Cluster

[Sharon]

Sting had anice day today at the Cluster.Arelly nice run in JWW but a dropped bar so a NQ but he did all his weaves.In Standard he popped the 8th pole and dropped another bar but there were some nic parts.In Novice Fasthe Qed with a second place with 75 points.I can't count I thought it was 81.Linda Mecklinberg{spelling} w\had done a seminar at CR this week so I had a gut feeling she was going to do the Cluster and I was right.I saw her only in Standard with Wonder and he broke his stay at the start so she pulled him.I will try and film her runs tommorrow.ITHINK SHE RAN 3 dogs.

 

[corbinam]

Nice job, Sting!!

Couldn't imagine running 3 dogs...sounds exhausting!

 

[k9kreationz]

I saw your video posts on FB and haven't had a chance to look at them. I did think about you this weekend and was wondering how things went. How'd the second day go?

 

[Sharon]

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I saw your video posts on FB and haven't had a chance to look at them. I did think about you this weekend and was wondering how things went. How'd the second day go?

Saturday was big learning experience for Sting.One more Q in Novice Fast so that is 2 legs for him.The Cluster is a very high enviroment for a young dog.I swear he was on Crack.He was a wild man.No Q's in either standard or jww.JWW he was out of control knocking bars.He was okay in Standard and held his contact on the frame but in Fast on Sat. he blew that big time so he lost 10 points on that.All in all it was a great learning experience for him. Would I do that trial again with a young dog I don't think I would.I did film Rush and Linda Mecklinburg and I have it on youtube.I did not feel it was my place to put them on FB.Linda pulled Wonder from the start line both Fri. and Sat.I did not find her friendly at all.Elicia Calhoun was there also with Julie Daniels and Ken Fairchild.My next trial is NADAC with Sting and I am doing it for training and that is New Years day and I am doing a seminar with Lo Baker if we get in.

 

[corbinam]

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Saturday was big learning experience for Sting.One more Q in Novice Fast so that is 2 legs for him.The Cluster is a very high enviroment for a young dog.I swear he was on Crack.He was a wild man.No Q's in either standard or jww.JWW he was out of control knocking bars.He was okay in Standard and held his contact on the frame but in Fast on Sat. he blew that big time so he lost 10 points on that.All in all it was a great learning experience for him. Would I do that trial again with a young dog I don't think I would.I did film Rush and Linda Mecklinburg and I have it on youtube.I did not feel it was my place to put them on FB.Linda pulled Wonder from the start line both Fri. and Sat.I did not find her friendly at all.Elicia Calhoun was there also with Julie Daniels and Ken Fairchild.My next trial is NADAC with Sting and I am doing it for training and that is New Years day and I am doing a seminar with Lo Baker if we get in.

Sharon, sounds like a tough environment for a green, excitable dog. I find that if I crate Lexi in a loud area, she is a wild woman once she comes out.

Interesting about Linda Mecklenburg. I met Jen Pinder at a trial, and she did not seem very friendly, either. It's too bad, because now I would not consider taking a seminar with her.

 

[DogIsMyMantra]

Congrats on the FAST leg. From what I've heard, that is a very large, busy trial that is definitely more than enough to make baby dogs go over the top. I think Sting held up very well in such an environment.

Interesting about Linda Mecklenburg. I met Jen Pinder at a trial, and she did not seem very friendly, either. It's too bad, because now I would not consider taking a seminar with her.

Jen Pinder has always kind of scared the crap out of me. I've found her to be incredibly intimidating in a trial setting and I've been in a quite a few trials with her.

Then I signed up for the Mary Ellen Barry/Jen Pinder handling seminar after the MadCo trial because I think Mary Ellen is brilliant and know she does a great job working with small dog people as well as the bigger ones. Half of this seminar was being given by Jen Pinder and I almost didn't sign up for it because of it.

Jen is a completely different person during a seminar though. Yes, she still has that 'tough girl' way about her that I think is just her personality, but she was incredibly nice to all the dogs and handlers. I was so ridiculously nervous going into the seminar sessions with her, but she gave me some amazing advice tailored to Bella and was very encouraging/nice.

Experiences like this have kind of taught me not to judge the 'big name' handlers on how friendly they are at trials because I think most of them are just trying really hard to focus on their runs.

For example, Susan Garrett can seem quite unfriendly at a trial, but I know from fellow agility friends who have taken seminars with her that she is actually a nice person who treats her dogs fairly.

On the other hand, there is another big name handler that I see quite often who isn't 'friendly' at a trial, but I would never take a seminar from her because of my observations of her interactions with her dogs....but I digress....

Now I'm not saying that it's expected to have these 'big-name' handlers who aren't very friendly at trials, but just don't discount training with them in a non-trial setting because you might miss out on some great experiences. I came really close to missing out on one myself.

 

[corbinam]

Now I'm not saying that it's expected to have these 'big-name' handlers who aren't very friendly at trials, but just don't discount training with them in a non-trial setting because you might miss out on some great experiences. I came really close to missing out on one myself.

Yes, that is a really good point. They are professionals, after all!

(And, I'm glad that I wasn't the only one that she scared, haha!)

 

[HopeShelties]

Linda regularly competes at the same trials I'm at, given I compete in Ohio and that's where she's from. Unless it's one of her friends talking to her, she has always been very standoffish at trials. She is never rude... Just doesn't go out of her way to talk to people.
Congratulations on Sting's weekend at the cluster. I think he's really going to be a nice dog. Right now, he just needs more miles on him is all

 

[Sharon]

Congrats on the FAST leg. From what I've heard, that is a very large, busy trial that is definitely more than enough to make baby dogs go over the top. I think Sting held up very well in such an environment.




Jen Pinder has always kind of scared the crap out of me. I've found her to be incredibly intimidating in a trial setting and I've been in a quite a few trials with her.

Then I signed up for the Mary Ellen Barry/Jen Pinder handling seminar after the MadCo trial because I think Mary Ellen is brilliant and know she does a great job working with small dog people as well as the bigger ones. Half of this seminar was being given by Jen Pinder and I almost didn't sign up for it because of it.

Jen is a completely different person during a seminar though. Yes, she still has that 'tough girl' way about her that I think is just her personality, but she was incredibly nice to all the dogs and handlers. I was so ridiculously nervous going into the seminar sessions with her, but she gave me some amazing advice tailored to Bella and was very encouraging/nice.

Experiences like this have kind of taught me not to judge the 'big name' handlers on how friendly they are at trials because I think most of them are just trying really hard to focus on their runs.

For example, Susan Garrett can seem quite unfriendly at a trial, but I know from fellow agility friends who have taken seminars with her that she is actually a nice person who treats her dogs fairly.

On the other hand, there is another big name handler that I see quite often who isn't 'friendly' at a trial, but I would never take a seminar from her because of my observations of her interactions with her dogs....but I digress....

Now I'm not saying that it's expected to have these 'big-name' handlers who aren't very friendly at trials, but just don't discount training with them in a non-trial setting because you might miss out on some great experiences. I came really close to missing out on one myself.

Thanks---The Cluster is the largest agility trial in the country.Iwas very disappointed the way it was run this year.