Sorry to wait you wait for the day one update….   I tried to be rude and work on my computer in the dining room last night, but just couldn’t do it.

Yesterday morning started out with a 7:15 am departure from the hotel for the 20 minute drive to the venue.  Opening ceremonies started a bit late and had us poor Canadians confused as we figured we should enter the arena with the ‘C’ countries, but then got turned away and told to wait for the ‘K’ countries.  I guess for the next few days, I’m a Kanadian.  There weren’t too many dry eyes in the crowd when the American Large Dog Team came in each holding a poster of Geri & Focus.  It was a good reminder how lucky we are each time we step up to the line with our four legged friend.

Team Canada’s Large dog team was third country into the ring yesterday, so there was very little time to waste.  Rio & team mates got their pre-run work up done by Carol & Dr. Leslie while Kiersten, Susan and I studied the course build for the Jumpers course.  We ended up being even quicker into the ring than we thought as one of the countries ahead of us had some bitches in heat.  Girls in season are allowed to compete here, but they must go at the end of the class.  They bring out a mat to put at the start line and if there’s a table, they cover that up too.  Rio led the way for the Canadians with a clean run.  Zoom came next and had a good run going until she had a slight disconnect from Kiersten and was over an off course jump in the blink of an eye (off courses were rampant with the large dogs—in the end only 4 countries made it through the 6 courses without an off course!).  Encore ran anchor and had a beautiful run with just a slight bobble.  After the jumpers round, our large dog team was sitting in 20th place.

Our medium team ran the medium jumpers course next and it appeared that pushing to the other side of the jump was the skill of the day with about 4 or 5 pushes required on course.  Our medium dogs (Cypher, Flip & Nitro) all did very well, but unfortunately had one elimination when Cypher stuck his head in a tunnel.

The small dogs also had a challenging course, but Dart, Briggs and Dice all came through with flying colours and three clean rounds, putting them in fourth place for that round.

The final event of the day was the second round of the Large Dog Team that took down many an experienced dog with several off course possibilities.  Our team was not immune to an off course tunnel at the beginning of the course, but still managed to have a clean run by Zoom and a 5 fault run by Rio.  In the end, our large dog team managed to move into 12th place overall (I think….?)

It was back to the hotel for a late dinner  and a small celebration for Encore, Nitro, Cypher and Rio who we found out earlier in the afternoon had been selected for the AAC’s World Team that will be travelling to England in May.  Lucie & Christina’s young dogs, Scud & Rhyval were also named as alternates.

Today the small dog individual jumping starts us off followed by medium and then large dog individual jumping.  After that, they will be running the small & medium standard team rounds.

Thanks to everyone for their kind notes and good wishes.  All of us here really appreciate them!!!! 

Now I must run to breakfast and make my sandwiches for my lunch….