Helen Kurz - Instructor / Owner
Questions? E-mail me at HelenKurz@PinnacleDogSports.com
Since the age of 4, I have had horses. In 1993, I got hooked in the discipline of Dressage and started competing. I loved and desired this so much that in 1995, I purchased an International FEI Swedish Warmblood named Rampal. We became the Regional and National Champions for the USA in 4th Level dressage and Rampal went on to become the Regional and National Champion in the International Level up to Grand Prix four years in a row. When I retired him at age 18, I then went on to the dogs. My first performance dog was a Golden Retriever, Skylar, a rescue that I acquired in 2000, became one of the top 10 dogs in Ex A, earned her CD and CDX in 3 trials and got 2 legs for her UD in her first two trials.
I then acquired my second Golden, Piccolo (Hytree Strike Up the Band). At 8 weeks of age, I knew this dog was going to be one of the top Golden’s in the country. Piccolo in 10 years of competing acquired
- MACH - 10 times
- Agility Dog Hall of Fame,
- TAG - Top Agility Golden in the USA,
- Lifetime Achievement for Agility MACH Points,
- TQX – Triple Qs in the same day
- Multiple Titles (too many to mention)
Piccolo for 5 years in a row was the top 5 Goldens in the country. He was an awesome performer. His personality was unique, loved by all especially the judges. Piccolo died at the age of 12, still competing, still in the ribbons and missed by all, especially me.
I then acquired by First Border Collie, Kilo (Excel's Kinetic Energy) in 2009. The breeder was so impressed with Piccolo’s s standings that she offered me the top boy in the litter. Kilo comes from World Team parents. Since he was 6 months of age, I had been taken privates with World Team Members who shaped the both of us into becoming a great team. His foundation work had truly paid off. Kilo took the agility world by storm. Everyone loved to watch Kilo as he was one amazing performer, fast, focused, talented and the true meaning of athletic. Kilo’s accomplishments to date:
- MACH – 4 times
- PACH
- 4 Place – AKC Nationals
- 5 Place - UKI European Open
- 20 /173 Place Team Event – US-DAA Cynosport World Games
- 9 Place in the 26” Division Accumulative – USDAA Cynosport World
Games
- 9 Place Steeplechase Finals - USDAA Cynosport World Games
- 1 Place Speedstakes – UKI European Open
- 5 in the Country with the Border Collie Nationals – 2 years in a row
- 7 in the Country with Power 60 last year – fastest and most accurate
- 13 in the Country – AKC Agility Invitational
- #2 POWER 60
- Multiple titles – too many to mention
Kilo was laid to rest in October 2022 at 13 years of age. Will always hold him dear to my heart.
I got my 2nd Border Collie, Krush, who is now 8 years old. He has been extremely challenging, much faster than Kilo. I am learning from two coaches both World Team as I need to handle him differently than Kilo. He is my up and coming star and I see a phenomenal future for Krush. In 2018, I entered him in the USDAA Cynosport World Games and in his First Round of Steeplechase – Krush came in 8th. It was quite impressive.
I started teaching in 2000. I started teaching puppies, went on to Obedience and eventually agility.
In 2013, I started Pinnacle Dog Sports – a dream come true. I went from 18 students to at present – almost 100. I took all my teachings and learning from my World Team coaches and made Pinnacle Dog Sports a very sought out dog training business in the Cleveland Area to date. I have some of the Top Dogs and students with their specific breed in the U.S.
I continue taking 2-3 seminars a year to expand mine, my instructors and my students horizons to keep Pinnacle a State-of-the-art teaching facility. I love teaching. I enjoy all of my student’s accomplishments and learn from their defeats on how to make them a better student. I have been teaching dogs and humans for 23 years and now my dream has come true in starting Pinnacle Dogs Sports. Beside my son, Bob, my students have been my greatest supporters and I could not do it without all of them. Thank you for your confidence and pushing me to do what I thought was impossible!!!!!
