Agility Papillons

Jill at Ackerly Pond Vineyards in Southold, NY hosted an Agility and Wine Tasting day for the Vizsla club of Long Island.  Here is a slideshow of pictures from that event.

Joule went herding in Jill's backyard.  Jill owes 12 chickens and we decided to see what Joule would do, so here it is...

Last weekend, Nancy and I set out for North Carolina for a four day show in Concord.  I was taking a afternoon flight, while Nancy came out after work.  It took me 8 hours of travel to get there, because of a  pesty tornado warning in Washington.  The flight was delayed for 3 hours, then we taxi-ed for a 1/2 hour before lift off and we taxi-ed for another 1/2 hour to get a gate when we landed.  It wasn't looking like it was going to be a great trip, but boy was I wrong!  

Thursday morning, Nancy and I commuted to the Cabarrus Arena and setup camp.  We met up with our friend Karen and her wonderful pap Jazz.  We also met her new puppy, Rap.  That little guy has some energy!

 The show was run like a well-oiled machine.  Results were quick to come out, classes were being run in a timely fashion.  Courses were challenging while still allowing your dog to open up and run.  The footing was Astro-turf, oh how I love astro-turf.  I have been missing it ever since Aston closed down.

On the first day, Karen and Jazz earned MACh9, Congratulations.  We were so glad to be there to see it.  This gave us an excuse to go to a nice dinner :)  We went to a local Italian restuarant.  I had a calamari pizza spinkled with pepperencinis....mmmm....delicious.

Ok, Ok, now for the dog results...mmm...pizza....

Astro- He was the man.  He ran fast and accurate.  He was in the ribbons every run, 3 firsts, 2 seconds and a third.  We played around with rear crosses and he was loving it.  The weave poles were 24", and he was weaving like he was 3 years old again.  I am so proud of him.  Even when he NQ'ed in std he did it with gusto.  What a man!

Joule-Well what can we say about her...she gave me all she had and earned 3 QQ's.  She obviously likes astro-turf, she weaved so fast, I almost didn't beat her to the end of the poles.  She was in the ribbons almost everyrun, with 3 thirds, 2 fourths and 2 would-be fifths.  Joule is always a crowd pleaser.

Cher- This was the best I ever saw her run.  Maybe this will be a trend for her and Nancy.  She was faster than usual, and didn't run for any timer jumpers except when she was supposed to.  She eearned 2 QQ's and one standard course she won a second place.  

Overall the competion was tough.  Some past and present top paps were there- Jazz, Robin, Nitro.  There was this really smokin' Havenese named Skye.  One day the placement for the top 3 spots were between Astro, Jazz and Nitro and was less than 0.2 seconds apart.  Ultimately, Jazz took that one, nice run Karen!

So, the 8 hour trip was worth it.  I wish we had a video camera, to watch how great our little doggies were.  

Oh, well back to reality, I gotta do laundry...

Day1:

Desi Q'ed 2/3 and was running very nicely.

Joule was awesome!  She loves 4".  No stutter jumping and freakin' fast.  She ran a course today in 19 sec and she was wide in 2 spots.

Nancy said this would be the best way to explain Astro and Cher...Astro is being Cher and Cher is being Astro!

We left before placements were listed, b/c they don't do that until the end of the day.

Day2:

Joule and Cher were great again, Q'ing in Standard and Wildcard, but only getting half of the Jackpot.  

Jackpot was very difficult, only 34 dogs out of 607 got it.

Astro was great today!  He smoked the standard course and he GOT the Jackpot!

Day3:

Astro, Joule and Cher Q'ed in everything.  They were all very good doggies.

Overall:

Cher had an outstanding weekend.  I don't think I have ever seen her run so well.  She was fast and accurate. 

Joule was running very well.  She had trouble with "switch tunnel", it was comical, but not like her at all.

Astro was hot and cold.  When he was bad, he was terrible, but when he was good, he was great!

Desi was a good boy, just minor glitches here and there.

Awards:

Joule WON 4" standard and games and is now a CPE National Champion!!

Cher took 2nd in standard and 6th in games.  Below is a picture of Cher...

Congratulations to my good friend Nancy and her wonder-pap CHER for earning MACH2 this past weekend at the Toy Cluster.  Cher was flawless during both runs and the victory lap:)

Here is the link to her video...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOIILwMjH2U

A big CONGRATS to Jeri and her lightning fast sheltie Tag for earning their MACH at TBAC.  We wish we were there to see it.  This is a powerhouse team!

Here is the link to her video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c23fy1Dcxs 

Thanks Dad...My father, Mr. Green Thumb, did a bunch of gardening for me in the front of my house.  Here is a picture or two...

Congrats to Astro's brother, Chase for earning MACh6 at FDR Park.

A lot of my friends have been asking me why my website has been so quiet...Well, I haven't been going to many shows.  I have been teaching agility classes.  Also, I have been doing so construction at the house.  I removed a section of rocks from the front of my house, and put 8 yards of dirt in its place.  I just installed the sprinklers and I am waiting for the sod.  Monday is the fence estimate, and then of course the install.  So, I may now be at the shows, but I am still around. 

Thanks again to everyone for a wonderful day. I had more fun than a real trial and the food was great.  If you made the macaroni salad with the sun-dried tomatoes, or the lemon cookies...please email me the recipes.

 A huge thanks to all our photographers.  I know you guys were much appreciated!

