UKI Nationals

This wasnt taken at the UKI nationals but I liked it and didnt have any good pictures to post.  I took it this weekend in Ga at a seminar I went to.

Anyway, went to the UKI nationals that was being held in Perry, Ga. The weather was great. It was sunny and warm most of the time. It was chilly in the morning on Saturday but then warmed up.  But Thursday and Friday, when we had to also use the outdoor rings, it was nice and warm. Unlike last year, when we froze our butts off!!   So much nicer!!

We started Thursday morning.  We were divided into 5 groups and there were 4 rings.  We walked all 4 course first thing in the morning and then spent the rest of the day running courses.  The idea was that which ever group wasnt in a ring, since there were 4  rings and 5 groups, the group that wasnt running , would work the rings. Yea, a great idea as long as the group will work.  It didnt work out that way. What is wrong with people??  There were times when I ran both my dogs and then put them up and went and helped in the ring, still during my groups ring rotation.  Why, because people wouldn't step up and the rings needed help.  I know other people did this too.  I was helping in a ring and after this lady ran her dog, her friend ask her if she would mind coming back and helping in the ring.  She came back .
So we ran Power and Speed first. I used this for training in the ring time. Java broke her stay and I was able to put her back. She flew off the teeter and I was able to fix that too.  Miley had a very nice run going, but she has trouble getting to back sides sometimes. But still a nice run.  I thought using this first run as training, for Java, would help us. No, she broke her stay all weekend. It was really bad. I probably should have started pulling her from the ring when this happened. Im going to have to fix this.  It caused us to go off course multiple times. If she had just stayed, we would have had a chance.

Next up was  Last chance Master Heat.

This course was not that hard but Java was jumping everything in extension. That was the theme of the day for her. After 12, she took the dogwalk. The only thing that was nice was 8 to 9.   It wouldnt have mattered because I really didnt know how I was going to get from the running dogwalk to #20.  LOL

Next was National Championship Rd1 jumping.
 I really thought we could get through this.

We were so close too.  I was ahead going to 17 and I thought my lateral motion would be enough for her to come with me.  LOL, it wasnt.



Last for Thurday was Snooker. You needed 25 points to advance to the finals. So I had my plan and figured we needed to get at least to #5 in the close.

Again, she was jumping everything with extension. I kept having to call her back. At #5 she back jumped and we heard the whistle. Ugh!!


Well that was disappointing.  But then that night the posted the results and we had 25 points. I forgot about the red jumps being 1 point. So we had enough points to make it in. We were in last place but thats ok. LOL

The next day was a long day.  We walked the four courses again in the morning. Then started running.

Last chance Master heat jumping.

I really wanted to do well on the course. I focused all my energy on this course.  I worked this ring, so I could watch the dogs and see the problem places on course.
We almost made it through.  We got to #18 and I thought I had her to the back side. Her nose was to the backside and all of a sudden, she twisted her neck and took the front side. I dont even know how she did it. LOl   I was so disappointed.




Next up was a really tough course. Biathlon jumping. I worked this course too. Lots of E's.

#2 is a wall jump. So your dog is blind coming over that jump and then all of a sudden need to know where to go. We Ed right there. I thought I had Java and all of a sudden she took the tunnel.  What got most dogs was #17.  You had to run the line from #14 to #17 but you couldnt beat your dog to the correct tunnel entrance.  I saw a lot of people "down" their dog right before the tunnel, and they made their dog wait until they got there.  They got a 5 second refusal but I guess that was better than "E"ing.  I saw one person get it and they turned their dog to the left at #14, most of us turned our dog to the ring. She did make it down the line and she was running a border collie. It was beautiful.

Next was SpeedStakes.  This was a hard course for me to remember.

It seemed all jump, tunnel, jump , tunnel, ect.  I kept walking #15 and then the tunnel, instead of #15 , #16 and then the tunnel.  I was so worried I would screw this up when I ran. But some how Java and I made it through. LOL



Yea, we got to go to the finals!!!  And this time we werent in last place. We were 11th.

For some reason, I was really nervous.  I think its because everyone is watching and they have the course in one big ring.




