Coastal Bend

I ran the Coastal Bend Trial in Texas this week-end with my "truck load" of 4 dogs.  I took my two girls Darbi and Libby, plus two client dogs, Boomer and Abbey.

Abbey and I WON the Derby.  It was so much fun.  The last series was a triple, which I'd never seen before in a derby, but happens from time to time.  She really was a doll and a joy to run.  Abbey is owned by a fellow Canadian.

Libby and I went out on the land blind in the Qual after doing a fabulous first series.  It happens and it was both our faults.  It's quite a jump for most dogs from Derby to Qual.  The blind in the Qual was behind the flyer and between the flyer and the long retired and we ran it immediately after the marks.  She was freaked out thinking I was sending her back to a mark.  She is VERY heady, just like her mama.  She just needs more exposure to this concept at trials and she'll be all good.  We do it in training and she does just fine, but she's still of the mind set that trials are places where "nice men" in white coats just throw her stuff.  I think she thinks trials are solely for her benefit.  As one vet put it, she is definitely "affected" with the Happy Gene.
I was MOST proud of Libby for running test dog in the first series of the Open the second morning the test was run and she did the two long retired birds of the Quad as good as anyone!

My buddy Boomer and I ran in the Open.  Him and I made it to the water blind and were dropped.  It was a tough blind that didn't suit a powerhouse like Boom, but we gave it our best shot.
And Boomer ran the best land blind I've ever had the privilege of running at a field trial.  It was hard and super long and he did it in 3 whistles.  I was shaking afterwards, it was such a high!  Only 21 of the 95 starters made it to the water blind and I was pretty thrilled to be there in such a huge Open.  Boomer is owned by yet another Canadian.

And sweet Darbi.  She was fun.  I was a little surprised when she was dropped after the first series and Boomer back, as I thought they had similar work.  I thought they'd both be back, or both out, depending on what the judges were looking for.  She had 2 extra loops on the flyer and a little wider line on the long retired, and that was all it took to make a difference.  She ran hard and looked good.  I couldn't be happier with her effort.

All in all a great week-end.  Lots of fun and lots of laughs.  The dogs tried and I couldn't ask for more.