Goals

When you put a date on your dreams, it becomes a goal. When you aim for the goal, it becomes a challenge. When you beat the challenge, the reward is success. To have success . . . you need a dream." ~Raja Akhtar

Stewie and I have set our next big goal on getting a NADAC NATCH! We should be able to get our remaining Regular course points during the 2009 season and hopefully most or all of our Elite Chances Q's that we need.


Points Needed for a NATCH:

230 Elite Regular: need 80 more -8 more Q's
130 Elite Chances: need 110 more-Yikes! 11 more Q's
130 Elite Jumpers: Done!! Finished June 1, 2008

Additional Points Needed for a Versatility NATCH:

130 Elite Touch and Go: need 40 more points
130 Elite Weavers: need 11 more points
130 Elite Tunnelers: DONE!! Finished May 31,2008

Another good practice

Stewie and I had a good workout with Lynn on Sunday 12-7-08 at Hidden Brook Farm. We worked at distance on a jumpers course. I found out lots of things I need to work on. My timing, and my eye and hand position as I "draw the path". I need to learn to keep my eye on the path, and let my hand follow my eye.

Stewie does distance

Stewie and I went to a distance workshop today with Lynn S. We learned new things and were reminded of some things we should be doing. I learned some things I need to practice:

Sends along a line of jumps when I have to layer parallel jumps
My body language, I "pump" my arm with the out signal, instead of holding it out straight.
To let Stewie know before he does an obstacle where he is going next.
Pressure on the line
Need to build more lateral distance.
More left and right work
Use a large cone to practice go outs
Use smaller cones as targets for me to "push" against, halfway between the obstacles
Stay away from the line, then I will have room when I need to push into his path to send him out- goes along with more lateral distance.
Work with Stewie on more decelerating tools

Good Practice Tonight

Stewie and I had a good practice in the backyard last night and tonight. We are working on A frame tunnel discriminations from a lead out position and also running. We working on going on from a line of jumps to a tunnel on one end and the table on the other.
Tonight I put up my stick in the ground weave poles at 21" and he had great entries at speed from various spots. I stayed about 15 feet away from him laterally while he was weaving. I also took off laterally away from him while he was weaving and he kept going until he was done. It was a fun workout for both of us.

Success with Touch and Go

 
Stewie had a great Touch and Go run at Mt Holyoke too. The course was fun and fast with a course time of 34.42, Stewie's time was 23.52, going 5.65 yps, giving him a Q and a 1st place finish.

NADAC Nov 2, 2008

 

Stewie earned his Lifetime Points Award with an awesome Regular run, with a Q and a blue ribbon. Course time was 45.18 and Stewie's time was 30.61, traveling 5.03 yards per second.

Things to work on.....

Some of the things for Stewie and I to work on this fall/winter:

Tunnel and Contact discrimination at a distance
More enthusiasm and confidence in the weave poles
Distance work, send outs, layering obstacles, weaves at a distance...
lefts and rights
4 on the floor contacts
Trying not to get out of shape!

Last Trial this Year!

Stewie is going to Ace's Mt.Holyoke NADAC trial this Sunday. He is entered in 5 classes, everything except weavers. If I have done my math right, he needs one more Q to get his Lifetime Point Award 1000 points. Hopefully we will get it this Sunday!

NEAT Show and Go

Stewie had 3 great runs at NEAT's annual Show and Go in Hampton Falls, NH. He did the advanced course and made all his contacts and all his weave pole entries the first time at speed. There were only 6 poles since the course was nested with pre-novice and novice. We are still working on perfecting our "ins and outs" and working on tunnel/contact discriminations. Stewie is getting more reliable on his "go outs".

Show and Go Costume Fun

 

Kelly, Sheena, and Remi

 

 

Stewie and I at the NEAT Show and GO

 

Stewie, Lexie, Mary and I

Ahoy Mates

 

Stewie's costume at the NEAT Show and Go Oct 25, 2008

NEAT Show and Go a success

 
NEAT's annual Fall Show and Go was a great success this year Here are some pictures

What are you gonna be?

