MikMik and Roo both had their debut in A3 on their first qualifications for AWC in Vigo. There are 4 qualification rounds in Spain, 4 weekends, usually one weekend per month. The last ones took place in March. I didn't have any high hopes for them, they are only 2 years old, both very unexperienced. I ran qualifications with all three dogs. Ben started a bit off, we had almost no clean runs which is a bit unusual as he is for now my most reliable dog. But we were both a bit off I think. But towards the end of the qualis we started to be a team again and had some pretty amazing runs. MikMik was shining pretty much the whole qualifications, lots of disqualifications and lots of clean runs. More clean runs than I expected. With her and Ben my only goal was getting the best of them, giving it all, risking it all. They are not the fastest and I can't play on the safe strings with them - I have to gain advantage where other handlers choose "the safer way". Worked pretty well on some runs and sometimes it didn't as we got an eliminations for that. But I did the right thing - bringing out the best of them is what I want, that is what I train for, I like playing all or nothing. With Roo things were different. Even though he was pretty brilliant in general on the course, we had so many problems especially weaves, I think I could blame the weaves for not finishing not even one clean run. I think he popped out of weaves in about 70% of his runs - some of those runs were pretty much perfect if only it wasn't for weaves. Also many jumped contacts and see-saw refusals - that was new. I'm actually tired of looking for the reasons why he does it (he never ever does any of those things on training), but I guess the most logical explanation to me is insecurity. He is still not comfortable in new environments and new obstacles. We will work on it. On the other hand I have to defend him a little... I also wasn't the best handler for him. I was so slow everywhere. He is insanely fast on the course and I admit it's quite difficult for me to handle that speed. Winnie was also fast, but she was that kind of a dog who was always saving my butt on the course, she was capable of reading the numbers or my mind. Roo is not like that. He is just as fast if not even faster, but he needs all the information on the course, just one simple mistake and it's done. So train more, run more, sleep less. Next year stronger and better!
MikMik and Ben both qualified for EO in Austria! Ben was even very close to qualifying for AWC :) However, we're not going anywhere this year. Austria is quite far and we have some really cool plans for the summer, even more exciting than EO. I can't wait for the summer to come! And also some big plans for Roo, hope it will work out. Forgot to mention that Ben will be 10 soon. That is my biggest win for this year - running at that speed almost 10 years old, so happy so impressive. So what I tried to do with Ben was just enjoy every single run - and we did. I love him to bits, what a personality.
