Here are the official videos. That first jumpers run really shows just how costly a moment of disconnect can be, she looks to me for reassurance, I wasn’t looking at her, so even though she made a valiant attempt to get back into the poles, she was too far along.
Time 2 Beat:
Round 1 Jumpers:
Round 2 Standard:
Round 3 Hybrid:
Round 4 Jumpers:
Alice’s first trial will be next month under Sherry Jefferson (Aunt Sherry). I am THRILLED with how Alice is doing at this point. She is amazing me every time we practice.
The Invitational is a strange beast. Exciting, disappointing, emotional, fun, exhausting, thrilling. It’s an experience.
This year was extra emotional, because Nina’s pancreatitis flare-up in November was just improving and then flared again the day before I left. So I left her home with Jim rather than subject her to all that driving, crate time, strange places, etc.
She qualified this year for the fifth year in a row, and I know that, at 11 1/2, this could easily have been her last year to go (plus the official color this year was purple, Nina’s color!), but leaving her behind was the right choice for her.
I had high hopes for Zhora this year (last year, the Invitational was her first trial back after the puppies, so I knew we wouldn’t be competitive). She’s been within shouting distance of the finals twice now and I thought this year (her fourth consecutive) could be her year. She’s been fast and accurate and laying down perfect weekend after perfect weekend. She came out on Friday and dropped a 7 point Time 2 Beat run, which is excellent when running with some of the fastest dogs in the country.
Then Saturday was hot and muggy, I think Nina’s absence really started to get to her, and in our Round 1 Jumpers she bobbled in the weaves, looking at me while I was looking ahead, and that moment of disconnect caused her to pop. Right off the bat we were out.
Round 2 Standard was a Q. Slow, but a Q.
On Sunday, Round 3 Hybrid started to feel more like running with Zhora.
And then Round 4 Jumpers was my favorite – three blind crosses, two misread turns but no big deal, she ran fast and happy and I cried at the end, so thankful to this awesome little teammate for coming through for me once again.
HUGE crowd pressure this year.
So Zhora finished 3/4 plus Time 2 Beat, not bad at all!
Then we made the traditional stop at American Beach on Amelia Island for some much-needed R&R:
Cricket’s owner Jennifer Corbin says:
“Great weekend of agility with friends!
3 q’s for Cricket, 2 steeplechase and 1 starter jumpers which earned her title Starter Games Dog of Canada! We are out of starters!”
Cricket is now Alkemi Braveheart ST ADC SGDC!
Congratulations!
L-R Nina (Can CH MACH Vastgota Nina Ricci), Alice (Alkemi Clear Air Turbulence LT), Zhora (MACH4 Alkemi Blade Runner LS), Cricket (Alkemi Braveheart ST), Riley (Alkemi Aston Martin LS), Colby (Alkemi Batman LS). Nina is the mother of everyone except Alice, and Alice’s mother is Zhora. Zhora, Cricket and Colby are littermates from the B litter.
We had a mini Alkemi puppy reunion this weekend, complete with cake:
Judge Oksana Syrkin designed some fun, tricky courses. Nina had a pancreatitis flare-up unfortunately, so even though she double Q’d on Saturday she was very slow and wasn’t right and I ended up leaving the trial early Sunday morning to take her home because she really wasn’t feeling well at all.
Zhora tripled Friday (her first TQ!) and doubled Saturday (with a gift on an R on Friday), Riley earned his OAJ title, Colby earned an Excellent Standard leg and Cricket earned her very first AKC Q’s! Cricket is a Nina for sure.
It was awesome to see my puppies again and I am so grateful to Jennifer, Nichole and Chris for coming, and to Zap as always for her huge help with pictures and video!
Zhora Friday FAST (QQQ#1, QQ #90):
Nina Friday Standard (NQ):
Zhora Friday Standard (QQ #90, first place, 3.4 YPS, 24 points):
Nina Friday Jumpers (NQ):
Zhora Friday Jumpers (QQ #90, fourth place, 4.5 YPS, 16 points):
Colby Saturday Jumpers:
Nina Saturday Jumpers (QQ #25, obviously not herself, 4.1 YPS and just 14 points):
Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ #91, third place, 5.06 YPS, 21 points):
Cricket Saturday FAST (Novice Q #1!!):
Colby Saturday Standard (Q!!):
Nina Saturday Standard (QQ #25, feeling a bit better, barked at me on the table anyway! fourth place, 3.5 YPS, 25 points):
Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ #91, third place, 3.8 YPS, 29 points):
Riley Saturday Standard:
Riley Saturday Jumpers (OAJ title!):
Cricket Saturday Jumpers:
Lavonda Herring….usually wide open, Run Like Hell….this weekend? Close, tight, off course central. Love her anyway.
Zhora had yet another perfect weekend, racking up QQ’s # 88 and 89, almost halfway to MACH5 already. I can’t believe her. I just hope if she’s going to slump, that she does it BEFORE the Invitational. Right now it feels great, dialed in and open communication. AND she finished her Excellent FAST title!
Nina also had a perfect weekend…of NQ’s. Doesn’t matter. Every weekend I get to play with her is perfect.
I also ran into conformation judges The Anthonys, which was wonderful. SUCH NICE PEOPLE!
Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ #88, second place, 17 points, 4.769 YPS):
Nina Saturday Jumpers:
Zhora Saturday FAST (XF title):
Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ #88, second place, 27 points, 3.662 YPS):
Nina Saturday Standard:
Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQ #89, second place, 18 points, 4.759 YPS):
Nina Sunday Jumpers:
Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ #89, third place, 28 points, 3.763 YPS):
Nina Sunday Standard (such a nice run, dogwalk contacts are for the weak):
Other than fluency with weave poles, and the “mojo” that comes with experience running together, Alice is just about ready to trial! She has all her equipment (need to review the broad jump), she sequences, she listens pretty well. I am really thrilled with where she’s at at 13 months of age! And she is starting to get some speed too! Plus a start line stay!
I started training a turn away to a tunnel today, she picked it up on the flat very quickly so, following the OMD way of thinking, I put it into practice with a tunnel off the aframe right away. She stopped, thought, and then DID IT! I just LOVE how much of a difference I can see this time around, having used their methods pretty much exclusively.
She is a very game little dog, she has suddenly become snuggly after 12-13 months of not being very cuddly at all. Better late than never! I can really feel the bond developing, she is for sure a dog who bonds easiest through working.
Various videos from today:
Turn tunnel (note that she knows a “turn” cue from work on the flat, and she knows a “tunnel” cue from, well, tunnels):
Another perfect weekend for Zhora with FOUR FIRST PLACES and QQ’s #86 and 87. I cost Nina a double Q today, I just wasn’t in sync with her. She ran really well though. Judge Laura English designed some really tough but really fun courses.
Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ #86, first place, 4.8 YPS 17 points):
Nina Saturday Jumpers (yeesh):
Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ #86, first place, 4.134 YPS, 32 points):
Nina Saturday Standard (Q, second place, 4.053 YPS, 32 points):
Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQ #87, first place, 4.722 YPS, 17 points):
Nina Sunday Jumpers (I stepped in one stride too early and pushed her off the last weave pole):
Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ #87, first place, 3.746 YPS, 28 points):
Nina Sunday Standard (NQ, nice run):