agility4fun

Have you heard of this movie...spread the word!

2009-08-13T15:46:32Z

Get the The Cove Secret is Out. widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox!

Scottsdale - Big Day

2008-11-01T16:38:21Z

The GP Semi course is okay, keeping my head together and driving with confidence is the order of the day.

Good day yesterday. Stayed alive in both Snooker and Standard. First for me not to E in Standard or Jumpers. We have Gamblers today and I'm pleased that I'll be running Gamblers before GP Semi's. My Team is in 56th after keeping it together in Standard which saw many, many E's.

Last night was fun. Trick-or-Treating in the RV area was okay, but it conflicted with the PNS finals, so many RVs were dark. We ended up watching PNS in our costumes; there were many double takes from people :)

Very cool to see agilityfrk win the 22" PNS, with a super run. She was even smiling at friends in the crowd as she walked out.

Also, big congrats to insanedogowner who placed 3rd in the 16" PNS....smooth run.

Scottsdale - Steeplechase Semi's Streaming now...

2008-10-31T20:15:44Z

Check out www.usdaa.com

Scottsdale - Team

2008-10-31T01:17:23Z

After the Steeplechase debacle, we went on to having a respectable Team Jumpers run, even with the long jump challenge. Go figure! We even got through Team Snooker. Overall, Runs with Scissors isn't having too much success; one teammate got an E in Jumpers and both mates had trouble in Snooker with an 8 point and 13 point runs. Oh well. They are both great people and that's way better than a team with curmudgeons.

Scottsdale - Disdain for the Long Jump

2008-10-30T18:49:13Z

The Steeplechase is on its third rotation and eating up dogs left and right. Check the USDAA website for the course, but dogs are buying the tunnel instead of the weaves. Sure, there are other faults, but this is a biggie.

We had a nice opening and had the stupid fault...Kidd ran by the long jump about 6 times. I think my personal disdain for that lame obstacle somehow transferred to my dog. Oh well, no big money run for us this year.

I will be running Team Jumpers soon. The weave-long jump-tunnel will be another kind of handling challenge of the supernatural kind.

Later.

Scottsdale - Start the Circus

2008-10-30T13:54:21Z

It's early on the "real" day one of the event.

We attended the awards dinner last night where Kidd received his Lifetime Gold award and recognition for being in the Top Ten in Standard, Gamblers and Jumpers.

There was an update on Nationals for next year...some possibilities are Tampa Bay (planning was interrupted by the World Series, but now they can get back to it), Memphis, Pennsylvania, and various sites in Texas. There was no mention of it not being at Westworld again, but it sounded like these new sites had lots of potential. There was some rumor that Westworld was to be sold, but it hasn't been confirmed.

I have mixed feelings about Nationals moving so far away. My initial thought was that I could finally skip one after attending for 7 years, my son would be in Kindergarten, and there wasn't a pressing need to go just because it was "close". Now I am a bit sad, because Kidd is really in his prime and I hate the thought of missing out. I could go if it were in Texas, I suppose. I did go to both Dallas events, freakin' cold rain storm and all. I think we'll know the location by the end of the year.

Yesterday was European Standard, the warm-up and get the ya-ya's out course. Kidd was higher than a kite, as were many dogs. The 270 challenges weren't so challenging, for most it was basic faults...contacts, running by the tire and missed weaves. Kidd missed is aframe and ran over the long jump...doh!

Today is Team Snooker, Team Jumpers and Steeplechase Quarters. I start walking at 7:45 am.

There is supposed to be live video streaming of the runs starting today, but I guess they are stil waiting for their 2000 feet of fiber optic cable to finish set up.

LJr's sightings include:

insanedogowner and agilityfrk who told me that I was topic of conversation by a judge regarding my exclusive use of verbal commands to manage a threadle dominated course from years back. I don't know if that's a good thing to be remembered by a judge years later?

barjor who noticed she had no microwave in her RV...argh!

Scottsdale - It's Bloody Hot!

2008-10-29T04:21:39Z

Holy cow...it's 96 degrees! It supposed to cool down a little each day, so by Friday it'll be in the low 80's.

