New Pictures

I just got my pictures of the Bo-Gee trial from John Woolley Photography!

I like these two jumping pictures a lot.  They are visual evidence of our improvement.  The jump is in the closing line of the course, where I took a leap and did a double rear cross.  I'm pretty sure this was the first time I had done a rear cross in a trial on anything other than a tunnel.  Anyway, Jonah used to be slow enough that it was never any trouble for me to get ahead of him to put in a front cross.  At this trial, though, he was speedy and I couldn't get there in time.  I knew he was running well when I walked the course, so I decided I might as well try it, and it worked beautifully.  

Other things of note:  

1.  In the first picture Jonah is nicely jumping near the stanchion.  The next picture looks like he's more in the middle of the bar.  I guess he could be closer, but I think it's not a bad line.

2.  In the first picture, Jonah is focused on me behind him.  By the second shot he is clearly picking up his left lead towards me and has spotted the next jump, on which he is now focused.  If I'm not confusing myself, I think he took off from the right lead based on the fact that his left hind is farther extended on the take-off.  That means he changed his lead over the jump, as he should for a rear cross.

3.  Jonah's jumping form over the first jump has his paws straight out in front of him rather than his usual tuck.  I'm not sure what that means--it might just be a timing thing.

4.  I'm actually in these shots and, at least in the first image, I look like I'm running along pretty well :).

This is the first good tunnel shot that I've seen of Jonah.  Since I'm trying to collect at least one shot of each obstacle, this is a good addition to the collection.  It seems like he is on the far side of the tunnel which might make his line a little longer, but it looks like he's moving along pretty well and pushing off the ground to catch up to me.  I like how his ears are flopping in the breeze.

I love photos from trials and of Jonah in general.  Some day I'll do a non-agility photo shoot with him, too.  I know I'm biased, but I think he's a very handsome boy.