1/19-20/2008
We traveled down to Irvine, CA to play NAFA flyball at Orange Crush's Winter Games. Eshu and Kira both performed very well and earned a lot of points. Eshu now has over 16,000 points and is closing in on his ONYX. Kira (and two of her teammates, Meg and Bud) were awarded their ONYX plaques at this tournament. It was very special to see our amazing little girl be awarded this title.
Eshu played a little CPE agility - being run by Jennifer! He qualified in 5 out of 8 runs with first, third, and fouth places in a large class! Eshu was amazing, holding every start line stay - even when I led out the entire ring! - and he got all of his a-frames (jackpot and snooker). The three non-Qing runs were handling errors by me. Not once did Eshu argue or complain. In fact in Fullhouse, which is usually a disaster - too much arguing to obtain any points - was his first place run! We earned a lot of points in his Jackpot runs, too! I was very pleased with Eshu...what a good dog.
3/15-16/2008
We went down to Madera to play U-fli flyball and run some USDAA agility. Kira ran in Snooker and Gamblers and qualified in all 3 runs with placements (2 thirds and a second). This means she is one gamble Q away from her APD!!! Fuze made her debut into flyball - we weren't 100% sure what to expect - would she try to steal the other team's ball - how would she do on mats as she's never seen them before? But, Fuze was amazing. She didn't make a mistake all weekend and was running 4.2s-4.3s. One thing we did notice, though, is she will only run as fast as she needs to to beat the dog in the opposing lane. That means if it's a slower dog, her time reflects that; however, if the dog is faster, she will also run hard to beat that dog, too. Fuze earned 870 points for the weekend and was consistent enough that she and Todd had several .0 starts! Eshu also ran all weekend, for another handler on our team that wasn't mom or dad - with mom boxloading - and he did great! We went first on Saturday and second on Sunday!
3/29-30/2008
Bakersfield here we come - to play NAFA flyball. It's Fuze's NAFA debut, and we're hoping to try Ticket in warm-ups. The venue was so poor - there was a stage in the middle of one of the lanes and the building was really too small for 2 rings - that there was no way we were going to subject Ticket to that for her first time in the ring (she'll have to wait until Oregon in April). We were also a little nervous about running Fuze because the rings were so close, we could barely tell which team we were racing - and we were afraid this novice dog would blow a gasket. Nope - she was AWESOME! In fact, she only had one "bobble" (forgot what lane she was supposed to be in) all weekend! We had some other issues with her team, but Fuze was a trooper! She earned her Flyball Dog and Flyball Dog Excellent titles. Eshu earned almost 900 points for the weekend and Kira wasn't far behind. Eshu's now about 3,000 points from his ONYX.
4/12-13/2008
Kira got to play in USDAA agility this weekend. She needed one gamble leg to get her APD (Performance program championship). The gamble course was first on Saturday. She nailed it! Kira was only in 2 other runs for the weekend - both pairs runs. She Q'd both times with a 1st and a 2nd place! As an unfortunate side note, Fuze injured herself getting into her crate (caught her toenail and pulled the entire thing off with not a yelp - now THAT'S a tough BC!).
4/26-27/2008
NAFA Flyball in Oregon - what a fun tournament. Probably the best of the year! The teams did really well - placing all teams both days...not to mention a ton of points. Eshu earned close to a 1,000 points for the weekend, inching him ever closer to his ONYX.
5/17-18/2008
We went to Reno to play some NAFA Flyball. Fuze was outstanding and earned her FDCh and FDCh-S! It was very hot and I needed some help running Fuze while Todd was making a lunch run. Not only did she run well for our teammate, Jeri, she also ran just as great for a member of another team who was just standing by and I grabbed her - thanks Marci! Eshu and Kira both had an excellent weekend - and Eshu has almost 19,000 points. ONYX, here we come!
5/31-6/1/2008
More NAFA Flyball in Vallejo. I like this venue, it's indoors on mats. Our club ran 4 - yes 4 - teams and boy were we tired. We needed Fuze to step up and double run on Saturday (due to another dog's last minute absence on Sat) and what a spectacular job this brand new baby dog did! Fuze is close to her FDCh-G now. Amazing. Eshu and Kira also earned a ton of points. Kira is making progress toward her FDGCh - something I never even dreamed of. Because of a math error, I thought Eshu was farther away from his ONYX that he was, so I gave him a couple of breaks. Dang - he's only 5 points away. Our team was exhausted (4 teams in the heat in an UN-air conditioned building wore us out!), so one of the teams was short a dog, but they didn't want to quit on the last race of the day. So, they asked if I'd run Ticket. She's not quite ready for prime time (she will occasionally bobble at the box), but, what the heck. She was outstanding and due to a couple of handler errors, earned her FD and came close to her FDX. It'll be a while before she's in the lanes again, but she did a WONDERFUL job! Go Ticket!!!
