AKC World Team Tryouts 09 ~my View

Categories:Agility, Papillons, Travels

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I thought the AKC Agility Nationals was off the charts in pressure and excitement….. This was a WHOLE different story!!!! This was the cream of the crop of the best of the best.

Friday was practice and everyone got 6 mins. to practice. The footing was kinda slippery and there were obstacles that the Europeans use that we have never seen before as well as LOTS of threadles, serpentines and off sides off jumps and combos that we don't see a whole lot of here at our shows every weekend. Masher had never done a bounce jump in his life.

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daneen did not think Masher was qualified to run and tryout for the AKC World team in 09. So she thought going as Demo Dog would be great experience for them both. Once she tallied up his past show
Q's and times she saw that he was qualified to tryout. Pretty Cool and no small feat becasue Masher is just 2 years and 10 months old and his very first AKC trial was in March of 08.

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Here is a shot of Daneen studying the course.
They change the course for each height and each run and you get your course map just as they are setting up your course….. and these courses looked tough on paper and I am sure Ella and I could not have gotten thru any of these  courses….. let alone with any kind of speed!!!!!

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Masher had 3 good runs and 2 great runs. His good runs had but a minor oopsie….. Baby dog stuff and I have to say Daneen and Masher looked FABULOUS!!!!

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Daneen and Masher took Third Place in the 2nd round which was jumpers. First went to Wave and Dara… which are both seasoned previous World Team dogs!!!!! Wave won the Gold in last years World Team event. Mashy's time was within a second of 1st and 2nd times!!!!

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Daneen and Masher took 2nd place in the 5th round, just 1 second under Wave's 1st place time!!!!
First went to Wave and 3rd went to Rock-it who has also been on the World Team.
Not bad for a baby dog!!!

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To just qualify to go to the tryouts was great. To get through the really tough courses was thrilling, but to place and come in 5th overall was just mind blowing!!!!!

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2009 AKC World Team Tryouts Small Dogs, coaches and judges.

The first spot is won for the World team from the winner of rounds 1 and 2. and the second spot is won by the winner of the highest acc. score from rounds 1-5.

 A HUGE congrats to Austria bound:
 Melanie Del Villagio and Dara,
 Marcy Mantell and Wave,
 Ashley Deacon and Luka,
 Karen Holik and Sizzle,
 Channon Fosty and Icon,
 Marcus Topps and Juice

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Here is the overall standings….kinda hard to read but pretty fun to see.

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In a sea of Border Collies and Shelties ran Marc and Phoenix!!!! They ran hard and it looked like Phoenix was having a great time. It brought tears to my eyes watching them run these courses. I could not be happier or more proud of this team!!!! It was SOOOOOO cool to see a Dalmatian go out there and go clean in most of these courses. They were FABULOUS!!!!! Way to go Marc and Phoenix!!!!!!


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Luckily we had time to go see the monstrosity of shopping malls…. THE Mall of America!!!!
It was HUGE and had roller coasters and other fun stuff in the middle.

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Poor Mush is always the victom of my tourist photo ops.!!!!

Mashers video's of his run can be seen on Daneen's Blog.

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