Time to switch gears. While we fully enjoyed our happy little trip back to the land of Novice this past weekend, now it's time to start looking forward to this weekend! On Monday Secret and I are heading over to New Berlin to play in Performance Versatility Pairs (PVP/Team) for the first time.
Yes, we've been competing in USDAA for over a year and we have never played in Team. I figured it was one of those things that seemed better put off until Secret was running more confidently in the new organization. She started off fairly rocky with the teeter hesitation and other things, so in the back of my mind I kind of decided to put off entering Team until she had moved her way up to P3 and proven that she is more comfortable with things.
Well, that time is now!
I'm looking forward to it! We found ourselves a partner through a great Facebook group that lets people post that they are looking for teammates. Our other half is a lightning fast (and a little crazy, lol) Golden Retriever named Ricochet. We've seen Ricochet at trials at Think Pawsitive -- Kaiser was even teamed up with her for Pairs once, but the dog was being ran by someone other than her owner. Scott kindly agreed to team up with Secret and together they are "Target Practice."
My only real hesitation about Team is that it's five runs in a day -- I just don't want Secret to be completely flat/done by the time Relay roles around... I also need to decide over the next several days if I'm going to risk traveling alone with Secret or if I'll schlep the boys alone for moral support. I really feel like I need to test the waters with solo travel one of these days, but I don't know if potentially sacrificing our team is the way to go... I suppose I can feel better knowing that our teammate has gotten two PVP Q's since agreeing to run with us. ;o)
I had hoped to get in some motivational agility practice tonight, but I caved and mowed my lawn. I have not done any agility since the last time I mowed -- which was just this past THURSDAY -- and I hate it when I have to move the agility equipment around without having even used it. I sucked it up and was an adult, though. We wanted to play, but there is a chance of rain the next couple of days and honestly the lawn just couldn't wait any longer.
The dogs don't care. They love it when I mow because it's a traveling salad bar for them. Kaiser might be a little bummed because I knocked down the majority of his dandelions. Seriously, I think the little guy ate his weight in the things last night... No worries, I'm sure they'll come back!
By the way, I'm very grateful to the person from Coulee Kennel Club who snapped the top picture of Secret at the trial this weekend -- and then put it on their Facebook page! That picture is the end of her Jumpers run on Sunday -- which was by far her slowest run of the weekend. Considering that, I think she looks pretty good!
Good luck! I've never entered team before. I've had a hard enough time being brave enough to enter pairs as a draw!
ReplyDeleteDitto! I did the bare minimum of Pairs up to now, where I need to start getting Q's towards PDCH. I put a lot of pressure on myself and would feel horrified if I caused the team to NQ, even though I fully understand reality and I would never be upset with a partner that NQ'd us.
DeleteI'll always remember my very first pairs experience. We had a Pairs Relay class at a TDAA trial right at the beginning of Kaiser's trial career. It was his first or second trial and things were going just horribly. I desperately wanted to scratch so that my partner could run with someone else because I knew Kaiser was not going to stay in the ring. I literally cried over it because I was so stressed. They talked me into running and sure enough we didn't come close to Qing. I've improved since then, but it's still a stressful experience - especially since I don't really get nervous at trials otherwise.
I'd hoped to do Team in MN for the first time and run with a friend - but I had vouchers for TP. :)
Have fun in Team - it's the best!! One of the reasons why I run so many of the tournament classes (Nari's almost to Tournament Master Platinum!!). The team courses are so much fun. Have you ever had Tom Kula as a judge?
ReplyDeleteBoy, I sure thought we had, but I can't find him anywhere on my records... Maybe he was the Masters judge in one of the two-ring trials we attended before getting into P3?
DeleteWe had a blast running in Team! Hoping to finally get a post up tonight... Now I'm just bummed that we won't have another chance to do it again until September.