Geelong Rally Obedience Trials

[Canine Coach]

WE just returned from an exhausting, challenging but FUN weekend at Geelong Rally O. trials

Geelong put on another fabulous 2 day trial

kudos to all the very friendly, hard working volunteers

EVERYONE at Geelong Club was friendly, helpful, warm & welcoming

The Pumpkin Soup (for $1.00), was so delicious it could win an immunity pin on Master Chef! AND SIGH, the homemade Blueberry muffins, (also $1.00 for 4), ...but I digress.....

They had to move the trial venue at the last minute, due to threatening flood conditions

We had LOTS of wind, particularly on Sunday, which drove many dogs a bit silly due to heavy gusting and smells and objects being blown around everywhere, but NO rain.

Someone needs to tell my G.P.S. that there is a NEW BRIDGE built in Breakwater. My G.P.S. took me all over Geelong, including 1/2 down a closed, partially flooded dirt road, before we found the right route. If I heard "recalculating" one time more, I would have trashed that GPS out the window!

Luckily, the rain held out most of the weekend and high winds were the only real annoyance, weather wise

I am wondering, if the system used in Agility, which is to make Pass cards available at the check in desk after each session, would be the way to go with Rally O.

Even with the best combined afforts of the seriously dedicated & hard working Geelong team, we did not finish our afternoon Rally Advanced run till almost 6 Pm Saturday,& did not get our Pass cards till after 7 PM Saturday evening

I left Sunday, mid day, after the wind blew down my heavily anchored Oz Trail gazebo & rain looked imminent. I did not stay for the final Rally O Trial Sunday arvo. Thankfully, Pass cards for the 1st Rally O Trial, WERE made available at the desk, for people who wanted to leave early

I am delighted with the efforts of my 2 Silver Standard Poodle girls in Rally O.

I thought the courses set by the judges I was assigned to, were some of the best I have had so far, They were appropriatly challenging but fun to work with

My own results as follows:

August 14 JUDGE MARK KLECKA

Violet Crumble

RALLY ADVANCED CLASS 1st Place 99 Points RALLY ADVANCED TITLE ATTAINED

Roxy JUDGE MARK KLECKA

RALLY ADVANCED 2nd Place 96 Points

August 15th

Violet Crumble JUDGE GRAEME EADES

RALLY ADVANCED CLASS 1st Place 97 Points

Roxy JUDGE GRAEME EADES

RALLY ADVANCED 2nd Place 96 Points RALLY ADVANCED TITLE ATTAINED

[helen]

It was a great trial and the club did a brilliant job running the trial. I think the only reason it went so late was due to the very large entry which was unexpected, and having never run a rally trial before or knowing anyone who did they didn't really know how long the trial would take, it was great they did manage to find a few more judges so quickly before the trial, otherwise they may have only had time for one trial a day - and probably lucky to have a trial at all considering the state of the club grounds. The pass cards at Geelong are done via computer so can't be done ringside.

Glad your dogs did well, they are lovely to watch in action. We had a beautiful course on Sunday that Graeme Eades had set out - unfortunately the gail had just started, someone's container of food came blowing as we were about to go in the ring with food all over the ground, dog went ferel in the ring and even jumped over the finish sign instead of walking

He did pass all the other trials though, and got a 99 in his first trial with Mark Klecka which I was stoked with, he is nearly 9 and is just learning this obedience stuff, and didn't even know what heel was a couple of months ago until we had some lessons. I am joining the club as I have been inspired to keep going with him now, he really enjoys being out training etc. We have a lot to learn now before being able to trial in advanced, hopefully we can get there some time soon

Edited July 16, 2012 by helen