A week ago, the puppies went to their first agility trial--the Nashville Dog Training Club agility trial in Franklin, TN. We were entered to show for just one day, Thursday, since I didn't know how Harley would run coming back from having the puppies. We needed just one DQ for her MACH title, but I didn't really think we had a shot. I figured at the very least we'd go out and have a couple of giggles! Well, when we got to the show, she was sooo happy to be back, she could barely control herself...I made a prediction she wouldn't hit a single contact she was so fired up!
The standard course was first so I was prepared for the flyoff on her running contacts! (This tendency to fly has cost us many Q's in the standard ring! ) To my great surprise she hit every contact and Q'd! And to top it off, she took second place! I just couldn't believe it! She hadn't ran at all between October and the end of January! To make it even sweeter, my friend Elizabeth B., who was also needing only one DQ to MACH with her wonderful little sheltie boy Rio, also Q'd the standard run!
Now the nerves started to hit...we could actually do this! Harley loves jumpers and I figured we had a pretty good shot unless I just really messed up!
The 16" jumper's class was finally ready! Elizabeth and Rio ran about ten dogs ahead of us and they Q'd!!! The arena went nuts!! Wiping away my tears from Elizabeth's MACH, I took the line with Harley. On "go" we were off. Harley ran the course beautifully thru obstacle #16, a tunnel, and came out like a bullet...all we had to do was get three jumps straight across the ring, a left turn, then over the final jump. Unfortunately, I didn't expect her to be so quick out of the tunnel and got behind going down the line. She spun to look for me right before she took jump #19 and got a refusal! Despite not Q'ing, I could not have been more proud of my little girl Harley! She came out after being off for four months and ran her heart out for me...who could ask for more?!!
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