Adventures in Agility
After over a 4-year break from agility, Erik and I finally resumed classes in the summer of 2006. A client (thank you Susanne!) told me about the K9 Campus in Randolph, NJ, where Jean Owen and Kim Seiter helped Erik get his drive and enthusiasm back. It takes a special Agility instructor who understands the Ridgeback psyche: a difficult combination of extremely stubborn and very independent, yet extremely sensitive. Very different from most breeds that excel at Agility. We participated in our first trial in late spring of 2007 – which also happened to be the first 90+ degree day of the year! The heat made it a miserable day for both of us. Erik tried his best, but no Qs that day. So we waited for the cool fall weather, and October 27 – 28 in Willingboro, NJ, were our first trials of the fall/winter season. It was a cold, windy day. Perfect! No Q in our Standard run – Erik was so revved up that he blasted off the middle of the A-frame (cute photo), nowhere near the contact! But he enjoyed himself (as you can see!), stayed focused and he kept all the bars up. Not a bad start! In our Jumpers course we Qualified – our first ever! We had one refusal at a corner jump where we had to do a rear cross (we need practice), and we had to re-start the weaves, both of which cost us time. But Erik completed the rest of the course flawlessly, and in the nick of time! We placed second in our class and went home with a red ribbon – our very first!
After getting one more leg on his Jumpers title at the Staten Island Companion Dog Training Club Agility Trial on November 4, Erik earned both his Novice Standard and Novice Jumpers titles at the Non-Sporting Group Club of the Garden State Agility Trials on December 1 and 2, 2007! (photos below) My goal was to earn both of his novice titles by the end of the year. Port Jervis was our last chance, and we did it! Thanks again to Jean Owen and Kim Seiter of the K9 Campus for all of your great instruction and support. As a friend pointed out, Erik was ready "years ago." It took his klutzy handler a while to get up the nerve to enter the trials. Without your encouragement, Jean, I might still be just thinking about it...
2008, so far...
At the Williamsport Dog Training Club trial in Northumberland, PA, on January 26, Erik got the first leg on his Open Standard title! (photos below) We ran Jumpers first, where Erik could easily have Qd, but I was so nervous at being in our first Open level competition that I messed up and took him off course. Oh well, more trials to come!
2008... ummm...
Well, due to the human element, we've taken another break from competition, much to Erik's disappointment! My new teaching career has been so demanding of my time that I couldn't keep up the trial schedule. But we haven't given up yet - we'll be back!
