We Qualified!

Our first competition was back in October, and it was very successful. We qualified in our regular course, and we also qualified in our jumpers course! It was very exciting, and extra nice because my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephew, and boyfriend all came along for the fun. I was SUPER nervous for the first course, just horrible! Plus it seemed like everybody there knew each other and I didnt know anybody. I plotted the course in my head, then we were able to walk it and I walked it as much as we were allowed. Tried to remember to put in front crosses where they were needed, etc. Mocca did a really great job! I was afraid she was going to go dash out and greet everybody she could in the ring, or sniff the ground the entire time, but to my great surprise, she was quite focused on me! She did everything I told her. Right off the bat I had to pump her up a little to get her attention, but after that she was perfect.

For the jumpers course I was much less nervous, thankfully. Plus, Mocca likes a jumpers course better than a regular agility course so not as much stuff to be nervous about. But more complicated runs and front crosses. I thought I had the course walked perfectly, then when we were watching the people ahead of us I realized I had missed an entire jump when walking the course!!!! I couldnt believe it. We were able to make it work though, as it was in a pretty easy location. Mocca again did great.

My sister-in-law video'd both our runs, and sent me the DVD afterwards. It was really helpful to see what I was doing right and wrong. One obvious thing to work on is MY speed. Mocca is half the time way ahead of me and was waiting too much for me.

Overall it was a great experience and I am looking forward to going to our next competition, but it may not be until Spring, as training is done now for the winter as we do not have an indoor facility. Ugh! There are competitions in the winter, but I am not willing to spend the money to enter and go to them for "practice".