Eshu and I participated in the Haute Dawgs fun match at WAG. I choose to do the "AKC" day, since we have a much harder time of the tighter courses. He was great! Held every start line stay, got every contact, and got almost all of his weave entrances. What a good doggie!
6/21/2008
ASCA agility hosted by the NNASC. Eshu and I (along with my sister, Nancy - thanks for going with me! - and Ticket) went on the road to try some agility away from home. The first run was Regular and he did great. We had an off-course that about 95% of the other teams also had, but the rest of the run was spectacular. The second Regular run I had a slight hesitation on the release from the teeter, so Eshu was a bit of a goon. The two gambler runs were amazing. We Q'd and first place in the first one and the second we earned the most opening points of the entire class, but I drove the gamble line too hard and pushed him off course into the tunnel. Since ASCA allows training, I set the gamble up again and ran it as I meant to, and he was great! I won't even tell you how bad the jumpers runs were, but I did carry him off course. Those watching me said I fell apart on my handling and was beyond late. Next time...
Eshu's return to ducks at the VacaValley Stockdog Club's annual trial. Eshu only needed one more duck leg to earn his AKC HSAd title (his last time on ducks was at the same trial a year ago where he earned a 3rd and a 4th place Q!). He did really well and not only picked up that last leg, but placed 1st! That's my boy!!! Thanks, Debbie, for an awesome job handling Eshu.
7/19-20/2008
We went up to Truckee to RF Revolution's NAFA tournament. We had a great time, despite the fact that we were short height dogs! Eshu earned his ONYX and both Kira and Fuze had an awesome time.
8/9-10/2008
Todd and I are split the weekend. True to form, Kira suffered yet another toe injury running around in the yard, so Todd took Eshu and Fuze (but no Kira) to play NAFA Flyball in Hayward. We, and a couple of other teams, had problems with the running surface, and Fuze burned both of her carpal ("stop") pads off - unfortunately she has dolts for parents as we didn't notice until after the last heat of the last race on Saturday when the box was covered in blood. Fuze stayed home on Sunday. However, while Todd was playing flyball, Ticket and I went to Vacaville for Ticket's first herding trial. We were entered in "PT" (or Pre-Trial Test) in AKC - Ticket qualified both days and earned her "PT" title - Goooo Tickey, too!.
9/13/2008
Kira had to sit the day out because of her toe. But Eshu and Fuze had a fabulous day. We ran three teams and finished 1st and two 2nds! Eshu earned 910 points and Fuze earned 585. Fuze is closing in on her FM!
9/26-28/2008
Eshu and Kira did well. Both had several qualifying runs...even though Saturday was a washout with Eshu and I. But, he made every contact and held every start line stay! The exciting news of the weekend was that we ran Fuze and Ticket in tunnelers. Both girls qualified with a 1st (Fuze) and 2nd (Tick) place! I also entered Ticket in jumpers, but my ankle was too sore to run. Todd tried to run Tick on Saturday, but she looked for me; however, on Sunday, she was awesome and had a spectacular run, except for the last jump. But, it was the fastest time of her height class!
10/11-12/2008
Kira finished her PD3 Pairs title with a first place run with Tally-Ho! It was an awesome run - fastest time of the class!
10/18/2008
Unfortunately, I ended up with pancreatitus, and got to stay in the hospital for a week - and then they took out my gallbladder. That put a damper on our schedule, and we, and the dogs, took a couple of weeks off.
11/2/2008
AKC Obedience in Vallejo. Eshu Q'd with a 192 and 3rd place in a large Novice A class!
11/7-15/2008
ASCA Nationals in Las Vegas. Eshu qualified in obedience in the pre-show and earned a 4th place. He also qualified in Nationals and tied for 4th place. Eshu also qualified in both Gamblers runs and earned his GS-N. We also Q'd in Jumpers with a really nice run...and we would have Q'd in regular with a fantastic run, except that he missed the last jump as he saw his leash and made a bee-line for the "tug". I couldn't work stock with either Eshu or Tick, since I just had surgery...but Debbie did work Eshu on Sheep and Ducks...no Q, but he worked well for Deb and she did a great job!
11/27-29/2008
Turkey Trot CPE trial in Elk Grove. I forgot to enter the puppies, but Eshu and Kira earned many Qs. Kira's took "Top Turkey" for the third year in a row, and Eshu's team took first place in their division, too!
12/5-7/2008
NADAC trial in Elk Grove. Ticket and Fuze both ran in jumpers and tunnelers. I found out Ticket doesn't reallly like tunnels! But, she Q'd in both jumpers runs. Fuze and Todd had an excellent jumpers and tunnelers run - where both were first place finishes. Kira and Eshu also had some great runs, but Eshu missed many contacts. :-(