 

Stewie Halloween 2007, you have to wait and see what he will be in 2008!

Grand Prix 2nd Place

 

Stewie gets a Q and 2nd place at USDAA Grand Prix at Riverside in Hampton Falls, Sept 07

What happens to VERY naughty dogs......

Here is what happens to Very Naughty dogs in Dummerston Vt!

One More Trial in 2008

We have one more day of trialing this year, we are traveling to South Hadley, MA for Ace's NADAC trial. We are only going Sunday Nov 2nd, and are entering everything except Weavers. I am giving Stewie a rest from Weavers since he doesn't enjoy it. If my math is correct, Stewie only needs one more Q to get his 1,000 points for his NADAC Lifetime Award. Hopefully we can do that at ACE and get that award in 2008.

New England Agility Team Show and Go!

New England Agility Team
Agility Show and Go
Tonry Tree Farm
Rt. 88 Hampton Falls NH
Wear a costume (dog or owners) for special prizes!
October 25, 2008
Registration starts at 8:00 am and continues until 12:00 pm
Spectators welcome!
FENCED RING!
NEAT is sponsoring its annual Show & Go –October 25th, rain date Oct. 26th.
Judge: Jim Gregg
Photographer: Jeremy Kezer
Courses: Pre-Novice, Novice, Advanced-Excellent.
Jump heights: 8 / 12 / 16 / 22 / 26
First run: $8/additional run same dog $5.
FMI: Nancy (603) 548-0669 or e-mail stewieJRT@comcast.net
***Dogs must be a minimum of 15 months old to participate in the Show and Go***
Directions:
From route 101, take exit 11 for route 108(Stratham/Exeter)- (From Manchester –
right at bottom of exit /from Hampton – left at bottom of exit). Proceed to first
traffic light by MacDonald’s. Go left onto Holland Way (route 88). Proceed to stop
sign. Take a right onto 27 then take an immediate left onto Route 88. Tonry Tree
Farm is about 1 mile on the right. Please park where indicated.

NADAC trial Dummerston Vt

We traveled to Dummerston, Vermont for a Northeast Agility Enthusiasts (http://www.northeastagility.com/) trial on October 4-5 2008.
It was a great weekend! Dummerston is a beautiful site and the weather was a little cool but great for the dogs. Our judge was Pam Smith. She is a awesome judge and very nice.
Stewie was pretty wild, he hadn't had a lot of exercise that week and the cool weather got him going. Our first run was Chances and it looks pretty good. There was one spot where I had to turn Stewie in to take a jump and I was too late and he went off course, but he did do the distance portion no problem so I was very happy.
Our next class was Jumpers and it was a great wide open course good for sending Stewie out ahead of me. It was the kind of jumpers course Stewie really likes. He nailed it with a flawless run, getting a Q and a 1st place. His time was 22.66 out of 29.41,going 5.60 YPS.He was really running.
We had our first try at Open Hoopers and we got a Q with a 1st place.
Regular was next and we had pretty good runs. In the first run Stewie would not do the weaves though, I send him to them twice, then decided to go on, so no Q.
The second Regular run went well, there was a spot where there was a straight line of jumps and at the end the correct course was an out to the tunnel past the A frame, there was also an off course jump there too. I was worried Stewie wouldn't get the out to the tunnel because I would be behind him, but we made it! The weaves on this course were the 2nd to the last obstacle. He entered the poles and was weaving fast, then popped out on the 10th pole and went on to the last jump, so no Q, but it was a great run and I was glad he attempted the weaves.
Sunday Oct 5th, was another cool start and Stewie was ready to run. First run was Touch and Go, and it was a perfect run with a Q and a 2nd place. The next run was Elite Tunnelers and it was a great course for sending him, and I did, and he never had to slow down and we got a Q and a 1st place. Stewie's time was 22.10 out of 29.92 , going 6.15 YPS. Stewie was flying! He loves tunnelers so much.
We missed the first regular but go the second one with a Q and a 1st place. It was a great run for Stewie.
The most exciting run of the weekend was Elite Chances. It was a good course, with a directional to the A-frame in the beginning, then a send out to the tunnel, then 3 jumps at a distance, and then an in to the tunnel/A frame discrimination. The tunnel was the correct choice. This was the hardest spot, since Stewie will usually default to the contact, but he came in and did the tunnel. We got our 2nd Elite Chances Q!! Woo-hoo!

