HIGH DESERT AGILITY TRIAL - Pomona, CA  AKC Agility Trial
December 29 – January 1, 2007

Check out the video

Nancy talked me into going to this trial and I am sure glad I did!  Despite feeling really, really (really) icky on Thursday night, I loaded up the beasties in the van and headed down on Friday morning for the trial.  I don’t remember a whole lot of that first day except that Chancie was really good (although pushing me on his contacts – the little rat is self-releasing) it was my fault my dogs weren’t getting around the courses.  Despite me, Cinder picked up an Ex B Std leg (for 5th place) and the judge later told me that the entire time Cinder (or any of my other dogs) was on the table, I was bent over muttering “I will not throw up.  I will not throw up.”  Needless to say, only Cinder and Patches (my old reliable dogs) picked up Q’s.   Patches also Q’d in Ex B Std P with a 1st so only 2 measly ribbons to show for the day.  I took all my grapefruit seed extract and went back to the hotel to go to bed.

Saturday was a better day for me.  I felt better, still not 100%, but I didn’t feel as horrid as I had on Friday.  Chancie started out the day by having a lovely Ex A Std run but dropped a panel jump.  (My fault – as usual!)  He did FANTASTIC in Ex A JWW (it was his first time in Ex) and not only got around clean but took 4th place!  Yay Chance!

Gale had a lovely standard run but didn’t get her dog walk contact (sigh…) but made up for it by zipping around her Ex B JWW course for another Q. Cinder had an AMAZING day.  Although we didn’t Q in either class, our runs were fast and furious and just about perfect except for one bar (the last one) on both runs.  Cinder’s JWW run was BLISTERING – she was over a second faster than any other dog that ran that course.  I was thrilled with her.  Cinder doesn’t normally have a bar issue so I am not terribly worried about it J  Patches was wonderfully predictable as well – Q’d in both her Ex A Pref. classes to finish up those titles and both with placements (and I think they were both 1st places.  I think.)

Sunday I finally felt like myself.  It is amazing how much the dogs respond to my mental attitude – especially Gale.  On Friday, Gale was fairly worthless but then again, so was I J  She had a beautiful Ex B JWW run – picked up another leg and had a dynamite Std course until I sent her the wrong way.  Bad Kristi.  Cinder was lovely – and picked up Double Q #15!  Only 5 more to go!  Patches also picked up a Double Q – her first in Ex B Preferred so only another 19 to go before that Preferred MACH – we’ll just see if the old girl can hang in there long enough.  Chance was awesome!  He not only picked up his first Ex A Std leg – he won the class!  He had a wonderful JWW run but his handler (again, Bad Kristi) tried to jam him into the weaves so he missed his entry.  But he kept all his bars up and I really pushed him down the final line.

The last day, Monday, was another good day.  I ran Chance first in Ex A Std and almost sent him off course but good boy that he is, he listened, called off and picked up his 2nd leg with another blue!  Then I ran the same course with Cinder and, yes, you guessed it, sent her off course in the same place I had almost sent Chance off course.  Sigh.  By the time I ran Gale, I was so paranoid about that particular spot on the course, it is amazing she got around at all – but she did and picked up an Ex B Std leg.  Gale then went on to Q in JWW so picked up Double Q #2 – it’s a long road to the MACH.  Patches went off course in Standard (and no, not at the same place) but redeemed herself in JWW by picking up another leg.  Chancie had a lovely JWW weave run – I can’t remember why he didn’t Q – something I did because he is such an honest dog!  I had a wonderful time at the trial and as I said at the beginning, I am really glad Nancy talked me into going!