Rough week at work. GREAT week at agility. This seems to be the theme for the month so far. Last Friday we received our Starters Jumpers certificate in the mail - making it "official" that we have moved into the Advanced class. Jumpers was an elusive event for us for many, many, MANY months. We would go through many a trial with an "E" in Jumpers because I would not handle very clearly, Jefferson would shut down and then we spiral downward from there! Most say that Jumpers is an "easy" event, one that a competitor "should" move up in quite rapidly. Well, I could not disagree more. We struggled and struggled until I learned how to become a better handler. But now that I am more confident in how to handle a Jumpers course by giving Jefferson clear handling cues, I look forward to facing the challenges of Jumpers.
As a result, I would not trade all the time we spent in Starters Jumpers because that time gave me the opportunity to learn to be the handler that my dog deserves and needs. When we move to Masters (notice I did NOT say "IF"), I will be able to handle all those fancy handling moves like the blind cross, the backy-uppy, and if I am really feeling fine, the World Team favorite, "the Ketschker's turn!" So here's to another fun night of agility that helps me get through another rough week at work...
"Brevity is the soul of wit."
~ William Shakespeare
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