Our agility weekend

This was a USDAA trial in the Salinias/Monterey area (California). It was
busy (a friend and I were in charge of the Grand Prix/Master's
Ring). Both of us were runing at multiple levels. Fortunately we've
worked together several times before. We've gotten good at saying just
saying what we need if one of us needs to take off leaving the other with
full responsiblity for finding and placeing workers. I even didn't
hesitate to interupt the judge, list for her who was filling what
positions, point the individuals out then tell her I was leaving to run my
dog. And she was fine with that. It was snooker I was getting to run and
you aren't allowed to move the dog in runing order except in very specific
ways and circumstances.

Oh and we Q'd on that snooker run. So that was our 3rd Q and we made our
Starters Snooker title. We also managed maximum points (51) and 4th
place. I figured we would have half a chance with the high point (7)
obstacle being the teeter. Tsuki got his a-frame contact and his weaves.

Tsuki was in top form. Our only NQs came from really bad handler moves.
In both cases I called Tsuki off the correct obstacle. In one case I was
lost. In the other case - I have no idea what I was thinking. Stupid
handler tricks.

We got a Q and 1st in Starters Standard. We got a Q and 4th in Advanced
jumpers.

We got a Q and 4th in Advanced Pairs. Which also completed our
Advanced Pairs title so we move into Masters at next week's show. My
pairs partners have been *very* happy with us. Our run wsn't perfect - we
bobbled in the weaves - but our partner was thrilled that I could fix them
where we faulted instead of having to restart. Since it is a faults + time
game a team can make a small mistake and still qualify if they are fast
enough. We actually had room for another 5 point error with our time.
Yay! for speedy dogs. The First through third placing dogs blew our
doors off with their times. The third placing dogs' actual time was 2
seconds faster than ours - the first place team was - um don't remember -
maybe 10 seconds faster.

When I was running Tanith I avoided Pairs because I didn't want anyone to
have to count on us to get a Q. Then when I had her in Performance it was
non-qualifying so I started playing. And until this year it was
non-qualifiying at the lower levesl so I played it with Tsuki too. Then
this year all the games becamse titling/qualifying at all levels. And
since then every pairs run has been a Q. Only one was fault free but
Tsuki holds up his end of making up the faults with speed.

--
Diane Blackman
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