Though I didn't post the videos for our February CPE trial, I did want to put up Lexi's first agility run at a trial. We did not Q, but I just wanted to see where Lexi's level of training was.
Awesome things about our run:
GREAT start line stay
Came back to me after visiting the bar setter
Beautiful dog walk contacts
Came back after her zoomie laps
SHE HAD SO MUCH FUN
I know it wasn't what most people would consider the perfect run, but I am so thrilled with my baby dog. She showed me she has GREAT foundation. She had a blast, had good speed, and was HAPPY! When we are able to focus the crazy, she will be absolutely rocking awesome! Yay baby dogs!!!!
And yes, I know there is a typo in the credits, it was just too much of a pain to try fixing it. :) Enjoy!
MCDF Trial, February 24-27, Albany, OR
This turned out to be a great trial for us, as are all the trials that we do close to home. Because this venue is about 45 minutes from my house we entered all four days.
Friday
Our judges for the weekend were Howard Etzel and Carla Boudrot. We hadn't run under either one before.
Unfortunately I have misplaced the maps for Friday, and didn't have any video. The results were an NQ in Standard but a Q and 6th place (11 MACH points) in JWW. If I find the maps I will post them at a later date! :)
Saturday
Saturday morning started out with the announcements. Because we had not QQ'd on Friday, I was totally not expecting anything for the High in Trial awards. I was floored when we took HIT working group on our jumpers run alone. Mind you, it was an AWESOME jumpers run, but there were lots of fabulous dogs there. The problem was the standard course was not good for a lot of dogs, thereby handing us our fourth ever HIT. Way cool!
The day, as usual started with standard.
Excellent B Standard
Looked like a fairly decent course, turned into a train wreck. :) I sent HP into the tunnel for the start, then moved into a landing side FC on jump #2. Over the dogwalk and he sighted in on that darn tunnel. I was able to call him off it, and over on to the table, but in his excitement he blew his down contact on the dog walk. Darn it! He only blows down contacts when the next obstacle looks like it's the tunnel! Shoot. Oh well. On to the table (with a FC), then in to the tunnel. Nailed the weaves, as well as the 360 at 7/8/9. No probs at the teeter or the panel. My plan was to FC and call HP to the A-frame, and I pulled too hard. He ran next to me, PAST the A-frame, then took an off-course tire when I tried to call him back around. Bleh, bad handler! The rest was rather uneventful, with a RC between 13/14, and a push out over the last jump. NQ. :( I don't feel too bad though, as the Q rate for this course for the 24 inch dogs was 12%! Ouch!
Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves
Tricky little twisty course for jumpers. For this one I started on the left, FC between 3/4, FC between 6/7, over the 180 and into the tunnel. Nailed the weaves again, pushed him out to take 13 while I got in another FC between 14/15, and a push out at the last jump that he read really well. I was very pleased. Q and 6 MACH points, which I consider pretty good since this course was what I call a "border collie" course. Lots of twisting and turning, hard for the big dogs to open up and really RUN.
Sunday
Excellent B Standard
Another tough standard course, which seemed to be the theme for the weekend. The plan was to start on the left and stay there through the A-frame, rear cross between 5/6, front cross between 9 and the table, front cross between 11/12 (almost a disaster, I got in his way, probably should have rear crossed that one!), another fc between 15 and the tire, then treat 17/18/19 as a serpentine (send him over 17, pull him back over 18, then send him on to 19 with a RC between 18/19). Bad handler forgot where she was going after 18! Thank god my boy is such a good worker, he was able to recover without earning a refusal for a Q for this run. Q, 3rd place, and 12 MACH points! We rarely ever place so I was very stoked about this run!
Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves
Now THIS course looked like fun! Like Friday's JWW course, it was wide and open, letting the big dogs really RUN. HP loved this course! I started out on the left, did an RC when he was in the tunnel (#6), then it was a flat out run down the back. HP read my push out to #9 very well, allowing me to get in an FC between 10/11. Another short straight to the weaves (the off course #6 was a worry, but he handled it well), then another straight line (14/15/16), RC between 16/17, and down the home stretch. Q and 9th place, 11 MACH points! Woo! Fast and fun!
Monday
Monday morning we found out we had earned our fifth ever HIT working group due to our QQ the previous day. Way to go team HP!!!
Excellent B Standard
Probably the best standard course of the weekend. The 180 at the start I handled with a landing side front cross at 2. Around in a smooth loop (avoiding the off course table at #10), over the dog walk, tunnel, jump and on the table. Nailed the weaves, around in another smooth loop, rear cross between 15/16, which HP read very well, then around to the finish. Q, 4th place, and 14 MACH points!
Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves
Lovely, fun jumpers course. I had great hopes of grabbing another QQ for the weekend. It was not to be though. Started with a nice line 1-3, FC between 3/4, then a knocked bar at 6. :( It was the end of a very long weekend though, so we finished up, the only other side change being a rear cross between 17/18. NQ. Oh well, still very proud of my boy and a wonderful weekend!
Totals for our weekend: QQs - 1 Qs - 5 MACH pts -54 HIT working group - 2
