As I mentioned before, this was my first nationals event since 1999, and Panic's first ever "big" event as well. So, even though at 1st glance we didn't do too great, I am honestly thrilled at how we did. I overcame my nerves which is huge. Other than our "oops" in each run, the runs were really pretty good!!
This last week was quite an emotional one. One of our friends who was in L'ville had a dog pass away at home over the weekend. Another friend in L'ville had a dog who was just recently diagnosed with cancer not be able to run at all at nationals and he had to put him to sleep Monday morning after returning home. Another friend who wasn't in L'ville also had to put their dog to sleep over the weekend. Watching Houston's victory lap during the vet's AA thing on Sunday.
It all made you think about your dog and why we do agility... is it for the competitive glory, or for the bond between us? (There's nothing wrong with being competitive, I am competitive myself. I want to do the best we can do, and if the best we can do is beating dogs at a national level, then I would strive for that. But if we're not physically at that level, that's ok too.) All of this has helped me come to a decision. Panic is moving to Performance. In Steeple quarters, she wasn't terribly slow, but I just felt like I was dragging her along the course. I don't feel like that when we run 16" in AKC. She has slowed down some over the year jumping 22", and still is fast at 16". She doesn't appear uncomfortable jumping 22, and still Qs, is still competitive locally, etc. I am sure I could run her at 22 for a few more years, accruing more Qs and doing well. However, the fact that she runs faster at 16" tells me she is more comfortable there. And does it really matter what program we run in? Not really. She wasn't a top competitive dog at 22", she won't be at P16" either (at nationals that class is DARN competitive!). The titles being championship or perf don't matter. What matters is that Panic loves to run agility, and I love doing it with her. I want to be able to do that for as long as possible, and I think jumping 16" will make that last longer. I always knew her career at 22" wouldn't be super long... being a 17" tall dog with straight rear angulation just makes it tough!! I can't wait now to run her in Perf. I think it will be interesting to see if when she "gets" that 16" is what she's running now, she starts extending more. I have run her at a BRAG starter/adv trial before in P1, so we have to finish our P1 and P2 titles, and it will be fun to run the "easy" stuff again.
I look forward to running agility with my awesome little yellow dog for as long as possible. Her smile after we run tells me she doesn't care how we do, or what program she competes in... she just loves me and the game.
10.19.2010
Nationals Wrap Up
Whew, my first USDAA nationals (or of any sort really!) since 1999 is done. It was long, but I had a *great* time. This is the post that will detail my runs, my thoughts on the whole thing to follow in another post!
It's only about a 3.5 hr drive for us, which was of course fantastic. We arrived on Monday evening bc we made our hotel reservations eons ago and didn't know they'd be starting so late in the day on Tuesday, or else we probably would have just driven down Tues morning. But it ended up being very nice, we slept in some on Tuesday and then went to Bob Evans before heading to the site. Our crating space was perfect, it was close to the big garage door entrance on the wall - so our dogs had a wall behind them, and in the afternoon when it was sunny the light streaming in the windows did not hit them.
We got checked in, and ready to walk at 3pm. Or.... not :) For whatever reasons that was delayed quite a bit. But, we ran European Standard, and E'd. Panic ran off the DW into the tunnel, which was not correct. Oh well, she was moving quite fast and had some killer poles. Also, I was a nervous WRECK. I really didn't expect to be nervous, but when I went to the start line, I was shaking all over. Could barely get Panic's leash off! I felt like I was in the obedience ring with Dexter again (an experience I really never wanted to repeat!). So I was handling kind of goofy (Andy told me I looked pretty ridiculous).
Ok so *that's* over with. Now move on and forget about the nerves!
Wednesday was Team Gamblers. Our section ran first, and Panic was 15th in. We did OK - I wasn't very nervous and practiced my deep breathing before I ran which really helped! She did get called on one AF contact, but got her 2nd one. I wasn't exactly where I had planned to be for the close, so I didn't execute my original closing plan. I wish I had, I'm sure I still would have had enough time, but since we were so early in the day I hadn't gotten to watch enough dogs to get a feel for it yet. So we ended up with only 35 points, which was not great but at least we got points. And most importantly I conquered my nerves.
Thursday was Team Standard & Steeple Quarters. I ran standard first. I thought it would be a great course for Panic. UNfortunately, she went off course after jump #3! I am really not sure why - I guess from the vid my shoulders were SLIGHTLY open as she went over jump #3 and she assumed she was supposed to take the backside of this other jump. Weird since we don't often practice that skill! BUT I will say, the rest of her run was quite lovely, so I certainly didn't want the E for my team, but I was happy the rest went well. Steeplechase - she skipped jump #4 and then went off course. I have NO CLUE why this happened, still can't figure it out from watching the tape. I was moving laterally away from the jump but cued it, maybe I didn't give a verbal, not sure.
Friday was Team Snooker. I planned to do 5-4-7-7 in the opening. She did this BEAUTIFULLY. I was really happy with the opening. In the close we took #2 going the "hard" way, which meant I had to wrap her between the tunnel/AF to get to #3. I was 95% sure she could do this. Well, the 5% prevailed! So we only got through #2 in the close :(
Saturday was Team Jumpers. I did something goofy at the beginning and almost got a refusal, but saved it and she was clean. Not super fast, but clean. I was pretty happy with this.
