What's Happening?

As the holidays draw near I am finally able to kind of relax a bit, or, at least spend a bit more time at home! It has been a crazy busy, awesome year that has gone by waaaay too fast! I feel as though it was just Christmas last week and here it is next month!
Although it is at this time of the year that I usually reflect on what the past year was all about, I am finding that this year I am thinking as much about what next year will bring :-) There were definitely some highlights in 2011, like for instance and amazing USDAA Nationals! Besides that I had the opportunity to participate in 3 different seminars led by presenters from all over the World! Each one had it's ah ha moments and each was a tremendous amount of fun as well as a great learning experience, but, they were also affirmations of my own training practices and principles.
I can say in all honesty that I can away with something that will enhance my training from each presenter, from subtle handling differences that are designed to really accentuate speed, to some fantastic training techniques for baby dogs as well and the mature competition dogs. The common theme between all 3 seminars, however, was the importance of extension and proper timing. We seem to spend a lot more time concentrating on how we can collect our dogs and shorten or add strides here in America. The Europeans are far more interested in keeping the dogs running, getting the handlers running, and, most importantly training the dogs better and timing cues much better! The overall point being, make sure that your dog knows where to go at all times and they will go there faster. Makes sense to me :-)
I am certainly not planning to change a whole lot in regards to my handling, but, it was great to get so many ideas on how to make it better, so my dogs can run even faster!
I am so excited to really get going with Danger, Mooch and, Vintage. It is going to be a really fun winter of training!
SoBe is ready to take top billing next year and although she will be the "focus" as it were, Wally and Maze are planning to keep her company on the path to greatness :-)
Maze is going to take a trip to England with me next May and SoBe and Maze are already planning their trip to Sweden for the EO.
The last 12 years of my agility life have been wrapped up in either trying out for, competing in, or, coaching World teams and I think I am going to take a break for a year. I have really been on the fence about whether or not to take Maze to tryouts one more time and I think I have decided to opt out. He has proven himself over and over and I think I am going to leave it at that. We'll see, I realize I have the option of changing my mind, but, I feel pretty strongly that I am ready for a year of competing with my dogs just for the fun of it, instead of just for the fun of it and to try to make the World team. It will be different for sure :-)
What else is new next year... I have decided to fully embrace the whole cyber generation and am adding an online classroom to my website. I have already been doing some video coaching and various other sort of long distance teaching and decided it is time to go back to a bit of group class teaching the only way I can and still maintain my travel schedule.
I am super excited about this as the classes I plan to begin with seem to be desperately needed. I will absolutely keep everyone posted as things develop, but, I am hoping to have the first session up and running just after the first of the year!
Happy Holidays everyone, until next time...