29 August 2009

A nice hot day at the USDAA.

Went to work early, and to beat the heat. Was a genuine 400 degrees on Friday, and half the state on fire. Got done nice and early in the afternoon, so made it over to the USDAA trial in Prunedale for some afternoon classes.

Had a spectacularly bad Steeplechase with Hobbes. I am likely fired after this from running him. My favorite border collie in the world. Who I love winning Steeplechase with. Not totally crashing and burning in the first round. Something just seemed wrong with us. No one feeling the love. Just before he ran, was fielding phone calls about fire in the hills a few miles from the barn and what we do about that and due to my non existent mental management, maybe had something to do with it. One of those phone calls that makes the blood pressure go up up up. Airplanes dropping water. Ran the dog, got on the phone again. Turns out was not a bad fire, no equine emergencies or mass evac, just one stinker of a Steeplechase. Sorry Hobbes.

Otterpop had a pretty good Steeplechase, came in second so goes on to the second round. Had a lame-o start, one of those days. She picks it up, but not in enough time to have a winning time. Same thing in Snookers. Still working on that last SuperQ, which is winning the class essentially. So just picked out a go-for it course, but the saddest sound in the world happened. The sound of the buzzer when you are in that last set of Numero Siete weave poles after doing them 3 times already to rack up those Sevens. A faster dog, who beats the pants off us on a regular basis, made it through. Such is life. Those slowpoke, weirdo starts, bite us in the ass. Not that Otterpop doesn't deserve to be bitten in the ass. But not on the metaphoric level. The subtleties of language lost on her. Otterpop has a special dog show timer in her head and that timer says, Waste Time. Then run fast. If I could unlock that timer secret someday, Otterpop would be a superstar.

Gustavo was a superstar. Superstar Jumpers run, moves him up to Masters now. God help us all.

Ruby, no classes, basking in her retired vibe. She baked in the heat, wouldn't have wanted to run anyways. Gustavo has a hard time in the heat, he runs fast but he gets overheated really fast and hot and panty. Poor skinny little thing. Otterpop is like a cockroach. She doesn't care. Whatever global warming dishes out, Otterpop can take. She's Otterpop.

Back we go again tomorrow, a whole day at the dog show!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Gustavo in Masters! Wowee!

team small dog said...

Masters Jumpers. Although still in Starters Standard! He spans all divisions. It's more fun that way.

Double S said...

Otterpop as cockroach meatloaf?

Good thing she's not reading this or she would give you the evil stink eye.

Congrats on Gustavo's brilliance!