We made it through without Eing.  I know it was a pretty straight forward course but people did make mistakes. I was most worried that I would push Java off # 8,  and pull her off #15.  Multiple dogs missed 15.   We did pretty good but  I didnt give her any turning cues coming out of the # 7 tunnel. She saw all my forward motion when going into the tunnel and she continued that when she came out. So then I had to call her back and she was wide again after taking # 8.  Time goes so slow when you are fixing something like that. I just kept hearing the seconds tic away.  I tried really hard to make sure all the rest of the turns were as tight as they could be  The rest was beautiful.  We  ended up being 7th.  I cant saw I wasnt disappointed. If I had just let her know the turn was coming out of the tunnel, we might have placed. She was fast enough.  The best part was hearing people cheer for you as you came down the last line.  So exciting!!.

I have no idea what I ran on Saturday. I  do know we ran in the finals for the  games, Gamblers. It was again in a big ring.  We were in last place, so I didnt think we had much chance here.

I changed my mind multiple times about how I was going to run this course.  I didnt do any dogwalks because if she missed, then that was a waste of my time out there.  Here was the hard part. Dogs were not coming out of the  white circle #3 tunnel when you expected them to. I couldnt figure out what was going on.  When I ran Java, I pushed into her but it was to soon,because she didnt come out of the tunnel when I expected her to.  So she didnt take the white circle #4 tunnel. So no Q.  I think only one 16 inch dog got the gamble.  It was really weird, that #3 tunnel. A world team dog actually turned around in the tunnel and came back out the why she went in.
So after my run, when I went back into the stands to watch, thats when I saw what was happening with the tunnel. The tunnel was really long. It was staked down with these tunnel wraps. But they couldnt seem to get tight enough. Dogs that were really driving, the tunnel would accordion, under the dogs feet. So then the dog didnt come out when expected.  After the dog would leave the run, a ring crew  would go out and spread the tunnel back out again.   It was crazy.  I know the person next to me saw this happening too. Not sure if anyone else saw this. I was hoping it would show up on video, but I cant really see it.  But I know it happened.



Still if was fun to run.

Sunday they let everyone run the challenger round, to try to get into the finals. (If you were already in).  Again, she broke her startline, and it was a mess for a little while. Then we got it back together. LOL



Miley had a tough time.  She was stressing. On Friday, by the end of the day, she was just stress running around the ring. So I pulled her.  I dont think she ran much after that.  

UKI trial

I went to UKI nationals. It was held in Fletcher, NC.  So only a couple of hours from my house. The people putting on the trial are friends of mine. They asked if I would be willing to have a job for the trial. I told them sure.  I took on the Hospitality stuff. Which actually was a pretty easy job.  Just making sure there are food and drinks out of all the workers. Making sure the judges are taken care of. There was another lady helping me who wasn't running dogs. So she took over the judges stuff.  The biggest thing was keeping the coffee going because it was freezing cold!!    I drove up on Wednesday and it was 70+ degrees.  We started set up that afternoon. The next morning it was starting to get cold.   I helped with set up.  I was using a rubber mallet to put the jumps together and missed and hit my finger. It started to bruise right away but I kept working. Then I noticed it was bleeding.   Then more bleeding. I had to stop and go take care of it. Ugh.  Then after washing it, it really started hurting.   Its still not healed. 
 This year was very different then last year.  Last year you were divided into Nursery/starters  or Masters/Championship.  They didn't do that this  year. Everyone ran together on all the same courses.
Because there were so many people coming, they started Thursday night instead of Friday. There were 4 rings, two inside and two outside.

First up was Power and Speed. I guess Ive never run this type of course before.

