PCA - RETROSPECTIVE

Nina and I had a grand day at our first PCA agility trial. We were more than a little overwhelmed and a bit intimidated with the spectacle of the all-poodle line up. The dogs were awesome! (Do we really belong here?)


Our start line jitters fell by the wayside as we started our standard run with wide-open fun - unfortuneately we had a little too much zip approaching the table from a sharp left turn. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she
wasn't going to be able to put on the brakes fast enough.  I tried to block her with my body, but she was flying, and I would have had to poodle punt her to get her back on the table.  Everything else on the run was sweet.


T2B gave us our first PCA Q and 7 points. What a fun course with two long gently-curving jump series.  I love it when judges give you a wide open, run for your money Time 2 Beat course.


The jumpers course took me over a dozen walk-throughs to get it straight in my exhausted head. I worried and stewed about how to handle it.  There were so many options.  New friend,  Jennifer Deslauriers from Canada, helped me stop over-analyzing and got me to concentrate on just running it. Sweet success followed with my girl doing everything I asked.  We even had an international cheering section in the upper deck giving us motivation to run for the finish line!  Another green and a 3rd place.!   These awesome runs also brought us MXJ7 (that's 70 JWW Q's in 14 months) and MX5 (50 STD Q's in 11 months).  Pretty awesome for my Novice-A girl at 3 yrs 4 months old.   


The agility trial followed an awesome day of field work. Yes, I said field work. This year four miniature poodles joined the big boys and girls for the Working Certificate Test: Bowie and Owen (Ros Beaman - Kitchener, Ontario), Ren (Lisa Harrison - Memphis, TN), and my Nina (Beth White - Maryville, TN). The weather was unrelenting with cold rain and wind all day long.  Nina worked her heart out, and had a blast!  She completed two successful retrieves on land.
Unfortunately, she returned duckless after two trys with her first duck in the water of a very challenging pond.  She wanted to get her quacker soooooo bad, but was unable to maneuver through the submerged brush in her path and did not
figure out a way to get around it.  I was so proud of her enthusiasm, tenacity, and spunk!  Owen was the hero for us mini's with two successful retrieves on land and two in the stick pond and PASSED with style.


And if that wasn't enough, the Salisbury AKC Trial (Friday, Saturday - AND Sunday after the ducks) was so good to us.  I loved the judges, courses, turf, and friends. Nina Q'ed in 8 of 9 runs with and six placements!  We finally got the
last leg of our XF Excellent FAST title Friday, and our first Triple Q and a T2B 1st place on Saturday.  Has AKC started titling Quadruple Q yet?!?


I have to say that I was expecting to enjoy my first PCA, but I was not expecting to absolutely LOVE the entire experience - dogs, exhibiters, breeders, dinners, .... and I did I mention that the shopping opportunities for poodle bling were incredible!?


I HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR!  I must hooked; I booked my hotel room for 2013 before I left town.


Beth White and MACH Menina de Prata RA XF    "Nina"


p.s.  Grateful thanks to so many people who have helped us along our way:


Thanks to Ace Russell - for getting Nina and I started with the fundamentals of agility AND and starting us down a eye-opening thought-provoking path for communicating with and appreciating my dog.  


Thanks to all my fellow agility competitors / friends: Your camaraderie, feedback, and guidance were my source of strength when times were tough and my education on what was possible - Kim, Lisa J, Lisa H, Valerie, Theresa, Tracy, Butch, Shelia, Julie, Dan, Barb, Linda, Wanda, and many more.


Thank you to my mentor and new friend, Carol Stone - who has shared with me her time, her skills, her work ethic, and her limitless passion for training our poodles to showcase the unending feats for which they are capable.   


Thanks also to the entire crew of our Thursday training group.  I am so grateful that you have allowed a such a novice to share in the depth and wealth of your experience.  I learn something new every session.  Your encouragement has been so helpful. 


AND most of all, a special THANK YOU to my husband and friend, Joe White - who has tolerated my absences, shared in my successes, and learned to love our little four-legged Nina.

Video - Franklin JWW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q5SDa8nqSU&sns=em

We Finally Made It! First MACH!

