This past weekend was our first USDAA trial.
We participated all three days, with three runs each day. I didn't want to try the Team/PVP this time out.
Since Skye measures only 1/4" over 21", I elected to show him in the Performance division, which means he will jump 22" rather than the 26" he would have to jump in the Championship division. 21 inches tall is the cutoff for jumping 22 in Championship - we just miss!
I had a good time, and was pleased with our performance. Overall, we Q'd 5 of the 9 runs we made. More importantly, our mistakes were small, and our 7 weave entries & weave execution was Awesome! Some of you may recall that Skye's name had been changed to "What weave poles?". Over the last month+, we had really been working on poles and it paid off. This trial, he hit every weave entry.
We got a 2nd & Q in Jumpers, a 1st & Q in Standard, a 1st & Q in Gamblers, a 1st & Q in Pairs (My teammate & I were the only Performance pair to Q), and we got a Q in the Performance National Standard (Grand Prix) - for that you only need 2 Q's to be able to enter the USDAA Championships.
I missed Q'ing in the other 2 standard runs by a 5 point fault where Skye jumped up on the table, then went off, then back on again.
We took an off-course tunnel discrimination at the A Frame to cost us our Performance Speed Jumping Q (Steeplechase), and though I had a really nice opening to our Snooker run, I rotated left instead of right, and sent Skye over the wrong jump, disqualifying us.
Overall, the judges were very nice, and the trial ran smoothly with 2 rings. They made sure to accommodate people who had conflicts, trying to be in two places at once. It seemed like there wasn't much waiting around, and we were done by 4pm Friday and Saturday, and I think we finished Sunday by 1pm.
Thanks to my wife & instructor for coming out Friday and Sunday to watch and tape. :-)
See y'all at DougCo again for AKC this coming weekend!
Greg & Skyeboy
