Izzie and I attended a seminar with Kathy Keats all weekend. We had a blast and learned a lot and Izzie and I worked better than ever as a team. I have ideas and advice to work on and some mental game thoughts that are percolating through my brain cells. Mental game stuff is always a big help for me and Kathy Keats is especially awesome for that kind of stuff.
This weekend also marked the first real transition into running Izzie at 6". We've done it in class or practising on our own, but this weekend was the first real event where I've had her run all weekend at that height and really worked handling skills. I've already come to peace with the decision even though it wasn't much of a struggle for me. It's better for my dog and I know it, she's happier and faster and more confident. So fast that I have to relearn how to run her in certain situations now! Kind of an okay problem to have I suppose! Anyway, experiencing her running so well and hearing from everyone including Kathy that she's doing awesome was really encouraging. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we have an AMAZING group of people friends here. So supportive.
I'm so excited to see where our future takes us. No matter where we end up, it's going to be a fantastic journey to take with my best friend.
This was our first regionals that we've competed in. I've been to a regional event before (and a national event) but only to volunteer. Luckily those things gave me an idea how it's all supposed to work though which is super helpful.
Anyway despite the myriad of weather (hot, cold, rainy, hail, wind) and an allergic reaction to bug bites on Thursday night, Izzie ran awesome and only had a few bobbles. A bar and a couple refusals and a couple seconds over time here and there. Nothing huge. We ended up qualifying for nationals with about 367 points and placing 10th in a pretty competitive 10" specials class.
She didn't miss a contact all weekend and weaved great. Her gambles were iffy but i knew that going in. BUT she did a pretty good attempt at the second gamble and even took the left cue I gave her! Unfortunately she lefted all way back behind the jump she just came from, but it was a good effort. I don't know many placements but she did place 6th in the first standard run which is AWESOME. Go Iz!
Via Flickr: Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success. - Henry Ford
Less than a week until regionals. I'm nervous but excited. Izzie and I are better and more in sync than we've ever been and I've learned more about teamwork and plain old hard work in the past few months than ever before. I'm pretty much mentally and physically where I want to be right now. We're ready. I keep saying it out loud to myself. We're ready, we're ready, we're fecking ready to get out there and do our best. To be the best team we can be.
Spent our Sunday in Medicine Hat this past weekend playing some agility. These guys put on some of the best trials, really they're awesome. Izzie did well even if we got no Qs. Masters Standard was under time and she ran awesome but we fumbled the weave entry which means a NQ, oh well! The rest of that run was awesome. Our Advanced Gamble was smokin'. We racked up 30 points in the opening including a mini gamble (teeter to tunnel) and did get the main gamble but unfortunately since I had a hard time getting her over the first jump, we were over time. However it showed me that the work we've been doing on distance is paying off, she did a beautiful left into the tunnel in the main. Masters Snooker was awesome, it was a nasty course with all the reds far away but we picked a pretty good path. It was the end of the day and it was hot and Izzie was tired but she gave me her all. I think even in the most perfect conditions it would've been a hard course for her as there's lots of yardage to get the reds, we got buzzed off due to time going over 5, we just needed to get to the end of 6. Overall I'm super pleased with how she ran. It's all coming together, just a few tiny things here and there but no more over time standard runs which is very promising. I'm feeling ready for regionals now. So excited!
With any judged sport, you have calls that are disagreeable. Judging is subjective, there's no other way for it to be since it's a thinking being and not a computer out there making the calls. Having judged figure skating events before I know this well. Sometimes the judge has to make a call based on what they believe to be correct from what they saw (or did not see?). Sometimes it's wrong, sometimes it's right but in the end they have to make the call. There's nothing you, as the competitor being judged, can really do about it. Life goes on and maybe the sport gods will give you a mulligan next time. Pug hit that dog walk contact though, and for now it stings a little bit because it was a beautiful run that was well under time. Such is life though, you win some and you lose some. On to the next one.
