Cynosports 2014
Cynosports is long gone but the event will bounce around in my head for weeks to come, like it always does. I normally get my thoughts written down to share with anyone who cares as soon as the event ends — the writing has become part of my own personal debriefing — but this time somehow a few weeks have slipped past. I’m admitting to having been totally wiped out after the event; I must be getting old. I had so much energy at the event that I felt like I was busting at the seams every minute for 5 days straight. To have 17 instructors and students competing at the event was more than I imagined it to be. Pride can produce some pretty awesome adrenaline effects.
The week before the event we had a PPPP. That would be: practice-pep rally-potluck-party. Monica DuClaud designed us an awesome good luck poster and ace teams were getting their team paraphernalia together. A few students were working on costumes for the contest and other students who were not competing were making plans to come down. The build up was so fun and it was yet another time my students have caused me to sit back and appreciate what an incredible group of human beings they are. We made a pack to keep things positive once we hit Morgan Hill, to keep our focus on the competition and set the rest of the world aside for 5 glorious days. That is exactly how it unfolded. Even when poor Linda was hit on the way to the competition one morning, totaling her car, no run was missed. The troops swept in, handled the details, and we all kept going strong, even Linda.
My students were rock stars, taking turns having great runs (or at least bits of ones) and being supportive of each other before, during and after the events of each day. We were all having a total blast, at least most of the time! It was the Ace family dancing in the stands during steeplechase finals on Saturday night! I was impressed with how many students showed up who were not competing a few came more than once! I got a kick out of them seeing the sport at this level, finally sharing my deepest passion with those that have heard me talk about it for so many years really floated my boat.
Then of course, there is my girl. 12 runs and only 2 refusals, both my fault from just running hard and handling aggressively. She was on fire, running as fast as ever. We missed the performance grand prix cut-off by one dog, this is the third time we have missed a finals by one! The first loser is better than the last one, no? I was amazed at the competition in the 8” performance height. One second while I step on my soap box please: it is too bad that USDAA does not offer a championship jump height for dogs that are not big enough to jump 12”. It forces those dogs to compete in performance. All those jump heights added this year and the wee ones got left out in the cold.
To my surprise we made the speed jumping finals. The course was absolutely designed to our strengths, I could not believe my eyes when I saw the map! Quill’s specialty (well one of them, anyway) is a turn off the a-frame into the tunnel and there were TWO opportunities to do it! Knowing we could do the super long lead out (20 foot straight tunnel to a tricky bit) gave me hope of doing well, too.
She took to the start line screaming her head off and tilting over like a border collie, she came off the line like a bullet and we nailed the opening, she hit the a-frame and I yelled “LEFT” at the perfect time, she made the lead change instantly and indeed went left… way way way left, and still more left… she really and truly LEFT! I know she never saw the dark blue tunnels with their dark blue bags under those nighttime lights. It was the only hint that I was running a 10 year old dog the entire weekend. The run is precious to see, as she is going as hard as she can toward obstacles a mile away. All heart and determination. Even going wrong she makes me proud!
What’s wrong with this picture?
My team with Nancy Gyes and her wonder dog “Ace” was NQ’d on a technicality after we were ranked third over all (all fair business, just a bit of shock, not knowing the damn rules after 20+ years of showing). The last event was the biathlon. My favorite event as we have the gold medal from Brussels and a silver from last years cynosport games. She ran fabulously in both runs but we did have one refusal in jumpers. When I got an invite to go have some pancakes before watching grand prix finals I jumped on it. I had not heard a better idea in years! I’m really grateful that those pancakes were so damn good, because while I was eating them I missed having her only medal from the event put around my neck… we had won the bronze and I had not checked the scores before leaving. I took the hit kinda hard, my error cost me Quill’s last trip to a cynosports podium and took away the chance to share a victory with my students in person.
These events are always a roller coaster of emotions combined with a brutal schedule that is not for babies. This year it was even more so for me with having so many students there and it being Quilly’s last cynosport games, but the scales were far tipped towards all the best emotions, like pride and gratitude and appreciation. The week ended with me feeling energized, inspired to train and excited to get back to teaching. I’m looking forward to gathering video’s photos and memories for the Year-End-Celebration happening in just a few weeks. Then it will be time to start getting ready for AKC in RENO!!
