The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

Hi all,

Some good news, but no great news. I Q'd in Ex B FAST and took 2nd place. This is my first leg toward the Master FAST title. This title requires 10 Q and since FAST is not offered very often it will be a long time before I can finish that title. Mom didn't think I could do the send bonus (the part of the course that I had to do by myself with Mom 16' feet away behind an orange line ). But I did it! And as if the send bonus wasn't hard enough, Mom started the course with me jumping a TRIPLE! But I cleared them all . A video will be posted at a later time.

I didn't Q in either standard or jumpers, I dropped 1 bar on each run. But Mom was pleased with the rest of the courses.

Rosey, who is still being a butthead in standard, once again popped out the weaves. However, she did them in jumpers and Q'd with 8 MACH points. Mom is beside herself trying figure out why Rosey won't do weaves in standard but is doing them in jumpers . Mom has decided that she is going to concentrate on me and work out the few kinks in our runs so that I Q consistently in standard and jumpers. She figures Rosey will eventually get the MACH but Mom is moving on in hopes that I can also get a MACH sometime in the next two years.

We'll give another try tomorrow.

Solo

We love seening your videos. thanks for posting

Huge congratulations, Solo! Wow, you are really moving forward!
Auntie Colleen's plan of focusing on you sounds great that way she won't be stressed over how well Big Sis Rosey does.

Our trainer Jean, the one you met, told us that the reason why I am in Master's Jumpers but still stuck in Starters Standard is because the Jumpers courses flow more nicely than the Standard one. Who knows, maybe that is why Big Sis Rosey is having trouble with those weaves.

I hope today was a fabulous day for all of you!

Star

Hi All,

Boy are we tired. We were at the trial all day because Mom was the trial chair and she had to stay until the very end. At least we got to visit Karlie-Bug and Kaitlyn at their booth. They had all the pretty collars on display and some good treats. We like lamb tracheas!

And for today's report -- much like yesterday. Rosey won't do the weaves in standard, but manages to do them (barely today) in jumpers. She earned 2 MACH Points. Many people were watching her do weaves in standard and the conclusion is "IT IS ROSEY -- NOT MOM". Rosey has copted an attitude. Now here is the really strange thing. This string of NQ in standard started 4 trials ago. Ironically, at each of the trials, the weave poles happen to be placed in the same location in the ring. How weird it that! And a year ago at this time Rosey went into another "I won't do weaves" phase. For the next 3 weekends the trials are outside on grass -- maybe the change in surface will help. Anyway, she now needs 69 MACH points. Here is today's jumper's run when she STOPS in the weaves, but doesn't pop out, and then continues so the judge didn't call a fault. http://youtu.be/bEE7VQTincM

I, too, qualified in jumpers today and I earned 4 MACH points (so I did better than Rosey). Now I did get lucky (finally), I tapped a bar, it bounces, but falls back into place -- it doesn't drop! http://youtu.be/duWd9PpCYgI

I didn't get lucky in Time 2 Beat -- I dropped 1 bar, but since Mom doesn't care about this event it isn't a big deal. Mom worked on my contacts and doing distance work. I did those things well.

Finally, here is the video of my GREAT run in FAST yesterday. Note--unlike jumpers and standard when you don't want the judge to raise her arms (that indicates a fault), in FAST the judge raises her arms to indicate you have earned points. http://youtu.be/gApltg5YzPk

We will try again next weekend.

Solo

Star,

We don't think the difference between the flow of the standard and jumpers courses is the cause of the weaves problem. Yesterday's standard course started with a tunnel and jumps into the weaves (reasonable entrance). With Rosey it is always a guessing game of what is causing her to do (or not do) something. So from now on, we don't care. As they say in H.S. Band, "I have first chair" and Mom will be running Rosey as practice for my runs. This weekend the runs are small to tall so Rosey will go first on both days.

But Jean's comment about the flow of standard and jumpers courses does apply to Mom's "ability" to run me on standard courses. We missed a Q in standard yesterday because of a misplaced front cross after the teeter which caused me to run past the tire. GEESH to lose a Q because of the tire -- how embarrassing! With Rosey, Mom ran beside her and so she never learned to read courses very well. Since I have distance skills and run faster, Mom now needs to figure out cross placements. Once Mom learns how to read and run courses I think we will be pretty good.

See you in a few weeks,

Solo

That is very impressive, Solo, that you are the priority now! Huge responsibility. I know about that since being an only child it all falls on me!

My mom is reading a book called Developing Handling Skills because our trainer says that most of the problems are her fault and that once her handling gets cleaned up we should be a fabulous team! I love it that she can't blame me when we don't do well. If I knew where I was going ahead of time I would not drop bars or have off courses.

Guess what! My mom planned our next trip to CA so carefully that she almost forgot to sign up for the agility trial! Oops is right but she caught it on time so we are now all set for the end of the month.

Star

OMG that would have been terrible! We are entered in standard and jww each day.

BTW--T2B runs first on Friday and then big dogs (20-26") run both jww and standard; then 4-16" run standard to jww. If you enter T2B on Friday you are going to have a BIG wait between it and your other runs. Since the trial closes this evening, you still can modify your entry.

Solo

That is a though... we are entered in everything all three days. Mom is determined to come back with our third Open Standard leg since we only need one more and here we hardly ever get to go to AKC trials. If there is no rain we have a good chance.

If we don't do T2B on Friday, about what time would we have to be there for Open?

Star

My guess is late morning. You can call Maggie (623) 556-8460 and ask her. She is really good about helping. Mom and Maggie had this conversation on Sunday about when T2B was run and Maggie agreed that by Mom not entering us in T2B we wouldn't need to be there until much later for small dog excellent and we would miss rush hour. You know, for Open you might not need to be there before noon.

Solo

I worked late and never got a chance to call so we'll be there for the long wait! I'll just bring a book and do lots of volunteering!

Sylvia

Hey Solo,,,
You are too cool...love your FAST run...man you can do distance!!! And Rosey will get there....meanwhile your chance to shine!
Your distance pal
Andy Boy