Our last run was Elite Jumpers and it was another great running course, Stewie was a little tired and slow at the end of the second day but he was going well till he came out of a tunnel and went behind me and went off course.
Since it was a fantastic weekend!

Addicted to Agility Trial Wrentham, MA

Stewie at Addicted to Agility Sept 20-21, 2008
It was a beautiful trial at a beautiful site in Wrentham, MA. Stewie did his usual great job in Elite Jumpers getting a Q and a 1st place in Jumpers Saturday am. His time was 25.64 out of 30.8, going 5.19 YPS.
Stewie got a Q and 1st place in Elite Tunnelers also, going 5.34 YPS. He had a great regular run, missing a contact in one, and going off course in the 2nd so no Q's there.
Sunday we got 2 more Elite Regular Q's which is awesome!Both were 2nd places with Sherry the Sheltie getting 1st.

New England Agility Team hosts NADAC trial Sept

New England Agility Teams hosted a NADAC trial at beautiful Wakeda Campground in Hampton Falls Sept 6-7.
Stewie had a great weekend at NEAT. He got a 1st and Q in Elite Jumpers with a course time of 25.82 going 5.54 YPS (yards per second). We missed the Chances which had a send out layering the dog walk, but Stew went on to nail both of his Elite Regular classes with Q's and 1st places! Way to go Stewie.
On Sunday Stewie got both his Elite Regular Q's again with both 1st places. This is the first time we have ever gone 4 for 4 in Regular in a weekend. Stewie also Q'd with a 1st place in Elite Touch and Go, with a course time of 31.73 out of 48.4 which is 5.89 YPS.

New England Agility Team (NEAT) Run Thru's Hampton, NH

New England Agility Team (NEAT) is having agility run thrus Thursday July 10 and 31st at beautiful Tonry Tree Farm, tonrytreefarm.com, 314 Exeter Rd, Rt 88, Hampton Falls, NH.
Run thru start at 6:00 pm til 8:00 pm. $10.00 a dog, as many runs as time permits.
Hope to see you there.

New England Agility Team Run Thrus July 10 and 31

New England Agility Team (NEAT)  is having agility run thrus Thursday July 10 and 31st at beautiful Tonry Tree Farm, tonrytreefarm.com, 314 Exeter Rd,  Rt 88, Hampton Falls, NH.

Run thru start at 6:00 pm til 8:00 pm. $10.00 a dog, as many runs as time permits.

Hope to see you there.

Success with NADAC Elite Chances!

Stewie got his first NADAC Elite Chances Q at Addicted to Agility Trial on May 31-June 1 in Wrentham, Ma. The distance challenge was out to a jump, turn in to a tunnel next to a jump, (this was the discrimination), then out to another jump, the A-frame, and then at the end there were two tunnels right next to each other, and he had to choose the furthest away. Stewie did the whole thing perfectly, with no hesitation at all! He was flying.

Heading to Addicted to Agility's NADAC trial in Wrentham, MA

At noon we are headed to Wrentham for Stewie's next NADAC trial. There are tunnelers fun run thru's for charity this afternoon, which we still do at least a couple of, it helps tire him out for the motel room! 

Our first class is Chances Sat morning, followed by Jumpers, and then Regular. Maybe we can get some Regular Q's since they aren't the first run of the day when he is wired!

