Haute Tracs USDAA

I had so much fun a the 4 day USDAA Haute Tracs trial. But I really think 4 day USDAA trials are too long. The weather was great (I even didn't mind Thursday with a bit of rain) and the friends even better. But nothing could beat my wonderful dogs!

When I first found out where our rvs were parked I was a bit disappointed. They were in the back field and I was hoping they would be ringside so I could sit in my 'yard' and watch agility. But it turned out that our spot was just perfect. If we had been ringside I expect Icon would have spent his entire weekend in an over-stimulated state, which causes him to go all "weird border collie" on me. Icon needs his beauty sleep.

I was so happy that Kay came to this trial. She worked full time on Thursday, went to visit boxer breeders at the boxer specialty on Friday and was a "group A groupie" on Saturday and Sunday so she followed our groups rotation and we got to hang out.

We had bbq at the RVs on Thursday night in the rain (ok, it was more like drizzle but we are in California so most people consider that a downpour) and another on Saturday night. Lots of good friends and laughs.

Apollo had a perfect 4-day weekend and even ended up 2nd in PSJ finals and won me $30! He didn't make even one mistake all weekend (aside from a missed weave entry in PSJ Rd 1 and that was probably my mistake). He wasn't his fastest ever but we still had a blast doing agility together. He got his standard silver title (whatever 25 PIII std legs is) and a couple bronze titles. He just needs 3 more pairs legs for his APD bronze. For the team event we were teamed with our best lab friend Shadow. And the amazing team of "Shadow Boxing" finished 3rd overall. It was really nice that they had medals for team placements!

Icon was also perfect this weekend, although I made a few mistakes. Our team of Icon/Kep/Quill, Two Pods and a Pea, qualified in (I think) 9th place. We won the relay and got relay batons as prizes (so fun!). Our team also won overall Team Jumpers and got a certificate for a free jumpers entry. Individually Icon won team jumpers and had nice snooker and gamblers runs (but I don't know how he ended up). In Team Standard he slipped off the teeter :(. It was a bit wet out and I should have collected him more for the approach. On Friday he won GP, Standard, Jumpers and Snooker and he and Heath were 2nd in relay. Saturday we were a bit out of sync and I pulled him off a jump in SC Rd 1 as well as in jumpers and we didn't get the gamble (not surprised, it was a pretty tough one) but we won Std and Snooker. On our final day Sunday, he won SC finals for $64, won Standard (and was a very good boy to stop on his contacts after I was pushing him the rest of the weekend), got a gamble Q and he and heath placed 2nd again in relay!

So overall it was an awesome long weekend! Woot! Now we're all exhausted aside from Rampage who is wondering why no one else is moving.