Trial Report-- ICCKC AKC Agility, 3/16-18 2012

This past weekend, Cedar, Ember and I packed up and drove to Caldwell, Idaho for my kennel club's spring AKC agility trial. We had the opportunity to stay with our friend (and agility instructor), Mary Hunter, and had an absolute blast. Both Cedar and Ember traveled well, and I was especially impressed with Ember's patience and good behavior with a routine so different from her normal life at my house.


Overall, Cedar ran really well this weekend on some tough courses by judge Bob Long. We earned two Q's, both in Jumpers... which is surprising because it's been our worst event until this trial!

On Friday, we earned our last Open Jumpers Q with a first place!!! Cedar handled really well in this run, with only the one little bobble that (I think) was caused by me giving a late command for the jump right before the weave poles. But I managed to get her back around for just a fault (no back jump, yay!). She had awesome weave poles in this run.



We also had a really nice standard run on Friday. It was the first of three REALLY awesome, but Non-Qualifying Excellent Standard runs this weekend. Each day, we smoked the standard course except for one small, usually stupid error. I was pretty down about it on Saturday, but after some thought, I realized just how encouraged I should actually be. These courses are HARD. The fact that we are just small mistakes away from consistency is pretty dang good considering that we just moved up to Excellent a little bit ago. We only had one "trainwreck" run all weekend where we weren't on the same page at all, Jumpers on Saturday. That was just awful. You guys don't need to see that video ;)

Here is the video of our Excellent Standard run on Friday:



And our Excellent Standard run on Saturday:



And here's a video of my favorite run of the weekend (also our last run!), our first Excellent Jumpers Q:



I REALLY liked this run. Cedar showed me just how much she is maturing as a competitor at the weave poles, when my motion almost caused a refusal but Cedar, knowing her job, found the entry and absolutely NAILED those poles. What a good dog!

Ember had a really good time this weekend. She traveled like an experienced dog, was awesome in her crate at night AND in the car, didn't get carsick, pottied on command, and was just a dream overall. She got to come to the trial with me all three days, and met a TON of new people. Most, she was happy to meet, but she was acting pretty shy with some others. She must be in a fear period, because she's always been super friendly and outgoing. But even when she was scared, she would still give me good eye contact, sit, and do a hand touch. She would also take treats from the people she was "afraid" of. I think she has a really nice temperament. She also had fun staying at "Auntie Mary's" house. She has recently discovered the joys of fetch, and played that game with me for almost an hour on Saturday night. I learned that she also has quite the vertical leap ;)


I just love how much sass she has. I think she's going to be an absolute BLAST in agility :)


Cedar is not looking forward to the day when she has to share both life AND agility with her bratty little sister, however ;)


In a few weeks, I will be attending the AKC Agility Nationals with my good friend, Mary. I won't be competing, obviously, but I'd almost rather be a spectator anyhow. It will be so much fun cheering on all my friends that are going. I know quite a few people that qualified this year. And, because it's relatively close by (Reno, NV), most of them are going! I'm super excited!

Will you be attending the AKC Agility Nationals in Reno this year?