AKC/USA World Agility Championship Team
Oslo, Norway
Day Five — September 28, 2007
Day five, competition begins
Excitement electrified the air as the teams lined up to march into the arena. The lights dimmed. The parade of athletes and dogs walking behind their nation’s flags began to the roar of the enthusiastic crowd. After the teams assembled in the arena, the FCI World Championship Agility flag was raised. Then a group of athletic young gymnasts performing increasingly difficult maneuvers on an inflated trampoline entertained the crowd. The agility teams then marched out to prepare for their runs.
First up: Jumpers individual large
168 meters
Standard course time (SCT): 38 seconds
Maximum course time: 68 seconds
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Results Jumping Individual Large
Carrie Jones and Jive 14th in the running order.
What a beautiful run Carrie and Jive pulled off as the first U.S. competitors of the day. The team moved up to the start line as if beginning an ordinary run in an ordinary show. Smooth and fast was the name of their game. Jive finished the course clean and nearly 7 seconds under course time with a time of 31.15 seconds. It was a competitive field with only 0.71 seconds separating first through fifth places.
Daisy Peel and Jester, 76th in the running order.
Daisy and Jester had no faults for their first run of the competition. This team ran a smooth, tight course with a time of 34.95 seconds. During the entire run, it was crystal clear that both dog and handler were speaking the same language, the language of agility. It was another run to make the USA proud. Great Job, Daisy and Jester!
Ann Braue and Spree, 88th in the running order.
Ann strode up to her position on the course like she owned it. Ann held that position through the tight part of the course and kicked it into high for the long, straight section. Spree ran a flawless course with a time of 32.78 seconds and chalked up another fault-free run for team USA.
Linda Mecklenburg and Stellar, 132nd in the running order.
No fault was the name of the game as the final large dog team ran the course. Linda and Stellar had an awesome, clean run with a fast course time of 33.60 seconds. Linda wrapped Stellar to the outside of the second serpentine sequence, and Stellar responded with a very tight, efficient line. It was a run to make any handler and the whole US of A proud.
| USA/AKC Placements | Place |
| Carrie Jones and Jive | 5 |
| Ann Braue and Spree | 36 |
| Linda Mecklenburg and Stellar | 48 |
| Daisy Peel and Jester | 54 |
Second up: Jumpers Medium
139 meters
Sct: 32 seconds
Maximum course time: 52 seconds
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Results Jumping Individual Medium
Allison Parr and Sadie, 34th in the running order.
The start was strong for the first USA/AKC team up in jumpers medium dogs. Allison lined up Sadie just beautifully for a most difficult weave pole entry. Allison had a terrific save with a good, strong call off as Sadie almost back jumped the number 17 jump. Saving the back jump at 17 gave Sadie the opportunity to get too far ahead of Allison on the home stretch, incurring a refusal as Sadie looked back at Allison and spun between 18 and 19. They finished with a time of 32.59 seconds.
Karen Holik and Sizzle, 39th in the running order.
Karen and Sizzle had a dynamic opening through the first five obstacles with a very tight wrap from 3 to 4. At the nearly impossible-to-make entry to the weave poles, Karen planted her foot, slipping as she tried to stop quickly to give Sizzle the space at the entry. The crowd groaned as Sizzle took entry at the second pole. The team performed the rest of the course flawlessly, with a tight line on the box sequence from 7 through 10. They finished fast and strong with a time of 33.05 seconds.
Jennifer Crank and Guess, 44th in the running order.
There was no question that Jennifer and Guess had a strong run this round. It started with a great lead out between jumps 2 and 3, which set up the serpentine for Guess, allowing Jennifer to get in position for the tough weave pole entry. Jennifer kept us guessing for a split second as she gracefully avoided a near collision with jump 11. She recovered quickly, and the team finished effortlessly with a time of 31.24 seconds.
| USA/AKC Placements | Place |
| Allison Parr and Sadie | 42 |
| Karen Holik and Sizzle | 44 |
| Jennifer Crank and Guess | 26 |
Third up: Jumpers Small
137 meters
SCT: 32 seconds
Maximum course time: 50 seconds
View Course map
Results Jumping Individual Small
Marcy Mantel and Wave, 41st in the running order.
After a gutsy lead out past the second jump, this team had a fabulous start. They nailed the weave pole entry, and Wave had a great recovery after a slip in the middle of the weaves. Unfortunately, today was not the day for Marcy and Wave. After completing the course through jump 8 cleanly, Wave took a wrong course at 12 and received a 50-point fault. The team got back together to finish the final section of the course with speed and accuracy. They received a "no time" for their run.
Melanie Del Villaggio and Dara, 61st in the running order.
What a heartbreaker for this team -- Melanie started her run with nerves of steel and a solid lead out to jump 2. However, by jump 3, it was over as Dara slipped on the carpet and back jumped rather than wrapping. The rest of the run was flawless as Melanie held her composure to guide Dara skillfully through the rest of this difficult course to log a great time of 31.28 seconds.
Last event of the day: Large Team
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Carrie Jones and Jive
Carrie strode confidently to the line and on to a two-jump lead out. The race was on. Strong and decisive was this team's run on the tight and technically difficult course. They completed the course with one 5-point fault on the upside of the A frame with an incredibly fast time of 42.24 seconds.
Linda Mecklenburg and Stellar
The crowd fell silent as Linda led into a different zip code and to the seesaw. She then shaped Stellar into an unbelievable weave pole entrance, and the race to the table was on. At the final beep of the table, the team was off and running to the viaduct jump with a quick flip to the dog walk. With Stellar's incredible dog walk, Linda was able to position herself well out front to set up for the most technical part of the course. Fast and clean, Linda and Stellar finished with a 41.59-second course time.
Ann Braue and Spree
Last, but not least, was the team of Ann Braue and Spree. Ann took a strong lead out to the second jump and confidently guided Spree through the first part of the course. Making her way to the table, Ann was able to gain a comfortable lead out beore the final table beep sounded, positioning herself for the technical part of the course yet to come. Expertly leading Spree through the jump 13/tunnel "challenge" that a lesser handler might have called a course nightmare, Ann was the picture of grace under pressure. Spree took a slip before the final A frame, but the team finished fast and strong with a course time of 41.63 seconds.
Team Placement
After the first round of Large Team, the USA/AKC is in 3rd place.
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