Ok, this year B.A.C.K. was certainly one to remember. Almost to the last possible moment we weren't sure if we would be actually able to go, since we had considerable financial problems and also dog and human health problems. In the end, we decided to go... thinking we need something to get our minds from all the difficulties. Everything was going fine up until the moment when we were about 60 km from the destination, still on the highway and our beloved Pyrkobus just stopped... the engine broke completely. After lots of waiting and a debate on what to do, we were towed to the competition site. Since it was already past midnight, it took us a while to actually find a place where to put our car and then the cable winch in the towing car broke sending lots of sparks all around. So we were like, ok, maybe we will have to sleep on the towing car, but then, what to do with the elderly driver? I wasn't so keen on sharing bed with him ;). Anyway, turned out he was quite resourceful and somehow managed to short-circuit the winch with a screwdriver (more sparks and little exposions) and lower our car on the ground. It was already past one o'clock in the morning and before we showered and so on, we went to bed about 2 am.
So when the first coursewalking started at 8 am in the morning I was far from ready - add to this numerous worries I had and that might explain why I had the weirdest run ever with Brava. Frankly, the course was awful and I didn't like it a bit, which might also be a factor. Brava normally runs clean or gets eliminated, she might knock an occasional bar once in a year or so - but in this run she jumped ALL the contacts (and I mean, she really jumped), turned the other direction than I indicated, missed the long jump and in the end finished with like 5 mistakes and a refusal or so :D. Worst run ever. That was so weird I actually started to wonder if everything was fine with her... but I guess it was somehow my poor shape that was responsible.
When it was time to run with Mojo I was already after a nap and coffee, so I was in considerately better shape and had pretty nice run with one mistake (ok, so Mojo doesn't really like Galican dogwalk it seems). Jumping medium 3 course was even worse than agility 3, which I hardly thought possible - but I had pretty nice run with Brava with one bar and then really nice clean jumping 2 with Mojo and first place.
Roman was running with Brego and even though I was worried that due to lack of training Brego would be totally over the top and crazy, he was such a good boy :). All his runs were nice and Flaszek actually had runs of his life, really fast and cool. It's so funny how he just gets better and better every year - well, apart from the A-frame, but that doesn't even count :P. He rarely does it properly in training, so we don't really expect him to do it properly in competition either ;).
By the end of the day I was in considerably better mood, mainly thanks to our friends there, who helped us a lot, driving us for shopping, making phone calls in German to sort out the car problem and generally keeping us company and cheering us up. You were all awesome and I am so grateful to all of you :).
Second day was the important day in which you might qualify for the final - and Brava did with a pretty nice jumping run. Mojo unfortunately no luck - one dogwalk fault and elimination in jumping. Final was judged by Sandra Deidda and I was really happy about it, since she is one of my favourite judges. I was also really happy with her course - challenging, but fun. When I was going to the preparation ring with Brava I thought that I really want one of those runs in which you feel that amazing connection and everything just works out. I could see before the run that Brava was really happy and crazy also, so I approached the course with good energy and wow, that was such a cool run! See for yourself, but I think my wish came true and it was one of those runs which make agility such a wonderful sport for me. Thanks to Franky Vanroy for the streaming and video.
Meanwhile we learnt that we will get the replacement car from ADAC to get home. Our Pyrkobus would have to stay there till next week.
Sunday was for fun runs, again I got clean jumping with Brava (and stupid elimination in agility), stupid elimination in jumping with Mojo (rather than turn into the tunnel she went straight ahead and took an additional jump... not something I would expect with a spaniel :P), pretty nice SA2 run with nice dogwalk (finally!) and then stupid refusal because I tried to babysit her too much in the slalom. Brego and Roman had two really nice clean runs. Roman decided not to run with Flaszek, since we could see he was getting tired, hence a bit more reactive.
In the evening we got our replacement car which turned out to be a VW Golf... so we had a puzzle of how to actually squize seven dogs and the most essential things (like dog food, LOL) into it. Well, we managed, although it wasn't perhaps the most comfortable drive home. Roman said though that the car was really quiet. Personally I think it was because he was sitting in such a position that his knees blocked his ears.
Anyway, I hope all the bad luck with the cars etc. is behind us and the rest of the year will be splendid :D.
