Oh what a joy to be back at a trial and especially what a joy to be running my dog again. We have been working hard on deceleration and collection cues and it showed that our hard work has paid off. Keeper totally read my deceleration cues on all the runs. Some of them paid off and others he actually pulled off jumps or dropped a bar. So our timing issue is off but since we haven't ran any full courses in 6 months I think it is to be expected. His start line stay was good as compared to last weekend's JWW run.....he stayed.

Both of the Standards we had a problem or two. The 1st, he dropped the 2nd to the last jump because of my big mouth. I cued him verbally to turn right when he was over the 2nd to the last jump and he knocked it. He really didn't need the verbal cue as my motion was taking him that way. Over handling. The 2nd Standard, I had two refusals because I decelerated too much and he read it. The old Keeper would have probably ignored it but the new Keeper read it and turned back to me....Good boy!!! We also had an off course because I didn't drive in far enough to get the correct end of the tunnel. GP was a total screw-up on my part. The course was very technical and I just didn't like the course. You know, one of those courses that you just can't get your head wrapped around it. Two refusals, no Q. Steeplechase was good, got the needed Q for Regionals and he ran it in 29.42. We had a dropped bar on the double coming around to the weaves but the rest of it was stellar. Good contacts on the a-frame (I'm just letting him run thru them), I was a little late on one of my front crosses and I believe the dropped bar was again me decelerating for him to come around the corner to the weaves.

Hmmm....see the trend....bad handler.

After the trial on Saturday, C., Barjor, and myself took the dogs to the river and let them play a little. Keeper's idea of hanging out in the river is only going in as deep as he can without swimming. So, he was out up to his belly. Nop didn't get in at all...I think it was a little too cold for him.

Again it was so awesome to have him back. Awesome to watch all my friends run their dogs again. And awesome to have my little dog back.

And Julie.....all the scoring got done. Probably not as well as if you had been there but it got done. And we all read our "I'm a Julie sub" tags on Saturday.....too funny.