Some days are golden

I am behind - I know! But I am still smiling as I go back to June 12. I was in Burlington, Vermont, heading for the campus of the University of Vermont. It was about 6 pm & I had Hokey with me. We were going to the draw for the VST (Variable Surface Tracker) test - the toughest competition within AKC.

What happened is here below:
I will try to go over the track to give you all as much info as possible. I have
one copy of the map (from Mike) & the writing is atrocious plus my mind blanked
out a bit but I will try :)))

Draw was at 7:45 pm & we had gorgeous huge clematis blossoms with the numbers
taped to the bottom. Must be a hybrid as my clematis doesn't look like that! OH,
and they had food from 6 pm on - chips, cookies, pizza, fruit, drinks. We got
track 3.


Dog 3 - us! Right off the bat there is an error as this says 667 yds & I KNOW it
had to be at least 6000 :)). We started at 9 pm, still a little natural light. I
did not use my headlamp.
The first leg was about 30 yds on grass, then a small dirt path, then grass,
then some sort of nonveg (either cement or brickwork, these were interchanged
frequently on campus).
As we started on our track, a large group of people who had been at some sort of
award thing started coming out of the bldg we were headed towards. All walking
more or less across our path. Hokey did accost one or two over their bouquets
:)))
First turn went right on the nonveg area & was fairly short. Then a turn down a
double set of stairs (all of this nonveg - cement or brickwork). That may have
been my MOT turn.

Hokey started out gangbusters & did this first third of the track in about 5
min. NOT ideal. As I was flying down the stairs I kept thinking that if we were
wrong we would quickly be beyond the chance of fixing things. At the bottom of
the stairs was article number 1 - a crushed tin can. Major relief!!! This was on
nonveg. I could hear the judges & gallery running (literally) after us!

Shortly after the article, a left turn (done on nonveg). We now had a leg with
multiple changes of cover - grass, cement, brickwork, paved area, dirt, mulch.
Hokey had checked out to the right thoroughly & at one point acted like article
search but went back to work.

We were working along a bldg & headed towards a cement patio & another bldg. He
was back to trucking all through here. Turned right before the patio - a short
leg on grass. Then turned left at the end of the bldg into another multi cover
change leg which had the next article midway (on grass). This was a leather
glove which worried me as that meant the last article would be plastic. It was
now dark & cooler so spotting it might be difficult & less scent due to the temp
change.

That leg ended with grass to a road which we crossed & then onto sidewalk up to
a bldg & a right turn. He had trouble there, but worked it out. The track then
went around the bldg, so now a left turn. This put me in a dark area on all
grass.

Now I am VERY worried about the stupid article as I know neither of us will spot
it. Still Hokey trucks on, working quite fast (which also worries me)down the
hill on grass, crosses a road & onto a sidewalk. I thought I could spot
something shiny under a lamp post off to the side on the grass but Hokey was
cruising down the middle of the sidewalk. And suddenly there was a plastic cover
(like for a dog food can). Hokey sniffed it & before he could even sit the
judges & gallery came running up! 30 min total.

Everyone was so excited :))). Two dogs later, my friend with a Bullmastiff also
passed. So two out of six. She also does not have a TDX yet, so no CTs.


The night ended at 1:30 am. We got a large rosette, a photo frame, a cute
notepad made up by the club - "things to keep track of" & a big toy. Plus a
basil plant.

Hokey got roast beef back at the car after his track. Then there was an all
night McDonald's right by the Motel 6 so at 1:30 am he got a double
cheeseburger. We are having steak tonight :)))

For those who may not know – Hokey was diagnosed with a very aggressive lymphoma last September. He is currently about 9 weeks post chemo so this victory was even sweeter! Hokey is now officially Sensation Coyote Heart Dance CD VST HSAsd RAE AX AXJXF & lots of other rally & agility titles.
Deb E, still grinning :)))
PS Both Lisa (with Bullmastiff who passed) & I were entered at SOTC in obed - we decided we
were very glad we went tracking instead!
PPS The photo was taken on June 19th at a tracking clinic that both judge Mike Clemens & I were at. it wasn't ideal for photography at 1:30 am!