Auctions, shows and triumphs

The last week has been quite vivid in Groenenland (as if that's something new). On Saturday I sacrified this year's first agility trial cause I had to go translate on a wedding. The bride is from abroad and when a foreigner gets married there has to be a translator present to avoid selling someone into slavery or something like that. I was a bit nervous since it was the first time I did it, but we got along so well with the registrar the first minutes I was there that the few pounds of excitement I had melted down and we successfuly sailed through the ceremony; and no, I did not sell the bride by auction among the wedding guests and the passers-by, so the day was, although tiring, a big success.

Sunday was just as interesting as I worked on the dogshow in Celje. As usually I was the ring steward in the shepherd's ring and once again I had a jolly good time, especially thanks to the judge, an older guy with which I got along really well and debated with about the dogs on the show. I impressed him with my knowledge, a keen eye when it comes to evaluating dogs and, definitely not least, with my 'nut grip' – there came a guy with a Beauceron to the ring and his dog would let himself be touched all over, but the good mood as soon as the judge made an attempt to touch him beyond his tale, which was apparently the limit. The judge was a man in the category 60+, so he made an effort twice and backed away swiftly, but he couldn't exactly chase the dog across the ring (in hope that he finishes with his face attached to his head). So I asked the owner if the dog would let me hold him. I offered my hand for him to get a sniff, he smelled it without much interest, and then I started petting him on the neck, shoulders, moved along his ribs and by the was bended my knees and got into a nice squat position. And when I felt that I was well positioned I performed the 'hand under the belly, hand around the neck' grip with which the dog can't turn around to bite the judge or sit down to hide his jewels. The manoeuvre was completely professional, but the situation had to be quite comical I guess – a pigmy seized blonde in jeans and a purple shirt wrestling with a 40 kg Beauceron male probably isn't the most commong sight, but it certainly impressed the judge, who gladly took the opportunity and attacked the dog's nuts, nad of course the public, who started laughing and congratulated me on my professional assistance to both the hanlder and the judge.

Considering all this you could easily say that last weekend was quite 'bitchy', but appart from the usual walks and runs Sambo didn't get much action. So we made up for it this weekend; first we went for a long walk yesterday and today we attended our first trial this year. The trial was in the equestrian club of Prestranek which we both like very much and apparently it likes us too since we always do well here. This year wasn't an exception! After almost 4 months without a training we came, we see and – well, almost won :). He jumped the second contact on the dogwalk (what a shock…), but otherwise he ran really well! He was fast, easy to handle and accurate, he found the entrance to the weaves without a problem and made turns like only he makes them ;). In the second run he also did really well but unfortunately he knocked down one bar cause I didn't call him on time. However, I'm very proud of Sambo, he did a really very good job (I have to admit I contributed a bit to a smaller degree of neurosis and consequently to an easier handling since I went to blow some steem out of him before we went on the course – with 10 minutes of catching tennis balls, bwahahahaha).

To end, a pic of our third place and the clips from both our runs.



First run

Second run