This weekend marked the first AKC trial of the year and our first AKC in three months. Unfortunately there's no video of anyone from this weekend because of an iPad mini snafu, but I should get the videos to post before the end of the week.
Day One
I arrived bright and early at 7:30 Saturday morning for the first run, Masters Standard designed by Terry Culley, with Scooter. Standard was surprisingly short and straight, perfect for Scooter, but I would definitely need my running shoes with Trixie.
There really weren't many dogs that I saw that had a problem with this course. Some took the off course double jump after the chute and others dropped the bar of jump 14, but the majority of teams were successful.
With both dogs I planned to run with them from the start and then front cross before the weaves and keep them on my left until I fronted again after #13, to A) stay ahead of Scooter to keep her running and B) to avoid Trixie knocking #14 because trying to run the line after the A-frame like a serpentine felt awkward. For the last 3 obstacles I kept them on my left. Scooter did a decent amount of running and pulled off a Q/1st for her 9th MXP leg! Trixie also did a really nice job, had a bit of a scary moment getting on the dogwalk, but I guess the balance training we do paid off because she didn't seem to think there was any problem at all. The only minor bobble we had was after the table. For some reason she thought she was going back on the dogwalk or something, because she tried to get on my right. It probably only cost us about 0.2 seconds or so, but Trixie still placed 2nd by 0.53 seconds out of 36 qualifying teams and about 60 that entered.
Next up was Masters Jumpers designed by Howard Etzel.
Many a team had trouble with the wrap on #8. Quite a few dogs really wanted the #1 tunnel and just as many back-jumped, refused it, or knocked the bar. There weren't too many dogs that took the backside of #8 after #1 - mostly because handlers were pretty conscious about getting their dog's head after they came out, but those that weren't got the off course. The #19 tunnel was also a big problem, mostly for the larger dogs. As long as handlers were there in time to front cross and show the dog the proper entrance it worked out but otherwise dogs almost always took the wrong end of the tunnel orknocked #18.There were also the usual knocked bar on other areas on course, especially #14.
With Trixie I ran with her to the tunnel then front crossed and clapped to get her attention before proceeding to sprint to the weave poles. Next I sent her out to #5 and ran up to #8 to do a ketschker. Unfortunately, as I was running up to do the K-turn I realized that I'd never sprinted to a k turn before and didn't really pay attention to exactly where I should be turning before the jump, so I almost fell over on the bar. Luckily, Trixie didn't seem to notice and just kept going. The rest of the run went smoothly with a FC after #14 and after #18 and was good enough for Q/6th out of 60+ dogs and QQ#16 for MACh2 and her first for 2015 AKC nationals! Scooter decided she'd rather not run and wasted an unfortunate amount of time chasing imaginary flies, so noQ for her. *sigh*
Just for kicks I picked up the Masters FAST map because Trixie's working on her TQX/MXF and I'm trying to keep track of the judges that put up logical sends. Anymore I've been noticing quite a few judges that design sends that don't make any sense, and who wants to wake up early for that?
This one was designed by Lavonda Herring and gave the handlers an option between two different sends. To me this is the kind of send that Master's FAST is all about, completing a common skill (in this case a wrap back) at a significant distance. Personally I think the 7-5-3 send makes more sense to the dogs and would be easier to complete for both dog and handler, but the 3-5-7 is definitely do-able.
Day Two
Today we got to start with Masters Jumpers, designed by Terry Culley. A lot of dogs had a fantastic time running this course, literally. It wasn't uncommon to see dogs run it in 22, 21, or even 20 seconds flat! Most teams fronted after #3 and then rear-crossed on the flat after #7 and then fronted again after #14. Lots of handlers also threw in a FC after #17 too, but as long as they were fast or could send their dogs ahead they really didn't need it.
For both Scooter and Trixie I front crossed after #3, #7, #14 and #17 which made for some really pretty runs. The only change I would have made is that I wished I had left Trixie in the weaves and front crossed after #6, because the cross after #7 was late, not terrible, but definitely not in time. Still Trixie finished in 25 seconds for 13 points and 7th/60. Scooter also really brought her A-game and ran the whole way for a Q/1st and 8 points.
Our final run of the weekend was an interesting Masters Standard designed by Lavonda Herring. During the time I was a ring crew volunteer for the 16" dogs I saw at least 5 different ways to run the opening line.
Most people either led out or ran with their dogs and then front crossed after #2 and then again after the weave poles, but a lot of them were late and it wasn't very pretty. Others led out and pushed to the weaves and then pulled or front crossed to #4. About 10 people just kept their dog on their right the whole way, which worked as long as they could get at least a little ahead of their dogs in the weave poles. The method that seemed to work the best was rear crossing the weaves poles and then front crossing afterward.
A huge source of NQs on this course really wasn't the opening, but was that dogs were missing the A-frame contact. Because of where I was in the ring I really couldn't see if the dogs were legitimately missing them or if the judge was strict about calling them. I would suspect that they were real calls though because Trixie's A-frame didn't get called and it was rather high, but definitely in. Dogs probably just got too excited by the fast line and the handlers blind crossing there just put them a little over the top.
There were a few dogs that knocked #10,#11, and #13 and a few that took the tire after #10, but not many.
I opted for a front cross after #2 and #3 and then used a blind cross after the A-frame and again after the dog-walk. Trixie rocked it and was just under 40 seconds for 2nd place, QQ#17 for MACh2, and another double Q towards nationals. The double blind cross plan was so fun too, definitely reason enough for me to consider training running contacts on my next dog :) Scooter was the last dog of the trial and did a really nice job. She got her MXP title, QQ#5 for her PACh/PAX and 1st place too.
Then to top off a 7/8 Q trial weekend I found out that I won the worker raffle - I never win these things!! You could say I got a little too excited because I accidentally threw the pen I was writing with in the air when my friend came out and told me I won.
It shouldn't take took long for the dogs to rip the toys apart but it also came with a candle, some lotion and much needed poop bags - you can never have too many you know.
