Devon's agility weekend at Lafayette

Devon and I had moments of utter brilliance, and then we had ... well, moments. Sunday's runs were definitively better than Saturday, quite possibly because of the massage this morning. She was very sore in the rear and mid-back. Susan was able to work all this out, and after a massage and a long nap, she really ready to run!

Saturday, Novice JWW

We didn't "need" this leg, as Devon finished her NAJ at a trial a couple of weeks ago. I'm keeping her in Novice because I feel her weave entries need to be more solid, and I'd rather work on entries with 6 poles than 12 poles. I was anxious to see how our clicking en traces over the last couple of weeks worked ... well, this weave performance didn't show we'd done any work! 

The first three jumps into the weaves were fantastic. The weaves were not good, and she never did weave all 6, but she finally got her entrance. We had a collision after a front cross when she wagged at a steward, but then we got it back together. The ending was incredible, with me taking a big risk for that rear cross over the jump and turn away from me over another jump. I walked it with two front crosses, but decided on the rear because it was a skill we would need, and what better time to practice?

Saturday Novice Standard

Once again, this run had moments of utter brilliance and complete lunacy. The run to the chute was lovely. She started with a tunnel (something new) and nailed her A frame contact. However, out of the chute, she went around the panel. Ok, I can turn her around, and she went around it again! Now my little stressed girl wants to do something right, and there's a dogwalk (one of her favorites) in front of her. So we go up and over the dogwalk. Yeah, we're brilliant, and back around to where we were (and I made her take the panel on principle). 

As a friend of mine commented later, this is where Devon should have been done. I'd completely shut her down (bad, bad mom), so I expected slug girl for the rest of the course, with the hardest element to come: a 90 degree left turn into off side weaves. 

However, Devon is a very, very good girl!! As soon as she came shooting out of that tunnel, I knew I had her back. And sure enough, the rest of this run was to die for! Go ahead and rewind this clip a couple of times to admire those PERFECT weaves, then a front cross onto the teeter. What a girl! And you can hear the crowd in appreciation for those weaves. That got me several nice comments from the gallery.

Sunday Novice JWW

This is probably Devon's career best (so far) run! It was flawless with perfect weaves in sequence. She was running strong and confident. And, as a friend observed, so was I! I'll be running this one through my mind a lot tonight, too! It was first place run in just over 21 seconds. 

Sunday Novice Standard

This run had the makings of the same as her JWW run, and with a couple of issues it was an incredibly strong run. She went around the first jump, mainly because my lead out was too far for the baby dog. But once turned around, she sailed out onto the course, with a wonderfully fast, confident run. She almost slid off the table, but saved herself (you can see the dirty look she gives the end of the table to the ground). She has an auto down on the table, but because she was too close didn't do it. I didn't force the issue; the purist in me says I should have, but she did her darnedest to stay on and did. She clearly knew the more important of her jobs (to say on the table!). However, it gives me warning as I see I've let her contacts creep a little ... The only thing was the darned weave poles again! 

Weekend analysis

I have to admit being very frustrated with having to throw away two otherwise beautiful runs on those stupid weaves. I shouldn't be frustrated, but I am. I just wish I knew the magic answer to getting them to be like her two perfect runs all the time. However, after much reflection, and some very nice friends to listen to me, I'm probably expecting way too much too fast. This is only her third weekend in standard. She has absolutely lovely teeter performances after worrying for so long about that obstacle. And her weaves are coming along very well. 

I'm also leaning toward not correcting her in the weave any longer at a trial. I don't like this shut down I'm seeing. It's not helping either of us, and what I did like about her two perfect performances was how fast she was at them. I don't want to shut down that good speed in the weaves at a trial (Ian's a perfect example of that). So, I'll continue to work entries here and in class, but I think I'll just trust her at trials.