USDAA Results

This weekend the USDAA Trial didn't go as well as I hoped, but we sure did learn a lot. We entered only one day of the 3 day trial and entered in the preferred class, since this was our first usdaa trial. If you want to see the course maps, they are posted below. Ther are in pdf form, so you will need acrobat reader to view...

Starters and P1 Standard
Starters and P1 Jumpers
Starters Gamblers
Pairs

Our first run was the standard run. She missed jump number 13 after the tunnel and when I was going to bring her back around she jumped it backwards. We didn't Q but we did placed second in the class.

Our next class was pairs we were teamed up with Steve and his Eskimo dog. I ran the first part of the run and we royally screwed it up. She missed the contact on the dog walk, which got me frustrated and then she took the dog walk out of turn and missed a jump. I didn't feel to bad though because Steve's dog knocked down some jump bars.

Our third class was the gamblers class. In the first 30 seconds of gamblers, you try to accumulate points, you need 18 to Q. You get 5 points for contacts 1 for jumps 3 for tunnels. One rule that I was unaware of is that you can only take 2 obstacles in a row if they are located in the gamble area. This lead me to take 3 obstacles without getting any points. I still got 26 points... Unfortunately, we didn't get the gamble. It was a discrimination gamble and after the first jump she was suppose to take the tunnel which was placed on the other side of the dog walk. She started to go on the dog walk, but I stopped her and she looked at me as I yelled tunnel a couple of times and then she decided to take the dog walk. Oh well, a good learning experience.

The last class was the jumpers class. This was a surprise. I gave the switch command after jump 4 to go to jump 5. I didn't yell jump and her turn was so short she missed the jump. When I tried to get her back, she back jumped again. Dejavue of the standard run.

Overall, I'm disappointed we didn't get any cues, but she did the weavepoles on the standard well and only missed one contact. So there is some improvement. Most of the faults as usual can be traced back to the handler.

Getting ready for USDAA

This week was perhaps one of the more productive weeks that we have had for a while, mostly because class was not cancelled due to rain. On Wednesday we went to course of the week and we worked on the usual, contacts and weaves. I gave Clover a good work out because I have been slacking a little and need to get her ready for Sunday's USDAA event.

In class on Thursday we reviewed snooker. There are 4 people in this class and when other students were running the snooker course, I practiced weave poles and jumpers grids. I don't feel like we have prepared the way we should have for the upcoming USDAA trial. I only entered one day of the 3 day trial. I entered 4 classes and I entered as preferred since this is the first USDAA trial we will ever run.

Indoor class

Well, wouldn't you know it. It rained last night, but instead of canceling class, we moved it indoors we reviewed video agility tapes. It is a good class because we analyze where certain turns should go and strategies of walk throughs etc.

Clover was kind of mad because she wasn't able to go, but I ran her a little before I left for class.

Yes I have been a bad master. We didn't have class last Thursday due to bad weather and haven't been practicing agility like we should have been. Clover has gotten some exercise, such as walks etc, but I have been off focus and need to get back into it.

We did go to Course of the week last night, even though we were a little late. It was very humid out and Clover seemed to shut down early. I don't know how she is going to take this North Carolina summer heat. Time will tell.

We worked mostly on contacts and weave poles. Weave poles definitely are her weak point now and I think we will take the problem solving class to work on them. The course was a NADAC style standard course. Clover did OK with it. Thunderstorms are forecast again for tonight, so I hope we have class.

COW -- Jumpers

For Course of the week last night they had an AKC jumpers course. Clover usually does very well on the jumpers course. I didn't run her to hard because I saw her limping once this week. I don't know if it was because of her dew pad or if she had stiff muscles or what, but I took it easy. We did go to the practice ring and practice contacts and weaves a little.

I also sent in my entry for the upcoming USDAA trial at the end of the month at PBH in Chapel hill. It is a 3 day trial but I only entered one day since we have never ran USDAA before and some of the classes are new to us.