BPhoto courtesy of Buzassy Photo
Viveka Rosenberger, a resident of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, and her Shetland sheepdog, Monty, compete in a dog agility competition.
Vestavia Hills resident Viveka Rosenberger and her Shetland sheepdog, Monty, have earned yet another spot on the United States agility world team and will represent the nation at the 2026 World Agility Open in The Netherlands in May.
The World Agility Open is one of the most prestigious international dog agility championships in the world, drawing top competitors from dozens of countries. This year’s competition will be held May 13-17 in Ermelo, The Netherlands.
Rosenberger and Monty earned their place on the U.S. world team with a fourth place finish at the WAO tryouts, held during the 2025 UK Agility International U.S. Open in Jacksonville, Florida, this past November. The event featured the nation’s top agility teams competing for a limited number of world team positions.
Rosenberger is the first competitor from Alabama to earn spots on multiple USA world teams. She previously represented the United States on the American Kennel Club agility world team in Sweden, where the Intermediate team finished eighth in the world.
“Making a world team once is a dream,” Rosenberger said in a news release. “To do it multiple times, with a large Sheltie, on the world stage — it’s incredibly special.”
Rosenberger and Monty broke barriers at the 20-inch height traditionally dominated by border collies.
