Just one little thing.... USDAA trial, Fountain, Colorado

We were in Fountain, Colorado (about 2 hours South of Denver) for three days of USDAA competition. Friday was DAM team. Sage's team ROCKED! and we ended up with 4th place overall. Summit's team did not Q but we ended up just below the qualifying cut off.

Friday morning it was 33 degrees and the sprinklers had not been turned off in the park. The grass, equipment, and tents were covered with ice. Team jumpers was first and the class was delayed an hour in order to allow the sun to melt off the ice. I had an elimination with both my dogs. I was slipping and sliding all over the wet grass - I couldn't keep my feet under me. Sage popped out of the last weavepole and I didn't see it and cued the next jump (tweet!) and Summit took the wrong course tunnel because I was so late with my front cross, I actually cued extension and the tunnel that was in his path (tweet!). We weren't alone though, I think every team had a teammember that E'd on that course.

The rest of the day went well and the grass eventually dried out. So Sage has her DAM team qualifier for 2010 Nationals.

Saturday morning both my dogs got a very difficult gamble. I was confident that Summit would get it but was pleasantly surprised when Sage got it too. Then Sage qualified in Grand Prix with a 5th place. She had a really nice Snooker run going. We had completed all four 7's and were starting the closing... I didn't support the #4 jump (depressed angle) and she went around it. She had a wrong course in Steeplechase. Sage was only entered in two classes on Sunday. The gamble was not something I train with either one of my dogs so we just practiced contacts and I crossed the line to do the gamble obstacles. She later qualified in Snooker but dropped a bar in the last 7 so she didn't get a chance at a Super Q.

Summit and I had a fairly good weekend but it could have been much better. He had nice runs but with one little thing that kept us from qualifying.

We had two opportunities to earn that last Standard leg for his MAD title but it didn't happen. Saturday, he slipped off the end of the wet dogwalk and then stepped back on (wrong course) but the run was very nice. Sunday I misplaced a front cross and so was out of position to push to the tire and he missed it. In Grand Prix, I pushed him past his weavepole entrance and he went in at the second pole (otherwise beautiful run). Saturday Jumpers I had a flying arm episode and sent him over a wrong course jump, Steeplechase - not sure why but he took the wrong end of the tunnel from the a-frame. He did have a beautiful run in Masters pairs and we took 6th place. He also had a nice Jumpers run on Sunday with a 4th place.

So my goals for improving my handling ... watch my arms (keep them low). Be more careful with front cross placement (location after rotation and which direction my shoulders will be facing). Incorporate more rear crosses with Summit.

Training goals for Summit: work more on his understanding of collection and turning cues when I am behind.

Training goals for Sage: None - she's perfect:-)

The highlights of the weekend:

Sage had awesome contacts.

Summit only dropped one bar the entire three days.