You had 36 seconds to run the first part of the course (the black circles).  If you faulted, while running the black circles, you had to leave the course.   I decided to run NFC.  That way, no matter what happened, I got to run the whole course.  It was a good decision. Java was up first and broke her stay.  Boy was she shocked when I made her come back and start over. LOL  Miley decided stopping on any contacts was not needed. So I at least  I got to fix all that stuff.
Then next day, Thursday,  a cold front came it.  It was now 19 degrees and the wind was brutal.  My husband was going to stop by on his way to Cincinnati. He was going to visit his family. So I called him and asked him to bring me my hoodie. Its one of those hats that can be a hood, a neck warmer and/or cover you face.  I needed my face covered from the wind. It  was so cold outside. The poor judges who had to work the outside rings.  They put theses big tarps up around the rings to block the wind. It did help but was still cold.  Miley didn't like the tarps that were flapping in the wind.  It was freaking her out. But once in the ring, she seemed ok. They had heaters that were next to the timer and scribe but that didn't help the judge.

How the day started was with walking courses.  Everyone was divided into 5 groups. Then you rotated into walking the courses. We walked all 4 courses and then everyone started running.  There was always one group not running so they could work the rings.

This was our first course and I was the very first dog in the ring. Not a good position to be in because you cant see how it runs. LOL

This was a hard course.   Miley and Java both missed the weave pole entry.  Java actually went through the broad jump. I think they poles for the broad jump confused her visually. So couldn't see actual weave poles were.  Since they all looked the same and were the same colors. I kind of don't think that's a good discrimination for a dog but I guess if I was a better handler, it wouldn't be a problem.

The hard part was running down the line from 7-12.   Miley went off course after the  #11  tunnel and took the #13 jump.  So when I ran Java, I called her while she was in the tunnel, which I shouldn't have done but because of what Miley did, I thought I needed it. Ugh, so Java came out and took the #14 jump. 

Next up was the outside rings. Brrrr!!!

 

Miley ran first. She of course, went off course after the #8 jump and took the tunnel. Ugh!!  Im not sure why she did this. The rest of the weekend, she kept pulling off tunnels that I did send her to.  

Because Miley did that, I over handled Java and almost cause  her to over off course.  I have to remember not to do things with Java, just because Miley goes off course. 

 

Im going to say one negative thing about the trial. It was hard to find out your scores.  At the beginning of the trial they announced a website that you could go to , to check scores. But I wasn't somewhere that I could write it down. Then when I tried to find it by going to  FB, I couldn't find the website anywhere.  I asked multiple people but know one knew.  So I finally found someone who knew.  When I checked Java's score, we had a fault  this run and our names were greyed out. So I thought that meant we couldn't run the next day. So the next day I missed my run because I thought we didn't make it into that run.  But I guess that was wrong. And someone else checked my name in.  Bummer.

 

 

This was our next run, also outside.  Im glad I had thought to bring a hard portable crate with me because I needed it.  My dogs were to close together, in the running order, that I didn't have time to go into the building and switch them out. Besides that they needed to be warmed up and cooled down. And since it was freezing, I wanted to make sure they were warmed up.

It was kind of dark in the outside rings. Not for me or most dogs but for Miley.  She landed right on top of two bars in this run.  It made me wonder if that's what was going in.  She didn't drop a bars on the inside run.  Im sure it had to hurt when she hit these bars. The bars in this ring were thick. Ive never seen bars this thick before.

Both dogs got called on their teeter and Java missed her DW contact.

 

 The next day Miley fell head over heals in the outside  ring when jumping the double. She got up and her face was covered with dirt. Poor Miley. I stopped the run and decided she wouldn't run outside for anymore runs. I think it was just not light enough out there for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some  of Miley's runs. 

 Our 4th run that day was snooker. I hate snooker but this course seemed like a easy snooker course as long as your dog got the right tunnel entrance.

I decided to do all 7's.  Which lots of people did.   As long as your dog was fast, you wouldn't have trouble making it to the end.  Miley went off course after  3 in the closing. Java went off course after 5 in the closing. My fault.  Our group was the last to run snooker. When I checked the scores, they had Java listed in 2nd place.  Then later that night , when I was at the hotel, then had Java listed as 1st. (remember we were the last group to run) I thought it was weird since we didn't make it to the end. But thought, oh well I guess its possible. Lots of dogs had 51 points but her time was faster.  Well the next day, I found out there was a mistake in the scoring or the website or what ever and she was actually 20th.    (see the website scores again a problem)      Then I found out you had to be in the top 50% of the class to be able to run gamblers.   Java made it but Miley didn't.    The lady who was crated beside me didn't know that in snooker you should make sure you cross the finish jump and to run as fast as you can to the finish jump to get the fastest time and get your points.  So she didn't make the cut off.





