Like previous World Championships I also make comments of this year FMBB trip in here.
So I am again in the staring line. Why?
I mean this is the question some people have been asking from me and to be precise also I have been asking it by myself. When I started with Hawk I had really high aims. The first bigger competitions brought me down and made me much more realistic in my aims. I have got several several suggestions, that I should take new dog and all energy and time I put to Hawk won’t never give high results. I would say so, that I take this dog as a gift for me, as life gave it. This dog has been teaching me so much. So much more I have ever experienced with training other dogs in 25 years. He has kept my head all the time working to search new ways, to try something else etc. For sure I can say, that this dog has built me much better person. I see much more colors in life and for sure the photos I take it is also partly because of Hawk. I just enjoy more the moments and it is not so much of running high aims. I know, it sounds as “the grapes on this tree are anyhow bitter” but to be correct. Somehow this dog has learned me so much of patience and so much more loving of small things and moments, that I am really thankful for this. Like I said, I am much better person today because of this dog. Now you can laugh and say, that hell, all this time and money what the dogtraining takes it must bring some results (like higher placies). I would say, that I also earlier thought like this. Today I have a little different point of view to life and I must say, that I enjoy life much more. I am sportman by my character and I like to run fast and get high placies. Today because of Hawk I enjoy the sport in much different way. I enjoy doing together, I enjoy to think to try and I enjoy the game.
So coming to FMBB was because Hawk qualified getting third place in all breeds Estonian championships last year. He got privilege to start as 1 -st number in our team. And I must admit, that I had last year two quite nice starts – one in Finnish Cacit and second in Estonian IPO Championships. I just want to get the same level results in WM as I got last year in these two competitions. This result would bring me to finals, but anyhow to the nice place. In Lignano (FCI IPO) the B was much nicer that it has been, A I lost one artickle (taking to mouth) . The problem I thought was cured. So it could be easily over 90 and in C I did not have helper with me, so it was huge mistake. So I lost points in tracking and bitework which are Hawk stronger part.
This year Hawk is even better . I feel, that he is more in balance. Having all this knowleage before with this dog I would like to get his maximum. I would like to ahieve the result, I am happy about and it illustrates at least somehow all this work I have done with this dog. I understand, that it wont take high, but at least I want the result he has inside him and very easily could show also. It is more of checking the level of dog, getting the knowleage have I moved to right direction and enjoy of the competition and Czechs.
First day in the Czehcs. In the morning I did some short track. I need to make these tracks and some obedience training to get Hawk back to balance. At home if I have 1-2 days break, it will make a lot of disaster. It means, that fist 1-2 training after the break I just need to balance the dog as he is running a bit overdrive. On the third day training it looks mostly nice already. So having dog 2 days in the car travelling here makes for sure some damage, as it work like 2 days break + just siting 2 days in car. So first I need to get him nicely running and balanced. The track looked like it should. It was a bit nervous, not so precise and very similar how it would also look like at home after two days break. I noticed also, that the different smell of the ground than it is at home also made a little problem and he needed to balance in first 15 -20 steps.
This year the competition is some weeks later than mostly and our sprig was earlier, so coming from “winterland” should not be excuse for not so good tracking result. I had time to do all, I needed.
Afternoon I went to visit the rest of the team Estonia and we did some obedience training together. Hawk was running a bit overdrive, but was getting to better balance already. We have in our team this year 3 young dogs which have their first bigger competition and we have really nice team . I am really glad to compeat with this team. Both team leaders are really professional and take good care about the team.
Here is the photo of team also
Second day in Czechs. In the morning I did one longer track. I took more difficult field and did 1,5 hours track making turns in tractor tracks. Idea was, that I wanted to get Hawk to better concentration. Yesterday he had possibility to learn the field smell and so today he just had to work. I wanted better concentration and more power to put to the searching. I liked the way he worked. He was really precise, controlled nicely speed and had nice concentration. Artickles were also nice. Tomorrow I will make a little easier and more greener track to get him more experience.
Today field looked like this:
At 12:00 we had vet check so I went 11:30 to stadium. Vet check went nice and then it was just waiting 2 hours to get to official trainings. Long time waiting for me and Hawk. When I was out of car he barked and so I needed to be more in car. Official trainings went well. I did not run the blinds as also earlier, but did just obedience. Hawk was still running a bit overdrive, but it looked better than last year. He also concentrated better to jumps. I would say, I am happy with it. I did some healing, both jumps and sending out. 1 meter jump is this year again white. It brings back memories from FCI Malmö IPO where becaus of combination of white jump and sun reflections a lot of dogs jumped to the jump. So I did it even twice today. Without the sun the white is not problem.
