Vito USDAA Trial

Saturday:
Vito had 3 runs- gamblers, standard, and pairs.
Notes:
- Happy on all 3 runs :)
- Took awhile to become awake in warming up for the 2 morning runs
- Still prefers 4 on for teeter in trials instead of his trained 2o2o
- Hesitated on the jump wrap I practiced in gamblers, but loved accelerating out of it to the aframe.  yay :)
- Stood up on the judges GO for his table count.  And I let him.
- Still loves going 2nd in pairs.  Had to be one of his fastest runs in a trial!
- Recovered extremely quickly from said pair partner running over to see Vito before they started.
- Possibly ran faster on pairs because it was in the afternoon?  Was WAY more excited on warmup even before I brought out his toy.
- Knocking bars.  Knocked 2 in gamblers and 2 in standard (after DW, last)

NQ in master gamblers because he said the teeter was too far: http://youtu.be/8g8yssdbTgY
NQ in adv standard due to bar knocking
Q in master pairs.  So sad it wasn't filmed :(


Sunday:
3 Runs- jumpers, standard, pairs
Notes:
- Happy on all 3 runs, got faster with each one
- Decided to early release his teeter to save him the trouble of possibly stopping 4 on anyway
- Definitely an afternoon dog.  Or maybe just feels more confident with more runs
- Going 2nd in pairs wouldn't have been a good course for him today, but first equaled the dogwalk :) 
-  Ran off to see the bar setter in pairs.  Grandma was also around and I think Vito was sniffing for her before going in the ring and then used that excuse to go see someone.  Didn't seem anxious by it.
- Pulling off jumps easier today.  I think the one in jumpers he had to be less than a foot in front of it when I turned to run off.
- No knocked bars today!

NQ in Adv Jumpers due to skipping a jump
NQ in Master Pairs due to partner's off course
NQ in Adv Standard due to off courses and pulling off of a jump

Thoughts
Actual qualifying rate was sad but I thought Vito had a great weekend.  There were a few times I thought he was going to worry about a judge or bar setter as they were moving when we walked in, but he decided to scream at me instead, yay :)

Hopefully I'm starting to address the pulling off of jumps issue in practice now so I can't expect him to be fixed in a trial setting.  I tried hard to sprint out of turns if the course allowed it and I know it's an area that's going to be a work in progress to remember to get my butt in gear.

And while I can't stop myself from comparing his speed in trials to speed in class to speed when by ourselves, I can honestly say that I am finally settled in and happy to enjoy the journey.