Sunday, August 14, 2011

A Day At The Dog Show...or..."Could I Have A Vaccuum Cleaner To The Infield Please?"

Entered the rugrat (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) Markee in his very first Rally-O trial today out in Lacey (a suburb of state capitol Olympia).  This is the second year this club has held their show at a baseball facility.  I did not attend last year, but thought I would see what it was like-especially since I want to get Markee's RN and I had a free day to go to a show (and this show site is about 45 minutes from home).
I was not pleased that they expected us to park and schlepp all our stuff allll the way across the park.  Especially when there were empty parking spaces adjacent to the obedience/rally rings.  I was also not pleased that there were generators going all morning from the grooming area which was also adjacent to the obedience/rally rings.
When I sat down with Markee to watch the Excellent and Advanced Rally-O classes, I noticed that the ring was on some form of fake grass or astroturf.....that should be interesting!
Because I had had so much walking to do just to GET there, I didn't feel my knees were up to me walking the course ahead of time.  I could see by reading the map that it was very straightforward and I knew I wouldn't get lost.
OK....our turn.  Start.....Fast....Normal.....1 step 2 step 3 step back (done very well...nice straight fronts, good finish, my footwork was accurate.) 270 right, 360 circle left, about U turn, left turn, halt and sit, moving drop (Markee's trademark "play dead on the down" pose) another 270, another left, down walk around (another "play dead") another 270, serpentine weave once...and the finish. 
One thing I noticed IMMEDIATELY was the sunflower seed casings alllllll over the field.  (Hence my asking for a vaccuum cleaner!) I don't think it was distracting to too many dogs, but it bothered me! :)
Overall Markee did very well.  Minimal sniffing, stayed right with me....I was very pleased and awaited our score.....a 91.  You have GOT to be kidding me!  I expected a 96-97 with our performance!!!!!
After the class was completed (1st place was a 98, then there was a three-way tie for 2nd with a score of 97...and then Markee's 91...) I went over to the steward's table to ask if I could see my scoresheet.  This judge GUARDS the scoresheets and refuses to just let you LOOK at them.  Then, she behaves as if you are ACUSING her of deducting too heavily and talks to you like she's justifying her actions.  That is just so WRONG.  All I want is to see the damned scoresheet.  I will see what stations she marked me down on and if we had tight leads or whathaveyou.
She started off by telling me I needed to WALK FASTER on the 270's because Markee was "anticipating the sit".....well...this is not the case.  He learned to sit and scoot around in a circle on the 270's and the 360's and nothing I do can alter this without worrying him too much.  So we lost points for HER perception of his performance...wrong or right.  Moving on, she claimed I had several instances of tight leads and cautioned me "not to hold the dog in position".  I laughed, and told her, "yeah.....I tend to get nervous and worry that my dog might leave me..." so then she proceeded to LECTURE me on the evils of a too tight leash and how I could actually be NQ'd for it.  Well, thanks.....seriously.....it wasn't the entire time I was in the ring.  I was VERY aware of exactly where the snap on the leash was at all times, and I also am very aware of each time I inadvertantly held him from moving forward so I could give him a command.  No, it wasn't more than 2 times.....do I really deserve a LECTURE?  When we were in the ring getting our ribbons, she lectured the ENTIRE GROUP on how lousy our footwork was on the 1step 2 step.  Now.....I have worked VERY HARD to ensure my steps are correct...so I HAD to ask...did I lose any points?  Because when we were in the ring, you STARED at *ME* the entire time you were commenting on our lousy we were as a group.....I wasn pleased when she looked at my scoresheet and said I had not lost a single point on that station...so there! :P
I dunno.....I am not looking for a confrontation, but when the judge puts herself into that position by not allowing us to just LOOK at the scoresheets without discussing it with her, she is asking for a confrontation, plain and simple!  She has a very long history as an obedience judge.  IMO, she is stuck in the past.....no one would hae DARED question her judging if it was obedience.....but this is Rally-O.....we just want to see our scoresheets.....not question your authority!

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