After this I went to other team place and did a little obedience just to get better balance after the official and also some bite training. I did also 1 sendout with putting pillow in the end. Usually I make just 1 time in the spring such thing, as that is enough that in every start dog thinks, that now it is sending out and starts to rise drive. As in official training I did not do this and dog was a bit slow I thought, that I try in other field once. It could be also mistake to try, but let’s see. At least it was another field, so dog does not have so tight connection hopefully.
The bite training was needed as I did not search the blinds and since last bitework it is already a week. Hawk looked nice and I must just admit, that I am waiting really enthusiastic the competition. After so long day he looked really tired in the end of the day.
I am also tired as the day started at 07:30 and I was back to hotel 17:30 without any lounch 22 000 steps and 16 km of walking. My knee is telling me, that it is too much.
Third day in Czechs. So in the morning I tryed the wheat. Hawk has been compeating in wheat some years ago in Ukraine in FCI IPO FH and managed well there, put since then I had not tracked at all in wheat, as it is complicated to get the field from the farmers. As here the fields are wheat I needed to try once. At the beginning it was not so easy for Hawk. It seemed that the smell is anyhow different and so it makes a little confusion. After first 10 steps he went on nice. For sure he was tired from yesterday and tempo was slow, but still the tracking was powerful enough. It was a little problem with atrickles, as they were hided and so he was late showing them. It seems that all these tracks in the black ground have learned him to use more of the eyes for artickles and so he was surprised of founding them. I made some serpentines, one corner and 3 artickles and all together about 300 steps. The rest of the day he can rest now.
About fields and tracking I must say, that here is huge amount of deers and rabbits and if I look all these hawks flying around catching mouses there is probably also a lot of mouses. For sure it will make a bit challenge for the dogs who have not so used to this. Interesting is, that they are not so afraid and rabbits even do not run far away, but turn and start to look, where you are going with dog.
The draw. This year FMBB was without opening ceremony. Explanation was, that too much dogs. If I compare IGP dog numbers, they have been nearly the same all last three years. (This year 140, last 130, before this 140), so I would not say, that it is dramatically a lot. But the decision not to make opening ceremony was great. It makes always the day too nervous, it is too difficult for the dogs to hang on 1,5 hours just waiting most of the time to get 15 minute walk and 30 minutes speeches.
So at the evening there was just presentation of B and C moves and helperwork and the draw. I really like the way helpers worked . It is high professional without any tricks to push up own ego. Bravo!!!
In draw I took for
wednesday at 17:52 C
thursday at 17:08 B
friday at 08:45 A
For me it is not so nice news to start in C before B. One of the reasons I never do blindsearch in official trainings is, that I want Hawk to remember the stadium as obediance place. It helps for sure for B. Okey, I understand, that people are using marks to explain to the dog, what part will start etc. but like I have been telling before, I do once a year sendout with pillow in the end and it gives for my dog for all season the knowleage that there is something good in the end. So I have continously problems in obedience, that when I go the the starting line he will come up with drive so much just because he thinks he can run now to the end. Even I make 100 starts in one month and never he gets the run to the end he still believes that it is there and now there is this time. So for sure after C Hawk will be quite entusiastic in the B part even I use what ever signs I use to make him understand, that it is B not C. But let’s see day by day. First I need to sort out the C.
So C part. I was in the last group what should start about 18 , but was 1 hour late and started just after 19. I was first in this group. I must say that I trust Hawk much more this year, as he as been more balanced in different situations and so the preparation for the start was also much easier. We could even relax before the start already down in stadium and chill a bit, as Hawk liked, that I pet him and I enjoyed the moment, that I can also rest my head before the start and not concentrating to every second and moment. I must say, that I really enjoyed this time before start. Going to the starting line Hawk started to be a little out of control in last meters, but it was not bad. Blind search was nice. In my eye he did nearly his maximum . Evrything was fluent and I enjoyed it. Coming to the sixth blind he was a little surprised, that there is a helper and started nice bark. But just before my coming he did stuped mistake and peeked at me. He stopped barking and looked at me. That cost me for sure 2-3 points, as it is now 15 points exercise. The rest was okey. Going to lay down should be better under control, but much much better than in Lignano FCI. In escape he got not so good bite, as helper was quite tall and Hawk somehow jumped to low. Out was clean and quick and quarding nice. In the attack he attacked nice, took nice bite, in out could be a little quicker, the rest was okey.
