Kachina Mountain Australian Shepherds

Happy Dog Agility
USDAA TRIAL
May 24-26, 2008

Let me start off by saying that all of us (Gale, Cinder and myself) were completely exhausted for this trial since we had spent the previous three days working sheep. Then, first run of the first day (which was Perf. Nat'l Std which I need with both Gale and Cin) Cinder ate it on the dog walk. Badly. She even tried to square herself up but it didn't work which resulted in a mad scrabbling fall off the side of the walk. It was horrible. Needless to say, I was not about to put her back on and get the Q: I pet her, walked her off, iced her knees and then she got a massage. The massage person said she felt ok - just a little sore in the left front and that it was probably ok to continue running her. The only other thing I ran her in on Sat was PIII Jumpers and I let her set her own pace. She still won the class (there were 23 16" PIII dogs! It was a huge class!) And she won it again on Sunday and Monday so Jumpers is definitely our strength!

Gale didn't Q in either PNS or Jumpers and we were all so tired, I decided to bail on the last two classes of the day and we went home and went to bed. Sunday was a much better day. Gale and Finn had a smoking PIII Pairs run which despite the almost 7 second hold at the baton switch off, we won by like 3-4 seconds!!

Cinder and I took it easy in PIII Snooker but she still pulled a bar (which she never does) in the opening so many folks who needed Super Q's were quite happy with us.

Patches (the black tri Aussie) is over 12 years old now so I entered her in a very limited slate of classes - mostly Jumpers and Snooker. Of course, since she doesn't need the PNS leg, she ran clean. Figures. I try and take it easy with the old lady these days: we run however she wants to run. We had a great time in Snooker and finished 4th overall.

While both Cinder & Gale got Q's in PSJ on Sunday, I decided to pull Gale from Round 2 on Monday. Weaves are not her strongest point so I decided discretion was the better part of valor. I did run Cinder but since this was the first run of the day, Cinder woke up in the 2nd set of weaves so we got beaten by a sheltie. Sigh...Still we took 2nd and money actually paid for her entry in the class in the first place so it all ended up ok J

Seeing as it was Day 3 of the trial (and really Day 6 for me and my dogs) I pansied out in Snooker (which I almost never do) and just did the course with the best flow for me and Cin. But it was still a decent run and Cinder tried hard as usual.

Patches dropped a bar in Jumpers and in Snooker so 3 days may have been too much for the old gal. Gale picked up some Snooker legs and some Jumpers legs (with consistent 3rd places...go figure.) Final thought – on Monday for PIII Jumpers, Cinder and I were the 2nd dog in and as I was watching the dog ahead of us, I thought "Oh! There are 2 more jumps than the course I walked!" I totally chickened out and did a rear cross at the end just to keep the bars up. With Gale I did a front cross that worked much better but you will just have to trust me on that.

I can't quite seem to catch up on the last 6 days and I am a little panicked because Sizzle is in her first trial EVER this weekend (and Mia is the judge.) I just did a teeny tiny bit of weaves with her - she is looking good - I just have to remember to get ahead of her in the poles. For now. And I set up my tunnel which smells like skunk. I told you all about my skunk experience last week right? I think the little critter has moved in with the suicidal bunny - who is still alive and well by the way.