We arrived Monday at about 5:00 pm and waited for the RV guy to get our rig put together. I have to say it is super nice! Very clean, new and stocked with nice supplies. The guy putting it together had to run to the store and get a few items, but I would certainly recommend them to anyone renting an RV at Westworld.

Everyone is arriving and getting themselves settled. No one is allowed into the grass area, so it's been a little tough exercising dogs.

We did family things today; took the kids to mini-golf and played two rounds, my hubby and son visited the nearby ice rink and will probably catch a Coyotes NHL game on Thursday night, we purchased two pumpkins and carved one with a Thomas the Train face on it and hung up our halloween ghost lights. A full day!

Tomorrow is check-in and the warm-up class called European Standard.

Who is going to Scottsdale

2008-10-02T22:42:20Z

Just wondering who all is going?

Winners entering GP Round 2 again

2008-09-03T20:50:39Z

How do people feel about those who enter the grand prix regional, and subsequently win, after they have already won a spot into the National finals?

Is it fair?

Are they just out there to compete and if people can't beat them...too bad?

Are they strategizing to keep their competitors out?

All of the above?

Bay Team Recap

2008-09-02T17:20:03Z

Boy, what a long 3 days. Our trial site was different for us, an hour away for me compared to 20 minutes. The weather was so nice though which made the early wake-up more bearable.

Yesterday's big event was the Steeplechase finals. What a fun speed course. It started with 4 jumps in a straight line and then a hard left turn to the weave poles. I was pushing, and had an uncharacteristic bar down after the weaves. I just called Kidd too early, but I'll take that fault any day. All it means is that I just need to ease back a tad and my timing will be spot on. I find that when I don't practice or compete as often the timing is the first to go. I have a ton of trials coming up before Nationals, so lots of practice ahead.

Overall, the trial was great for us. We didn't qualify in every run, but contacts were absolutely fab and our teamwork was really good. Little technicalities here and there to smooth out. And, we got that GP semi bye which is a first for us.

It was great to meet new friends and I look forward to seeing them in Scottsdale.

agility4fun @ 2008-08-31T18:43:00

2008-09-01T03:00:41Z

I got to meet moodypdx (super nice) and as reported already, London had a super GP finals run. I also got to meet nosemovie (also super nice).

cflyrun also had a nice GP run.

barjor had a great run with Emma in GP finals. Speck had a really nice Team Standard run going yesterday with a bummer of a run by and off course at the end.

agilityfrk and Starlet got a great Masters Gambler today. Few big dogs were successful.

so far I haven't seen insanedogowner run yet, but did get to meet the lovely Sizzle.

Kidd and I had a good GP final run and will get a semifinal bye at Nationals. We made the finals of Steeplechase and will run that tomorrow. We were also clear in Master's Standard and had a placement.

Our Team won Team Jumpers and earned a Team Q.

Weather has been super, the trial is running well and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.

Bay Team Regional

2008-08-30T00:42:39Z

I just got a call from a friend at the trial site to say that the temperature is about 30° cooler than where I am...40 miles north and 98°.

It should be an interesting weekend. I am hearing we have about 100 fewer entries than last year. Maybe it's the economy and maybe it's because of the Colorado regional. I don't see any of those folks coming this weekend. I heard it was the tiniest regional with little competition.

6 judges and 5 rings...yikes! They are doing Master's Pairs tonight, walkthrough starts about now. I decided to skip it, since it would be too hard with both kids just for one run.

We'll have Splash Dogs for the first time at one of our events. I suspect many people will try it out just to get some relief for their dogs.

I'll be up bright and early at 4:30 am tomorrow for Team...all 5 classes and Grand Prix.

I hope to be able to offer some reports for the LJ'rs that have traveled here for the trial, but I don't know some faces and shoot, with 4 rotation groups and 5 rings, it's gonna be tough.

Boss Ain't Miss Behavin'

2008-08-26T17:48:57Z

I brought Boss to the SMART trial this weekend with a bag full of unknowns. Would she jump the ex-pen and run through the ring? Would she dig a hole to China? Would she bark and whine like an idiot? She's only 4 1/2 months old after all.

On Saturday morning when we were walking courses, I came back to find a tiny hole she had dug. I told her off and kept on her case the rest of the weekend and no other hole was dug.

She didn't bark or carry on when dogs were running, well except when I ran Kidd. That's is to be expected.

