Littermate Rivalry

SUMMARY: Top Ten, Sigh.

First, let me tell you this. There are eight different height groups in USDAA in which you can compete: Championship 12", 16", 22", and 26", and Performance 8", 12", 16", and 22". In number of competitors, Ch 22" is by far the largest, followed fairly closely by Perf 16" (which is the same height dogs moved down one jump height).

For example, at this weekend's trial, there are roughly--in order from most populated to least:

Ch 22": 50 dogs (Boost's group)
Pf 16": 23
Ch 26": 14
Pf 22": 9 (Tika's group)
Ch 16": 8
Pf 12:" 5
Pf 8": 4
Ch 12": 2 (Well, that's an interesting switch between Pf and Ch at the lowest heights!)

I can only surmise that the proportions are similar throughout the country. So, to say that Tika won a class locally, that's cool. But to say that Boost won a class (which she has done only once, at the last trial), that is awesome.

To say that Tika is in the Top Ten in two out of four possible categories at the moment, and in the Top 25 in 3 out of four, well, that's awesome.

But to say that Boost's littermate Gina is in the Top 25 in 3 out of five categories--in a group that consists of roughly five times more competitors than Tika's group--well, wow, what can I say, except that that is muy super bien awesome! ...and... what the heck have *I* been doing with my dog so that I can't even get dang Qs most of the time? I'm trying not to play What If games. And actually I'm very excited to see that, halfway through the year, Gina is doing so well. Her Human Dad is a great handler and they've worked hard to overcome bar knocking issues and to create an amazing running dogwalk and Aframe.

Ah, well. I'll just have to take my one moment of glory where Tika is sitting, after half the year, at the top in Jumpers:

22" Height Class (from the USDAA Perf Top Ten Jumpers page)

Points	Owner	Dog	Breed
28	Finch, Ellen Levy	Tika	All-Breed
22	Zurborg, Laurie	Gumbo	Catahoula Leopard Dog
21	Keller, Linda	Stewart	Australian Shepherd
20	Danver, Jean	Chaps	Australian Shepherd
18	Brooks, Elizabeth	Finn	Australian Shepherd
18	Scott, Gregory	Skye	Border Collie
18	Ross, Nancy	Spotty	Border Collie
18	Mckinney, Colleen	Dexter	All-Breed
17	Eizember, Joleen	Scorch	Border Collie
16	Scott, Liz	Milo	Australian Shepherd
16	Lieberthal, Kelly	Reggie	Border Collie
15	Hope, Paulena Renee	F5 Tornado	Border Collie
14	Luckraft, Julie	Strider	Border Collie
14	Yarchin, Joe	Pan	Australian Shepherd
13	Plummer, Lauri	Jade	Border Collie
12	McKnight, Bridget	Molly	Border Collie
12	Gooding, Kris	Summer	Labrador Retriever
12	Gregory, James	Pilot	Golden Retriever
11	Elkins, Laura	Keegan	Border Collie
11	Heck, Kathleen	Runner	Golden Retriever
10	Glines, Marjorie	Kash	Border Collie
10	Clement, Kathy	Psyche	Border Collie
10	Closson, Margaret	Brash	Golden Retriever
10	James, Kim	Skillett	Belgian Malinois
9	Herman, Jill	Oso	Australian Shepherd

...AND that she's one of only two nonpurebreds on the list...and we won't mention that we don't even show up at all in the Snooker 25 so far this year.

I know we won't end at #1, so I have to wallow in this while it lasts. Wallow wallow wallow. And, crap, I'm now late for class! C'mon, doggers, let's go!