Holiday???

Kenny and I took a much deserved holiday.

We went to a field trial.

Serious.

I decided Darbi needed one more shot to qualify for the Canadian National since she was running so well.

I want Darbi to retire while she still wants to do this and we're thinking the Canadian National (or the last couple trials of 2012 in the US) will be a fitting place to do that.  Obviously it's a very emotional decision for me as she's my first dog and got me in to all of this mess in the first place.

Kenny and I drove up to Brandon, Manitoba to run 3 Opens in 4 days with two dogs...Darbi and her daughter Meg (Elmingo's Prime Suspect).  Of course Miikka came along for the trip.

My best friend lives close to Brandon, so it was a great chance to see her as well and make a real holiday out of it.

Running this trial was a vacation to us.  We only had 3 dogs, visited with old friends and met some new ones.  The trial was small (20 dogs in the Open) and the contestants had great fun, along with the judges.  There was a tail gate party every evening.  Kenny came up as a supportive husband, and not a dog trainer, and I think he thoroughly enjoyed sitting back and just watching dogs.

People at Canadian trials don't take themselves too seriously and I love that.  There is great camaraderie for the dogs and handlers alike and we sincerely cheer each other on.

For anyone who hasn't run a Canadian trial, you don't know how much fun you're missing.

In Canada, one needs a placement to qualify for the National.  Darbi decided to give me an ulcer and wait until the LAST Open to qualify.  And she didn't just qualify, she WON!!!  She tried her heart out on every test (yes, even the water blind!) and seemed to know her momma was counting on her.

Meg was not to be outdone and finished all three Opens with two RCMS and a THIRD place!  Meg went 12 for 12 series and I was so proud of her!!  Darbi went 9 for 12 and finished one other day with a CM.

And on the left in the below photo, Darbi's daughter "Shadow" (Elmingo's Cedar's Shadow MH WCX QFTR) WON the Qualifying the same day as Momma won the Open and 1/2 sister Meg was third in the Open.

Smiles all around.

Kenny was pretty happy as he knew the drive home would be an extra long one had Darbi not qualified.  I believe I saw him at the truck thanking Darbi personally after the placements were announced.

My best friend and I spent the day off from trials getting a pedicure...and I tried to choose a lucky color.  If you look closely, I think it worked.

Best story of the week-end though: they needed a test dog for the first series of one of the Opens and didn't have one.  I volunteered Miikka, but announced that she had been out of training for two years.  I ran the same test as the contestants did...a triple with two retired.  She smoked it!!!  After she picked up the third bird, all I heard was a familiar voice from the gallery: "You ARE NOT taking her out of retirement!!!".  My loving husband at his finest.