Hmm... what I liked best: The feeling of us being a team, and Athena being so 'on' despite the atmosphere. She fed off of it in a good way. Being able to get the backside of the jump coming out of the weave poles in jumpers. Other than in standard, which was my fault, having beautiful independent weave poles which is something I have been working hard at. The exhilarating feeling coming out of the front cross in jumpers and knowing as we charged down the stretch that we had it, that there was nothing that could go wrong from there. Having a faster run than one of the big dogs from Ohio in T2B yesterday, a dog who we've never been able to beat before, which I feel is a testament to the hard work she and I put in this year.
I have been able to learn a lot from all of the fantastic teams that are here. There are many who I have never gotten to watch in person, and I have gotten to watch some amazing handling. I particularly enjoyed getting to watch Felony and her handler succeed. She was right up there with the big handlers in jww.
I feel I do have things to come home and work on after this. I plan to set up the trouble spot from standard, since it clearly was a weakness in our training and work on it. I'm planning to work hard on cik/cap to improve our turns, which are really wasteful currently. I want to work more on the independent weave poles still, in that I need to work the crosses at the poles, whether I'm doing the cross early or late. I have the distance, and can keep her committed if I go on down the line, but that can still use work. As I already mentioned, I'll go back and get her to where she's running to the end of the teeter before stopping as it is faster than currently where she stops at the tipping point. I will go home and work directionals. I think a left would've been beneficial at the trouble spot in standard where it was difficult to support what I wanted with motion as well as I needed to. Lastly, physically I am going to get into better shape. It is easier to do what I need to when I am fit.
Shows like this bring out the best in me. I am someone who pushes myself harder when presented with a challenge. It showed me the holes that are holding me back. It gives me a goal to work toward for next years nationals. I'd like to, if I can run clean next year, make it into the top 20. Athena has the speed. She just needs my help to get her there. We are where we are because we lack the finer points the better teams have right now. I am a competitor, and to meet my goals, I have to continue to learn and grow.
Congratulations!!