Well, only trial hosts will sympathize with me with this blog. We get everything organized, make sure everything is in place and then we run the trial with no hitches right? Then we run our own dogs, and really, when you think about it, there should be an "advantage" since they see the same piece of ground multiple times during the year. However, and I know it to be true, somewhere during the trial there will be a pot licker type of day. July 28th, was my pot licker day. It started out with an encounter with a black and white kitty when the morning romp was done with the dogs. Thankfully, only one of the hounds was hit, but the smell of Pepe La Pew was definitely in the air - and on Willy the JRT. Soon it would be time to start the second day of runs (for the non-dog trialing people this is the course runs for the dogs, not a medical condition). Scores were better, which made for happier handlers - however I was not to be one of them. First I ran Mitch, and the second run was to have letters, much like the day before. No problem, the older dogs should do better - they know better. Obviously Floss did not know better - some more letters put down. I expect when I send my dogs that they will bring the sheep to me - a simple request. Gin's ears will have to be checked since this request was ignored. Yet more letters - and they did not spell fun. After bad runs, there is the obligatory half hour where you go through all the emotions - disbelief, sadness, a sudden desire to jump off a bridge, a desire to take up bridge, and then a vow to fix things at the next training sessions. Oh yes, another thing you plan is what you will drink later on to help with the pain.
Jaimie would become my assistant for the procedure - not the first time when she would be a medical assistant (note syringe).
As the watermelon was being filled, the trial still went on. The day would end up to be a two tent type of day - it felt like the mercury was melting.
The runs carried on, and good runs would be seen. Peter Gonnet was having a decent run, but in the end, he too was looking for a bridge, and someone to play cribbage with.
I helped to scribe a bit. The judge's post was our Freightliner, and would like to explain this device that I am sure all truckers require.
A Bootie Brush - when you are on the road (or trials) for many days in a row without showering, you can rub your back end and remove any Klingon's present. One size fits all.
But I digress.
I still would have one more run to do - with Floss. Still, the cross drive panels would still be a challenge - and even though the $50 Peter Gonnet Cross Drive Award was not in effect-we all still tried to make those panels. I am proud to say Floss made those panels - twice. Once going through (or almost through), and then coming back. How I see it, I should have $100 in my pocket for doing it twice.
During the trial, I had to take my assistant Jaimie to the vet clinic and treat a dog whose hip was displaced. There was a little tug o'war involved, and the hip was back where it was supposed to be. When we got back, the trial was done - it was nice to see that a trial can still go on without the host.
Dog chores were done, and then supper was done.
My friend Holly made a Caesar that would make Caesar roll in his grave.
Holly must be Catholic - Peace be with you!
I ate my supper - a high protein diet.
Eventually the watermelon arrived, and it was devoured (mostly by me). Fruit is an integral part of any balanced diet.
Fed up, as in food intake, we all went our merry way to our beds. Tomorrow would be another day. Hopefully not a pot licker day.
No comments:
Post a Comment