As usual, I should have gotten more video and photos

But, the New England USDAA Regionals this past weekend in Greenfield, MA were SO busy, over 1300 runs each day and in 90+ degrees, HIGH humidity and VERY dry, hard, dusty conditions made it tough. Everyone was so busy just staying cool, tending to their dogs, managing their many runs and what ring they should be in. Very hard to just grab someone to video as it seems that you are always needed somewhere, either to manage your dogs comfort or to walk a course or run a course or help at a course. Busy, busy days.

Friday went on after dark, I believe! We managed to get back to the hotel around 8:30 to shower off the LAYERS of dust and sunscreen only to collapse in bed with the A/C on and then up at 6 AM to do it all over again!!!

I will give more of a report later, but I know many of you want to know how it went and ultimately it was a rugged weekend for ME, but little Spur did GREAT!!!!! We finished the weekend securing 2nd place in PSJ finals about 4:00 Sunday. The dogs were all so tired, but good little Spur seemed to be just fine!! I made sure Saturday afternoon to get back to the hotel as soon as I could and not stay to socialize, so he was well rested and pretty fresh on Sunday! I can't say that about many people, who stayed at the site and did BBQ's and drinking and partying. Honestly, how DI D they do that??? It was miserable conditions, if you ask me and I am used to hot and dry having spent years doing horse clinics in dust and heat. But, I stopped doing those because the heat and dust was making me sick and was just TOO miserable. There were many tired and weary dogs running finals, but good dogs all of them for pulling it together and there were some AMAZING runs!! Spur is hardly a speedy, fast dog, but he made it to 2nd place because some of the faster dogs knocked bars or went off course. I think some of the dogs were just plain tired and bars came down because of it. The footing didn't help, it was SO dry, the ground was hard and slippery and even some handlers fell. Tough conditions, for sure. You can see how dry it was in this video. Good Little Monkey Pants!!!! -