By Lisa Allmendinger
It’s been a minute since I’ve checked in with readers.
The clock is quickly ticking toward the Rally National Championships on July 18-19, so I wanted to give everyone an update.
First off, I continue to feel just fine. No symptoms of stage four lung cancer. And, I came through 25 radiation treatments minus any side effects (other than a VERY itchy back) in May – to get to Rally Nationals pain-free.
Following daily treatments at Chelsea Hospital (and a huge shout out to everyone in radiation oncology all of whom were awesome) I was able to get back to my retired life and entered a few dog shows.
Aidan and I showed in Midland at the Midland County Fairgrounds on June 5 in the excellent class for the first time. It wasn’t our best performance, but we did qualify with an 89 out of 100. We lost 10 points when Aidan failed to jump one of the two jumps on course.
He didn’t just fail to jump, he did it with pizazz. After jumping the first jump with no problem, on the second, he stopped dead in front of it. Then he sniffed the top. And proceeded to lick the top pole before deciding to run around it.
What the heck?
Both the judge and I were baffled.
It wasn’t until about 10 minutes later that I realized why. The stewards, who were changing the jump heights, had been eating cookies and cake, and I’m sure he smelled the sugar on the pole and wanted a taste.
But he redeemed himself in the Advanced class with a lovely score of 99 and was tied with three other dogs, finishing fourth on time.
The speed will come, we are still working on performing the skills of the signs correctly.
Last week, we traveled to West Bend, Wis., for a big Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Specialty Show, called the Backyard Classic, where there were more than 70 Tollers in attendance.
It also marked Aidan’s second time staying in a hotel. The first night, it was just the two of us, but Thursday night, Aidan’s mom, Phury and brother, Dare arrived – along with now 1-year-old Drake.
Talk about a grand family reunion. Well, except for Drake and Aidan. He’s decided he now hates Drake, his former puppy housemate. (As a reminder, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I decided Drake needed a forever home – not one that might be very short-lived with me. And my friend, Sheri, and her husband, Chip, agreed to take him. Drake instantly bonded with Chip. They adore each other and he regularly sends me updated videos of their adventures.)
But back to the show.
Friday’s excellent class run was a total disaster – it would be easier to tell you how few signs he did correctly than to recount all the ones he/we messed up. It was bad. Really bad. And I take responsibility for our complete failure, which was all on me because I had a rare mental breakdown before we walked to the start line. It only got worse from there.
But, like any athlete who has a bad performance, you have to put it behind you and forge ahead. So, I went outside, shook it off, and mentally regrouped, guiding Aidan to a very nice 99 in advanced and a third place, again on time.
Saturday, June 27 was the big Toller show, which meant racing back and forth between the building where rally was taking place and another building where the conformation show was taking place. Aidan was entered in both, and they weren’t close together.
So on Day 2 of 3, Mr. Aidan was a little rock star wanna-be and achieved his second excellent qualifying score with a lovely 99. Yippee. He also got a 97 in the advanced class.
Two down, one more score needed for the title. And, we still had one more day to get it done.
I stayed in the rally building and missed Aidan’s conformation performance, but from eyewitness accounts, it was a train wreck, so I didn’t miss much. (I’d handed him off to a friend to show.) Remaining in the rally building turned out to be a good thing, as I wound up showing his mother, Phury, as a last-minute handler stand-in.
And, handle I did – to a respectable 95 in the Intermediate class while Sheri, her owner, had a conflict and was showing in the other building.)
That left Sunday and one more chance to make the 350-mile trip back home, achieving the goal I’d set before we left – to attain an excellent title.
So without further ado … we did it. With a nice 97, and apparently, it was a 97 kind of day, because we got the same score in advanced and finished fourth.
To recap, that’s four titles for the young lad, and once the Rally Nationals are in the books, Aidan and I will move up to Master. On that top level, a handler and dog need 10 qualifying scores for a Rally Master title, and we’ll begin this journey later this summer and fall.
So, my friends, please keep sending your prayers and positive thoughts. They are working.
I had three wishes when this whole cancer thing began: to see my hummingbirds, and I’ve had more here this year than ever before.
To enjoy my garden, and it’s flourishing.
And to make it to the Rally Nationals pain-free just for the chance to compete. No pressure to make the podium.
So, to make the last of my three wishes come true, please continue to send your prayers and positive thoughts my way the weekend of July 18-19.
If this turns out to be my last Rally National Championship, with your help, I will be able to enjoy every moment with my cute little red head.
We got this little buddy.
And oh yes, you may call Aidan, Mr. Most Excellent Aidan now.