I cannot begin to describe the excitement and pride I have in team Nina and Beth. I know we have a lot to learn and a lot to improve, but for now, I am so happy with what we have done so far. From Perry, GA in early July 2010 to Meretta, GA in early November 2011, w managed to go from Novice A to MACH in 16 months. We experienced a lot of ups ad downs and will, no doubt repeat that roller coaster as we procede up our learning curve. That is what keeps this sport so exciting.

I continue to strive to be the best handler I can be so I can help my dog to do her best for each run each day. I struggle with stayting in the present, respecting and accepting and running the dog I have today. I know I can improve my handling skills, mental focus, and physical attributes. I know I will will work hard to do this.

I am taking a hard look at what I want my new goals to be. I know this includes a lot of honest introspective, detailed planning, learning new training methods, stepping out of my comfort zone and hard work.

But for now, I want to bask for a little while in what we have accomplished an be grateful for my dog, my husband, my friends, my trainers and my encouragers.

MACH NINA! Congratulations!

Sanford, NC Trial - Day 1

Second place, 12 MACH pts. Master Agility title!

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Photos from Durham Trial

Durham Kennel Club Trial

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Nina and I had a fantastic time.  Our first time at this outdoor trial.  The weather Friday was rainy all day long.  Saturday was pleasant and Sunday was HOT!  Nina completed requirement for her Excellent A Standard title.  AX!  We can now start accumulating MACH points in both Std and JWW and start our quest for 20 double Q's.

I loved meeting the folks from Durham Kennel Club - approx 250 members with 50 participating in agility competition.

Great Photos from Louisville Trial

Greater Louisville Training Club Trial - March 17-20, 2011

Happy girl with 4 Q's and an Open FAST title.

Murfreesboro - I love it!

A fantastic day with a Q in Open FAST and our Open STD title, finally. What a day!

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I was really proud of the girl.  If I had given a better cue for the JWW triple jump, we would have had a trifecta!  I was glad to have just one day at this trial as the dust was very heavy in the air. 

Decatur Alabama Kennel Club - Hustville

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Two Q's JWW. Now have 6 of 10 needed for MXJ. Nasty arena. Coming home covered in red dirt in the Alabama A&M Ag Center.

TVKC Agility Trial Pics

MACH Celebration

What a special cake! Congrats Ellie and Michelle!

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TVKC Trial

What a fantastic weekend with a break-thru, in-ring teeter performance. We, consequently, were able to get qualifying scores in two Open STD runs. Finally! One Q (no points) for three JWW runs.

Thank you, Ace, for your insight into the power of a quiet, sincere, eye-to-eye celebration of accomplishment.

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Franklin Photos

Franklin Video 4

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 28, 2011

Day 2 Run 2 - Open Standard
This was a run that we wish we could forget.  We had 1 wrong course, 1 refusal, 1 table fault, and an elimination for leaving the ring.  I'm glad there is always tomorrow.

Franklin Video 3

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 28, 2011

Day 2 Run 1 - Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves

What a run!  This is really fun.  Nina dropped her very first bar during this run.  I didn't give her enough forward momentum to complete the jump before I signaled to turn.  Her back foot clipped the bar.  She is now running faster and a bit more efficiently!  What a girl!

Franklin Video 2

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 27, 2011

Day 1 Run 2 - Open Standard
Great run!  Too bad we had to skip the teeter for now.  That's another story.

Franklin Video 1

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 27, 2011

Day 1 Run 1 - Jumpers with Weaves
Look for terrible handler error at jump #3.  Rest of run was very nice.
Wow!  Do I have a lot to learn!

Blue Ridge Agility Trial - Asheville

What a great weekend.  I loved using my new trial journal.  It helped me stay on track and keep focusing on opportunities for improvement.

Thanks to Pat Doan for the great ideas and positive encouragement.

Thanks to Susan Wilson for the use of her fabulous facility (just off Exit 33 on I26)

 

Helping people select, raise, train and obtain a 

good dog by earning their trust and respecting who they are.

Thanks to Judy Cheat (and Asha) for being my first agility friend and colleague. I always love seeing you at trials! 

Blue Ridge Agility Club Trial - Day 1

Super day w/ 5 MACH points in JWW and 3rd place & 1st Q in Open FAST. Nina really ran with a lot of enthusiasm & control. It was a fun day!

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