Never Give Up

Giving Up.

Its easy to do.

Its also been a big theme in my "agility" life the two months or so.  So I was totally excited when I saw Agility Blog Action Day was based on Attitude!

(if you don't know what that is... you should look here Agility Blog Action Day Info)

Anyways, getting back to my topic.

I went through a month last year when Leap debuted that was the BEST agility month EVER. We were Q'ing, winning, having these fabulous runs. Skye got his first excellent Q's. It was just *great*.

I think at that point I was thinking "Yes! I am finally "there" and we are the best" (orrr so I thought).

I got too cocky though. Then we hit September. I almost cried after our next few trials. We had our WORST Q rates ever. I was coming home from my first 3 day trials with 1 Q between the 2 dogs. The other runs weren't even CLOSE either.

I couldn't figure out what happened. I was trying my hardest to get back too it. I started OVER thinking though.

In the next few months Skye got a few MX legs but was still getting no where in Open Jumpers. Leap got 2 Open JWW legs but had done nothing close in any other runs. In the end of Jan leap went up to 26" (with much debate from other agility people that made me feel worse). She did well but our Q rate or runs were not looking much better.

I was ready to give up for a LONG time. I loved showing my dogs but it was not fair to make them keep showing when I was getting upset with how things were going.

I'm still not sure what happened exactly in those months. I tried going back to Leaps first trial. I expected NOTHING from her in those first few runs. She was JUST 15 months and still had lots of growing up and learning to do. But yet, that is when we did best.

Let me tell you its HARD to go back to trying to expect nothing when you have seen what they CAN do.

Then came May. We had our first show since Jan for Skye and Feb for Leap.

The weekend before. World Team Tryouts. I (of course) was cheering for all my friends. Getting to watch facebook for updates every 2 seconds. Round 1. Tori and Rev step to the line. Everyone is expecting them to blow it all away and be 2 time team members by the end of day 1. They fumble the run and are placed near the bottom of the pack.

I can't imagine being there from a top runner to after 1 round being sent to the bottom with everyone watching your next step. This is where I was blown away. They not only came back to WIN some of the coming rounds but they WON THE SPOT on day 2 to be 2 time team members. Sometimes things don't go as planned. Sometimes its for the better though. You learn and grow from it. You move on.

(by the way.. Tori and Rev rock and wrote an awesome post you should all go read too :) read here)

I have a hard time doing that. I have a bad run and I have a hard time changing my attitude (ahhh, theres that word) to forget it and run the next run better than ever. I tend to give up thinking there goes everything.

You know what I learned though? If you give up on that run.. where could the next run have taken you? If I run every run like the last ones counts for this one too. I will never get anywhere.

I guess maybe that was my problem. I was dwelling on other runs and not on what I was doing in that moment.


"Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment. - Oprah Winfrey"

Many people inspire me and I learn from them. Daisy Peel and Solar had similar issues at Tryouts and weren't sure they would make the team but alas. They got picked because they are just GOOD. They will not let what happened then affect what happens later. Daisy (along with Tori) are my biggest inspirations on the mental side of this game. They keep moving on and doing well no matter the outcome. Both these lovely ladies have been on both sides too. National Champions.... not National Champs.... World Team Members... having bad runs... etc. 

(Daisy has a great blog too :) go there....dooooo itttttt)

Then Tori gave me this advice at just the right time before our trial.

Never Give Up. 


Truer words have never been spoken. Many people have said this over time but this time it really hit me. It was exactly what I needed to do.

We went out with this mind set and you know what? Our Q rate was still not the BEST. But it was better and ALL our runs were GOOD. Skye came out with 3 Q's... His best runs ever in those runs too!  I messed him and leap up big time in jumpers. It was good though because I knew it was MY fault. They did their best for ME. Leap only Q'd once but had some of the best runs she has had since her debut.

Attitude is everything. I know people say that a lot. It really is though. Your results will reflect your attitude!

Its hard to go to trials and not Q. I know its not what its all about but that *is* the goal. Especially when you have friends who Q almost 100% of the time (trust me... I know... most of my trial friends Q WAY more than I ever have....). Or when in the past you HAVE Q'd a lot and now you stopped. Or even when you just get stuck in a rut of "always Q'ing" and not getting any challenge or difference.

Don't get lost in the Q's though. Get lost in the moment. In every step you take. In every move you make. In having a connection with your dog. In just running. The Q's will follow when you find that moment.

I guess thats all I have to say. Attitude changes things.

"Keep Calm and May the Odds Be Everrr In Your Favor."