Contact Point - USDAA Agility Trial
August 4 - 5, 2007

I was supposed to go to Hollister and trial in ASCA (Cinder was way up there in points for a buckle series) but Gale came into season and I had to change my plans. There was no place up in Hollister to have a bitch in season (they shouldn’t be on the show grounds) and this particular site doesn’t allow street parking. So, in a moment of desperation and frustration, I contacted the trial secretary and she (being the wonderful person that she is) let me into this trial. I could park my new RV in a parking lot away from the site and still be close to run dogs but Gale wouldn’t affect any of the dogs at the trial.

I am so glad I did this trial – I had a great time! I only had Patches and Cinder which meant I was only in Performance (Gale is my only Masters dog at this time) and it made for a really laid back trial. It also didn’t hurt that I had the A/C on my rig going so whenever I got too hot, back to the RV to sit and relax. It was AWESOME!

On Saturday, Cinder ran in PIII Standard, PIII Snooker and Perf. Speed Jumping. She was amazing, Q’d in everything and took 2 nd in everything – to Scout – my nemesis. Patches had a lovely PIII Standard going, got on the table and at the count of 2, looked at me, barked and jumped off! Naughty child! But hey, she is over 11 years old now, she can do whatever she wants! She also Q’d in Perf. Speed Jumping, PIII Snooker and Perf. National Standard. Overall, my day was 6 for 7 in the Q department. Not bad!

Sunday was another great day for both my dogs. Patches had a tremendous time on course but only Q’d in PIII Jumpers. Cinder had a fabulous day. She won PIII Standard (Scout must have done something wrong…) and PIII Jumpers (Scout had gone home.) Round 2 of Perf. Speed Jumping was 2 A-Frames – not our best obstacle. Cinder creeps on the downside of both the frame and the dogwalk. Yes, I am working on it. The first time we went over the frame, I was able to be right there, urging her on to come down faster and her frame was actually quite good for her. (I knew the frames were going to kill us because Scout is not only much taller than Cinder, he has a running frame.) The second frame was not so good. I had to run past to a jump so I could cue a turn, I turn back and Cinder is PERCHED on top of the frame, at a dead standstill. AAUUUGHH!!!! With much coaxing, and it felt like it took eons to get her down the frame, she finally touched and off we went. But we killed SECONDS at the frame and I can’t give that kind of time away to Scout – he beats us when we are both clean. I knew that Scout had to make an error in order for Cinder to win the class but I HATE watching a run, especially when it’s a dog and handler I really like, and hoping they make a mistake. I try not to, but human nature….Cinder had been clean, so except for our time-suck on the frame, Scout had to go clean to beat us. I watched him run and he had a beautiful run going and then Mark sent Scout wide around a jump (this is time and faults so this was just a time issue) and the time it took to re-set Scout was just enough for Cinder and I to slither into 1 st place! Yay Cinder! But man, I am going to work on those contacts because we just can’t give time like that away at Nationals!

I am so glad I got to do this trial. I got to demo my new motorhome, Patches and Cinder picked up some more Q’s and Cinder actually won money for the 2 nd weekend in a row! Good dogs!