An Agility Rollercoaster of a weekend!

This weekend was spent at our first outdoor Agility Trial of the season with 80km winds, pouring rain and temperatures cold enough for snow. By Sunday afternoon it was sunny but still cool and windy. What a weather weekend, what an Agility Weekend! Our group did amazing, I was so proud of everybody, and my guys too!!

We lost our club's 10x20 shade tent to the wind which totally sucked as it housed a lot of us at trials. It lifted like a sail and we found it crumbled up and mangled on Sunday morning.

I ran for the first time in my custom carbon/graphite/titanium knee brace. and OMG I can run! I can run! No pain, no feel of any twisting. It took a bit to get used to but after my 5th or 6th run (of 15) I was good to go, I had to learn to trust it. The brace will have it's own post later this week, stay tuned, it sure is purty.

We spent a fair amount of time staying warm in the vehicle between runs, Kaleb loved that.

So tired, Kaleb fell asleep with his head in my head on the way to dinner Saturday night, seriously, how cute is that?

On to the FUN stuff ... the dogs ran GREAT!!!!! Kaleb thrives in cool wet weather, and Gyp doesn't care either way. I do think the 2 Tim Hortons cinnamon rolls she stole out of the bag on Sunday morning helped with her energy levels LOL

Gyp ran in 9 classes, Qd in 7 (All 3 Standards, Gamblers, both Jumpers and Steeplechase) we ran 2 classes on Friday and it was my first time in the brace and I was a little hesitant and second guessed my self and it showed in my handling. By Saturday morning I was comfortable again with my ability and the brace, and she Q in every class for the rest of the weekend, she didn't miss a beat, and I like to think I handled her the best I have since January. She even pulled the fastest Jumpers time on one of her runs. She also tied for the most Gamble points too. I serped, I threadled, I came to abrupt stops and I RAN, I RAN, I won't lie when I say I was almost brought to tears after our Jumpers runs... it was rain on my face, really.

here is a montage of her runs to some sweet 80's tunes.

Kaleb was super too, spunky and a little on the wild side at times! I had him entered in 6 runs. He Qd in 4 and even managed to place 1st in a couple classes! He Qd in Standard (#48), Jumpers, Gamblers, and Steeplechase. He LOVES running in the rain, I get some of my best runs with him when he is soaking wet. By Sunday afternoon, it was pretty warm and the sun was out. We complained all weekend about being wet, and guess who ran soaking wet Sunday afternoon when the sun was out - he thought it was too warm. Only Kaleb.

We've got a month until Regionals and for the first time in a long while, I am excited for it, considering a few weeks ago I was considering pulling out, now I know I won't be doing that. I still have lots to work on, and this weekend gave me some good ideas for what I need to improve on. I am so grateful I was able to get my brace for this weekend as I was really able to take it for a good test drive. My plan is to now work on small skills and build up for the week before regionals and give them that last week off as I always do, so hopefully we will all be fresh and relaxed.