Again, the football analogy comes to mind, with skilled sportscasters explaining the details of every play as it unfolds. Peggy Flemming and Scott Cunningham do likewise for Ice Skating competitions, naming each element as it happens (tripple lutz, quad, etc.), and even the AKC Agility Nationals have commentators talking thru each run. It blows my mind that they can be so detailed and fluid in their impromptu commentary. It's hard to do.
Here's my first attempt, of Maxie's 6 runs in Lake Charles (minus 1 that didn't get videoed), using my new AVS Video Editing Software and Labtec microphone.
SUMMARY: Maxie ALWAYS ran considerably under course time, and his only fault in this trial (except one knocked bar at the start line), was incorrect weave performance. Twice he popped out at the 10th weave, another time he entered from the wrong side. Even when he Q'd, he sometimes walked the weaves. On the up side, he didn't once get distracted by the neighing horses in the stalls or scents of horse poop, as he did last year in this same arena! He didn't once visit the bar setters! He rarely head checked me. We've made progress.
Even in areas where we didn't fault, improvements are desirable. He should completely ignore the dog walk and A-frame unless I say UP, should accept re-positioning at the start line, and make tighter turns when asked. I also want a solid DOWN on the table, and runs out to the tip end of the see-saw.
As to my own performance, I'm running a bit faster, my timing has improved, my handling more fluid, I'm getting comfortable with blind crosses, less afraid of front crosses, and I didn't get lost on course even once. I still have trouble with alertness in the morning, am easily disoriented, and I easily lose focus at the slightest unexpected bobble. My mental game definitely needs work, as well as my speed and nimblenes.
I plan to do these studies for all 10 2011 trials and will add links to them below as I complete them, identifying our most frequent faults and working on those the hardest. Thus, I won't be training as haphazardly next year, and I suspect I can up my Q rate faster by working on the biggest problems first. That's the current game plan anyway.
When I NQ on a run with 1 fault, I sometimes fail to consider we got about 19 out of 20 things right -- 6 mistakes vs. 114 correct moves in a 3 day weekend, or about a 96% accuracy rate. That isn't bad for a fairly newbie trainer/handler with her first agility dog.
I'm encouraged that our progress is still upwards and onward!
MAXIE: (Going For Our Masters)
6 runs, 2Q's, 2 1st places, MX
TITLE, 38 MACH Points
6 runs, 1 Q, 1st place, 20 MACH Points
6 runs, 4 Q's, 5th QQ, MXJ Title, 2 4th Places, 36 MACH points
2011, June 23,24,25 Monroe, LA OVDTC Trial Video Composite
6 runs, 3 Q's XJ, XJ, XS, 2 3rd places XS and XJ, 4th QQ, 39 MACH Points
2011, April 23,24 Brandon, MS BARK Trial Video Composite
4 runs, 3 Q's (XJ 2nd place, XS 1st place, XJ 2nd place), 3rd QQ, 42 MACH
Points
2011, April 8,9,10 Port Allen, LA LCCOC Trial Video Composite
6 XB runs, 3 Q's, 2nd QQ, 1 1st place, 1 2nd place, 1 3rd place, 38 MACH
points
2011, April 1,2,3 Amite, LA Deep South Trial Video Composite
6 runs, 3 Q's (two XS and one XJ), 2 1st places, 1 2nd place, 1st QQ, 87 MACH
points
2011, March 18,19,20 Mobile, AL MM Trial Video Composite
6 runs, 2 XJ Q's, one 4th place
2011, February 18,19,20 New Iberia, LA Trial Video Composite
6 runs, 1 Q, XJ (5th place)
LUCKY LUCY (Novice thru Excellent):
2011, October 21,22,23 Kiln MS SDAC Trial Video composite.
2011, September 23,24,25 Kiln MS MMAC Trail Video Composite
2011, August 18, 19, 20 Hattiesburg, MS BARK Trial Video Composite
2011, June 23,24,25 Monroe, LA OVDTC Trial Video Composite
2011, April 23,24 Brandon, MS BARK Trial Video Composite
2011, April 8,9,10 Port Allen, LA LCCOC Trial Video Composite
2011, April 1,2,3 Amite, LA Deep South Trial Video Composite
2011, March 18,19,20 Mobile, AL MM Trial Video Composite
2011, February 18,19,20 New Iberia, LA Trial Video Composite
1 comment:
I love your analysis of the video. I sometimes try to narrate mine, but I find myself tripping over my own tongue, so it takes forever to get the job done.
Look closely at the video at 1:34 where you are trying to pull Maxie to the jump and away from the dogwalk. Notice you are bending at the waist and thus sending him mixed signals about which obstacle you really want him to take.
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