Sunday was Rekoons. It took me several times in the walkthrough realizing I was not following the rules before I finally "got it". She held her stay at the start, and ran beautifully. I was THRILLED with this run, nice to end the weekend on a good note :) She placed 8th, and got a ribbon!!!
It's only about a 3.5 hr drive for us, which was of course fantastic. We arrived on Monday evening bc we made our hotel reservations eons ago and didn't know they'd be starting so late in the day on Tuesday, or else we probably would have just driven down Tues morning. But it ended up being very nice, we slept in some on Tuesday and then went to Bob Evans before heading to the site. Our crating space was perfect, it was close to the big garage door entrance on the wall - so our dogs had a wall behind them, and in the afternoon when it was sunny the light streaming in the windows did not hit them.
We got checked in, and ready to walk at 3pm. Or.... not :) For whatever reasons that was delayed quite a bit. But, we ran European Standard, and E'd. Panic ran off the DW into the tunnel, which was not correct. Oh well, she was moving quite fast and had some killer poles. Also, I was a nervous WRECK. I really didn't expect to be nervous, but when I went to the start line, I was shaking all over. Could barely get Panic's leash off! I felt like I was in the obedience ring with Dexter again (an experience I really never wanted to repeat!). So I was handling kind of goofy (Andy told me I looked pretty ridiculous).
Ok so *that's* over with. Now move on and forget about the nerves!
Wednesday was Team Gamblers. Our section ran first, and Panic was 15th in. We did OK - I wasn't very nervous and practiced my deep breathing before I ran which really helped! She did get called on one AF contact, but got her 2nd one. I wasn't exactly where I had planned to be for the close, so I didn't execute my original closing plan. I wish I had, I'm sure I still would have had enough time, but since we were so early in the day I hadn't gotten to watch enough dogs to get a feel for it yet. So we ended up with only 35 points, which was not great but at least we got points. And most importantly I conquered my nerves.
Thursday was Team Standard & Steeple Quarters. I ran standard first. I thought it would be a great course for Panic. UNfortunately, she went off course after jump #3! I am really not sure why - I guess from the vid my shoulders were SLIGHTLY open as she went over jump #3 and she assumed she was supposed to take the backside of this other jump. Weird since we don't often practice that skill! BUT I will say, the rest of her run was quite lovely, so I certainly didn't want the E for my team, but I was happy the rest went well. Steeplechase - she skipped jump #4 and then went off course. I have NO CLUE why this happened, still can't figure it out from watching the tape. I was moving laterally away from the jump but cued it, maybe I didn't give a verbal, not sure.
Friday was Team Snooker. I planned to do 5-4-7-7 in the opening. She did this BEAUTIFULLY. I was really happy with the opening. In the close we took #2 going the "hard" way, which meant I had to wrap her between the tunnel/AF to get to #3. I was 95% sure she could do this. Well, the 5% prevailed! So we only got through #2 in the close :(
Saturday was Team Jumpers. I did something goofy at the beginning and almost got a refusal, but saved it and she was clean. Not super fast, but clean. I was pretty happy with this.
Sunday was Rekoons. It took me several times in the walkthrough realizing I was not following the rules before I finally "got it". She held her stay at the start, and ran beautifully. I was THRILLED with this run, nice to end the weekend on a good note :) She placed 8th, and got a ribbon!!!
10.11.2010
off to nationals...
We're off after I get out of work today! I can't believe nationals are finally here. They seemed so long away then all the sudden - WHAM they're here.
Am I ready?
I think so. I am *not* going with the aspirations of winning anything at all. Panic is a great dog - but she is a great dog with the stride of a 17" tall dog with straight angulation - aka nowhere near as long a stride as a BC. So locally we do fine and often place well, but I know at nationals we will be SO far out of it.
My plan is to go, and run our hardest, push myself and her, and just have as much fun running fast as we possibly can. And I know we can accomplish that.
I do have hopes that my team will do well. I don't feel nervous about it, but I am excited. To make it to relay on Sunday we have to be in the top 36 teams. There are 203 teams entered, so that's top 17.7%. I think we definitely have a chance at that, and running in the finals would be beyond cool.
I may be able to post videos as the week goes - not sure. I am so looking forward to watching everyone's runs and visiting with people :) I'll update sometime this week!!
Am I ready?
I think so. I am *not* going with the aspirations of winning anything at all. Panic is a great dog - but she is a great dog with the stride of a 17" tall dog with straight angulation - aka nowhere near as long a stride as a BC. So locally we do fine and often place well, but I know at nationals we will be SO far out of it.
My plan is to go, and run our hardest, push myself and her, and just have as much fun running fast as we possibly can. And I know we can accomplish that.
I do have hopes that my team will do well. I don't feel nervous about it, but I am excited. To make it to relay on Sunday we have to be in the top 36 teams. There are 203 teams entered, so that's top 17.7%. I think we definitely have a chance at that, and running in the finals would be beyond cool.
I may be able to post videos as the week goes - not sure. I am so looking forward to watching everyone's runs and visiting with people :) I'll update sometime this week!!
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