April 10-11, 2004 AKC Show Report, Camarillo, CA

Well, this show was an interesting mix of ups and downs. All the “ups” were on Saturday. I showed Cinder in the International Standard class (where the little girl has to jump 26” which is a stretch for her) and she was AMAZING. She dropped her first bar (I don’t think she was expecting that height despite the practice jumps) but then she whipped around the course, trying really hard to keep her bars up. One more came down (thanks to a poorly timed call on my part) but she was terrific. It was a fun way to start the day!

Our next class was Ex B JWW, back at the normal 20” height. I was running Connie at this show and she turned and burned around the course so fast a couple bars came down but she was a blast! Then Cinder came out and we had one of the best runs we have ever had – tight, fast and furious. She won the class, and I mean really won the class. No one came close to her time. I was so proud of her. I sent Patches into the wrong end of the tunnel but otherwise she was awesome. Gale zipped around the course, happy as a clam, and I was delighted with her 4 th place finish! After all, it was her first time in Ex B JWW and there is a ton of competition. Good girl Gale. Kali ended up my JWW experience by getting her MXJ! YAY Kali!

Our Standard runs were not as successful…oh well. Connie was gorgeous but was too excited to stay on the table for the full count (AAUGHH), Cinder had a refusal at a tunnel because I couldn’t get the commands out quick enough she was going so fast, Gale had an off-course (which is rare) and I didn’t even run Kali. Patches was the star of the Standard run: 4 th and Q. 19 more MACH points achieved.

We are getting there…

The show was run very efficiently and I was on the road by 1:30pm, looking forward to the next day of showing. I should have stayed at home in bed. I got to the site Sunday morning to discover that someone had stolen a bunch of stuff from me: 4 nice dog beds, all my treats, Gale’s KONG ball, a bunch of toys and (worst of all) Oso’s slip lead. I know this sounds stupid but everything else is replaceable: that leash is not. It has been Oso’s competition lead almost since the beginning of his show career and has a ton of sentimental value to me. If I ever find the person…and you can bet I will know them by that lead, they don’t make them anymore and haven’t for years.

Needless to say, this “charming” experience left me pretty upset. The thieves had rifled through ALL my stuff and I felt very violated. My poor dogs suffered for it. The only thing that went well was Cinder’s International JWW class – she took 2 nd place against all the big dogs. It was downhill after that because my timing was totally off and all I really wanted to do was get out of there. So I did.

Moral of the story: NEVER LEAVE STUFF YOU AREN’T PREPARED TO REPLACE. This is the second time stuff has been stolen at this particular site, not sure I will show there again and if I do, I am packing up everything of importance.

Pets to all beasties.