NADAC Agility Trial 6-29-12

Agility Trial Today!!

Since I have to work this weekend, we were only able to go Friday night...but we'll take it where we can get it. 

New facility this time, indoors! 

Home base for the evening.

There were quite a few people.  We ended up by the exit door, Cora was most upset with the high traffic area.  We're going to pick a better spot next time. 

These trials always move so smoothly..

On to the footage!

Novice Hoopers.  Our first time in this event. It's all hoops...no jumps, no tunnels, just hoops. He was a little slow, but we pulled through and got the Q!  Standard Course Time(SCT) was 33.60 and Oliver's time was 32.93.  We made it by the skin of our teeth!  We also took 2nd place. 

Novice Touch N Go.  First time here too.  The main focus in this event is the contact obstacles, the A-frame and the Dog Walk.  I figured the hardest part would be #13, which is to take the A-frame and not the tunnel after coming out of a different tunnel.  I was wrong.  We had trouble choose the tunnel right in the beginning. We also passed the Dog Walk and had to come back.  The rest of the run was great, a smidge slow...SCT was 59.45 and Oliver's time was 61.16!  That's 1.71 seconds OVER time!  So NQ here..first place, and a clean run, and I'll take that any day. 

Novice Weavers.  A first time event, and a first time disaster.  It went WAY south here folks.  You can see he's not focused when we get to the line.  He had a great start and NAILED the first set of weaves.  We came out of tunnel #5 and he lost his marbles.  He ran off, back to the start, through the first tunnel to get to something he smelled on the ground.  Eliminated.  We can't win them all..we need more practice for sure.

It wasn't a total bust of a day for sure!  One of our good friends and agility mates got a new title today.  They had their 3rd Qualifying Novice Hoopers run today, so Dixie the 3 legged dog earned her Novice Hoopers Title.  Way to go Dixie and Tim! 

He says "I tried hard Mama!"

Here's the breakdown. 

Novice Hoopers--Q (purple ribbon), 2nd place (red ribbon)

Novice Touch N Go--NQ, 1st place (blue ribbon)

Novice Weavers--Eliminated (boo!)

We had a great day.  It was great practice for the next trial.  We head to Springfield for the entire weekend in mid-July.  I'm super stoked.  I was nervous about the events we did today, but he handled them well, so I've got high hopes for Springfield.  

I have to work (lame) but everyone else have a good weekend. 

Jessica

Oliver Turns 2!

Yesterday was Oliver's 2nd birthday.
We had a bath at Brookside Barkey, and they both got some pretty great treats!
We're up for agility practice tonight, to round out our weekend.

He's been such a good boy this year.  He's put up with a lot.  Coraline is enough to break anybody down.  

This next year is going to be his best yet, he is an agility star after all. 

Jessica

Father's Day 2012

So it's almost Father's Day...

See this..it's EARLY!!

So, if you are a Father Figure in my life..stop reading..because these cards are on their way to you..right now.

I've been eyeing this card idea for a few years now.  It's from Dawn's Stamping Studio.  She's wonderful, and so are these cards. 

 They're shirt and ties!!

I made 3.  One for my Dad, one for Jon's Dad, and one for Curt. 

 They open under the collar to show the message.  They are super simple to put together.  Just 1 piece of paper.

I hope everyone has some good Father's Day plans planned.
This Saturday is Oliver's 2nd birthday..maybe there will be a photo edition featured here...you know how I love that little dog.
We're also gearing up for another agility competition..so be on the look out for footage of our (hopefully) awesome victories!

Jessica

Mother's Day 2012

So I'm a bit late..but it's been nuts around here.

I made some Mother's Day Cards this year.  They are pretty similar..which if you remember, is my plan for all Mother's/Father's day type events where multiple people will be getting cards on the same day.

I made this one for my mother.

And this one for Jon's mother.  He helped choose the paper.

 

 Aren't my light tent pictures much more nicer than my other ones ;-)

I used my iRock to put the rhinestones on the flowers. 

 I kept the inside pretty blank for nice messages to our mamas.

I hope everyone has had a good week thus far..I'm hoping to get a start on Father's Day cards during this long weekend coming up..I've got a couple of other card related projects too.

Jessica

To Agility And Beyond...

To Agility and BEYOND!!

