For the longest time, starting a podcast was just a dream I carried with me on the road. Something I talked about, thought about, but never quite had the courage to make happen.
Everything is scary until it is not.
Finally, I did it.
Welcome to the podcast “Agility on the Road” – where that dream has come alive. Join me as I travel through the world, sharing conversations about dog agility, the mental side of sport, travel tips, inspiring journeys, and the life stories of the amazing people I meet along the way.
From my van rolling across Europe, I’m collecting stories, insights, and moments that matter. Each episode is a window into the lives of incredible people who’ve built something meaningful around their passion for dogs, sport, and adventure.
This is more than just a podcast about agility – it’s about the courage to chase what scares us, the connections we make on the journey, and the beautiful mess of following your heart wherever it leads.
The road is calling, the stories are waiting, and finally – we’re rolling.
Listen, Watch, Follow, & Share – help me spread these stories to as many ears as possible!
Listen to my latest episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch it on YouTube! Follow the podcast so you don’t miss what’s coming next!
#12 What Agility Is Really About: Sergio Gómez on Colombia’s Scene, Mindset, and Heart
If you haven’t listened to part one yet, go back and start there, but this episode stands beautifully on its own, too.
In this conversation, we delve into the agility scene in Colombia – how it’s expanding with over 20 clubs across the country, primarily located in Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. Chexo also shares about his travels to Panama, where he teaches agility several times a year.
Here’s something fascinating – the connection between dance and agility. Cali is the world salsa capital, and that rhythm Colombians have in their DNA actually helps them in the ring. Did you know that aunties teach children to dance from a very young age? That natural sense of movement translates beautifully into agility.
We discuss the differences between Latin America and Europe – notably, the absence of indoor training, varying obstacle quality, and the use of music during competitions, which creates an incredible atmosphere. But what really touched me is when we get into mindset and heartset, and Chexo shares deep thoughts about what really matters in agility beyond clean runs and placements.
This conversation reminded me why we all fell in love with this sport in the first place.
#11 Following the Dream: Sergio Gómez from Colombia on Agility, Dogs, and Life Choices
Another sweet conversation, and I’m so happy to share it with you.
I sat down with Sergio Gómez, also known as Chexo, an agility enthusiast from Colombia, to talk about his journey into this sport we all love so much.
We discuss cultural perceptions and Chexo’s personal journey from childhood to becoming a passionate agility trainer. We dive into his agility beginnings – that magical first moment when agility captures you and you just know that this is it.
Chexo shares his experiences with his dogs, particularly Nuki, and reflects on his unique lifestyle living in a shipping container while pursuing his passion for agility.
But this conversation goes beyond just agility. We talk about life choices – the path he took to follow his passion, the challenges he faced along the way, and what it really means to build a life around what you love.
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to truly follow your dreams, even when the path isn’t easy, I think Chexo’s story will resonate with you.
This is part one of two episodes with Chexo – so stay tuned for more!
#10 Meeting Alejandro Salas from Spain in Slovakia
This time I’m chatting with Alejandro Salas from Spain in my VendaVan after we met at the Slovakian Championship in Pezinok.
We talked about Alejandro’s agility journey, the exciting evolution of Spanish agility, emotions in our sport, and the hero behind his success—his wife, who takes care of their two-legged and four-legged family while Alejandro travels the world judging.
Fun fact: Did you know there are more men than women competing in Spanish agility?
Big respect to Alejandro for stepping out of his comfort zone and doing this interview in English! Even though it got a bit Spanglish at times, we made it happen.
¡Muchas gracias, Alejandro!
#9 The Natural Pet Care Story: Prevention, Healing, and Hope with Andras
What drives someone to dedicate their life to improving pet health naturally? In this special episode, I sit down with Andras, co-founder of Natural Pet Care System, to hear his incredible journey from idea to creating a company that’s changing how we care for our four-legged family members.
As their ambassador, I was excited to dive deep into Andras’s personal story – what inspired him to start this company and his mission to help dogs and cats live healthier, happier lives through natural supplements.
We explore all four of their products – Burgimmune, Flexi, Fortflex, and Multivitamin – discussing when and why each one can make a difference, whether you’re looking at prevention or supporting healing.
I’m currently using Burgimmune and Multivitamin for my 6-month-old puppy Sisu and my 14-year-old senior Eliot, and I’m really happy with how these natural supplements are supporting their health at different life stages.
#8 Finding Home in Alaska: Michaela’s Life and Agility Story
What draws someone to build a life in one of America’s most remote places?
New episode #8 Finding Home in Alaska: Michaela’s Life and Agility Story is live!
