Few people would expect to see Bull Terriers racing in Canicross…and even more amazing is that 13-year-old Ashton Moore and young brother Hartley are racing them!

CSJ’s Ceri was intrigued to hear from their father Tom that the boys are following in his footsteps with the family dogs, Helga the Bull Terrier, Basil the Bull Terrier, Jorge and Jaxon the German Shepherds and sometimes with other owners’ spare dogs.

Ashton had started at only 6years old joining in with his dad, with his ageing GSD. He said: “We had to both be attached to Jorge as he was 48kg and I was 22! Those beginner runs enabled Jorge to still do a little bit, and myself to get hooked on Canicross.”

Hartley commented: “I had occasionally joined dad and Ashton on Canicross runs but always preferred mountain biking to running so once I discovered Bikejor I determined to switch to that as soon as I was old enough.”

He added that his most memorable success is “entering my first race, and winning it. Extra special was that I used Helga, the Bull Terrier, in her first ever event.  Dad sent me and Helga out with the aim for getting some experience in our first event. Winning was a bonus!”

He then entered the local round of the BSSF National Championships, borrowing a more experienced dog and competing against boys 3-4 years older.  With times much closer to the older lads than anyone expected Hartley caught the attention of a former BSSF champion, who’s now mentoring him.

Meanwhile Ashton recently got his first junior win, with a borrowed dog and had a top half finish competing against adults in a 5k race.

He already had lots of podiums in junior races, often racing with the older dogs that his dad wasn’t racing or someone else’s spare.  

He added: “This experience of running many different breeds, running dynamics, fast dogs, reluctant dogs, reactive dogs, has really generated a reputation for myself as somebody who can handle dogs.  This has paid off this year as I’ve been loaned fast dogs, plus dad is letting me have the faster of our dogs (Helga) now we finally have two young dogs.”

There’s more to read about Ashton, Hartley and Tom on CSJ’s www.csjk9.com

including the family’s hosting of Barn Hunt events – Ceri said: “Owners in all canine sports use our products, but we had to ask what that is.”

For more on CSJ products visit www.csjk9.com or call 01745710470.