The Few Months Prior to Getting the MACH
We had blown so many chances for Double Qs in the period
from August/05 to the end of December/05, that I lost count!! We had
been working on speed and focus, and Al was giving me all his attention, as
long as I stayed out of his way, and his speed was getting very consistent on
the JWW course. Al was almost a guaranteed Q in Jumpers with
Weaves. Not only that; it felt like we were almost a guaranteed a
Placement in JWW!! During the summer and fall of 2005 Al and I had "The Streak" (23
placements in a row when he Q'd). If there was a
problem, it was me!! I'd
get excited during our runs and try and get a little more out of Al, and loose
my focus on what I was supposed to be doing on the course (navigation??!!), and the result many, many times
was my sending Al over an incorrect jump (wrong course) and blowing a
chance at a Double Q!! If we had a fault on the JWW course it was
usually because something happened before we got in the ring resulting in Al
loosing focus, and jumping the start line, with me chasing after him.
I found that the hardest thing for me in finishing Al's MACH was that
the
additional pressure of getting Double Q's caused mental mistakes, which in
turn put more pressure on getting Double Q's!! I ended up creating the
obstacles the made it harder to succeed in our task. The closer we got,
the worse it seemed. I dreaded being at 19 1/2 Double Q's. I was
sure that when we got to 19 1/2 we would have to suffer through it countless
times.
We should have finished the MACH much earlier than we did,
but thankfully it didn't take as long as it could have. We only had to
suffer through being at 19 1/2 Double Q's once!! It is not a fun place
to be at!! However, there is a good thing about being at 19 1/2 Double Q's. You have to pass through 19 1/2 to get to the magic number of 20
Double Q's, which is one of the best feelings I've had in a long, long time!!
The AKC committee that devised the requirements for the MACH title, must have
had a majority of sadomasochists!!
My Goal was to Try and MACH at the
Seattle Kennel Club Trial
I had hoped that we would have a chance to earn the MACH at
the Seattle Kennel Club Agility Trial and All Breed Dog Show. If you are
going to earn a MACH, this is absolutely the best event in our region to do it
at. I had dreamed that if Al ever earned his MACH, that the Seattle
Kennel Club Trial (SKC) would be the most exciting event to do it at!!
My reasons that made it "The Trial" were:
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This is the most intense place in the NW to have an agility
trial at. The environment is probably as intense or even more intense,
than the main ring for the finals at the AKC National Agility
Championships. Not because of the competition, but because of the
difficulties with the venue, and the distractions. If you want to
simulate a National Level Agility Competition, this Agility trial is the place
to do it.
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The ring is surrounded by hundreds of people. The
event is an All Breed Dog Show, so there are people everywhere who haven't a
clue about Agility, have never seen Agility before, and when they see it, they
love it, and they make lots and lots of noise, while you are running your
course!! Invariably, the ring has clusters of kids sitting on the floor
right next to the ring with food in their hands and mouths, and hot dogs,
hamburgers, steaming Nachos, French Fries, potato chips and Ice Cream.
All these doggy delicacies on plates or napkins which they have
dutifully placed on the floor in front of their crossed legs, RIGHT NEXT TO
THE AGILTY RING!!! If the food 3 feet from the agility course
doesn't make it hard enough, the kids often try to get the dogs attention.
The adults have cameras, and they try and take pictures of you during your
runs despite the warnings every few minutes over the public address system,
"not to use flash cameras!!"
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Crating space is almost non-existent!! Potty areas
are disgusting, and a long way from the agility rings.
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The building security is absurd, and made it impossible to
get in and out of the building easily.
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There is an agility commentator providing commentary of
your run, which is broadcast over a public address system during your runs.
It's always exciting to watch your dog as it hears it's name spoken over the
public address system (imagine the "voice of God" saying your dog's
name), while you are running an
agility course.
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The surface to run on is a well worn carpet, that is
slippery for the dogs, and too grippy for the handlers!! If you want to
trip during a run, this is the place to do it at. (I have!!)
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For me it was pretty simple. With all the Challenges
presented be the place, Al just seems to thrive on it!! He loves
competing in that kind of environment. He's such a crowd pleaser once he
gets going, that people start cheering, clapping, oohing and awhing!!
The crowd, the noise, the excitement all really energize him, and he puts on a
show for everyone!!
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When a dog earns it's MACH at the Seattle Kennel Club
trial, the crowd erupts and the noise and cheering couldn't be any louder or
better!! If Al was going to get his MACH, I wanted him to have the
loudest cheering he would ever hear!! He deserved nothing less!!
Oh yes, and the final reason.....
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They always had great MACH ribbons!!!
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