Last weekend, Tryst, Radar, Willy and I headed to Santa Rosa at 6:30 AM so that Tryst could compete in a CPE agility trial. Tryst's first trial was back in March. He got three qualifying scores out of eight runs: in Jumpers, Wildcard and Colors.For the uninitiated, agility dogs compete against one another to see which dog has the fastest run with the fewest errors, but they also compete with themselves by earning titles. To earn his first title (level 1), Tryst needs two qualifying scores, or "Qs," in standard, and one each in Snooker, Jackpot, Jumpers, Fullhouse, Colors and Wildcard (referred to as "games"). To Q, a dog must finish a set course within a specified time limit without a major fault, or for some of the games, collect enough points to qualify by completing as many obstacles as possible within a set amount of time.
Tryst completed his first run, level 2 Jumpers, in style for a fourth place ribbon (running against about 20 dogs). Our second run was Snooker. I was too intimidated to compete in Snooker at our first trial, due to the extremely complex rules. After watching the more advanced dogs compete all morning and asking the judge many stupid questions, I felt confident. Tryst and I approached the first "red" jump... and he went around it. OK, fine... we'll try again. Tryst jumped over the jump backwards, then forwards again. Taking two red jumps in a row is against the rules, so the whistle blew and we had to leave the ring.
We then had Jackpot, a game where points are collected and the dog has to complete a "gamble" consisting of distance work (pictured at right). Tryst completed the gamble with only half a second to spare, but we had the highest point total for our level, meaning we got the first place ribbon. Finally, at the end of a very long day was our first standard run. As usual, Tryst struggled with the A-frame and slid down, meaning we could not earn a Q. He spent the rest of his time in the ring looking around for Willy until I picked him up and carried him off the course.
Willy and Radar declined to get up early for the next day of competition. Tryst started out the day with a third place finish in Fullhouse, another points accumulation game. We would have had a Q in standard, had Tryst not slid down the A-frame again. Level 2 Colors went fine, with a fourth place finish, and only one run, level 2 Wildcard, remained. Would Tryst get a fifth Q, meeting my goal for the weekend?
In Wildcard, handlers choose one of two different obstacles at three different points in the course. At the first decision point, I had planned for Tryst to take the tunnel. Instead, he ran behind me and put two paws on the A-frame. Failing to take the A-frame would now mean an off-course and no Q. Miraculously, Tryst made it over the A-frame for the first time in a trial, earning his fifth Q and another third place ribbon.
Tryst's next trial will be January 3rd. Maybe we'll finally get a Q in standard this time. Meanwhile, Radar is starting out in agility classes and showing a lot of promise. Hopefully by this time next year, both dogs will be able to compete.
