Long Nights and Early Mornings

Buster, Xander and I headed to Deland on Saturday afternoon for the second annual Dog-On-It USDAA night trial at Gail Waller's house. Last year, it was our very first experience doing "real agility." We got our first measurement, even though we didn't have a card and didn't get credit because USDAA sent ours to the wrong address and I didn't know I needed one to be filled out. AKC has those forms at trials....So anyway, given that he turned 3yrs old this week, we got our fourth and final measurement this weekend! No more measuring torture at trials!!

Last year we had the misfortune of entering only Saturday night, and being about 5 minutes from our very first run when the power went out and never came back on. Sadly, a small airplane had crashed into a power pole nearby (Gail's place is right next to the airport), and took out the power all night. The man lost his life, so although we were inconvenienced, it was a trivial thing once we found out the cause. We ended up returning on Sunday night last year to complete our runs, and most competitors were there well into the night finishing Sunday's runs after Saturday's runs. Last year we ran Gamblers, Pairs, and Grand Prix. This year, again, I entered only Saturday, however the runs included Gamblers, Jumpers, and Grand Prix. Although we saw a swarm of skydivers, which was amazing, no one crashed into any power poles. We were still there until 1am though....

The evening started with Jumpers. We've only run in four complete USDAA trials and the one night in Deland last year. So he's only had two opportunities at Advanced Jumpers, both of which we NQ'd for a knocked bar or off course. I was very pleased that we earned a needed Q Saturday night, and although we had some wide turns to tighten up, still managed a 20 second run with 2nd place. Now we need two Standard Q's and a Pairs Q for his AAD!

Gamblers is my favorite game, and he has Q'd in all but one of our runs since we began competing in USDAA. Kelli Verelli set up a fun course, complete with rubber contacts, and we earned our Advanced Gamblers title with 2nd place. He was slow coming across the unfamiliar rubberized dogwalk, and we barely missed earning points on our last teeter, which would have clinched 1st place. His aframe in the gamble was picture perfect though, so I was very pleased anyway. Now we get to play at the Master's level!

Scribing and playing gate steward helped keep me occupied, but poor Buster was wondering if we were ever going to go home by the time Grand Prix started at MIDNIGHT. I had estimated we'd be done by 10pm, so he had every right to be impatient! Xander is also pretty typically grumpy and ready for bed by 10pm, so I was impressed when it came time for our GP run at 12:45 am and he was up to play! He had a GORGEOUS run going until he didn't quite collect for the weave entry and entered at the second pole. Which was probably a blessing considering he WIPED OUT the triple which was the very last obstacle. Our future DAM team partner Nitro did the same thing right before us, as did several other dogs. It was in the dark, and I just didn't warn him sufficiently. Poor guy. In the video, you can hear everyone cry out in sympathy. He hopped right up and was good to go the next day, so thank goodness for resilient, young dogs!

I would like to note also that his dogwalk was fast and confident the second time over, and he had a beautiful send out around the backside of the following jump. The little stinker did self release from his A-frame, but considering it was almost 1am, I decided to cut him some slack. Maybe he will associate the self release with wiping out on the triple....is that wrong of me to think?

Anyway, Buster was such a great sport, and drove most of the way home until I took over at about 2am. We were in bed by 3am, and just because we are crazy, woke up at 7:30 and drove to Universal Studios on Sunday. Who needs sleep when there is Rip, Ride N' Rockit to ride and butterbeer to drink?!

Yesterday was a day of recovery and cleaning house for me, and a day of work and golfing with his boss for Buster. And here were are in September. Didn't this year just start?!! September means the beginning of trial season though, so bring it on!!