Saturday night we ran Gamblers. 

Sorry this is hard to read.  The gamble  was for 5 points you could run 3 tunnels and the last jump  or for 10 points, you could run all 4 tunnels and that last jump.  You couldn't start the gamble until you heard the buzzer.  And the gamble  had to be done in 13 seconds.

 During the walk thur, several people were timed running all four tunnels and the jump. They just made 13 seconds. So that meant you had to time your dog perfectly.   I knew I couldn't make all four tunnels so I went for 3.
The big dogs started first.  Lots of people went for  4 tunnels but just couldn't make the time. If you didn't get over the finish jump before the buzzer, you lost all your point.  There was lots of cheering when the person was going for the gamble, so I think it was hard for the dogs to hear their handler saying tunnel. Lots of dogs checking in and looking or spinning.  If any of that happened, you didn't make the buzzer.
 While waiting, I changed my plan multiple times.  (From the time Gamblers started , it was 3 hours before we ran) What I walked, seemed like it wasn't long enough. So I didn't run what I walked.  When I was waiting to go in, there were all these world team people all around me in line. It started making me nervous. Ugh!!  Our run wasn't awesome. If Java had sent to the tunnel, we might have had a chance of making time.  She finally went in to the tunnel, I looked back and she didn't take that first off course jump at the end of the tunnel. But when I turned my head to look were I was going, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her take that other off course jump before the next tunnel. Ugh.  LOL  It was still a lot of fun!!



More later!

UKI trial (post 2)

So now to explain this.  Yes we took third at the Speedstakes Novice/beginner class.We got to stand on the podium and get our picture taken but...... Remember how I told you Friday we E'd in Speedstakes? Ugh.  The next day the course was at least more challenging and I had two plans. One if she held her start line and one of she broke.

She did break her start line again (I had trouble with both dogs in this ring. To weird)  But since I was prepared, we Q and took 1st place.  But.... there were only three 16 inch dogs. So because we Ed the first day, we still stayed in 3rd place. Not as great an accomplishment at probably people thought.  But I didnt have the heart to tell people on facebook. And someone else posted the picture.  I didnt even know we were on the podium until someone else told me. It felt kinda weird , you know , since there were only 3 dogs. But I guess if I had Ed both runs were wouldnt have made it at all.  Java's sister, who is tiny compared to Java even though they are from the same litter, also took third for the Championship/Senior dogs. Except there were a lot more then 3 dogs competing.

I pulled Miley from her speedstakes run because we had already Ed the day before and she was just acting so crazy in the ring that day.

This was Master heat jumping. Holy crap is all I have to say.  It doesnt look tough but that chute to the weaves was tough, tough , tough. No 12 inch dogs had  a clean run.

It was chute to the far end of the weaves. A lot of dogs jumped sideways through the broad jump.  I dont remember what happened with Miley except she was crazy and we didnt do well. But then again, neither did a lot of people. LOL It was a really hard course.  Lots of dogs did  1 and 2 and then took 16 instead of the chute. Even when it looked like the handler cued it correctly and so enough.

This was UKI nationals championship  round 2 which Miley some how made it to.  This was a nice run but we got a refusal at jump six when I tried to save it because she went wide. I thought we had it but nope, refusal. Otherwise very nice. I dont know why we look so slow. Maybe I need realize Iam slow. Lol



So then Master Heat Agility was up. My friend asked me  why I wasnt walking it. I told her after that jumpers course, that stuff just to hard for Miley and me. Miley is already acting crazy, she doesnt need the stress. But my friend said it was much easier and I should walk it. And she was right.

She broke and ran around the first jump before I even stepped away from her. Ack!!  She went around once and then when she came back around we took off together. Not sure if we got a refusal for that , I never looked. We did drop a bar. 

 

 

Saturdays weather was crazy. First raining, then windy, then sunny, then storming. But Sunday it was nice again. Thats when the above pictures were taken.

