The Competition Begins: Bring it on!

Today was the 1st day of competition @ SF2017.  The day began with Rally & Obedience & ended with the Puppy & Veteran's Sweepstakes.  I competed in the 1st & last events.  A long Day. (Long seems to be a theme for this SF).

My experience with Rally is limited (only one prior weekend of competition) BUT one thing I know is that the experienced R3 competitors start the competition which then ends with us newbies.  Well ... not today.   Thank goodness we arrived relatively early; because as J puttered about setting up, someone told us that they were starting with R1.  Chop chop!! Conner was up 2nd & me 4th.  There was no time for a walk n' poop.  Our friend Wesley was 1st in the ring & completely flaked; he usually does  nice job - but he could not eke out a qualifying score today.  Next up, Conner was seriously distracted ... not surprising as the boy is a touch tightly wound ... then you rush him to the ring (an outdoors ring, which is new to us PNW rain dogs).  I felt bad for him, & J looked pathetic begging him to pay attention to her as the dopey Sighthound kept gazing about the field outside the ring.  She almost gave up, but persevered, and he finally began to follow her instructions.

I was having none of this nonsense.  Sorry, but we were supposed to go in LAST, not FIRST.   In protest, I decided to do a "Non-Sit In".  No sitting.  Period.  And I declined to show any interest.  OK, I did sit once or twice -- under pressure, but not without begging.

This judge must have been understood we were under unusual pressure because she gave BOTH Conner & I qualifying scores.  Our friend Danni won the High Score RO1A class, Conner 2nd, & me 3rd place.  Each of us had had 2 prior qualifying scores in competition, so this meant that we all 3 earned our 1st Rally titles.  In addition to our 'qualifying score' & placement ribbons, there were special rosettes for us for earning new titles at SF2017.

In the Veteran Sweepstakes, there was stiff competition for Appley in 10+, and he was suffering in the heat.  No love for Apples.  I had stiff competition in 7+ Bitches as well, but I did better & earned a 3rd place rosette for the day.  Our friends Dior & Yassou won Best Veteran & Best Opposite Sex Veteran in Sweeps.

The Puppy Sweepstakes also took place.  This was interesting as 3 of Pa's puppies competed.  Possum behaved himself & earned a 4th place medallion; Camper wasn't at his best & didn't earn a placement, but his housemate Manny won the age group.  Another of his housemates, Tux, won Best puppy in Sweeps.  Guess who was Best Opposite sex puppy?  Tiki! (InPhenite Ticked Pink), Possum & Camper's sister.

That's it for today.  J had better figure out how to add the Rally title to my formal name ...