Hello, I am Vicki Conroy, welcome to the world of Waiiri – Breeding and Positive training for Horses and Dogs.

I’ve always been an animal person, from farmyard animal toys instead of dolls as an 8 year old, to showjumping courses with our Corgi  as an 11 year old, to my first pony at 14, to leaving home as a young adult so I could get my first two cattle dogs.  These were my hobbies and my passion, and yes you can guess, my career also. Starting work in my first Veterinary Clinic at 15 after school, full time when I left school, and that’s what I’ve done ever since, as animals are where my heart is.

I have owned, bred, trained and sometimes trialled cattle dogs for 25 years, completing my first Dog Club Instructors Course 25 yrs ago. I have ridden horses for 32 years, breeding Warmbloods for 20 yrs, and competing successfully at Dressage for 15 years.  I am currently undertaking my EFA Dressage Level 1 Coaching.

With my animals, my interests have always been the whole show – not just the  competing but the training to get there in the first place. The selection of the right sire to produce the best that I can, and the right homes for the young stock.  As all the horses and dogs are friends first, and breeding and competition second, I have always tried to find the best training methods, which ultimately led me to positive reward based training, and clicker training.

To this end, I regularly attend positive dog training clinics and seminars by overseas speakers to keep myself up to date. I also attend equine clinics of other disciplines to help get the whole picture, and I will host or conduct both dog and horse positive training clinics to help spread the word about a better way of training for our four legged friends.

I have completed level 1 and 2 equine touch, and should be undertaking my level 3 or practitioner level course and examination November 2006.  I have completed both Bach Flower and Australian Bush Flower practitioner courses, but use these modalities for treating animals only, along with an introduction to herbal medicine, and the beginnings of a diploma in homoeopathy; this will probably remain unfinished though due to too many animals and not enough time!!

I currently conduct puppy preschool classes, and together with Maureen McDonald (CGC instructor) and Karen West (Wangara Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs) conduct positive dog training courses at Singleton, NSW.