Sunday Miley had a beautiful perfect titling agility run. But look how close the broad jump is to the end of the dogwalk. Ack!. I didnt think it would be a problem for a stopped contact but a running DW?

 

It was about 7 feet from the end of the DW.  This didnt seem safe. I kept debating what to do about Java's run. What if she didnt read the turn and crashed into the broad jump. This broad jump was all metal.

 

Then the next ring, Biathlon jumping, Miley was crazy again.  Im not sure what the heck was wrong with her.  She hasnt acted this crazy at a trial in a long time. The first night at the hotel, she didnt sleep all night. 

 

 

Java's biathlon jumpers run wasnt great either. I messed up. 6-8. She backed jumped 7 and then took 8 from the wrong direction.

I decided to run Java even with the broad jump right after the DW.  She was flying at the beginning of the course. She flew into the tunnel, I say bank off the side and thought I better hall but to get to the number 5 jump so I could cue the turn. Well, she must have seen me take off and came back out of the tunnel. I was looking for her  to come out the correct end and then she did and I couldnt find her for a second. Too funny when I finally realized what happened.




I really messed up after the chute. Lazy is the only thing I can think off. But the dogwalk to the tunnel didnt seem to be a problem at all.  We went home after this. I was beat. I did learn a lot watching other people.   Very cool things going on with handling and I give up to easily and dont just try to get there no matter what. I have to try harder.  I set up these problem spots this week and she got them all, so obviously Im not putting into it at a trial like I should be. I will be working on that.

UKI trial

 Here is Java , she must be telling me off about something I did.

I went to UKI nationals.  You didnt need any qualifiers to go. You could have some and had byes but you could also try to get them Friday.  So that was nice. One thing I will say about the weekend, the hardest courses Ive ever seen.   OMG, I was walking one course and thought what was I thinking. LOL The trial was small and they only ran one ring at a time. So that was nice, no conflicts.  And I got to see some of the best handling Ive ever seen.  I wish I had video everyone's runs esp in the 22 and 24 inch dogs. Holy moly, one fantastic run after another. The times were so close, Im glad Im not in those groups. 

On a side note, the fall leaves were beautiful. The leaves in Coumbia dont look this they do in the mountians.

Anyway I entered Java in the biathlon games.  I figured I would have a better chance with snooker with Java than Miley.  Java a a nice gamblers run but she went wide after the dogwalk and took a couple of extra jumps (that were only 1 point) so we ended up in 7th place for all 16 inch dogs. We had 40 points and the high score was 48.  


We bombed in snooker, she back jumped the first colored and that was that. LOL

 Miley had some crazy runs. First she would be awesome and then she would be a stressed manic.

This course is Biathlon agility

 

 

This pictures is to show you how close the broad jump and tunnel are to each other after the dogwalk.

 

This run Miley did pretty good except she went wide around three and then started to stress and circle, so I took off running and she ran for the dogwalk and was perfect the rest of the way but it was an E because of the number 3 jump. She even got the weave pole entry. It doesnt look hard on paper but keeping you dog off the jump but the poles was hard.

 

I was worried about this same course for Java. Ive been working on turns off the dogwalk now but  a lot of times she will still run toward the tunnel and then turn at the last minute. this was not a course you could do that.  The broad jump was right next to the tunnel. I figured she would take the tunnel and I would go on and act like she was correct. But she got the broad jump off the dogwalk. Whoohoo. I was so excited.

 

 I messed up the weave pole entry. Java took that jump next to the weaves. I should have brought her straight out of the tunnel and around the jump. Thats what a lot of bigger dogs did instead of  going between the jump and the poles.

This is US National Championship. I only entered Miley.

She missed the weave pole entry but otherwise perfect.

 

 

The speedstakes series was broken into Novice/Beginner and Championship/Senior.

Java's course , novice, was the easiest course all weekend.  She broke her start line and we missed a jump and E'ed.  Ack!!  Not what I was hoping for. I really wanted to win this class. Darn it!!

Miley's Speedstakes she got to the third jump and stressed and  ran around the ring. We walked off the course. Ugh.

 

 

It was prettier that his pictures captures.  Ill write some more tomorrow. Im tired.