STRESSFUL!!!!!!!!!

The good news is that I lost 7 pounds this weekend!!!!

The GREAT news is Masher & Daneen won the Grand Prix and Mashy is now the 2009 12" Grand Prix World Champion!!!!

Daneen and Masher are going out for the IFCS World Team for 2010. It has been a year long endevevour and one wild ride!! The process is a little complicated but the top 3 dogs in each jump height win a spot on the team to represent the USA in England next year.

Masher and Daneen were sitting in third place going into the USDAA National. Every dog looking to rack up points toward the World team was there AND all the other dogs entered which could take points away from dogs needing these points. So basically EVERY run counted!!!!

Hats off to all the people that worked to make this event truly special and run so smoothly!! The location was WestWorld which is just top notch. The weather could not have been better for the dogs, pretty much was in the 70's the entire time. This event is HUGE!!!! There was the Agility National of course, Lure coursing, Dock Dogs, Herding, Free style Dancing, Disc Dogs and FlyBall!!!!

Daneen and Masher ran two to three runs each day…. and each one was very stressful. I was videoing every run and after one of the runs I told Daneen I was shaking and my heart was pounding….. She laughed and said she was shaking so much walking to the startline she had a hard time taking Masher's collar off and Masher was so excited she felt him shaking too….. One exciting wild ride!!!!!

Daneen and Masher's Team was called "Team OZ" with Greg L. & Dobby and Anna G. & Jade.

Their very first run on day 2 was Team Snooker…… Not a very good run as Snooker is really not their best class. Here is the play by play…. " GO….. Mush over….. ONE…. OHH MASHYYYYYYY….. TWEAT"
It was tough to shake this run off but they managed to do it.

Next was Team Jumpers……. Beautiful run!!!! Masher won first place with that run.

Day three was Steeplechase semi finals and Team Standard. They took second in Steeplechase Semi's and first place in Team Standard.

Steeplechase Finals were run later that night under the lights in the grandstand. The course had some tricky stuff in it with a tough entry to weaves the second time and some good off course options.
The crowd went wild when the dogs would make their weave entries. There were alot of great dogs and to see them make their entries sometimes in spite of their handlers just made it more exciting.
Masher came in second place by 1/2 a second. Devo won the steeplechase. He deserved it… Devo is a great little dog!!!! I personally was happy to hear that Marcus was going to run him at the National. Marcus is a fluid handler that can actually keep up with Devo. Good Boy Devo!!!

Day four they ran Grand Prix Semi's and Gamblers. Masher came in second in the Grand Prix semi finals and got the Gamble in Gambler's.

The last day they ran the Grand Prix Finals in the grandstand ring. This course was fast and dogs were dropping like flies because of missed contacts.
Masher and Daneen looked spectacular in their run. Masher had the most beautiful running contacts. They ended up winning the 2009  12" Grand Prix Championship!!!!

Agility competitors have the conformation people beat by a mile when it comes to picking up after their dogs!!!!! I think I only saw one doodie the ENTIRE time I was there!!!! Well done agility people …. That is the way to keep venues and having them allow us to hold events at great venues!!!!

I was very impressed at all the Happy dog agility instructors and students that attended the 2009 USDAA Agility National this year!!!! You should all be proud of yourselves!!!! Great job!!!!

I tried to arrange for the Happy Dog contingent to take a group photo but that was a logistical nightmare! Because there were 6 rings running pretty much all the time. So people were either walking, stressing over or running their courses. We did manage to get quite a few together for a group shot. Next year we will plan a little better.

When all was said and done Daneen and Masher ended up is first place in the standings for World Team points!!!! It is still unofficial but they made the 2010 World Team!!!!!!

Daneen and Masher's video's can be seen on her blog.   Daneen's Blog