PICTURES:

http://picasaweb.google.com/chasrdog/TunnelVisionAgility42609Sunday#

Note:  These proofs are the unedited versions.  They will be cropped and sent to my "digital darkroom" before being sent off to the lab. 
Please e-mail chaserdog@optonline.net with size photo, image # (please note there are 244 photo proofs, the number is determined on the left upper side of the photo i.e. 1/244, 2/244, 3/244, etc.) and any other special requests.
Prices are 4x6  $6.00
                5x7  $8.00

Link to Mister Man's Mach video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRzhgO57QVg

Ok, eyes are DONE!

I am very happy with the initial results.  I can see almost as well as my glasses.  It is still a bit hazy and when I look at lights they have a ring around them.  My eye sight should keep improving each day.  The surgery wasn't bad, and I'm not in any pain.

This is the first time I've been to Goshen, NY.  The club did a good job of keeping the trial moving.  Their time delays were the same as any other one ring show.  The barn was freezing, b/c of the outside weather.  Had it been warm outside the barn would've been a nice temperature.  I like the surface, my dogs liked the surface.  The barn was dark, and random lights kept going on and off.  Astro loved the darkness and ran fast.  Joule didn't like the dark and mix that with cold, she just wasn't a happy camper.  She was so unhappy I pulled her from the first run.

 Overall, I liked it.  I would go back again.  I would, however, go to a better hotel and bring longjohns.

Astro, Joule and Cher all QQ'ed one day.  

I had a blast running Astro.  He was running like his old self.  I had to run the courses with more rear crosses than fronts.  That's my boy.  I'm so glad he was happy.  

People have been asking me why I haven't been updating this page.  Well, in a nut shell, I've been sucky...yeah sucky is a good word for it.

BUT, I decided to do FAST this weekend...

 Astro and Joule both earned their Novice Fast titles and Astro earned a very, very hard open fast leg.

Cher CTL3-R, CTL3-F, CTL3-S

Joule CTL3-H, CTL3-S

Astro CTL3-R, CTL3-H, CTL3-F, CTL3-S which means he has now completed Level 3

This is the best run Astro has had in a year...

Sorted by the Score (Double Q's x 10) + MACH points 

Rank      Name                                 
1     NAC MACH21 Pinpaps Jonquil Of Skipnlena MXF
2     MACH7 Candella Cloudberry XF
3     MACH6 StarStruck Moonbeam RN                 ----ASTRO----
4     MACH5 StarStruck Chase The Moon XF         ----Astro's brother Chase----
5     CH MACH3 Pinpaps Little Bit Of Bling MXF
6     MACH5 Primavera's Birthday Bash XF
7     MACH3 Forevr Energy Burst RA                   ----JOULE----
8     MACH2 Chip Taylor XF
9     MACH Wise's All About Love OF
10   MACH2 Rosebud Midnight Dancer RN NAP OJP NF 

Another year in CA.  Astro did it again, 4 for 4!  We just weren't the fastest pap again.  The great "Tigger" represented the 8" paps and came in second to my friend Angie with her wonderful Toy Fox "Duncan". 

 I'm too tired for a full update, but you can check the stats at: 

http://www.akc.org/pdfs/national_agility_championship/2008/sunday/round5/Invitational5RoundCumbyScore.pdf

Here is the link to the pictures she took this weekend.  It has contact information on the page if you want to purchase any photos.

My baby is the best!  She even took a third in STD with pretty tough competition.  She is such a weird dog.  Agility course no problem, the woohoo-ing crowd spooks her. So,  during  her Victory run  she hid under the scribe table.

 She is only 3y and 2m old.  At this age Astro just achieved his MACH1, and he is pretty awesome.  Where is this little dog going to take us?

 Astro was great!  It was the best weekend we have had in months.  The first run he had an offcourse b/c he was going too fast, I couldn't stop smiling.  It was wonderful to see Astro, acting like Astro.  He Q'ed all the rest of the runs.  All his STD runs were fast, and JWW were better than he has been.  We didn't win any classes, b/c the dogs that won were simply faster, period.  I am estatic that Astro had a fun weekend.

I can't believe my baby is 3.  She has accomplished so much in so little time.  She is my snuggle bunny, she is very sweet when SHE wants to be.  In her 3 years she has ...qualified for 2 Nationals...the youngest papillon MACH and the second youngest all-breed...WON the All-Star Championships...ranked #7 papillon for the 2008 Invitationals...more than half way to MACH3...I can't wait to see what this year holds for my pint-sized spitfire.  

Well, I'm back to work tomorrow.   Here are just some notes on how my summer went.

My students are totally impressing me.  Everyone is making such great progress.  I am so proud of them all.  While my dogs and I are on agility vacation, teaching is my major outlet.  Watching the confidence and skill of each of these Novice A dogs grow is worth all the shows in the world.  My dogs are very jealous of the time I spend with other dogs, but they are going on long walks, swimming in Renee's pool (thanks Auntie Renee), swimming at Jill's beach (thanks Auntie Jill), and learning new tricks.  I tried dock diving, and Frisbee.  Joule and Astro like the Frisbee.  Astro likes the swimming part of dock diving, just not the diving part.  Joule thinks I am crazy :)  Astro met his "mini-me", Rhett.  Rhett is  Katie's pap puppy from Joule breeder (www.showpaps.com), he looks like Astro including markings.  As soon as I get a picture of them together I will post it.  Overall, it was a great summer.  I guess I should go make some lesson plans:(