I took her out to the exercise area with me and Kidd and a friends two dogs, who Boss adores. I have been working on a down with a wait while I send another dog and a release after that dog has run off. Boss was able to keep her head and lay down and wait her turn. I was very pleased. She came back when I called her, although there were a couple of times a small correction was in order, more of a reminder really. She was brilliant!

She was very good and it quieted many of my worries about not putting in enough training hours.

Do these "sports" belong in the Olympics?

2008-08-21T00:07:42Z

BMX bikes

Race walking

Synchronized diving

Synchronized swimming

Handball

Trampoline

Rhythmic gymnastics

Feeling my age

2008-08-18T15:09:50Z

As I hoist my 4 month old daughter and feel the aches and pains of motherhood, I can't believe that a fellow swimming competitor from my past is currently in the Olympics.  In her youth, Dara Torres was competing at the same time I was (although she was across the country in Florida and I was in California) and I couldn't believe it when I heard she was trying to make a come back.  I was amazed when I watched the Olympic trials, she had done it and what a come back she made. It's so terrible, but my first thought was I hope she wasn't going to test positive for something.  She came out back in March saying that she would volunteer to drug test on regular intervals to dissuade any doubts. She is 7 months older than I am, but I could not imagine trying to do what she has done.  Jenny Thompson was 31 at her last Olympics in 2004 and is one of the most decorated Olympians ever, but she never stopped training and competing and also didn't have a baby during that time either.

Dara Torres commented during an interview that it's easier because she is swimming the sprints versus the distance events and that may be the case, but she is still BEATING the world's best.  I was a distance swimmer (500 free, 1650 free, 400 IM and 200 fly, 4x200 free relay) and when I think about the amount of yardage I did...it makes me shudder. I will never forget a horrendous training set; 3 x 3000's (that is 120 laps, three times) and going to my coach crying because it was so hard, mostly a lonely and mentally challenging swim. And, who could forget the 100 x 100's free on New Year's Day morning or the 10 x 100's on a minute. Ugh. I look on those days with amazement that I actually did that crazy stuff and was good at it. My college records still stand and I have fond memories of that part of my life. Just the same, that part of my life is over and I would not be up to putting my life, my husband and my children on hold for it.

I am so proud of Dara Torres and the 31 year old (now) German gymnast, Oksana Chusovitina for their achievements and showing that age doesn't have to be a hindrance in athletics.

You go girls!!

Ditas in the Olympics

2008-08-17T20:10:59Z

Has anyone been watching Field Hockey (mens or womens) and noticed that no one is wearing Ditas? I thought they were supposed to be premier field hockey shoes.

Shout out to the LJ'ers in the Seattle area

2008-08-13T02:16:30Z

We traveled home through Sea-Tac...did you see me, I was waving.

Bikers, Bison and Babies - Part 1

2008-08-13T00:45:59Z

We have just returned from our 10 day trip to Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone...whew! The entire family clan traveled together...8 adults and 6 kids (ages 16,14,13,7,4,4 months). We planned it a year ago and our greatest fear was whether the baby would be an okay traveler. It turns out that she was a fab traveler. Our 4 year old on the other hand had some kind of meltdown every day. In hindsight the trip was a bit too strenuous (lots of walking looking at geysers) and confining (too long in the car) for him...poor guy. We allowed my brother-in-law to plan all the activities and he had a photographic bent on the whole trip so it was a lot of drive, drive, drive, then jumping out and taking pictures. Not good for young kids. Just as I would get the baby sleeping, we'd stop again. It's my own fault and I will take control of my own family's needs next time.

Little did we know when we started planning this trip last year that it would be the same week as the largest motorcycle rally in the world in Sturgis, South Dakota (http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/). Ironically there is one of the largest Retriever events there too, but somehow that doesn't get as much press. Holy cow, I've never seen so many motorcycle enthusiasts before. And the clothes (or lack there of) of the female riders/passengers were wearing - SCARY!

We visited Mt. Rushmore (http://www.nps.gov/moru/) (or Mt. Mushmore, as my 4 year old says it) first and it was breathtaking. They played a video and an evening lighting presentation explaining the history of it and why those Presidents were chosen. However, even through the gloss and patriotism, the United States can't quite get away from the thievery of Indian lands. This is really apparent at the Crazy Horse Memorial (http://www.crazyhorse.org/) that is under construction. It'll be decades until that is finished. My 4 month old daughter may live to see its completion.