Back in Alaska, sitting down with Michaela in her kitchen in Fairbanks. We dive into her personal journey – what brought her to Alaska, what keeps her there, and what dog agility looks like when your training season is shaped by months of darkness and extreme weather.
This is a story about determination, building community in the wilderness, and finding home in the most unexpected places.
Meet Marion – an absolutely extraordinary 85-year-old who’s competing in dog agility and obedience! When she casually mentioned her age at my seminar, I was blown away by her incredible energy and knew I had to learn her secret.
Marion (lady in a red T-shirt) is mama to three Schipperkes – a breed she’s been passionate about for over 50 years. But here’s the amazing part: she was actually THERE in the 1970s when agility was first introduced to the public at Crufts in England! Living history!
We talk about her competitive spirit, her life philosophy, and her recipe for staying so active and purposeful.
Warning: We laugh A LOT in this one – prepare for some serious ear testing but also pure joy!
This conversation is pure inspiration about living life to the fullest at any age.
What started with just three sheep turned into a full-blown funny farm—complete with goats, mules, ponies, ducks, chickens, turkeys, and of course, dogs!
In this episode of Agility on the Road, I sit down with Mary Champagne , who began agility back in 1995 and now runs her own agility facility in the U.S. We talk about her journey into long-distance handling, the frustrating trial-and-error phase, and her determination to keep believing—even when it felt impossible.
We recorded this conversation in her dogs’ living room on my last day at her farm, and I couldn’t help but reflect on how far she’s come. From barely being able to move on the course to showing the world how you can run ISC and UKI courses without actually running. Step by step. Little by little. Just keep going.
Find out more about Mary and her Agility Facility at http://www.theagilityfacility.com
Tired after a sunny hike, with full bellies from a Slovak-style dinner, and so happy together in my VendaVan – which turned into a kind of sauna as we closed the windows to block out the noise outside – I recorded this episode with the sweet Nicky Manes, veterinarian and agility enthusiast from Argentina.
We met in Slovakia right after she competed in Prague, picked up her brand-new puppy, and before she continued her European adventure to Budapest and Vienna.
Nicky comes to Europe at least every couple of years to compete, traveling with her dogs on what is never a simple journey. In our conversation, we spoke about her agility journey, the sport in Argentina, what it’s like to travel more than 1000 km for a single competition, the challenges (and joys!) of bringing dogs from Argentina to Europe, and her heartfelt reminder of how important it is to enjoy every single moment in life because you never know when the game might be over.
A conversation filled with wanderlust, determination, and the universal language of agility love.
Join me on a Latvian beach for a very special episode recorded in my VendaVan with four incredible dogdancing champions from Slovakia and Czech Republic. After supporting my dear friend Monika at the Dogdancing World Championship in Finland (where she placed 4th in Heelwork!), we were all driving home together when we stopped for this conversation.
Meet Alexandra Vavrova, Alexandra Mišková, and Monika from Slovakia, plus Alena Smolíková from Czech Republic – true legends of dogdancing who stepped out of their comfort zones to share their stories in English (which I deeply appreciate!).
We dive into the fascinating world of dogdancing – did you know one routine contains around 50 tricks? We explore how they create these extraordinary performances, teach complex tricks, and navigate the challenge of keeping dogs focused for 4 minutes without taking shortcuts to the reward. Plus a deep conversation about expectations – are they real pressure from others, or mostly in our own heads?
A beautiful blend of friendship, sport, and honest reflection recorded on the road.
Join me for a conversation with Hugo Santos, an agility judge and handler from Portugal. We met at the Janakkala Open in Finland, where he was judging, and recorded this episode right in my VendaVan at the venue – so please excuse any background noises from the competition!
I’m still working on improving the sound quality, but my dog Sisu had other plans and decided to bite through my mic cable! Since I’m traveling and need a specific Rode cable that’s not easy to find on the road, I’m working with what I have for now.
We dive into course designing, agility in Portugal, Hugo’s Border Collie Never, and much more. Even though this was the first time Hugo and I met, it felt like catching up with an old friend from the very first minute.
Hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Meet my very first podcast guests – Sanna and Harri Katainen (the two beauties on the left)! This picture was taken a week ago on my birthday and you can see Sanna’s incredible homemade strawberry cake and the original Finnish woolen socks they gifted me (which I’m proudly wearing in the photo even though it was 30°C!).
We sat in their kitchen talking about their incredible journey from agility competitors to running their own halls, training animals for TV, and teaching puppy yoga. Plus their own podcast, surviving Finnish winters, and building a life around their animal passion.
Hope you will enjoy.
You can now find Agility on the road podcast on Apple Podcasts as well!!!
AGILITY ON THE ROAD 