I had a post but chaz ate it
No agility isn't instinctual, but the drives ARE. Not all dog sports that are about drive are completely instinctual.. protection work and herding require training (how else does the dog know where the people want the sheep) Yes a JRTs working ability pretty much is instinctual.
But you know how those drives got there? Humans bred them into breeds. So yes you can breed dogs who have lots of drive and will excel in sports like agility and flyball. Drive is simply the amount of desire for something/activity. The more desire a dog has to work for something the easier they are to motivate. A dog who has no desire for much is not going to be a fun, nor terribly successful dog sport dog...
Yes people do have success with less than ideal dog sport dogs. Its often a long road, and for everyone who succeeds there are MANY who don't. ANd those people who have struggled with a less confident or hard to motivate dog are often those who are most likely to be picky about their next dog to ensure that they get a good partner.
When choosing a dog I not only want a dog who fits into my home life, I want one who will enjoy themselves playing with me. Kaiden isn't terribly high drive. He has done well, but he doesn't love the game. Its just something he does. Dekka on the other hand, is a very driven dog... she has food drive, play drive, prey drive and more. This has been focused on agility which she now loves with a passion to the point of it being a bit of a problem at times lol.
As an example this summer I learnt just how much Dekka desires to play agility. There was loud thunder and Dekka was shaking like leaf, trying to drag me over to the people sitting in chairs so she could hide under them and wouldn't eat the treats I had with me despite them being very high value. We had no start line stay but she laid down a very fast (as in worlds type fast) fairly accurate run (we had an off course).
It is this sort of drive that Maf is looking for. It absolutely can be bred for. To say it can't be is kind of silly when you look at the breeders out there doing it. Does that mean every pup is a stellar dog? No, but most are.
Dekka is from my first ever litter. Only two went into agility homes. Dekka's sister has made it to nationals and is getting better all the time
People who have been doing it for generations not only will be producing higher drive and biddable dogs at a higher rate than say confo breeders, they also will be far better at picking a puppy than a confo breeder.
That doesn't mean its certain. For example Wash has turned out a bit shy. But stacking the deck in your favour sounds like a smart plan when you are looking for a companion to live and play with.
ETA if you think anyone is looking for an insta agility star you aren't reading the posts.
you are assuming Maf knows little about agility, when she is likely one of the most accomplished people in dog sports on this entire forum. She knows (and has) that you need to put an ass load of work to train a dog. That is the whole point. She wants a dog that will enjoy the ass load of work and be good at the end of it. Not a 'not quite make time' dog.
I have to say I am a little shocked if you are a breeder (I dont' pay attention) that you hold this attitude that these things can't be bred for and that if someone wants a dog that will likely have aptitude in a sport they are looking for an insta (insert sport here) dog...