I can't wait. Though I really don't know why, as I will have absolutely no free weekends. NONE. ZERO.
Whazzup with that?
Summer fun, that's all.
But mainly looking forward to warmer, drier days and many opportunities to train the pups.
We had yet another awesome weekend of USDAA trialing, in Castle Rock, CO.
The drive down and back was very unusual in that it was sunny both ways, dry and warm. In March! On I-80, in WY! It was as uneventful as it could ever get. Thank goodness for some great company of my friend and fellow agility nut and her spacious mini-van. We fit all five dogs in there, plus dog gear, plus her stuff, plus my STUFF!
Can you find all the dogs in here? LOL
Banshee and her awesome team mate Luke took first place in Performance Team. In addition my babe got all her Qs for the titling championship classes she was entered in: 1 gamblers, 1 pairs and 1 more jumpers down. Very soon there will be none left and she will be back again competing in Performance in all the other classes. As of now, I am only entering her in the championship classes at 22in for which we are chasing Qs to finish off that ADCH-Gold and thus close-up her amazing Championship career. I am hopeful that by taking it easy now and being selective about the classes, she will hold up long enough to finish those off. I am giving it until this summer. If it looks like she is not up to the task, we will step down to Performance and call it good just the way things are. I'd rather enjoy many more years with stepping up to the start line together.
She loves the game and that's all that matters.
Riot was a crack-smokin' queen this weekend. The runs we had together were pure thrill.
The good thing is that I am no longer afraid, no longer nervous that things will fall apart. Now it is all about getting out there and running. Oh my, is that ever fun and exhilarating. The only annoying part of it, is that while at the end of each run I am huffing and puffing, Riot doesn't even pant. She's ready for at least two more laps around the course. So most definitely, more conditioning is in order for me or she will kill me out there.
So now back to the drawing board.....
We have a list of 4 things to work on through the summer that are major POI (Points Of Interest);
1. RDW
2. Obstacle discrimination
3. Doubles and Triples
4. Send to wrap
Yes, I am revisiting Riot's running dog walk, as we have missed a few initial steps during the learning process. Miraculously, or solely by her choice (read off-course), we managed to avoid the DW this last weekend, most of the time except in Team Std and GP where required. She got it, but GP was not very good and she went off course straight into the trap-tunnel anyways. In the two STD classes, there was a DW/tunnel discrimination, so after the first pass through the tunnel, she was pretty much convinced that was the way to do it on the second pass through there. LOL. Not quite, but I was not about to force her onto the DW, out of stride and all, so we just quit right there.
That brings up the next POI - obstacle discrimination. It's about time we start working on those, heavily, so that she understands the discrimination and I don't have to baby-sit.
Another POI is spreads. Second weekend in a row of trialing and she had a very hard time with the doubles. She takes off so early she crashes on top of them. So we started working on different approaches and set points for taking off to the double. It will take a while and I have to get creative so that she recognizes a big jump and adjusts every time accordingly, no more winging it.
Last, but not least are sends to a wrap. She has beautiful collection if I am there to support it. Once I am removed from the picture and she has to make her own adjustments she sails and overshoots. I want to be able to queue tight turns while at a distance and while she's at full speed. We have not spent nearly enough time training those.
The last highlight of the weekend, though all 3 days were just a blast, she and her two other team mates, earned a team Q, which also gave Riot that second Q required for the Tournament Master title. Go Beanie Baby. Can't believe she's already got that one, yet just barely moved up to Masters.
Yes, OK, the standard courses will take longer, while we are revisiting the whole RDW issue. Not in a rush to say the least. I am actually planning on skipping all classes requiring a DW, such as STD and GP for the next month or so.
She is truly my Snooker Queen, her 5th SQ earned her a Master Snooker title as well. Our last Snooker run was so fast, after completing 3 available reds + 7, we finished the course in 12 seconds under max time. We could have easily done a 4th red + 7, if it were available. HE HE HE. My little pocket rocket.
Not to forget Mouse; we have been diligently training weave poles which she hates and me thinks she believes they should only be done at every other one. UGH. She is entered in her first USDAA trial first weekend of April. We shall see how fast she loses her mind, or maybe not at all ;-)
No standard classes just yet as we still have few obstacles to learn, such as the dreaded teeter and the chute. In time, in time. This is just going to be a get out and play day and see where we're at.
Getting ready for another flyballing weekend first in sunny St George. Maybe we could even go swimming? ..........
