foundation through Advanced level group Agility classes in Landrum, SC.