WHEWWW!!! We're home!

Jim O'Dell

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Between Aledo and Fort Worth, TX
WOW! What a week. We had a blast, but glad we've got today to unwind some before going back to a 6 day work week this coming week.
Went to Oklahoma City Monday to be in place for the Irish Setter National Specialty Show. Festivities started Sunday, with competition starting on Tuesday morning with Agility. This is what I made the IS cutouts for. Glenna ran our 10+ year old two times. The first was a new course that they had never run called a Gamblers course where different obstacles were assigned different point values, and there is a corner area with a jump and a tunnel that you have to send the dog through in order, but the handler can't step into the area. This area accounted for 15 points, and you had to have a total of 50 and be under course time, 32 seconds IIRC. Taz didn't understand why Mom wasn't by her to point the obstacles in the restricted area, so failed to qualify. Wasn't a surprise. Then she competed on a course that they already had 2 of the 3 legs required for that title. She ran beautifully, right up to the 3rd from the last jump, called a triple jump in that it stair steps up from low to high and requires the dog to jump farther to clear. Taz clipped the last bar knocking it down, and NQ'd. She hadn't seen this jump in over a year. She was 6 seconds under course time and would have taken first place in her class as well as finishing another title.
Obedience was on Wed, with Tainey working the first time in competition. Being outside, her nose was on the ground the whole time, and wouldn't pay attention to Mom at all. The judge is one that Glenna has shown under and done well multiple times over the years. I accused the judge of running out of ink when marking the form, and she passed them with the minimum passing score of 70. So Tainey now has one leg on her Novice Rally Obedience title. But she ran beautifully and now Glenna knows she still has some time to compete with her before she needs to retire.
Class judging started Wed. am and continued through Sat afternoon with the crowning of Best In Specialty Show as well as other honors. The Breeder of Taz's grandmother, and good friend of ours, from Tuscon won Best Puppy in Show which was a great honor. We got to connect with Tainey's breeder from Massachusetts which was a lot of fun. We have a couple lines on future pups that we are interested in, and got to see pups from the Dam as well as get our hands on them and some of the Sires which is always a plus when considering a new show pup.
But the best part of the week was Friday afternoon when they held the second annual Senior Handlers event. Had 3 age classifications, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+. These were broken into Novice who had finished 1 or fewer champions, and Expert who had finished 2+ champions. Then there was the Titanium class, for those handlers who had missing or replacement parts. Glenna showed in this class. The only rule was to give the judge a hard time. Judge walked into the ring dressed as a bandit, complete with a bandanna mask and a plastic 6 shooter side arm, which he used to shoot one participant. He also held a Bribe jar. Glenna won her class because Tainey's breeder kept coming into the ring bribing the judge with 20 dollar bills. (Not sure how much money she put in that jar) and finally with the keys to her car. (a rental) But the best one was the husband of the Breeder of our Taz's grandmother. Jack will come to a dog show, but is usually out playing golf, as he was at least 2 days this show. He brought his golf bag in as a 'virtual dog'. Had a stuffed hand puppet of an Irish Setter head on the end of his woods and set the bag up as his dog. At one point, the bag spilled about 6 or 7 golf balls, so he grabbed a pooper scooper out of the bag to pick up the "dog's" poop. It was a hoot, and was all in jest, pointing fingers and laughing at ourselves for getting so wrapped up in the sport of dog showing. All the entry fees and bribe money went to help support the National Club's Rescue efforts, so it was for a great cause. Hopefully a video of this will be posted on the internet. I'll pass it along if that happens.
We had one minor mishap during the trip. Wed night when we got back from supper, went to unlock the back hatch of the van, and it wouldn't open.:huh: Both dogs were locked in crates with the doors facing the rear!!:dunno: Had to completely disassemble the interior, take the backs off the crates to get the dogs out, take out and turn the platform around so we could continue to operate. To keep from doing this twice, I put the EasyUp at the back so I couldn't get it out to use at the show, and consequently, we burned a little, even with heavy use of high SPF sun block.
I've taken the van apart and pulled the electric motor that runs the hatch lock, so that now we can lock it manually until I can get a new motor. Still need to mow, and the Maverick/Laker game comes on in about 3 hours. I think I need a vacation from my vacation!!!:rofl: Jim.
 
Sounds like it was a great time Jim!

Bummer about the rear door though... I can imagine that would be kind of frustrating!
 
Sounds like it was a great time Jim!

Bummer about the rear door though... I can imagine that would be kind of frustrating!

Yeah. Wouldn't have been a big problem except on the road, no tools and no internet! I have the bad piece on my desk here at work. New one ordered. Cost about 25.00 and another 30 minutes to put it in.
Chuck, I'll add some pictures in when LOML gets them down loaded. I still can't get the portable USB card reader to work on my new computer. :huh: Silly me thought the U in USB was Universal. Jim.
 
Sounds like a very full week, Jim. :thumb: Great story about the golf bag. LOML loved it, especially the golf balls and the pooper scooper. :p
 
Well Jim i cannot imagine that you gave work one ounce of thought in that time so you must be well rested with that break.:) Now get back to work.:rofl::rofl::rofl:
I thought about work 2 times the whole week. Honest, they were good thoughts!! :thumb:
Allen, they were swept out of Dallas.;) I really enjoyed the series even though I didn't get to see all 4 games in their entirety. It's a shame that 2 of their players resorted to thug play toward the end. Really cast a dark cloud on a really good organization. I didn't think the one against Dirk was that bad, but the one against JJ should be dealt with severely. Now the hopes is the Mavs don't implode just as badly as the Lakers did. Jim.
 
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