Clean Run Magazine - May 2007 - 74

CARE Centers Carolina Animal Rehabilitation & Exercise Offering state-of-the-art sports medicine & physical rehabilitation for companion animals Lameness Evaluations • Conditioning Programs Aquatic Treadmill • Swim Therapy • Whirlpool Ultrasound • Acupuncture • Laser Chiropractic • Massage • Shockwave Electrical Stimulation • Deluxe Lodging different teams worked different solutions to course traps, how handlers made mistakes in body position, how the judges positioned themselves to see the contacts, and so on. I could not believe the valuable information I was gaining from experienced handlers just by sitting in the ring listening and walking score sheets over to the score table. At other trials I worked as a leash runner. People standing around the ring steward talked strategy—how to handle a trap, the handler’s position on the lead-out. They said things like, “They’re going to try something wild and exciting,” or, “That team is so fun to watch; it’s as if they’re dancing out there.” It was another educational opportunity, and it was free for the taking. Armed with a little handler experience and pointers for what to look for on the courses, next I sat in the ring setting bars for jumps. It was fun and exciting, and it furthered my education. One day I watched a handler do a blind pinwheel on a Jumpers course and I had a front row seat! Watching people layer obstacles, handling dogs from 20' and even farther away, is inspiring with an up-close perspective while sitting in the ring. It can open your eyes to what is possible and provide you with new techniques and strategies to solve some of the toughest course challenges. Looking back at my trialing experience, I realize that I should have spent more time visiting and working at trials before I started competing. This approach would have made me more familiar with the whole trialing process—helping to build courses, working with the ring crews, talking with judges—all while learning from everybody else’s expertise. Working at a trial is part of the trial experience. It helps the club sponsoring the trial, it supports the sport, and to a Novice handler, it provides an education that has no equal. Actually, a handler at any level can benefit from this interaction. Today I ask those that are new to training in agility to consider taking a couple of hours and visiting a trial. I ask you to actually talk with people around the competition ring, being mindful not to interfere with those preparing to enter the ring or those leaving the ring. Watch the teams run the courses, see what the judges are doing, and talk to those you know and don’t know, and especially to those that compete with the same type of dog you are training. At the first trials I visited I cheated myself by not interacting more with the competitors. I should have asked more questions about how the process works. After visiting a trial or two, consider volunteering to work at a trial before you start competing. Do something that allows you to interact with others working a ring; for example, be a score runner, leash runner, timer, or course builder. While nothing can replace the experience of competing in a trial yourself, you can enhance your preparation for your first competition by taking advantage of other aspects of the trialing process. If I had spent more time visiting and working at trials early on, I may have even been able to get a little sleep that night before my first competition—then again, maybe not. D Rick Parry has been training in agility for over five years and has competed in both the AKC and NADAC. He has trained two of his own dogs (both Cardigan Welsh Corgis) and he has been an instructor for more than three years. He has helped students at the puppy, introductory, beginning, intermediate, and competition levels of instruction. Contact him at rnparry@earthlink.net. Clean Run | May 07 Maria Glinski, DVM, LAc Veterinary Director Two locations to serve you: CARE Center 918 Houndslake Drive, Aiken, SC 29803 SC Veterinary Referral Center 124 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC 29210 Phone: 803-649-4965 Fax: 803-649-3949 Email: K9rehabcenter@aol.com For the Border Collie Enthusiast Border Collies in Action © Bruce Fogt • Bumper stickers • Books • Caps • Collars • Door Mats • DVDs • Figurines • Jackets • Jewelry • Lanyards • Leashes • Limited edition prints • Mugs • Note cards • Pet Placemats • Sweatshirts Check out our website: www.bordercollies.com Call, write or email for a catalog: hope@bordercollies.com 375 East Pavillion Road, Pavillion, WY 82523 (800) 833-0332 (307) 856-7601 FAX 74 • T-shirts • Whistles and so much more!

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Clean Run Magazine - May 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - May 2007