We had a great first trial.  I couldn't have asked my OllieDog for anything more!
Team Rodgers got up very early to head out to the Douglas County Fairgrounds for the Trial.  We got out there about 730.  Got checked in, and tried to do some deep breathing.
I was terribly nervous.
I'm glad the run order is Elite, Open, and then Novice.  Oliver is in Novice..so I got to watch some other handlers first.
However the course changes between levels, and since Oliver is tiny..and the size order for today was small to tall..we were the first dog to run in the Novice group.


Our first event was Jumpers.  Which is all jumps, and maybe 1 tunnel.  The course was fairly easy for novices, only 2 front crosses.  He stayed with me the whole time.  We had a Qualifying run, and took 1st place.  He came in 7 seconds under Standard Course Time(SCT).  So, we are well on our way to a Novice Jumpers Title.


Our second event was Tunnelers...which is all tunnels.  The course arrangement is the same for all levels.  The SCT is shorter for the higher levels..making it more difficult.  The name of the game here is speed.  Unfortunately, Oliver didn't quite have it.  He DID stay with me, and he DID do everything in perfect order..but we came in 15 seconds over SCT..so we didn't qualify.  If you watch, you can see we had a bit of trouble with tunnel #7..he passed it originally, but we were able to get it..that's what ate into some of our time.


There were 2 rounds of Tunnelers, so we entered both.  The second course was a bit shorter, but had some trickier handling patterns.  I primed Oliver with a little hotdog treat just before we entered the ring (no treats allowed on the course or in the ring) hoping to light his fire a bit and get some more speed out of him.  He was a bit quicker, and it was a smoother run for us I think...less calling him on and off tunnels..it just flowed better..I had high hopes of making time, but sadly we were 6 seconds over SCT.  DAMN!! 6 stupid seconds.  We're going to get them next time!  We did take 2nd place again.

We earned several ribbons..here's the break down.
Novice Jumpers--Q (purple ribbon), 1st place (blue ribbon)
Novice Tunnelers 1--NQ, 2nd place (red ribbon)
Novice Tunnelers 2--NQ, 2nd place (red ribbon)

He looks so happy!  I'm a proud proud mama today..Happy Mother's Day to me...and to all the other mothers out there.

Jessica (Mama to a happy Agility Star!)

Twas The Night Before....

Twas the night before a very important day, and all through the house, all the humans were scurrying to collect obscure agility items to insure that day would be pleasant...

Our very first Agility Trial is tomorrow.  I am super nervous..I'm hoping Santa grants wishes in May, or a genie or whatever...We're hoping to do well.  But well or not, it will be a learning experience for us all. 

I've got some things on the horizon, tomorrow is Mother's day...if you've forgotten, you better hurry..

I've got cards made, photos taken and they are on the computer..so I'll be ready to go with that post tomorrow. 

But today...it's sort of like Christmas..Santa can you hear me??

I finally got my light tent working!  Jonathan got me a tent and lights for Christmas, but the tent was too big..we finally got a replacement that is the right size.

It is wonderful. So the Mother's Day edition will feature the first cards photographed in the tent...I must say already with my complete lack of knowledge..they are leagues better than the ones I have been taking on my desk.

I hope you notice a difference.

Wish us luck!
Hoping for a Q!!

Jessica

Sea Life Aquarium 4-27-12

Team Rodgers did something fun last week...we went to the new aquarium at Crown Center.
It's definitely worth a trip..a little pricey, but you need to go at least once.
I love aquariums.  I'd love to have a fish tank at home, but we have 3 very bad kitties..that would also love to have a fish tank.
So, if you're going to go, buy your tickets ahead of time and online..you save a few bucks, and you get to go to the front of the line.  There was a pretty big line, but we got right in, no waiting!

The first area they have the ugly river fish..I suppose they have a place too..but it got way better!

I would have a heart attack if I saw a crab this big!

I made friends with this fish. 

Since we don't have children, I had to step in.  They have quite a few tanks with little bubbles in them so you can see the tank all around you.  It was pretty awesome. 

I love the color of these little shrimp things.

They have 2 tunnels.

Sting ray!

Fishy face!

They have a pretty cool jelly fish tank.  I love jelly fish. 

They saved Nemo fish until close to the end..I checked all the tanks on the way...I wasn't the only one looking for Nemo. 

Another favorite, black sea horses. 

Lego Land wasn't open yet, but I'm sure it's worth a trip too. 

It was a pretty good day..you all should go.  

On deck, I've got some Mother's Day cards...and there's an agility trial that same weekend..it will be our first trial..Oliver is very excited..I'm scared to death!  But it will be fun anyway..look for photos and video of that coming soon!

Jessica