USDAA Performance Versatility Pairs

Over the weekend, Tess participated in her first USDAA Performance Versatility Pairs competition. Two dogs/handlers run as a team and their scores are combined and they must earn a percentage of maximum points to qualify.

Tess and Jim were invited to be on a team with our friend Margaret and her Border Collie Josie. Our team was called "Black and White and Spotted All Over." Long name, but appropriate for these two! My sister embroidered their team name on t-shirts, along with their logo, which was the yin-yang symbol.

Tess and Josie made a great pair, not only qualifying, but taking first place in Performance Pairs! Tess also did well in individual competition, earning her very first Super Q in Snooker! Way to go, Tess, Jim, Josie, and Margaret! What a fun weekend.

Judge Bud Houston, Jim, Tess, Margaret and Josie

Tess with the team medallion she won, with Jim in his team shirt

A closer view of Tess with her medallion


While Jazz did not compete this weekend, she was a very busy girl chasing grasshoppers and playing with her friend Abby in the field at the trial site! Jazz and I always enjoy trialing at K9 Four Seasons Athlete Center, because it's on a big farm and there are lots of places for us to run and play!

Happiness is...

...a big, wet doggie smooch!

Jazz at CPE Agility

The photographer just posted these two pictures of Jazz from the CPE trial in Slippery Rock a few weeks ago, and I thought I'd share. This trial was held in a horse arena, and this is the first time that either Tess or Jazz has run on a surface like this. Our spotty friends in Florida seem to run most often in these conditions, but up here in PA, we're used to running indoors on artificial turf or a rubber matting. Running in a horse arena on a dirt floor with horsey scents and birds chirping in the rafters was a challenge for us! Despite that, Jazz did very well. She qualified with first place in Full House, qualified with first place in Colors, and qualified with second place in Standard. She also had a non-qualifying first place in Standard and a non-qualifying second place in Jumpers, where Jazz ran with her favorite Aunt Mariann! This was Jazz's first CPE trial and only the second time overall that she's run in a trial, so I'm very pleased that she qualified in three out of five runs.

Tess also had a good weekend, qualifying in six out of eight runs. We're taking most of the month of July off from agility, as there are too many things that need done at home! Tess will run in her first USDAA Versatility Pairs tournament at the end of July, and both Tess and Jazz will be back in the CPE ring in early August.

All American Dals

Happy 4th of July

From Tess and Jazz!