Luck of the Irish

Well, we ran our second agility trial of 2018 this past weekend. I only went one day as it is a little over an hour from my place. My Achilles tendon held up really well, for the first time in nearly a year I didn't wear the ankle support; it's a little sore today but not bad at all.

Beckett ran really well, we had a beautiful snooker Q for our first run. Beckett got 52 points with a complete closing in 54.46 seconds. You only have 55 seconds to accumulate points. Beckett as a mini veteran dog needs 34 points in that time to get a qualifying score. I think this was one of the highest scoring runs. In his next run, I walked the course correctly but when we came to the close I put Beckett over the wrong side of obstacle 4b.

I had him on my right side going over 4a; I'm not sure what I was thinking but at that instant I thought he was on the wrong side and I did a front cross and put him over 4b in the wrong direction. We needed to complete obstacle 5, the teeter to Q,  so no Q for Beckett on this run. It was such a shame as he was running so well.

Beckett's third and final run was a Jumpers and he was smoking.  I mistakenly said it was the fastest time for the event; it was only the second fastest.  Beckett ran the course in 31.40 but an Australian Shepherd ran a little faster it in 30.94.

Keltic had four runs. First up was Masters Gamblers, we had a not bad opening with 31 points but Keltic wouldn't go out to the tunnel in the gamble so no Q.  Next up he had Masters Jumpers, the course layout was the same as Beckett's but numbered differently. In Keltic's course I had to get him over the jump numbered 7 to the backside of the jump numbered 16; well, with the angle he was on, Keltic took off for the tunnel in the corner and there was no way he wasn't going to do that tunnel. Well, I guess that's one way to get the backside of the jump. Keltic's next run was an Advanced Standard, he needed two Q's to get his Advanced Agility Dog title. It was not too be, he ran well in the first Advanced but got a refusal on the table and on the weaves.  We had a little break while the Starters ran their course before Keltic's last event so I took the opportunity to get a picture of the boys at the photo spot.  Absolute Agility puts up a really nice photo booth with signs you can use to describe your weekend trial. They have just started doing seasonal photo booths. Last time we were there is was a New Year's theme, this time was St Patrick's Day.

Well, I think the Luck of the Irish helped us out.  Keltic's next run started with the tire, to the frame and then a tunnel. I don't like to do this but I told myself if he wasn't driving forward I would sit him and send to the weaves. 

Well, he did exactly that curled in towards me and was leaping a bit at me; I probably hesitated since I had the plan in my head, anyway I did what I had planned, sat him down and sent him on to the weaves and he got the entry. We had to start the weaves two more times to get them. This time he didn't refuse the table. I had walked the course using a threadle arm to get him from jump 11 to tunnel 12. I very nearly overdid it, he got the tunnel but I nearly put him past the entrance. The last hurdle so to speak was the dog walk contact but he was a good boy and stayed on the dog walk until he hit the yellow and I released him. Our course time was 70.87 and I didn't know what the standard course time was so even though I knew we had no faults I still didn't know whether we had Q'd.  I checked at the gate and Keltic's height class had 75 seconds so we did Q. I went and got a Q ribbon as this was Keltic's first Q in over a year.

I guess it doesn't hurt to have some help from the leprechauns. I sure hope we don't have to wait until next St Patrick's day for his third Advanced Standard Q.

Perhaps a birthday present for me and for Keltic!