Meet Connecticut Junior Handler Shelby StMary

With her yarn and crochet hook in hand and her Pug by her side, 11-year-old Shelby StMary is cool and calm as she awaits her run at the agility trial. But heading to the start line, the team revs into action. Shelby grips a fuzzy, hot pink leash as “Tesla” fiercely tugs the other end, whipping it back and forth. She places the Pug in a sit-stay and takes a few steps ahead — then, at Shelby’s cue, Tesla races forward, springing over jumps and zipping through tunnels.

Their runs are quick and clean, and Shelby’s worked hard to get them there — both the junior handler and her Pug experienced trial anxiety when they first started to compete. But with patience, creativity, and a keen understanding of Tesla’s strengths and sensitivities, Shelby has developed into a confident, intuitive handler.

“I just go out there for fun, which is the main point when you do it,” Shelby says. “But I do want to do really good.”

Trials (and Errors) as a Young Handler

Shelby, of Marlborough, Connecticut, has been attending agility trials for as long as she can remember. Her mom, Heather Ciribassi, would carry young Shelby on her shoulders on course walkthroughs before competing with her Pugs and Papillons.

At about 5 years old, Shelby made her trial debut with “Camber” (MACH2 Sapphiresky Collection’s Complete MXS MJS MJP NF), her mom’s Papillon — but the run did not go as she had hoped. “He did the jump and went halfway up the dog walk,” Shelby recalls. “And then he looked back, turned around, and then just went back to go look at my mom.”

Embarrassed and discouraged by her first trial experience, Shelby practiced on their backyard agility course to build her confidence and handling skills. At 7, Shelby decided she was ready for a dog of her own — but she’d first have to prove to her parents that she could handle the responsibility.

“I had to pick up poop for, like, a year,” Shelby says. She also helped feed her family’s dogs, made sure she always filled their water bowls, and saved money to help pay for dog food.

Pretty in Pink 

Breeder Patricia Manney, of Petite Fleur Pugs, sent videos of her litter to Shelby’s family so they could watch their future Pug develop through each puppy stage. Shelby secretly had her heart set on the pup with the pink collar — but she knew Manney would decide which puppy would go to each home, based on personality, family lifestyle, and competition goals.

“This happened absolutely perfectly — she was meant to be with us,” Shelby says. Manney revealed her pick for Shelby with a photo of Tesla wearing a pink tutu — she was getting the pup with the pink collar. “Her signature color is now pink. Everything she has is pink, and it’s so fun!”

Tesla “needs direction,” Ciribassi recalls Manney saying. The spunky, spirited pup craves activity and loves kids — an ideal agility prospect for a junior.

“All the time she is looking for stuff to do and just having a good time,” Shelby says. “Even if she messes up, she usually goes back, does it, and then just likes running with me and just enjoys everything.”

When Pugs Fly

With Ciribassi’s coaching, Shelby trained Tesla entirely herself at their home agility yard, then later practiced at other training facilities to proof exercises and expose Tesla to different venues. While Tesla was happy, playful, and highly food-motivated, handling a Pug presented some challenges that Shelby hadn’t encountered with her mom’s Papillons.

“She’s not easy,” Ciribassi says. Tesla doesn’t generalize training concepts as well as the Papillons, she says, and doesn’t commit to obstacles as early. She’s less independent on the course and requires more movement from Shelby to understand where to go. But what she lacks in finer points, she makes up for in moxie.

“They have so much heart — that’s the thing with the breed,” Ciribassi says. “She wants to work, and they’re so food motivated.”

Shelby laughs: “Our bond is very much off of food.”

Shaking It Off

After two years of training, Shelby and Tesla began competing — but Shelby noticed subtle signs of anxiety in the trial environment. Tesla would circle at the start line, pop out of the weaves, and miss contacts, even though she was solid in practice.

“Shelby’s been extremely good at never getting mad at the dog,” Ciribassi says. They worked on the sticky areas in practice but continued to trial in Novice, focusing on making the experience positive and fun.

“When she comes out of the ring, we have a chair with cheese … and they have a little party,” Ciribassi says. Regardless of their performance, Shelby rewards Tesla and always focuses on the positives.

Shelby also started running Camber, who had become much more responsive to her than he was during their initial run together. With an experienced dog like Camber, Shelby could finetune her own handling technique, and her confidence blossomed as the duo nabbed “double Q’s” at trials.

Team Players

In fall 2024, Shelby ran Tesla with “The Young Paw-Dawans” in the Limited Elementary division of the AKC Agility League — a fun way to compete as a team without the pressures of the trial environment. Tesla was ranked No. 1 Pug in the League (out of seven) and second in the 4” jump height class. The following spring, Shelby ran her mom’s Papillon “Rampage” (MACH2 Sapphiresky For Glory MXG MJG MXF T2B) with team “Shake It Off.” The team took first place in the New England region, and Shelby was crowned the third- place junior handler in the League.

Now 4 years old, Tesla is back to trialing and has the titles to prove it — her full name is Petite Fleur Tesla Model P NA NAJ NAP NJP NF BCAT TKN. The duo has also started working with renowned agility trainer Diane Patterson, and Shelby had the opportunity to run Patterson’s Shetland Sheepdog, “Happy,” in Masters. They earned a qualifying score on their run.

Shelby hopes someday to run Tesla at the Pug Dog Club of America National Specialty and the AKC Junior Agility Competition in Orlando, Florida. But until then, her focus is on having fun with her best friend.

“I trust her, and she trusts me,” Shelby says.