Stewie has trouble sometimes with the NADAC weaves which are wider than USDAA weaves which is what I have at home and what we train on in class. We have been practicing with 21" spaced stick in the ground weave poles in the backyard this week, and after the first couple of day when he popped out a lot on the 10th pole, now he is flying. We'll see how that translates to the trial, he needs one more Elite Weavers Q to get his title.

New England Agility Team Upcoming Events

New England Agility Team (NEAT) 

www.neatclub.com upcoming events 2008

• FUN RUN THRUS-dates coming soon-held at Tonry Tree Farm, Hampton Falls, NH 
  
• NH SPCA Pet Fest, June 1st- Stratham, NH, check out  www.nhspca.org for more info
  
• NEAT's new NADAC trial Sept 6-7-2008, at beautiful Wakeda Campground, www.wakedacampground.com, Route 88, Hampton Falls, NH 
  
• NEAT Annual Show and Go- November 1, Tonry Tree Farm, www.tonryfarm.com, Route 88,  Hampton Falls, NH 
  
• Check out neatclub.com for more information 

Upcoming NADAC trial May 31-June 1 Wrentham, Ma.

Stewie's next trial is a NADAC trial, run by Addicted to Agility, www.addictedtoagility.com

 in Wrentham, MA on May 31, -June 1st. On Friday afternoon there will be Tunnelers Fun Runs for $5.00 a piece.

USDAA New England Agility Team trial May 17-18

My club the New England Agility Team, NEAT, hosted their annual USDAA trial in Hampton Falls, NH last weekend. It was held at Wakeda Campground, www.wakedacampground.com.

The weather started rainy but soon cleared up and was warm and sunny the rest of the day Saturday. 

The trial went very smoothly and everyone had a great day. Stewie had snooker first class of the day, and was just finishing his 4th red jump when he went off course. His standard run was great until the very end, after getting his weave pole entry, and all three contacts, he went off course the 3rd jump from the ending. Bummer!

Sunday was a great day weather wise and everyone had fun runs. 

NADAC Agility Trial- Sunday May 4th

Sunday started with Chances with no success. Stewie went off course during Regular so no Q there either. We had a fun and fast Tunnelers run except I got lost so we didn't Q. Stewie had fun during Tunnelers though!

Jumpers was the last run of the day and it was a great run. It started with a discrimination, after the 1st jump, the dog had to turn to start a 4 jump serpentine. If they didn't turn, they saw the A frame and the tunnel under it. Stewie got the discrimination, got the serpentine and the rest of the course, I could send him on ahead. He did great, and took a Q and 2nd place. It was a fast run, the kind Stewie likes best, where I can say "go on" and he can run fast and not have to wait for me.

NADAC Trial May 08

Stewie completed in the Northeast Agility Enthusiasts trial in Greenfield, Ma on May 3-4.

His first run of the day was Jumpers, one of his favorite classes. It was a fun run and Stewie was very focused for his first run of the day. He got a 1st place with a time of 24.65 with a course time of 27.56.

This was his 10th Elite Jumpers Q so this earned his Outstanding Tunnelers Elite certificate.

He Q'd in the 1st Regular with a 3rd place. His time was 47.77 seconds with a course time of 52.22. His second Regular run was fast and fantastic until the 2nd to the last obstacle, the A frame! He charged at it with great speed and flew over the contact. His time for that run was awesome, 36.58! It was the same course turned backwards and he was much faster the 2nd course. It was have been 1st place by far if he had gotten the contact.

In Tunnelers we had a good run, but not as fast as usual. Stewie's time was 26.51 seconds with a course time of 27.72. He got a Q and a 3rd place.

Weavers we did not Q in, he had to restart the polls a couple of time and we went over time.

Elite Chances he did not send out, so we didn't get the Q.

We also did Novice Hoopers for the 2nd time in competition. He had fun with it, even though it was our 7th run of the day, he was up for it. We had an easy plan and got a Q and a 1st place. Stewie's time was 21.41 seconds, and course time was 37.4.

It was a fun game and I noticed on the warm up hoop that Stewie turns very tight coming out of the Hoop to come back to me.