Agility at the Beach

The WAG Newport trial is one of my favorite trials but then how could I go wrong with my two favorite things, agility and the beach. We have had all kinds of weather there over the years and this year was no different. Jordana said there was blue sky and it was nice when she got there Friday afternoon to set up our campsite. When I arrived a little after 5pm the fog had rolled in. The fog got heavier and wetter as the night went on and it was pretty cold by the time we were done running.

We had two classes Friday night Touch’N’Go and Weavers.

Kant ran in both Elite classes and Q’d in both with a 1st and a 2nd. Hershey and PITA both ran in Novice TNG and neither qualified;

they both got sucked in to the off-course big yellow tunnel sitting next to the tiny little dog walk. Just as we were getting ready to call it a night the thunder and lightning started. Casey crawled up between Jordana and myself on the airbed and just shook in fear, I had set up a soft crate for Slick and he was very happy hiding in his cave, and

everyone else was not bothered by the bright light and loud noise.

Saturday it was overcast all day but still comfortably warm; the perfect weather for running agility. Kant ran in Elite Jumpers, Elite Chances, Elite Regular rounds 1 and 2, Elite Weavers, and Open Hoopers; she knocked more bars this weekend then she ever has. In Chances and Regular she ran beautifully and handled like a dream but she just would not pick up her feet. She looks like she is fine but I am going to have her looked at to make sure there is nothing physically wrong. So we did not qualify in any of the classes with jumps;

she did Q in Weavers and Hoopers,

giving her the Open Outstanding Hoopers title, thank goodness for those classes with no jumps. Hershey was in Open Chances, Open Regular rounds 1 and 2, and Open Hoopers.

Hershey is not a distance dog which makes Chances very hard for him but every once in awhile he will quit arguing and go out and do lovely distance work so Jordana keeps working at it, they did not Q in Chances today.

Hershey is also not a big fan of contacts but Jordana has worked very hard with him and he is SO much better.

Hershey’s Regular round 1 was a beautiful qualifying run but he struggled in round 2 and Hoopers and ended up not Qing in either of those classes. Slick ran in Hoopers and had a very good time with Jordana;

he is such a funny dog to run you just never know what you are going to get. He ran fast and happy and that is all that matters. This was PITA’s first trial to run in Regular and Jumpers; she has done a couple of Games trials but this was her first Big Dog trial.

She ran in Novice Jumpers and Novice Regular rounds 1 and 2. I am still trying to figure out if she likes agility or not, in Jumpers she ran around most of the jumps and that frustrated Jordana so she took her off course.

PITA had a nice run in Regular 1, knocking one bar but still getting a 5 point Q.

In round 2 she forgot how to weave.

This was Echo’s 2nd trial and she ran in Novice Jumpers, Novice Regular rounds 1 and 2, and Novice Hoopers;

I am so excited about all of her runs she is such a fun dog to run and she gives 200%. We had an off course in Jumpers and Regular 1 so no Qs but really nice work.

Echo knocked a bar in Regular 2 so we got a 5 point Q and the bar came down because of timing on my part. Echo had a beautiful Hoopers run that gave us our 2nd Q for the day. We are still learning to run together and it is getting better every time!!

No thunder and lightning Saturday night and everyone was very tired and slept very good.

Sunday morning right after the trial started so did the rain and it pretty much lasted all day. Kant ran in Elite Chances, Elite Jumpers, Elite Regular rounds 1 and 2, Elite Tunnelers, and Open Hoopers.

Kant was still knocking bars but in Regular 2 she only knocked 1 which was much better than all the other classes with jumps. She once again ran the Regular and Chances courses beautifully listening and doing everything I asked minus the jump part but she is such a fun dog to handle and watch. So once again we did not Q in any classes with jumps but she did redeem herself with two lovely runs one in Tunnelers and the other in Hoopers, did I mention I love the classes with no jumps!

Hershey was in Open Chances, Open Regular rounds 1 and 2, and Open Hoopers. Hershey had another beautiful run in Regular 1 earning his 2nd Q for the weekend.

He had some really nice moments in Chances and Regular 2 but not enough to Q.

Hoopers is a class the older dogs seem to struggle with since this is a new obstacle for them. It just clicked with Kant last September and we are still waiting for Hershey to get it. Slick got to run Hoopers with me today and he started out so fast and happy, we got one of the test done but just could not get the other one done but we did make the judge and scribe laugh, and

we ended fast and happy so it was a very successful day for Slick.

PITA ran in Novice Jumpers, Novice Regular round 1, and Novice Tunnelers;

PITA and Jordana struggled in Jumpers and the Regular classes again today but PITA totally redeemed herself with a perfect, fast Tunnelers run with drive and distance.

Echo ran in Novice Jumpers, Novice Regular rounds 1 and 2, and Novice Hoopers. Today ran pretty much exactly like yesterday, we had an off course in Regular 2 and knocked a bar in Regular 1 getting another 5 point Q. We had an off course in Jumpers again because of my handling and a pretty technical course for Novice.

Echo did get her first title with the Hoopers Q earning her the Novice Hoopers title. Congratulations Echo on your first agility title, HP-N!!

Thank you Joe Camp for all the wonderful agility photos and Tammy Kittson for the tent ones!!

We packed up all of our WET stuff and just as we were done so was the rain so we let the dogs have one last run in the now empty field before heading home.

Jordana and I stopped in Corvallis for dinner and none of the dogs moved even with food involved that is when you know you have very tired dogs.

When we got home it was raining so I unloaded all the things that needed to be unloaded in the rain. Unpacked the ice chest and started laundry. We had an absolutely awesome weekend but it is nice to be home.