I spent yesterday being very behind on course and today I was determined to stay ahead and I mostly was able to.
Masters Jumpers
Such an awesome run until the part where he dropped the last bar. I had a front cross planned between 16 and 17 and probably could have pulled it off but I sort of forgot about it or maybe was further behind than I planned. So I was stuck with a rear between 17 and 18 which caused a head check and put me behind for the last jump. I was not the only one with that last bar down and it could have been that the ring gating was close enough to the last jump to cause some of the bigger strided dogs to balk. But mostly I think it was due to handlers being behind.
I led out to between 2 and 3 but many people did not. Another nice way to handle the start if you didn't lead out was to keep dog on the right and do a serpentine blind cross between 3 and 4. Many people ran with their dog and did a front between 2 and 3 which also worked for most but some dogs ran parallel to 3 and had a refusal.
Lots of blinds between 7 and 8 including me. Worked nicely for most. I put a front between 12 and 13 then another front between 15 and 16. Many people did a blind there and I thought about it. Many people put either a blind or front between 14 and 15 and that worked nicely but put you behind if you wanted the front between 16 and 17. I was hoping for that front but wasn't thinking quickly enough otherwise I think I could have made it.
You can watch in HD if you want by clicking on the little gear wheel at the bottom and choosing 1080 HD and watching full screen. If you want. GoPro did a great job of catching everything, I still had to zoom in with the editing software so it captured even more. Not as good for sharing at small size but at least I can be guaranteed I'll get my runs taped.
Masters Jumpers
BTW how cute is that little mix in the stands? One of my favorite dogs. I told the woman I was going to steal him and stuff Strummy in his crate.
Steeplechase
Ah Steeplechase. Of course I saw the off course tunnel trap at 15 but I honestly thought calling and moving laterally would be enough. Doh. I should have at least decelerated and maybe even stopped. Maybe could have tried for a front but it would have been ugly. Everything else was fairly straightforward. Very fast, very fun. Was excited to have a decent tight turn on the rear between 7 and 8. Lots of dogs went wide there and a few dogs took the #3 tunnel after the broad jump if the handlers were too far behind.
Steeplechase
Grand Prix
The tricky part of this course for me anyway was the weave pole entry. I debated putting a front cross in between tunnel and weaves then front crossing the weaves but I wanted a front between 13 and 14 and that would put me too far behind. Some people did a sort of RFP, rotating into the dog to pull them in the turning forward to send them to the weaves. Others did a front then a rear. I simply picked him up out of the tunnel on my right and called him into the weaves. It was a straight shot as long as the dog knew where he was going and it worked for many people. I was still behind at 13 though and didn't get my front in. Strummer turned left back towards me at 14 so I pulled him through the gap in the jumps to take the tunnel. I planned to have him turn right after 14 but it worked out o.k. in the end. A nice run except for the missed A-frame and dogwalk.
Grand Prix
Masters Standard
The tricky part of this course for me was 15-18. My plan was to be stopped a little past the first upright of the dogwalk when Strum got out of the tunnel so that he would find his own dogwalk entry and I could be ahead for a front cross after the dogwalk. I'm such a dreamer. I was nowhere close and in fact was still moving when he exited the tunnel and he followed my line perfectly, such a good boy, but it meant a refusal. I did get him back on the walk but he went on at a funny angle and struggled a bit to hang on which helped him to hit his contact. I ended up pulling to 17 then rear crossing. Our only fault was the stupid refusal. Ah well, I know for next time.
Master Standard
And last but not least, Master Challenge Standard from yesterday.
Strummer had 20 faults on this course and still came in 3rd because only 3 of us didn't get an E. The stinker broke his start line because I foolishly turned my back on him which I almost never do. As I did it I thought, 'Hmmm, I'd better turn back around' and as I started to a flash of black and white flew past me. I was planning a forced front cross at 3 which required me to be on the backside of 3 so that did not go well and we got a refusal right off the bat. Most people simply pushed to the backside of 3 and did front cross on the landing side and it worked fine. We could have tried that too but I wanted to try it the other way. The couple few other people that I saw do it that way handled it nicely. Can't remember where the other faults came from. I know he got his weave entry. I think we had a dropped bar at 18 and maybe another one somewhere else. Maybe missed the dogwalk? A refusal at 15? It was messy over there at the dogwalk. The dogwalk through the close was the hardest for most people. Lots of dogs had off courses at the #17 tunnel. I ended up pushing Strum to 17 and turning him left for a wrap to the #16 tunnel and that worked fine. Got a front in between 16 and 17 and another front between 17 and 18. Waited at the tunnel entrance and called him and he turned no problem. I think I rushed the 18 jump and took my eyes off him and that's why the bar came down. Or maybe it was the last jump. Yeah, it's been a long 2 days. No video unfortunately.
Back tomorrow for Standard, Snooker and Master Challenge Jumpers which I'm looking forward to the most. Probably won't have another big long post but maybe some quick video tomorrow.
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