Super Silver Saturday in Norway!

Saturday was team day. For the medium and smalls both runs (jumping and agility) would be on the one day. By the end of the day Saturday we would have all our team results!

The Large team did well in their first team event (Agility) on Friday and just got an unlucky 5 faults at the pause table. Their times were really good and they were in with a chance on Saturday also.

The smalls went first and unfortunately Indy had a weave pole fault. He made a super fast entry and just couldn't hold onto it. The rest of his run was flawless as was Dawn and Chelsea's run. Rachel and little Nutmeg did a lovely clear but did occur some time faults. The course times were super tight. Johanna spoke to the judges and they told her they did this on purpose to prevent slow clear team runs! Woohoo, this was just what our medium team needed as speed is not a problem for us!

Then it was our turn! Our order of running was Amanda and Minx first, Alan and Jude second and then Zen and I last. Running last can be a blessing or a curse! In one respect when I saw both of our teammates run clear I was thrilled ( Before I ran I didn't realize that Jude had a 5 fault call on the see saw) Then it dawned on me that this meant that pressure was on! SHIT!

I did not think that Zen was running particularly fast. I felt she was still tired from her ordeal and didn't have her super Zenny turbo boosters on. How excited was I to find out that her first team run (agility) she ended up 3rd fastest out of all the medium dogs competing! You can check out stats on http://www.lhbsystems.nl/wc2007/

Even way cooler was the applause Zen got on her dog walk contact! How cool was that!! I cannot remember our run at all; we were both on autopilot. Lisa tells me that in sports psychology that is a sign of a great run. All I know is that it was really cool!

Poor Alan was gutted about Jude's 5 faults but in team agility anything can happen so again we had to just focus on the next task...trying to get on the podium.

The small team ran their jumping course next and this time the usually error-free Dawn and Chelsea had a weave fault. Unfortunately these two 5 faults put the small team out of the running. The small teams this year were awesome and GB just couldn't catch up after 10 faults. I felt that the small courses were quite a bit more difficult this year than the mediums and was kind of glad that Hex was home! ha! The small team ended up 5th overall; so close yet so far!

So here we were running our last medium team run, jumping, lying in 5th place. Again Amanda goes first and puts in a nice clear round under time. Go Minx! Alan and Jude go second and again without me even knowing it, get 5 faults. Looking back at the video now I am glad I didn't see it! How Alan stopped Jude from getting eliminated after the refusal I will never know! Bless him for saving the run and not giving up! Zen ran 3rd and again I felt on autopilot. She got another round of applause on her weave pole entrance! Wow to get applause at this level really made me feel fantastic. On this course Zen was 2nd out of all the dogs on this course; only beaten by the fabulous Sylvia Trickman and La!

The ending of the course was not one of my favorites....yes dear friends it was basically a straight line consisting of jump, jump, collapsed tunnel, double jump, jump.....ARGHHHH! We all know how much I love straight lines that require me to run.....

After Zen's run we went into 1st place but there were still 4 good teams to run and they had many less faults than us. Basically these teams would have to have 10 faults in order for us to stay in with a medal. To our amazement team after team starting falling apart on this really easy course. We stood there watching the teams and watching the scoreboard with our mouths dropping open. Can you see the tension on everyone's faces as they look up at the board and hope?

Then the last two teams were set to go. ...The Italian team was lying in second going into jumping with only time faults from their agility. Basically they would need 10 faults in order for us to move up. Well they did it big time getting 15 faults! Ohmygod we had Bronze! Then we watched the USA team go. I thought "No way they are not going to make 10 faults; they are too consistent". Well, not only 10 faults but 20 faults put them down into fourth and we moved up to SILVER! This was GB's best team placement in medium or small. What an amazing feeling; quite surreal really.

Alan was the cutest. Here he is crying into his flag while Lisa tries to help him! He felt so bad about having the only faults in our team; but what he had to realize is that is what teams are about. A little luck and a little bad luck can change every outcome. We were a team and those 10 faults were all of ours; not just his. He was a very strong member of our team and he held his cool when other would have given up.

Amanda just enjoyed every moment I think and I am so happy she was part of our team.

SILVER MEDAL

MEDIUM TEAM GREAT BRITAIN!!!

Now the celebration can begin. This is the best part! Running around the ring with the team and the supporters and the flags. Alan was carried on Greg and Lee's shoulders!

I am so happy that Dennis, Terry and Lisa were there to share this moment. They are all such great support to me. At least I feel that we made Terry's airline trip worthwhile!