We visited the town of Deadwood (http://www.deadwood.org/) of Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp and Calamity Jane. It was all about gambling that day because of the motorcycle rally, so it wasn't very interesting. Lots of restoration of the old west buildings, so that was neat to see.

We also drove through Custer State Park (http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Custer/). Bison heaven! We were surrounded by a herd along the drive, and I mean surrounded, as in we had to stop as they meandered around the cars. They are BIG!

After 3 days of touring the Black Hills of South Dakota, we were off to Yellowstone National Park. On the way, we planned to stop at Devil's Tower (http://www.nps.gov/deto/), of Close Encounters fame, for a quick peek and then to Little Big Horn (http://www.nps.gov/libi/). We should have broken this into 2 days so that we could stay longer at Little Big Horn - it was amazing. The valley still remains almost exactly as it was. There was an awesome talk going on by a Lakota Ranger about the fateful days of the battle, but we had to leave since we had still 5 hours of driving to Bozeman, Montana to exchange rental cars. This would be a 15 hour day for us.

Location vs Footing

2008-07-24T16:07:48Z

Well it seems that our club could go back to it's "local" trial site but with caveats.

If you had a local site (within 20-30 minutes to your house) that supported 4 and 5 rings with ample exercise areas, would you continue to rent it even though the grass in one large section (basically the size of a ring) has been ground into dirt and the site has no intention of upgrading their irrigation system?

So, what is more important, footing or proximity?

***Update: I appreciate all of your comments. We'll see what happens with the site and what we're prepared to compromise on.***

New Grand Prix Requirements

2008-07-23T14:07:17Z

USDAA has changed their Grand Prix requirements for 2009...no faults allowed for a GP/PNS Q. The bar is being raised again.

I rememeber when it used to be 10 faults...the dark ages, I know.

People in the Know

2008-07-18T14:35:04Z

So that's what that button does?!

Thanks to

barjorand agilepawzfor the answer to my question.

Tour de France

2008-07-18T00:13:50Z

Next to the Olympics, this is my favorite sporting event to watch. Ever since I was a youngster, I have been following the Tour. I am constantly amazed at the tenacity of the riders and their ability to go day after day and suffer.

I am annoyed at the race organizers for not inviting Astana to the Tour this year even though they are a completely new team. Some think that the French have it in for Johan Bruyneel (Lance Armstong's Team Director for years) because Johan has the golden touch with riders. Remember Alberto Contador ( a virtual unknown) winning the Tour in 2007? Anyway, I see Rabobank is in the race this year. Their main guy last year, Rasmussan was caught for doping and eliminated.

Got to love Paul Sherwin, one of the commentators for the VS. network. He has the best one liners ever. One of my favorites is his comment about a rider "really having to dig deeply into the suitcase of courage". Genius!

Tough one to call this year. Of course I am rooting for both US teams; Team Columbia because they're based out of my college town San Luis Obispo, and Slipstream/Garmin/Chipotle because of their no doping policy and the rigorous self testing they do. Plus they have this cool argyle thing on their uniforms.

Dumb question

2008-07-17T23:51:04Z

Can someone tell me how to include an LJ user link with the little head in the text of a post?

For the life of me I can't figure it out!

Sucko Jumpers

2008-07-17T14:52:07Z

Here is the Sunday's Jumpers course from the Bay Team trial.

This was a course we just couldn't solve. I think there are those courses that no matter what you do, it's just not suited to your dog. It seemed no matter what handling style you used, everyone had trouble. The winner in 26" slowed her dog so much just to get through.

Virus from LJ?

2008-07-17T00:40:53Z

I got the following message from my virus protection software

"a browser exploit a agility4fun.livejournal.com was blocked"

Last Thursday, while visiting a friends LJ site, my computer was consumed by a virus and it took 4 days to recover it. I thought it was a coincidence, but now that I received this message, maybe it isn't.

I have sent a meesage to the suppot team...but take care to protect yourself.

Also, the post I did yesterday is now gone...strange.