I am in my last minute preparations for my ten day trip culminating in the AKC World Team Try-outs in Minneapolis on May 2nd and 3rd. Peg, Q and I will leave very early tomorrow morning to catch our 7:00am flight out of Fairbanks to Seattle. We will compete in a three-day trial at the Argus Ranch Facility for Dogs just outside of Seattle as a warm-up and shake down for the competition the following weekend. We will fit in some time to train at It's a Dog's World training facility in Sumner and get some last minute tips from top Agility Competitor and past World Team member, Daisy Peel. This facility offers the same surface that we will be competing on in Minnesota, called Sprint Turf, which is used for indoor soccer arenas.
We have spent the past year and a half with this goal in mind. My goal last year was to get to a trial at least once a month; an easy thing to do if you live in the Lower 48 but a very big challenge for those of us in the Upper 1. Both Peg and Q successfully qualified for not only the AKC Agility Championships held last month in Concord, North Carolina, but also for the upcoming World Team Try-outs. THAT was a BLAST!! Tessa joined us as my Dog Handler :) but she mostly took care of me! The dogs were brilliant and we had some great runs; both dogs finishing in the top ten of the ISC Jumpers Competition. The event was well organized and very exciting. Peg and I were the very first competitors on the line on Friday morning starting the weekend off. It was thrilling to be amidst so many incredible dogs and trainers/handlers. The competition was very positive and friendly and I felt very supported by all of my new agility friends. As I tell my close friends... I have so much fun it should be illegal!This past weekend, Mary Ellen Barry, another top competitor and USDAA World Team Member, braved a trip to Alaska for a two-day seminar here at Goose Lake. 19 Alaskan Agility enthusiasts convened for a spectacular weekend of training. Here's a few pics:
Mary Ellen Barry talks with the group on day two of the seminar.
Mary Ellen's dog 'EZ'' is doing just that - taking it easy. :)
Peg takes a jump in the beginning of a course run....
...and another. Don't blink or you may miss "The White Flash"!
'Blush' takes a turn in the course.
'Q' takes a run on Sunday - wrapping up the days events.
Mary Ellen was fantastic and suffered no frostbite or gaping wounds inflicted by passing grizzlies, so she considered the trip a blazing success! She even tried her hand at Mushing and anointed herself with the prestigious title of the Champion of Goose Lake after several successful rounds on the runner tails around the lake. Though spring break-up is well underway, Alaska was still able to provide plenty of breath-taking views and bright, sunny skies to keep us all in awe of the unending beauty of this spectacular land.
World Team Try-outs also provided the catalyst for a small Gates family reunion. Cali, Tessa, Jeff, my parents, two sisters and a niece will all be there to cheer us on. I requested that they paint their bellies with "GO DONNA!" so we'll see... :) Our goal for the competition is to try to finish mid-field, not an easy task but worthy of an attempt. I'll let you know...
If you are avidly interested, check out www.agilityvision.com for event coverage.
Donna
Team King has arrived home from the Yukon! Damn, that's a bumpy road.
The Percy deWolfe completed last Friday afternoon in bright sunshine and spring like temperatures. My team finished 2nd, just 11 short minutes behind first place Hans Gatt. A couple hours later Ellen King came rushing across the finish line in the sixth position with her exuberant team of huskies - and in her excitement she overlooked putting on her race bib that was a mandatory item for the finish line. Race officials had clearly indicated there would be a one hour time penalty for an ommission. Dave finished next, just ahead of a Yukoner ~ both of which were within one hour of Ellen. This bib oversight cost Ellen $750...(and her Dad!) Oh, what the hell, it's only money. But like the MasterCard commercial says... the experience was "priceless".There was something for everybody at the Percy deWolfe race last week. They offered was a 100-mile run that went 50 miles down river. Teams overnighted at the 40 mile checkpoint and returned to Dawson on their second day of racing. A Skijor race was also held for those people wanting to do a little more of the work themselves. :) Teams raced 15 miles the first day, and another 15 the second day. We even got to see an old friend of ours in the skijor team of Gaetan Pierrard ~ Licious! Licious part of our Apple litter (Braeburn, Gala, Fuji).
Here's a few more pictures for you... (and Carrie is soooo sorry that she missed the finish of both Ellen and Dave! They weren't required to check out of the 40 mile checkpoint, leading us to believe that they would be arriving later than they actually did.)
Darryl Sheepway from Whitehorse, YT heads out during the second day of the skijor race with his 4-dog team.
The three skijor teams (that's all there were!) head up the Yukon River.
They start the fans young in Dawson!
Jeff heads across the Yukon River towards the finish.
Dublin (front right) is telling his sister Klarney "faster faster"!
Back at the Homestead the sun is beaming in through the windows, and Ellen, Dave and Jason are busy training next years Iditarod champions. Salem and Spaniel would like to announce that they are expecting puppies in May. This union has repeatedly produced spectacular sled dogs. We are so excited that they are still in love!
Ellen is headed back to Idyllwild, I am headed to Napa Valley for a short family visit, and Donna has a trial in Fairbanks this weekend.
That pesky volcano has finally quieted down, however while snowplowing the driveway I could see the unmistakeable signs of volcanic ash on the snow. I wouldn't have noticed it had I not been plowing, however then I was able to see the different layers. It was unmistakeably ash.
Several dogs are available for sale to good homes. Bradford and Ida are headed to Nome to live with Bernard on the banks of the Fish River. A couple other dogs are taking a crash course in Norwegian. Anybody looking for a great pet with a history should contact us with an inquiry. Also - stay tuned for a dedicated blog looking into and sharing the lives of retired Husky Homestead dogs around the globe.
May the sun be in your face, and the wind at your back...
Jeff
Mary Ellen Barry talks with the group on day two of the seminar.
Mary Ellen's dog 'EZ'' is doing just that - taking it easy. :)
Peg takes a jump in the beginning of a course run....
...and another. Don't blink or you may miss "The White Flash"!
'Blush' takes a turn in the course.
'Q' takes a run on Sunday - wrapping up the days events.
