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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Dazed and Confused

That pretty much sums up how I feel after this weekend - it is just a blur in my mind.  There was a CKC agility trial in Calgary on Sunday and Monday and I entered both dogs.  My daughter Amy came with us and we went up late Saturday afternoon and set up our shade tent and settled in the hotel room.

Amy and the dogs lounging in the hotel
Maggie making herself comfortable
Sunday
Saturday night a storm went through the show grounds tipping the porta-potties and blowing over all the agility equipment after the courses had been built.  The wind was strong enough to push the A-frame out of the ring, down an incline and onto the driveway.  The wind even blew down my tent.  Luckily, my very nice tent neighbors saved it and it only suffered a broken pole.  Some people lost their tents when they blew away. 
 
In addition to the blown over equipment, there was a glitch in the computer system and many of the dogs were entered in the wrong height, so check in took forever as they tried to get everything straightened out.  So the trial was delayed Saturday morning.  Not a big deal except it was already 20 degrees at 8:00 so I really wanted to get the day started.

My not-so-great start to the morning was compounded when I saw they had Bosley in Novice when I moved him to Intermediate after the NACA trial.  I made sure everything was OK with his move up before the trail closing date and had an email from the show secretary saying everything was good.  Bosley's conformation said he was in intermediate, so I took that to the trial secretary and she said she would change it in the computer and reprint his scribe sheets.  But when I went to check the running order of this first run, he was entered in the wrong jump height - so back to visit the trial secretary again - I think she was getting tired of seeing me at this point.

Now everything is straightened out and the day can proceed smoothy, right?  I wish.  This particular trial runs 2 rings (a Standard and a JWW) at the same time, which is great because the day ends by 2pm.  Except, they start Excellent in one ring and Novice in the other.  This means that the two intermediate rings start at about the same time.  This really sucks when you have both your dogs in intermediate.  I had to walk and remember two courses then try to have both my dogs ready for the two rings at the same time.  I was feeling really overwhelmed.  Needless to say it was not very motivating for me or my dogs - and to top it off it was getting hotter my the minute.

The day was pretty much a write-off.  Bosley got a 'Q' in jumpers, but was generally unfocused - he was really trying to see where Amy was and even left the ring once when he spotted her and ran out to say hi.  I totally didn't expect that from him.  Maggie had one OK run first thing in the morning but no qualifying runs.  She then decided it was too hot to even do the first obstacle of the courses, so we had refusals on 2 runs before we even got started.  The last run of the day she did about  5 or 6 obstacles and then ran back to the tent to get in the shade.  So ended our not-so-great first day.

Bosley keeping cool in the shade tent
Maggie in the shade tent wishing it would snow

Monday
There was another big storm Sunday night, but I collapsed our tent before we left, so my tent was OK.  The storm brought with it nice, cool temperatures and cloudy skies for Monday. But  I had the same problem with having to run both rings at the same time, but I felt a bit more prepared.  

Maggie's first run was a standard run, and since I let her leave the ring on her last run the day before, she thought she could do it again.  She ran out and stood on the other side of the ring barrier laughing at me.  I asked the judge if I could get her, bring her back and make her do some obstacles so she didn't think she could get away with leaving just because she felt like it.  The judge was fine with that (we had great judges).  I went to get Maggie and she was a total brat.  Ever time I would get close to her, she would play bow and bounce just out of my reach.  She thought it was funny - I didn't.  I finally got her and we did the last 6 or  7 obstacles and then she got her cookies.  We went over to the jumpers ring next and Maggie had a nice run and didn't try to leave.  She got a 'Q', with a first place finish, to complete her Intermediate JWW title.  I don't remember her 2nd standard run but she made it around the course.   Her last run was jumpers and since she finished her title, Amy asked if she could run her for fun (Amy has never done any agility).  Maggie was doing OK then she saw Bosley and I waiting at the gate of the next ring.  She ran over to us, but I grabbed her and shoved her back in the ring with Amy and Amy made her finish the last line of jumps.

Bosley had a better day.  He got 2 standard 'Qs' and his focus was better, although not great.  The jumpers ring was right next to our tent, so he was a bit unfocused looking for Amy, so he had some refusals, but that is something we will need to work through.  

Bosley in the weaves

So basically the weekend was one big blur of runs that I can barely remember.  Maggie only knocked one bar all weekend, so she must be getting some strength back.  I got a chance to watch some of the obedience trials going on, which I love.  I also shopped and bought a really nice dog backpack - it even has built in water bladders (like a camel-pack) and the packs are detachable so that it can double as a tracking harness.

Bosley showing off the backpack

5 comments:

  1. Wow what a weekend. That must have been some wind to carry an a-frame away. Im glad things got somewhat better for you. That backpack looks cool. Diana

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  2. gosh what a crazy weekend!! So glad you got a couple of Q's & a title to make it better!!

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  3. I thought I commented already- but it must not have worked.

    Great Job on the Q's, too bad about the lack of organisation though- and the weather!!! Craziness!

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  4. It's so interesting to read this and learn about these competitions. I commend you for all the hard work that goes into this!

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  5. Sounds like a crazy weekend with alot of runs. 'Grats on the Q's! I hope we get to your level one day.

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