# Cynosport World Games- Oct 11-16, 2011



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Next week/weekend! Anyone going??? I am strongly considering going on the weekend even though I have a slight conflict (was going to take Pimg hiking with some friends). I'm thinking getting to see the best agility handlers in the world only two hours from my house is probably a worthwhile thing! And it says that you can bring your own dogs even (what to do with Pimg while I spend a day [or weekend] away is a major issue for me- my dog sitters just moved many hours away).

USDAA - Special Events


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Sadly, no. This year you had to qualify in two events to go, and I didn't  My trainer is going though with her awesome border collie!

Many of the past/present world team handlers, along with other really great USDAA handlers/dogs are in Florida- so it's cool I get to compete with them...but I still really wanted to go. Next year is in CO- why is everything in CO next year?? It's so far!

I'm sure you'll have a great time if you go!

NADAC Champs are also next week.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm 90% sure I am going at this point. SWEET!


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

I think you should go for sure! And write a full report


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

The world competition is in Ft Worth in May '12. You've got to come to that!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Ft Worth is WAY too far away.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Better takes lots of pictures and video and to the crating areas to meet people!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Just booked my hotel. I'm going!!


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Checkout my trainer if you can, here are the times she's running. She has a black and white border collie named Cooper. She is an amazing handler! Both of her older dogs (one being Cooper) have their MACH2, ADCH, NATCH, and CATCH! 

Tuesday
Ring 5 4 pm
Wednesday
Ring 1 930 am
Ring 3 1211 pm
Thursday
Ring 2 1054 am
Ring 5 144 pm
Friday
Ring 5 930 am
Saturday
Ring 5 930 am


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO said:


> Saturday
> Ring 5 930 am


Quite accomplished! Unfortunately, this is the only time I'll get to check her out.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Any USDAA competitors out there? I am wondering if we can use a prong collar as a spectator? Don't want to get any hackles up walking around with an "illegal" collar- but at the same time, this is _not_ going to work on a flat collar!


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Hmmm, good question. You run "naked" in USDAA, so the majority of handlers use slip leads. I can't recall ever seeing a prong at a trial, but I don't know if it's against any rules.

Also, I need to confirm with my trainer the times. She said they were EST, so not sure if she is actually running at 8:30 am central time Saturday. I'll let you know.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

From USDAA Rules and Regulations:



> *
> s​​​​ECTIon C-3. InFRACTIons, sAnCTIons & APPlICATIon​
> *Infractions
> The following is a partial list of the more common infractions on which the USDAA and its
> ...


Not sure if that means no training collars anywhere on the grounds?


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

As a spectator, I can't imagine it would be a big deal. Then again, agility associations are so freakin' weird about prong collars. Pimg has a very full "mane" and so you can't really see the prong that well. We will likely have to take it off for dock diving though... So that's an opportunity for people to notice it.

I think I'll just do the whole "oh... sorry I didn't realize" act keeping a flat collar in my pocket.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

> I think I'll just do the whole "oh... sorry I didn't realize" act keeping a flat collar in my pocket.


I think that would be a good idea.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO said:


> Not sure if that means no training collars anywhere on the grounds?


I would think that those rules are applicable to the people who have agreed to them by paying money to compete. Not sure if they are applicable to observers. (Yeah- I'm stretching it aren't I... )


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

wildo said:


> I would think that those rules are applicable to the people who have agreed to them by paying money to compete. Not sure if they are applicable to observers. (Yeah- I'm stretching it aren't I... )


No, not stretching at all- that makes perfect sense.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO said:


> Also, I need to confirm with my trainer the times. She said they were EST, so not sure if she is actually running at 8:30 am central time Saturday. I'll let you know.


 
Oops, I didn't realize they are on EST there too.:blush: I figured it was central time, but after many confusing emails, I finally called my trainer and she said they are in EST, lol!

She placed 12th out of 123 dogs in 26" team gamblers yesterday!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO said:


> Oops, I didn't realize they are on EST there too.:blush: I figured it was central time, but after many confusing emails, I finally called my trainer and she said they are in EST, lol!
> 
> She placed 12th out of 123 dogs in 26" team gamblers yesterday!


Cool! Kinda glad you did that leg work because honestly, I didn't even consider a time change!

12th sounds good! Did you see the AgilityNerd guy placed 4th? He posted a youtube video already:


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Nice run! 

Here is her team gamblers:




 
And her Grand Prix from yesterday, which I think is a beautiful run!


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Also- she is team members with Bonnie McDonald- who is the breeder of Tang! She's only running her BC though.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Wow- nice runs indeed. She has quite a steering wheel on that dog!


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

She does! 

Here is her quarterfinals steeplechase run, she advanced to semifinals, which is today.






Looks like agilitynerd guy advanced also!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

This event is so awesome... Just sayin'


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Don't get me wrong- I'm looking forward to today's events, but after seeing- oh, I don't know- 1000 border collie runs I'm ready to get home, do some training, and make that 1000 border collies and 1 awesome GSD.

Well that's not entirely true. I have gotten to meet Sonja Davis and her two nice boys: Tsunami and Fantom. Unfortunately, these are the only two I got to see run. I did get to meet Patty Bensene with her girl Tory (who took 1st in Tuesday's 24" Ex JWW at GSD Nationals- though was injured). And finally, I also met Beth Bradshaw's Grian (who took first place in Wednesday's 20" Ex JWW AND Ex Standard at GSD Nationals).

All were really nice dogs! And all of them were certainly qualified to be there. Unfortunately, I seem to have a knack for missing the GSDs run.  I'd look ever at one of the 4 rings I _wasn't_ sitting at and spot a GSD just about to finish his/her run. I them tell myself: "****- I missed _another_ one!??"