Backtransport has never been with him good, but this time it was a little better. Anyhow it was not nice and I got this unsuffisent. In attack somehow Hawk was a little surprised as he did not have nice position with me and so the grip was npotstable.I saw it very well and I was a little surprised as it seemd that it is not normal with him and this was because of some error of his. Out and quarding okey. In sidetransport he did not do first sit.
Going to long attack could be better, but he was under control. In long attack somehow he jumped less than usually and made it difficult for helper. All the rest was nice. Both helpers did just super job and I must stand and clap hands for such a professional work.
In total it is 80 points. Hawk got last year FCI 80 points and two years ago in FMBB 81, but I must say, that it was for sure his best bitework in world championships. To get points in FMBB over 80 must be really sattisfied, as the points are not given easy in here. So bitework was much better than in Lignano FCI in autumn and also in my eye better than two years ago in FMBB. Off course it is shame of these 3-4 points i lost in 6-th blind and for not siting in sidetransport. But in whole I must say, that I am satisfied.
I would like to thank whole Estonian team who supported me so well in competition. They are like family and I am happy to be part of them. Also great thanks to Janar Klement, who as a helper as made a lot of work with my dog and for sure I am lucky to have such a good helper and also for Artjom Trefov, who is new helper in Estonia, but has helped me also.
Fifth day in Czechs. Walking on nails.
So today I had my obedience. As much as last year my dog obedience was better and I got in Finnish and Eestonian Cacit and FCI in Lignano points nicely over 80 I new, that in here it can easily mean also 67. If I look the number of dogs who have got in two days in obedience under 70, it is huge number. So I new, that I can be easily one of them, as getting 10-15 points less than in FCI world championships is easy thing to happen in here.
In the morning I did one more track. I rised up 07:30 to lay the track and worked it up after 1,5 . Today the conditions were really easy as it was wet and there was no wind at all, so it was not difficult for Hawk also. But I needed this for tomorrow to get him in the right mood. I put 5 artickles to train them a little more for competition to try to avoid the taking mouth problem.Hawk seemed in the track a little tired as yesterday bitework was quite late and he was not jet covered from this.
After track I drove to others place to train a little obedience. As yesterday there was bitework and I am quite sure Hawk thinks in the stadium also, that there will be bitework I needed to balance him a little. It was nothing too much but a little.
B part in the competition was again in the evening. So I had couple hours in the middle of day also rest.
I had really bad luck as yesterday my day ended with bitework in the stadium and Hawk already has nice connection, that it is fun place over there. And I was also today in obedience in the fist pair after protection group. So if I would walk to stadium to prepare Hawk for obedience and he would see all 6 blinds and helper running around, it would be didficult to explain him, that it is just obedience. So I did really quick preparation going down to stadium when there were comments for C part and it was just 3-4 minutes to get Hawk tuned. I must say, that it worked well and I am really happy that Hawk can now take such things much better.
I know that it sound crazy, but I think that Hawk did today his best obedience in world championships and possibly even in whole of his career. Let me explain. The heeling was better as he did not go front in me, he made much nicer turns than usually and was really good in group. Previous times even in FMBB when he got 75 he was too front, not nice in group and too much in the front in running parts. In FCI WM it was the same. The sit and lay down were nearly the same as usually, but stay was better than last times. In aports he was more stabile, barked less and could even sit down and wait nicely. I just need to remember that two years ago in FMBB in Germany he went twice in aports without command. Mistake this time was, that he touched the 1 meter jump jumping back. So like I say, it sounds crazy, but he did in my eye better obedience than in big competitions, where he has got much more points. This time it was 72. Points are just points. I must say, that I am happy for my dog work, I am happy to see, that the things we have been working whole winter have got a little better and dog is so much better that I can make this even with so short preparation after the bitework. So I am happy. Look the points of the competitors, look the whole result list and it opens a lot of mind about what the points are meaning in FMBB. Hopefully this kind of system builds up better sport not distroying the will of some competitors to come to compeat and possibly get 67 points. It is now several years a row very similar judging in FMBB.
