We had a great time at the VERY HOT TRIAL. It was an AKC trial in Pasadena, CA, and it was so hot. It was getting close to 100 degrees and since this is our first real heat weave, we were just not used to the heat, and there was not a shade tree to be seen. Final tally for Saturday: 2 courses-one open jumpers, one novice standard, 2 clean runs and 2 first places, and ONE TITLE.
Breeze was a super star and got her Novice standard title, she got a first in the Novice standard run with a clean run. I was so happy because we met all my goals.
I felt really excited about our standard run because Breezes contacts were beautiful, the start line was awesome and I loved that it was a course I could really plan where I needed to go and be-so it was a fun course. I was able to send Breeze to the table when I was about at the broad jump, then I stayed by there to lead out from the table, not because I needed to but I wanted to see how she would do and to give her a little room on the table. She got onto the table and held her stay, then blasted off as soon as she got her release, that was NEAT. The only thing I felt like I got in her way before the weaves by standing on her path but she got them, and she stopped about two feet from the end of the teeter, way into the yellow but not where she is supposed to stop, we have been working on that but she did stop before she should have but stayed until I released her so something to keep training but not a big deal.
The one HUGE suprise was on the dog walk I got a beautiful contact...but it was a 2020. We do a four on the floor, and I sat and debated on the course with myself wondering if I should insist she does the four on the floor, but I figured this 2020 happened before the 4 on the floor would have happened...and it did not seem like she was trying to push it and disregard her contact...so I felt like that was ok, especially because she worked to make sure she stopped. It was just funny when I saw her in that perfect 2020 stance, I did not expect that.
I felt a little better-not AS nervous as I felt for the open JWW- I think I wore myself out with my attack of the nerves earlier and I felt I had a good plan. I hope I get better with the nerves over time and with experience because that is not a pleasant feeling, I did breathe during this run so that was a positive step, LOL. I do think/hope it is getting better with each run.
Standard course:(you can click on the imagage to make it bigger)
How we Ran the course!
In our Open Jumpers course we got a first place and our first Open Jumpers Q with a clean run. That one was a pretty flowey course and pretty straight forward, I got my confidence shaken last week with our first disasterous open jumpers course so it was so cool to have a nice flowey course that we could handle well. We had a fantastic start line and the only bobble was when I sort of panicked, I did a rear cross into the weaves, so of course Breeze was ahead of me and I had planned to say her name and get her to check her speed, but she did not need that, I was so nervous I was not thinking and said her name which she was just about to take the weaves but glanced back at me, Super Star Breeze figured out pretty quickly I was being a total doof and turned back and still caught the weaves, that made a tiny bobble, but we still got scored with a clean, fast run. So proud of my Breeze, what a cool dog.
I did not do as good with myself, I think in the jumpers run I remember making myself BREATHE after the tunnel, I was fine until we walked, the nerves started going off and then at the start line I got all freaky feeling and nervous, I was not thinking just reacting and I know for a part of the course I was not breathing, LOL, not a good thing.
