Late Summer Trial Rundown

So time has just flown by and it's officially Autumn, and yet I haven't blogged about the late summer trials I competed at with Dally and LaMesa! Boo! And since I have a trial coming up this weekend, I hope to have a lot more to say from this one, so I'm just going to do a quick wrap-up of the late summer trials.

DALLY:

July 10, 2001 - Border Terrier Club of America trial at Queen City Dog Training Club

After the first day with a double NQ because of a some handler mistakes, I just wanted to Q once that weekend. And boy did we make a splash! We earned our very first Double Q, earning 13 PACH points in standard and 4 PACH points in jumpers. I was so ecstatic when we finished our Jumpers run. People thought I had MACHd, but it was pure happiness. Unfortunately we didn't get my Jumpers run recorded because Camille was "in awe" of our run and forgot to press record! LOL I was able to get a Double Q ribbon as well to celebrate our feat!

August 28, 2011 - Miami Valley Doberman Club trial at Queen City Dog Training Club

Saturday (8/27) saw a very fast Standard run, and for once Dally was too fast and could not get stopped on the table, so we had a table fault for that. However, our Jumpers run was very pretty, and just as fast, and she finished with 9 PACH points and her fourth MJP leg).

Sunday (8/28) saw a run that I was able to get some actual distance from Dally, and learned to support the A-frame, in Standard. She ran extremely fast for her, earning 20 PACH points! Her Jumpers run was a lot of fun, and another fast course with her earning 11 PACH points and our second QQ!!

We really ran like a team all weekend--I was so proud of Dally and the improvements we made!

September 18, 2011 - Greater Cincinnati Poodle Club trial at Queen City Dog Training Club

Saturday (9/17) was trying, tight course in Standard, but it was fun. I tried to continue the formula we had in August by trying to run ahead of Dally just enough to get her moving. She earned 9 PACH points in her run, and first place in a tough 4-inches division for her 8th MXP leg. Her Jumpers run turned out to be her first sub-40 run ever, and she was moving!! We earned 8 PACH points in that run and our third QQ!

Sunday (9/18) saw a handler error in the Standard when I was reminded of her run on 8/27 with a tunnel to table...same setup, so I thought I'd try to get her to check-in with me before zooming onto (and possibly off of) the table. She checked in alright...and then stopped right in front of the table, confused about what I was wanting. My mistake. No Q. In Jumpers, though, we redeemed ourselves to earn our 7th MJP leg and 4 PACH points.

So to wrap-up, Dally has earned 3 QQs, 149 PACH points, 8 MXP legs, and 7 MJP legs so far this year! I'd love to earn three more QQs by November 30 to be qualified for the AKC Nationals (Preferred dogs have to earn 6 QQs) in Reno, Nev., but we'll have to see if we can stay consistent at other venues that aren't Queen City.

LAMESA:

After the June Hoosier Kennel Club trial, LaMesa didn't compete in July due to her heat cycle--I had entered her in an all Open/Novice trial in Columbus, Ohio, but we had to withdraw from that trial.

August 27, 2011 - Miami Valley Doberman Club trial at Queen City Dog Training Club

We ran Jumpers first, and after a private lesson with Melanie the weekend before on what I needed to do to work on LaMesa's distance work, we were able to show-off our hard work with this fun course where I could send her over a far jump in order to get where I needed to be. She ran by the weaves once, but was clean the rest of the way for her second Nov JWW Q! Her Standard run had one little hiccup when I mis-handled a tunnel--my hand pointed to the correct entrance, but my body ran towards the other end, and she followed my body--oops. I learned that I need to support everything with my whole body for right now, with her being so green (she's not Dally--Dally would have been slow enough to have stopped and corrected sooner). However, it was still a Q and her second Nov STD leg!

September 17, 2011 - Greater Cincinnati Poodle Club trial at Queen City Dog Training Club

After months of attending AKC agility trials and not having an official VMO (Volunteer Measuring Official) for her temporary height card, there was finally one at this trial. At previous trials, LaMesa had been measured at 11 inches tall, thus being able to jump in the 8-inch jump height (the cutoff for 8-inches is 11), however this VMO measured LaMesa at 11 5/8 inches tall, thus moving her up into the 12-inch jump height. Thankfully I've been training her at 12 inches, but it such a big difference. I shrugged my shoulders and accepted the measurement, knowing that for the next two months she has to be moved up to 12-inches until she turns 2 in November, and then I can get her official jump height card with two measurements--hopefully with two patient, small dog appreciating, VMOs.

So, we went into Jumpers at 12-inches, hearing a few, "She's jumping 12? I'm sorry..." but we went determined to show she could do it. Throughout the course she was taking off too early, and it finally caught up to her towards the end of the run when she came down on a bar, thus marking an NQ for the run.

I think by Standard she was more used to jumping 12 inches again, and we ran a beautiful course! She nailed her weaves and nailed everything, until I started to take off towards the end, like I do with Dally, and she ran by a jump to catch up to me...oops. So we had one refusal, but she was still good enough to win her (new) jump height and earn her Nov STD title.

LaMesa is a lot of fun to run. In the backyard I can make up all sorts of sequences and she'll be like, "OK, Momma, let's do this" and she nails it. I'm excited for what Open has for us!