Tomorrow then tracking.
Sixth day in Czechs.
Tracking. I must say, that I really do not understand the concept, that IPO has three parts A + B + C, which all have very different demands for the dog. So they all are same way important. But in many competition the A part is done much easier than it should be and I do not speak about the fact, that the tracks are very often stepped with really short steps and hard, but that they are shorter. This FMBB teamleader meeting was told, that all tracks will be 450 steps long. Also they showed the drawing of the track, what is similar for all competitors. Knowing the drawing helped for sure, as you new what will happen. Explanation was, that there is too much competitors. I look really forward, that some day they just take in some competition 1 of three aports away or make in bitework longattack without second attack because of big number of visitors. “Because it is all the same for all” I am pretty sure, that something like this will never happen.
So the tracks were with size of IGP 2 and stepped nicely. I was in the first tracking group and took number 1. So my track was at 08:00. Field was a little wet and looked by side really green. Reality is shown in the photo.
Anyhow by my measures this field was really easy for tracking, as tracks were short and stepped nice and strong. Wind was about 10-12 m/sec . In measures of people who do not like tracking it i scaled already storm, in my measures it was windy and nothing special.
I managed to get Hawk before start to the right mood. We had a little chit chat during the warming walk and so I managed to start in the state of mind I wanted to see. Start was nice. Hawk was precise and worked in the ideal way. Coming to the first artickle he showed it a little slow. It was obvious, that he had a litle stress but could not take the artickle to the mouth as I was back of him like thunder. Judges both wanted to see were the artickle is and so they came close to Hawk to see. It seemd, that it brought his drive a little up that people were coming so much around and it last some seconds and the start was already more entusiastic. Totally Hawk worked really nice making small mistakes in the two corners (about half length of the body). He was a little slow in artickles and touched the last one with nose. After corners he was a little speeding, but much less, that I have used to see. So in total today 88. I must say that I am really satisfied. He did really nice track and mistakes he made are really small and like speeding after corner or in starts has been habit for him, when he gets a little loaded from the enviroment.
So all together 88 + 72 + 80 = 240 points and good. For me points are just points. I am more than happy, that my dog did in all three parts near his maximum and I saw what I came to look for. There has been a lot of different problems in previous year with him and I have managed to solve some of them. I have started now in 4 world championships in IPO with him and he has got result in three of them (always “good”). For sure he did his best starts of world championsships this year FMBB and I am really happy to see it. For me and Hawk this is last FMBB. Next year I will be judging in FCI IGP – FH world championships and it is difficult to sute two trips together. On the other hand I am not so sure that I want to stand in the starting line again wondering can I get this time over 70 or not. Probably I will start 1 or 2 times more in FCI, if Hawk gets qualified and his health and condition allows. He just got 6 years old and in my mind it could be realistic. Thank you all who kept the fingers crossed for me and helped me. I am so happy for all of you and offcourse big thanks to our whole team.
So FMBB is behind. Tomorrow morning 2 days drive back. Total result 88 + 72 + 80 = 240 (good) among 155 registrated dogs and 140 starters 63 place.
What can I say? I am really satisfied. Hawk is better than last year. I have been training some things again different way and some of this has worked. He did in tracking nearly his maximum (and showed nicely all artickles), he did his best obedience and protection of all competitions. So basically that what I came to do here is achieved. It is third time Hawk will get in world championships good (twice FMBB and 1 time FCI).
Points seem small and it is funny to be happy, but here is small comparision.
In september last year I started in Italy in FCI WM and got 6 points more (246) with these points I had 104 place within 140 competitors. Now I have 63 place with even more competitors. I think it characterizes well the points. And that is reason to be happy. I know that it is not the end of the road, but Hawk will make even more better starts in the future, as it is moving to the right direction.
Thank you all for keeping fingers crossed for me and cheering. It is so good to feel and know it. Thank’s to all Estonian team for support and help. Tomorrow I start drive back and make some stops on my way to enjoy the nature and take the photos. I stop in Adrsbach and also in the oldest forest in Europe in Poland Białowieski to see the wild bisons in nature.
One more thing to say. It is just a pleasure to travel with Hawk as he never barks in hotel room, he rests quiet and does not distroy anything or make trouble. It is like dream.
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