Our first weekend was both days, with our own training club so I was hopping all weekend with trial jobs and ring jobs, puppy socializing and playtime with Zorro and oh yeah, running Molly!
The first day we ran Standard first class and everything was perfect except for an absurd excursion on Molly's part after the Aframe to a one million percent out-of-the-way tunnel. To her credit she did not go in that tunnel, but she did go into a different one on her way back to me. Standard NQ #45,000,000!!
After that Miscellaneous class was offered, which I entered so that I could do some toy rewarding for Molly's weaves. I hid her toy on the first approach to the weaves and she was thrilled and surprised to see her toy toy! in the ring! After that we did a second set of weaves and then she was on fire!
Jumpers was last of the day and oh how I wish I had this on video. The course was very challenging, not a high Q rate and I honestly felt like I was a little overfaced by it. I decided to handle all rear croses and tandems, what I am most comfortable with and woohoo....we qualified and with a decent time, too! Really exciting!
The next day we played Pairs with our friends Donna and Sly. Perri always teamed up with Sly for Pairs but who can say if Perri will ever venture into the Masters ring, so Molly was up! She promptly blew it by taking a tunnel instead of weaves. Blast it!! Sly did an incredible job and the dynamic duo will play Pairs again next month. (The trial was offering skeleton arms as batons, number one reason to teach your dog an object hold = cool pictures!)
We ended the trial weekend with another stinkin' Standard NQ. Gorgeous run, just broke connection going around a turn and Molly ran around a jump and well. That was that. $&##!!!!!!
Our final trial of October was yesterday. We started with Jumpers and as soon as I saw the course I said, "This is a Molly course!" Wide open flowing lines and Molly Q'd and won her height class! I believe this is the first time she has earned a first since we have moved into the master ring! (Of course, we don't Q much so hahahaha.)
Gamblers was next with a very not Molly gamble. We had fun in the opening though!
And last of the day was anoooooooooother Standard NQ. We made it the whole way to the end with two obstacles to go and we needed to do a back side jump off of the Aframe. That stinkin' girl stole the front side! I know it was my fault. I should have stayed connected and really kept her head. In my defense: the Aframe led straight to an off course tire jump that I was worried about (in the opposite direction of the wing jump she took.) and I often do find myself racing to the other end of the Aframe to try to handle what comes next. Handling challenges off of the running Aframe are a struggle for me. But...I did not consider the possibility of Molly taking the front side of that jump, as it was not in her line. Lessons to be learned!
And we march on, having no precious Standard Qs! But you can keep your Qs because my girl got no weave faults all this month and she is really really owning those poles in the trials. Getting better and better! It makes my heart so happy since about a month and a half ago I was afraid I would need to retire her to Veterans or limit her classes due to weave sadness. Really exciting! She is such a fun partner.
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