We are HOME!!! YIPPEE!!!! We had a great time in KY and we'll be back next year!
We learned a LOT of valuable lessons that I'll share with you over the next few days.
I'll admit, if you like Border Collies, you'll see a LOT of them! Aussies, Shelties and Mals as well!
In the 12" classes, Corgis seem to rule, both the tail and tailless varieties. I spoke to two yellow lab owners, they had daughters of Preacher! Also, a couple Louisiana Cataholas! One even made the 26" Steeplechase finals!!
All your walk-throughs were completed first thing in the morning. They started as early as 7:00 am, or as late at 8:45 am. It was actually nice how they had it laid out, I was in group D, so for the most part, I walked with the same people. If you did well, you continued to run...so, you could run as many as 3 times a day. This meant that you had to walk 3 courses in the morning and then run them through-out the day. Yes Rilda, I know...You'd be having a FIT!! It wasn't bad! HONEST!!
Here's how I kept it straight! I tried a piece of paper, but I kept misplacing it. My hand was with me....all the time!! Of course, it washed off later, but I was done with it by then. On this day I walked Grand Prix from 7:15 - 7:25 in the Main Ring, then Ring 3 from 8:00 - 8:10, then Ring 5 for Steeplechase Semi-Finals from 8:30 - 8:40. Running started at 9:30. On this day I ran at 11:00, 2:15 and 4:00. You had plenty of time in-between to go watch other groups run, so you could remember your course.
Here's the course for the Steeplechase Quarter Finals.
I'll admit, this is becoming my favorite class!
It's not just because you can win MONEY!!!!
It's FAST!
The photo of the ring below is from the far side, so the #10/#17 red tunnel is closest to you.
You'll just need to trust me when I say there was NO WAY to manipulate your dog into that #10 tunnel when you're hauling the mail down that line. Okay, I'm sure some of those guys with the 6' legs could do it, but it sure wasn't happening for me!
(Steeplechase Quarter Final Course)
Seeker made it into the Steeplechase Semi Finals, (pretty awesome since the A-Frame was twice in the Quarter finals), and if his handler would have told him to take the A-Frame the second time, we would have made it to the Finals!! RATS!!! Live and Learn! Sometimes you have to learn by doing I guess.
I'm very proud of Seeker and how he did over-all. No one likes to go into a big competition like this knowing you had a 'major' issue with particular piece of equipment. Especially when that piece is in every class but 2 (Jumpers and Reknooks). The A FRAME!!! UGH!! But, we micro-managed it and we able to look respectable. That will be our winter homework. I'm still not sure whether we'll go back to the 2/2 or work more on our running. I'll need to digest this a bit more before I commit. I do know he's very confused and so, I'll need to do what's best for him.
Our DAM Team - Three Sheeps to The Wind finished a VERY respectable 32nd of 205 teams and just missed the cut off of DAM Team Relay finalists. NEXT YEAR!!!! Great Job Seeker, Shenna and Shiver, Carol and Rio!!!! We ROCKED!!
Below on the Right, Stacy Peardot-Goudy said she wanted to be blog fodder!!
She said to tell all those IOWA PEOPLE "HI"!!!!
I have several videos to share, but will need to edit them.
The Steeplechase finals Saturday evening was a blast!!
I'll write up a separate blog for that. What FUN!!!
5 rings, endless running and a lot of fun!!
Plan to qualify and go next year!!!
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