Hmmmm... 2011

I am a bit of a coward sometimes, I never want to write down my goals or tell people about them, well agility-wise in anyway, because I am sh*t scared I will be forced to read/hear how I failed my dogs in reaching those goals...  But for 2011, what the hell, time to (wo)man up!

I am ambitious for the year, even though I only realised SOME of my goals for last year and those towards the very end.  This will be Spaz's first full year in Grade 3 and I can't wait for it.  Think I am also more ready for it, last year December (well 2009 but you know what I mean) I was busy doing 2 things... lazing around on my fat arse and planning the wedding.  But this year (meaning 2010) I trained... a lot...  I worked on everything, his speed and accuracy, fitness (mine and his), muscle building, my handling... bla bla bla you get the idea.  So this year I want to be consistent and AGGRESSIVE in my handling, it works for Chaos.  So if any of you see me walk a course and utter silly things like 'I can't get there for that cross' or 'I will never make it', or you witness me run a slacking round dawdling along behind my boy, I officially give you permission to come and b*tch slap me, kay?  I am DEFINITELY not the most talented handler around, and maybe I don't have the super-fastest Border Collie, but training makes up for a lot, so WATCH THIS SPACE.

Since I am not training with anyone at the moment and I don't have access to other agility equipment, I have just been training on my own equipment in our yard, BUT at least I have finally gotten into the habit of setting up the video camera and taping my training every single day...  and I actually watch the videos!  Every single day. 5 times... at least... on normal speed....  and then some frame by frame/slow motion...  Ant's things it is early onset of dementia or obsessive compulsive disorder.  Now look when he (inevitably) finds me wandering around the yard in his underwear, circling each weave pole seven times, before tapping each slat on the A-Frame twice while mumbling the lyrics of Simply the Best to myself...  well at that point he is welcome to have me certified and admitted, but until then he will have to grin and bear the obssessive video watching and tripping over the tripod which is now semi-permanently in the kitchen...


All this obsessing about my training has actually helped me a great deal mentally too, I feel more confident that I CAN get there, I can get those pole entries, Chaos knows what the hell he is doing, even when I suck.  I am ready for the year, roll on agility shows!  Saying all this is all good and well, but then there have been no shows for more than a month, so we will have to wait and see if we really are on form.

Last year Chaos won his first QC (Qualifying Certificate) towards his Championship Status in Contact Agility.  This at his first show in Grade 3 nogal. So Goal Number One, is to achieve championship status in at least two of the three disciplines, ambitious, I know, but nothing compared to the rest of my plans...  There will be aproximately 68 QC's per discipline available at the Champ Shows I am planning to compete at this year, so really it should be doable.  The first Champ shows aren't until March though, so I am not thinking about this goal yet.

Goal Number Two, qualify top ten for the SA Champs/AWC Try-Outs, this means CONSISTENCY CONSISTENCY CONSISTENCY, but of course I want FAST and consistent, so should be a challenge...  The first trial is in 19 days exactly, so I am trying to do the whole mental preperation thing... you can do it!

Goal Number Three, podium finish at the SA Champs.  This is a hard one, and if I cannot attain this goal its fine, as long as I come as close to it as I possibly could.  We are back on grass this year, which I prefer.. not for Chaos, he copes very nicely on any surface, but for me.  I run better on grass.

Goal Number Four, drumroll please, I want to make the World Team and go to France.  Regardless of what I say regarding Goal Number Four, someone, somewhere is going to read this and think 'hat of zeus, you are an arrogant little cow' (by the way, you don't just have to think it, you are welcome to say it to me), so I will just go ahead and speak my mind anyway.  Looking at the depth of the South African Teams, past, present and future, I think that if (and that is a big IF) I can keep it together, Chaos does deserve to go.  Still a lot of unrealised potential left in that dog and I plan to make it surface this year.

So those are the four major goals, some little ones that I am not going to mention right now, but you get the idea.  Haha, so next year this time I can read this post again and go... you are such a jackass!

You know what the coolest thing is about this year?  O hat, did I just say coolest, don't think I have said that since high school... anyhow starting to ramble again... the nice thing about this year is that I have a puppy to train.  A very keen and happy and amazing puppy... I can't wait!  Come here 2011 and let me kick yer arse!