Well it has been a crazy couple of weeks. Brisbane with the team, then to Canberra with Jack (and the Puke-ster with a record 5 vomits on the way down there), then Wollongong for an ADAA trial that had me doing a silly 14 runs ( who's idea was that) in a day to having a fun day judging the rescheduled Milton Ag show open agility trial this weekend.
Now - as my son informs me, its 10 days until we fly out with the team and my last "Doggy " stuff is done.
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| Happy Rescue dog |
This was my second year judging at Milton as I am not a "official" judge nor do I want to be. Its a path that suits some and does not suit others. I am in the others category, but enjoy days like this very much.
I have been doing agility now for over 20 years ( to scared to add up the how many over) and to be given the opportunity to watch people in their first time in the ring with the nerves that we all go through, and to be given the opportunity to help the new handlers enjoy themselves is a great honor.
To me, the day was a reflection on what agility really is and it comes straight on the back of what can only be considered the most stressful situation I think I will ever go through in my agility career coming up ( and that goes for all the team I think). It was a day of first timers, old timers and everything in between. What a contrast.
It was in a one ring in and enclosed fence and everyone sat around cheering everyone for their successes and for their failures. We had 2 old timers who were lovely ladies that needed an assistant to do the course with them as they were unable to remember. They took a long time to get around, but go the loudest applause from the people there.
We were in no rush - we were not there for cards, team places, handler reviews or first places. We were there for a great day out with our human friends and our best friends. The club put on a BBQ, people got into the ring to practice sections they had trouble with and had advice from others how to handle situations and it truly was a lovely reminder of what agility is all about and should be all about..
It was just a really great day and a fitting reminder with what we are about to face, that although sheep stations are nice, the true spirit of agility is much nicer.
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| Jack & Jess playing in Canberra. This is what having a dog is all about |
On the family side, Jack ran Maverick again in Novice jumping and went clear and came 3rd. He was so proud of himself as I was of him, and even more so Maverick yet again earned my true respect and stayed with Jack the entire way. They are both growing up before my eyes.
I had entered Bug in Novice jumping with Jack, but Jack decided Bug was to fast for him so I offered her up to anyone who wanted to run her and have an opportunity to run a dog that is very honest with your handling. I had a few offers and decided on A girl called Tracy who ran a Poodle and had never run a big dog. Tracey was great, she listened to what I said and they were doing really well until Bug saw me in the ring and naturally came over. She went off course and got a DQ but the handing of the rest of the run was beautiful to watch.
We ended the day with a pairs event, of which Tracy again ran Bug. I told her to really Tell Bug what she wanted and there was no where on this course I could remove my self to so I figured she would spend most of the course coming over to me.
They entered the ring and Tracy asked her to sit at the start which was about a meter from me. Bug didnt and Tracey persisted and pushed her down. Bug went "alrighty" and off they went for the most beautiful run with Louise and Bella. They crossed the line, and Bug did not once look for me and left the ring like she was Tracy's dog and off they went for a ball game. I should add here that they won the pairs event by a long way which was just great for them both.
I was so proud of Bug as she was calm, focused and jumped very clean and honest and I was very proud of Tracy for stepping up to run the judges dog and doing something she had never done before.
Today she showed me, that its really nice to hand your dog over to someone else, and trust that what you have put into her, will blossom and flourish no matter who runs with her. Again, very fitting with what we are about to go through with the team in the US.
I think it is safe to say she was "Buggered" when she got home..
Now with 10 sleeps to go, I can work on getting everything ready for me to take a 3 week absence from my life and the "Dog Blog" will now become my "WAC blog".
After all, my dogs are what got me to the WAC. Its going to be a fun ride.
