Sunday Snooker and AKC Nationals!

After working a miserable long haul of a 14 hour shift yesterday, I was very relived to be able to run the Snooker class at the local CPE Agility trial - and then pay a visit to AKC Nationals since they are being held in Harrisburg this year.

My friend needed Snooker leg and entered that class both last night and this morning.  I did not need much encouraging to put Molly into Snooker for the morning and run a course.  I planned Red-7 Combo-Red-5 Tunnel-Red-4 Tunnel and Closing.  Can you see where doing the 4 Tunnel and not running into the 3-Tunnel would be a problem?  It wasn't.  She ran clean and so so fast, not running out any jumps.  Not sniffing.  We were flying high and doing great but after the 3 Tunnel in the closing I pointed at the 4-Tunnel and for some reason she ran in front of me and took the wrong end.  NQ, we had not earned enough points.  My husband took a video with his phone and I am clearly pointing to the tunnel.  Some hair had just fallen in front of my face and I was focusing on brushing it out and I was feeling confident and slightly lazy and no was not babying that tunnel entrance - it really was a straight line after all.  But oh well.  I was really really happy with how Molly ran today regardless.  I was happy that when she had an outburst at a dog ringside I asked her to do her tricks and refocus on me and she did.  I was happy that she just ran the course up until that off course without "farting around" as I call it.  Happy happy happy.

And then we made the trip to Harrisburg for NATIONALS.  I knew that Obedience and Agility would be in full force.  The vendor list was impressive.  And there was this corgi -

There had been LiveStreaming on the Obedience ring but it only filmed one ring, of course.  The rings were all divided up, with the team being judged on a few certain exercises in each ring.  I watched a lot of the Directed Jumping, the Recall over High Jump, the Figure 8 heeling, and some scent article work.  The Obedience was in the area with the vendors, so we could make a pass down a vendor aisle and then watch some Obedience.  It was hard to follow just one team as they passed through all of the rings, but I was able to enjoy a lot of different teams working.  I have to say that my favorite was a Boston Terrier.  I love seeing breeds working that aren't the norm - (though I do enjoy seeing the goldens and border collies working, too!)

My main "shopping" goal for the day was to get a nice leather lead for Perri.  I failed in that.  I would like a nice soft brown 4 foot leather lead for her.  If we are going to go back into the Obedience ring someday (someday), we need to have a dignified leash.  I found fancy leather leads, I found black leather leads, I found braided leather leads, I found brown leather leads with tiny clips on the ends.  Not clips big enough to comfortably clip onto a collar.  It did not have to be perfect, but I didn't even find anything close.  The search continues.

Where else can you find dumbbell shopping?!

I did find a new treat pouch which I have been wanting so very much.  I hate my treat pouch.  The treats fly out of it while I am running, yet if I want to close it I have to pull a drawstring band and it is not easy to then reopen it and pull treats out.  That's not ideal with anything, and certainly not agility.  I found a magnetic close pouch with a spot for a clicker in the front of it.  It's called the "Click Draw Pouch".

I also found something else that I have been long searching for - a new bag for all my training and trial stuff.  At the moment I use a very good and sturdy L.L.Bean tote for my trial bag but all of my leashes, toys, treats, poop bags and everything gets thrown into the one and only area in the bag.  Of course I can never find anything that I want.  This new bag has several compartments as well as three pouches on each side and is specifically designed to be able to hold a water bottle inside any of those pouches.  LOVE.  I had a water bottle leak in a bag of mine once and ruin my iPod, and am forever paranoid about allowing bottles share bagspace with my electronics, so ... this bag is a dream come true.  I got the large size from Doggy Baggage (white and red!).  I am thrilled!

How cool is this spectator poodle?

So off to watch the Challengers Round of agility!  We also stayed to watch the Preferred Class finals.  I so much.  It was so fun to watch agility with a crowd cheering, groaning, yelling and clapping.  I got to see a St. Bernard - the first St. Bernard to ever make it to the Challengers round in AKC Agility Nationals.  It was a very cool thing to see in person.  I have been LiveStreaming all of the AKC Nationals for the last few days, but nothing beats seeing it in person.

The weather was turning very nasty, so we left before the Regular Class Finals (I am actually replaying a Youtube Video of it on my iPad as I type this!)
Sleet, high winds and at least two more hours of agility running to go - we had seen plenty, shopped plenty and were happy to be on our way.

I did get to catch the awards and ribbon pinning of the Obedience finalists on my way out.  I was surprised that each Breed Group was awarded placements of 1-5 and stopped to see the Retrievers and the Herding group receive their awards.  I did not know that placements were handed out to groups (as well as the Top 5 overall.)  I was happy to see the Boston Terrier took the Non-Sporting group!  (followed by some poodles!)

Just before the day was over I returned to the Max200 store and bought myself a little tiny dumbbell keychain.  To remember this wonderful day.  To know that someday Perri and I will be able to do Obedience.  It's just gonna take a little bit of time.