and I had a few things to talk about... so this post happened :)
So this last weekend Hillary and the Paps came over. We headed about 15 min away for the WKC agility trial Saturday and Sunday.
While it was not our highest Q rate weekend. Infact we went 2/10 (which is better than the 1/12 and 1/6 at the last 2 trials!!). It was the best feeling trial in months. Probably even ever? Maybe minus Leaps first trial but I don't know... maybe even beat that?
I came away from our last two trials totally frustrated and at my wits end. I just didn't think anything was ever gonna come into shape. Skye did good getting his first MX leg and MACH points but his jumpers runs were a mess. Even the Q run was just not that connecting. I don't know... something felt off. It was awesome getting it... just not the best.
Leap... we won't even go where she went. After a few really super awesome runs... she found her crazy. Her first runs in shows were just nervous/un easy dog really. Then she turned into psycho dog that had so many faults on her paper you would have never guessed she got both her novice titles (3 totally clean runs) with a total of 1 refusal in each of the other 3 runs I think!
I was feeling so down and disconnected... and while happy for my friends who were Q'ing left and right I felt really just... blah. Ready to be done trialing for awhile...
We had this one last trial. I was really just going for fun and to maybe feel a little more connected... or if anything find out what we need to work on.
I came out with all that... plus 2 Q's, a New Title, and some kick butt close runs!
My runs felt so good. Better than any of my past Q'ing runs this summer. Even the NQ ones.
I got too many compliments to count about how connected me and Skye were on course. The best part? I felt it.
Everything they said I felt. I could see Skye watching all eyes on me and pushing everything he had for me. And the same goes for me to him.
Even his NQ runs felt so freakin smooth and nice! Just silly stuff that NQ'd us really... mostly all my fault!!
Leap even gave me MUCH better runs. Not perfect and no Q's... but I felt SO much better after he runs. Her last one was the only one I felt off (bad crazy girl!!)... hence why after a few jumps and a teeter we left the course. We were getting no where and no point to keep going when that is the opposite of what I want! Most of her runs were sooooo much better though. Some really really nice points!
The runs I liked most was probably Open Jumpers sunday with both dogs. No Qs but there was a middle part walking it that was like long straight lines. I kind of said ugh, never gonna get this! Then in the middle of Skye's run I said what the heck... RUN! So I did just that... and know what? We got that part PERFECTLY with both dogs! Everyone commented how nice it looked with both of them. I just about beat them down the line and trusted them to just do it... and it worked! I have a hard time with things like that. I know its bad... I am working on it. After seeing how good it was in a trial setting though... for sure something to work on doing more! I also didn't think *I* could do it... I guess I can ;)
Next up was probably both Skye's Standard Runs. Saturday he took a wrong course after the chute (all my fault!!) and a bar. He had this BEAST layering/send though that I heard people talking about all day long :D I got behind him and the judge was RIGHT in my way to catch up so I just said GO and he took the line right around when there was an a-frame, teeter, and tire all between us!!!!!! I was pretty proud of that :D I seriously hardly even remember the Q run and it sadly isn't on tape... I remember it was nice though. I ran it like 4 dogs after running Leap in jumpers (and skye in jumpers just a few dogs before her!!). I just ran and he gave him it all and he did the same. Super nice - the gate steward stopped me on the way back to my tent to tell me how nice it looked and how good my dog was :D Along with other people stopping by the tent all day to say how they had been in awe of Skye all weekend :)
FAST runs were supperrr nice. Skye Q'd and Leap was one little paw out of the yellow on the a-frame from q'ing! Her first blown a-frame I think... like ever!
So... basically. My dogs rock and we may finally be hitting a stride again :) We are gonna have a few months off now for training. Might do one day in December with Skye but Leap won't show again till January. We have some work to do and umm, maybe a new 26" competitor ;)
I am running on I guess what you could call a connection high right now. Not really from the Q's/Title... but from FEELING good about all my runs.
So here is where we stand -
Skye - Feeling smooth and working out the kinks! Some work to do to get these Jumpers Q's going but thats mostly it. Titles in progress - MX 2/10, OAJ 0/3, XF 0/3.
Leap - starting to get it figured out and gonna work on maybe doing 26" for awhile at least. Titles in progress - OA 0/3, OAJ 1/3, NF 1/3.
And of course... having fun!
If you read all that you get a Gold Star and sorry for the jumbled mess of thoughts... I need to get them out :p
