History of the creation of the Jumping Chollas Agility Club. HISTORY OF JUMPING CHOLLAS AGILITY CLUB 1994 – 2024 In the winter of 1993 (December), Billie Rosen gathered together twelve people at her home to discuss training dogs in agility. Billie had seen this event and thought it would be good to provide some new activities and training for dogs. The following people helped plan and develop this club: Billie Rosen Lorie Franke Whitney Lightner Tracy Moraca Garrett Helminski Michelle Self Debbie Strieter Nancy McLeod Lyndy McKay Peggy Ringhoff Carol Taylor Debbie Veldhuis Michelle Self was voted the first President and served for 2 ½ years, in addition to being the show secretary. The club started with 23 students and Billie Rosen as the lone instructor. A naming contest was held to choose a name, and “Jumping Chollas Agility Club” began. A club could not be a club without a logo, so Mark Shults designed the original logo which you will see on one of the trailers, on a few shirts, and on the blue down jackets. TRAINING LOCATIONS 1994 – 2006 Training locations were held in various locations, and we have identified the following: 2nd Street North of Thunderbird 40th Avenue South of Greenway Billie’s home on Monte Cristo Sandra Shults home on Greenway Kosin Yard on Acoma Avenue The Castle at 19th Avenue Bookers at 17th Avenue and Happy Valley Deer Creek Vet Center Jumping Chollas moved into their new 2 ½ acre facility at 25128 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, United States, Arizona in September of 2006. CLUB PRESIDENTS Michelle Self Suzie Myers Sue Major Susan Van Buren Wendy Hultsman Craig Coonrad Alice Nicholson Laurie Johnson (2025) THE CHOLLA PATCH In order to purchase this land, it required an enormous number of hours to research what was needed to buy it, not to mention what the State and County required to actually open up. Wendy Hultsman and Gary Shipley had to jump through hoops in order to comply with their demands beginning in 2004, and after two years and mountains of paperwork, the Cholla Patch opened in September of 2006. There was no money as it was a new venture, so thirteen investors provided money for a loan to buy the property, and as of February 2024 this loan has been paid off!! Because of its location, Jumping Chollas is actually in what is called a “Maricopa County Island” and will remain in that status until Phoenix annexes the property. The initial investors with Doggieland are: Roger Culver, President Sharon Jeffries, Secretary Gary Shipley, Treasurer Jean White Billie Rosen Wendy Hultsman Jamie & Craig Babonis Amy Ballen Rick Miller & Jill Scherer Alex Figures Debbie Edgar Janis Walls Jumping Chollas Two and one half acres of desert had to be raked of rocks and debris, surveyed and a ground cover chosen. Many friends and members of the club donated hours of time raking and cleaning the site and getting it prepared for training purposes. A fence was added separating the fields in order to train dogs on both sides, and that gave the club more space on which to add more classes. An agility club could not exist without the proper equipment, so Chaz and Whitney Lightner volunteered to build the obstacles and equipment that we needed to train the upcoming students and their dogs. Several methods were used to cover the surface of the field, but we finally found, and had put down, the artificial turf you see today. Thousands of dogs have passed across the green turf, not to mention how many trials we have held there, and it is showing wear. Hopefully we can get new turf in the not too distance future! The field at Jumping Chollas is in constant use! Classes consist of FOUNDATION, BEGINNER I & ll, INTERMEDIATE l, ll, lll, NOVICE, ADVANCED, JUNIOR HANDLER, a COURSE class and a DISTANCE class. Enrolled in these classes are 168 students and their 30 instructors!! In addition to classes every night, the club holds VT runs (video taped runs which are then sent into NADAC for judging). The field is also rented out to members and friends who need extra training when the field is available. In the past JCAC has rented the field to ASCA, Turns N Wraps and others who need the field for trials. A Junior Handler trial is held in February for the JH students only – the only trial of its kind in the country, per the NADAC office. It highlights the progress made by our Junior Handlers who take classes with us. We offer a Foundation Class once a week and hundreds of dogs and handlers have taken this class to help bond with their dogs and prepare them for continuing in upper level classes. A separate offering is “Control Unleashed”, an eight week class held at the Patch that teaches the dog (and handler) how to manage reactiveness, too much socializing and to stay with the handler. This is a private class by invitation only. In the summer JCAC does not shut down!!! We hold 6 - 9 Mini Trials throughout the summer, running 2 classes (4 runs) in the evening even with hot temperatures. In 1993 Jumping Chollas began with 23 students - currently our membership is 186 members, and still growing. Officers for 2025 – 2026 are: President Laurie Johnson Vice-President Lisa Esquival Secretary Ann Hammersly Treasurer Renee Stanneart Training Director Wendy Hultsman Trial Chair Jared Gibson THE CLUB'S FIRST LOGO

All Posts Website Election Search Alice Nicholson Jul 26 Hear Ye Hear Ye! Jumping Chollas now has two newspaper editors: Sonia Cowen will edit special events and provide the information to television stations... 7 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked Alice Nicholson Jul 26 JCAC CLASSES BEGIN THIS FALL! Jumping Cholla classes begin for the 2024-2025 year on Monday, September 23, 2024. Our training director, Wendy Hultsman, is busy putting... 17 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked Alice Nicholson Jul 26 FOUNDATION BEGINS JULY 31, 2024!! Foundation Class begins on Wednesday, July 31 with all new curriculum and instructors! Our training director, Wendy Hultsman, and a team... 54 views 0 comments Post not marked as liked