Oh well. It's been fun. I did get my copy of Shaping Success signed by Susan Garrett, which I think is ultra cool. Off to one more day of agility fun!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

wildo said:


> Oh well. It's been fun. I did get my copy of Shaping Success signed by Susan Garrett, which I think is ultra cool. Off to one more day of agility fun!


 
WOW, you got to meet 'The Queen'!


Would you consider going up to her place to attend a seminar? Think you'd have a blast and KNOW you'd come back and share!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Just spoke with Linda Mecklenburg and told her she needs a DVD. She informed me that she has some video on demand on her site that covers chapters 1&2 as well as chapter 6. Also, before christmas this year, clean run will release a dvd going over implimentations of her system.

Something else interesting: I've seen Rachel Sanders' dog blow her running contacts... multiple times. In all seriousness though, there have been some phenomenal running contacts displayed here. Incredible.

(Sent from mobile. Please disregard spelling errors.)


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

wildo said:


> Something else interesting: I've seen Rachel Sanders' dog blow her running contacts... multiple times. In all seriousness though, there have been some phenomenal running contacts displayed here. Incredible.
> 
> (Sent from mobile. Please disregard spelling errors.)


 That is interesting. Was this on the dogwalk or aframe? I believe Sanders' herself says her method isn't reliable on the dogwalk. That is probably why you see people using her method for the frame and Trkman's for the DW.

I do think Silvia Trkman's contact method seems a better bet for running contacts, although people have had success with both. Trkman's doesn't require the extra props Sanders' method does and is based in teaching the dog to run vs. jump on the down contact. Sanders' method seem to focus on teaching the dog to "hit" certain points on the down contact but the dog may still be jumping off the board vs. running. Maybe I'm wrong on that?


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

It was the A-Frame, which I was watching like a hawk! lol Just got home. I'll probably post some more later on... I have a ton of video, but admittedly there were very few names I actually recognized. I might have video of someone famous, I might not...

And unfortunately (or fortunately, I guess depending on how you look at it) just like our dogs- humans are not robots or machines. My agility idol, SG, did not do so hot at this event. I only got to see 1.1 runs of hers (meaning I caught the VERY end of one). Man- with 5 rings it was *so* hard to watch out for anyone specifically!


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

At that level of competition, you never know what will happen!

Did you by chance get to see Luka, the new World Champion Pyr Shep? It looks like she was there and won the 16" Grand Prix.

Can't wait to hear your full report


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Man... no. And I'm a little irked about it. I was sitting there waiting for the Grand Prix to start when I decided since there was 10mins until start, I'd go let Pimg outside for a break. I decided to go pick up my dock diving ribbon since the last splash had ended. Turns out, though I didn't make it into the championship, most of the border collies didn't show up so I bubbled in. I told them it's kinda pointless since I'd come in last place, and especially since I'd rather be watching agility. But they somehow talked me into it. Of course, I came in (nearly) last and missed the Grand Prix. Pretty sure dock diving is NOT my sport of choice. Not because Pimg didn't do good (she did- full report later) but because I can't stand the annoying labs barking, Barking, BARKING nonstop. Or the little pathetic lap dogs yipping and yapping, or the Malinois _SCREAMING_ in anxiety to jump off the dock. Ugh. Not my scene. Still a bit sad I missed the Grand Prix finals. And also Luka. 

[EDIT]- though I did watch the quarter and semi finals in both performance and championship- and I really don't recall a black pryshep. Luka would have been in the 8" class, no? All I recall is papillons...


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

That's really a bummer! Sorry you missed the Grand Prix 

Luka is in 16". From the USDAA site, she also was in the Steeplechase semi-finals. She looks kinda muttly at first glance, like many PyrSheps LOL (I say that with affection being a PyrShep owner ). She's smooth faced and used to have corded feathering, not sure if she still does or not. I was quite surprised to see they were there considering the World Chmpaionship was just a week ago in France!

Dock Dog sounds like Flyball LOL


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Well- there is a REALLY good chance they were there. Seriously- there were SO many runs... 

I did just rewatch the video you shared on FB, and to be honest- I don't remember a single dog that had cording like that. Seems like a pretty distinct trait. Then again- there were SO many runs... lol


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## Xeph (Jun 19, 2005)

> Pretty sure dock diving is NOT my sport of choice. Not because Pimg didn't do good (she did- full report later) but because I can't stand the annoying labs barking, Barking, BARKING nonstop. Or the little pathetic lap dogs yipping and yapping, or the Malinois _SCREAMING_ in anxiety to jump off the dock.


You would hate Strauss so much, lol


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Glad you had a good time! I think my trainer is going to set up some of those courses at class this week (at least I asked her to  ) I can't wait to try them.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Yep, unfortunately even though my trainer was there on Friday, those courses won't be setup at my facility due to some political BS that I don't want any part of... Have fun- the courses looked crazy awesome. I'd LOVE to give them a shot especially the JWW course.

USDAA - News & Events










And for what it's worth- I can't even tell you how many people did a blind cross between 18 & 19 in the above course. That is something I _specifically_ jotted down to do research on given the number of people doing it. I really have an issue with the lack of clarity if gives the dog- but I have to say: those people were _crazy_ fast when doing that blind cross.

While I'm at it- I might as well also comment that almost everyone did a front cross on the flat (shadow handling) coming out of the weaves and setting up for the #12 entry. This is another thing I jotted down. The dogs, practically every single one of them, read the front cross within nanoseconds even if they were right beside the handler (as in the handler wasn't quite fast enough to be in front). It didn't matter. The dog saw the front cross as a change of hands and responded lightening fast. It was really beautiful and made me realize that you don't _have_ to be in front of your dog to do a front cross, as long as they have good shadow handling foundations.


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