C-ATCH
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July
27, 2008
I would like to thank judge Nancy Williams and the
host club, Stony Creek Canine Academy, for the great trial this
weekend. My Pippin completed her C–ATCH 2 in Jackpot.
I was especially pleased to finish Pippin's second
championship under Nancy, and at SCCA, as Nancy was our very first
agility judge in a fun match at SCCA using CPE rules way back
in Aught Four. I was clueless and nervous about agility trials,
and Nancy talked me through everything, and the Stony Creek people
were so supportive to a green handler with Springers who sniffed
more than they took obstacles. I ended up taking classes at SCCA
to prepare for our first real CPE trial at that site about a month
later.
Pippin is a 16" Veteran jumping 12" which
means we get big dog time (usually 5 seconds less than small dog
time). I actually needed three runs (1 Standard and 2 Jackpots)
for Pippin's championship going into the weekend and I was not
expecting to get all of them this time. Those of you who know
how hard Jackpots have been for us (I have never gotten any distance
with Pippin, she is generally a pokey dog so we often don't get
enough points in the required big dog time, and I panic whenever
I hear the whistle blow for the closing and have made multiple
errors on the most straightforward Jackpot courses) will be as
amazed as I was, to have gotten both of the Jackpots (as well
as the Standard) at one trial.
Both Jackpots offered this weekend were non-traditionals
(I think the last traditional Jackpot Pippin and I Q'd in was
in Level 2!) and Friday's course had a tight course time, but
you could do the gamble at anytime, and then we were given double
points after the whistle on the way to the table to stop the clock
before qualifying time ran out. Pippin and I were way out in the
far corner when the whistle blew and I ran like heck toward the
table and Pippin took everything in her path, racking up enough
points and coming in just on time. For Sunday's course, Nancy
gave us very generous opening and closing times. We did have to
wait for the whistle to take one of two all-level gambles, one
scored as 25 points and one scored as 20. I chose the 25 point
gamble which looked dead easy until you saw the trap before the
table ("Noooo, Pippin, get away from that tunnel!")
but we narrowly missed the trap and eventually made our way to
the table with a couple of seconds to spare. WHEW! And while we
have never thought too much about placements, Pippin got a 1st
on that run, which is very cool (never mind that there was only
one other dog in her class, who NQ'd). So now I get to enter our
next trial (September again at SCCA) with Pippin as an Enthusiast,
a category in which Pippin will still jump 12" but she will
get the small dog time advantage, much needed extra course time
for legs toward her next championship.
C-ATCH
Pippin!
February
2, 2007
Yippee! We got that last pesky Jackpot qualifying
run and Pippin earned her C–ATCH (Canine Performance Events
(CPE) Agility Trial Champion) title on February 2 2007. Not bad
for an hapless handler and a fearful former shelter dog. Pippin
was excited about all the applause after that run, but even more
excited about getting extra cheese and a chunk of banana (ah, the
simple things). I was more relieved than excited at that moment,
as we had been trying for two Jackpot Qs for nearly three months.
Our fellow handlers were delighted–they had been holding their
respective breaths for us every time we went into the ring to run
a Jackpot course. Their support was essential to our success.
We wish to thank all our well-wishers on and off the
course, a number of whom had more faith in our ability than we did,
and who inspired us to keep trying. Back at the beginning when we
started our introduction to agility class, the instructor watched
Pippin learning the weave poles and said to me, “You could
compete.” To which I said, “Oh, no, I don’t think
so,” not even having a clue as to what agility competitions
were. After a bunch of us kept taking agility classes just for fun,
a different instructor finally forced our class to enter a CPE trial,
so we all went through the whole process of entering and showing
together. After that trial I was hooked, and kept coming back for
more. An instructor at another training center even let me run her
border collie in competition a few times, which helped me sharpen
my handling skills. When we were getting close to our championship
various handlers offered advice, and one, who also has an English
Springer Spaniel, secretly commissioned a championship bar for us.
I have been overwhelmed by everyone's support, and I will return
the favor by continuing to encourage newer handlers at trials.
Rob was kind enough not to ask how much all the trials
cost, and didn’t fuss when I had to drive to trials in the
wee hours of the morning. He also didn’t mind when I asked
him not to come and watch our runs when we were in the last level
of our championship–I didn’t want to risk Pippin looking
for him while we were in the ring.
So what’s next? More of the same, I think!
We will practice more distance handling so that Jackpot may become
easier for us. I hope that Merry can also start competing again
after his current round of in-home rehab is complete. We will continue
with CPE because I really like the people involved. That organization
allows the dogs to jump lower heights than others in our area which
is better for Pippin and Merry’s joints. CPE has recently
added some new titling classes that we can try for. Multiple C–ATCHes
are now possible (C–ATCH 2, C–ATCH 3, etc.
And in case you’re wondering, C–ATCH 22 is probably
not achievable in most dogs’ lifetimes–just as well.).
We may take more chances in the ring to try new techniques, and
we can have Pippin’s favorite people come to trials again
to watch us. We’ll play in agility as long as it is fun for
us.
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