1st trial of 2010 - Success!!!!

I'm so happy after this weekends trial!  Trapper ran so well and my little new pre-run routine seems to have really worked!
Before each of his runs I took him out right after I finished walking the course to potty him.  I played with him and connected with him by giving him treats and doing some tricks for me.  I put him back in his crate and went back to get him around 4 dogs before his turn.  I tugged with him and would playfully scratch and poke and massage him all over and it got him really hyped up!! 

The first run on Saturday was Advanced Gamblers - Trap was fast and focused and we got it baby!!  It was his second gamblers Q - 1 more and we're in Masters!!

We ran our first Challenge class ever but Trapper knocked a bar - but I was so pleased with him - it was a tough little course!  I think we did well for our first attempt!

Next up was Masters Regular and we rocked!!  Trap was smooth and really listened to me - our connection was great!!

Lastly on Saturday was our Master Jumpers run.  I didn't follow my new pre-run routine. It was late and I was tired and tought he'd be fine - well - nope!!  He seemed great on the start line and as we took off - Trapper just trotted over the first 5 or 6 jumps!  I threw in a few extra front crosses that I hadn't planned on just to speed him up and that worked awesome!  He ran so much better the last half of the course that I felt great - but no way we Q'd though because of the slow start!  Well - when I got in Sunday morning and checked our time - we Q'd by 1.9 seconds under time, how close can you get???  - I was shocked!!  He really did pick it up at the end!!  And this was our first Q in Master Jumpers!!  Yippee!!

So for the first time ever in AAC Trapper Q'd 3 out of 4 runs!  Awesome!!

On Sunday we blew our Steeplechase run - but in a good way!  We started off nice and smooth - got through the first set of weave poles great - on the way back to hit the weave poles for the 2nd time - Trapper stopped and started to jump around me - like he does at the off leash park when he's really happy and playful.  He was so cute I started laughing!!  I got him to finally enter the weaves and he was fast!!  We finished the course fantastic - but we were over time like I thought!

The next 2 runs were Master Standards and both were excellent, but Trappy blew his dogwalk contact in each run and missed the teeter contact in one of the runs.  The first time in a long time he's blown a contact!  But he ran fantastic and quick and we were so connected it felt great!!  Gotta tune up those darned contacts now!!  The training never ends!!  :o)

Now - his last run was Advanced Snooker - I reved him up good and it was go time!  We smoked it and got our 2nd Advanced Q!!  One more and then we're in Masters Snooker!

So get this - this is why I know I love the sport and teamwork of agility and I don't need the Q to feel like we're a success as a team!
Saturday we had 3 Q's - Sunday we had only 1 Q - BUT - Sunday was our best day in my mind - because Trapper was so happy and motivated and for all 4 runs - he worked so hard and truly seemed to be having so much fun which made me feel fantastic!  The weekend seemed like a breakthrough for us!  Can't wait to see what happens at the next trial!

This coming Saturday I have a seminar scheduled with Sue Charlton on Building Value for Obstacles!  I'm hoping that helps even further with Trappers motivation!!