While we didn't come away with any quallies, we had a couple of good runs together. Pity, about no quallies, as all Cleo needed was one more ADX pass and one more JDX pass for those titles. Talk about pressure! She was going beautifully in her ADX run, then we got to those dreaded weave poles that we all know that Cleo hates. She went in OK, did a couple then plonked herself down in the middle of them and gave me an "F" you look. No amount of pleading or cajooling worked to get her to complete them properly. After sitting there and glaring at me for a couple of seconds, she then got up and completed the last 3 obstacles of the course beautifully on her own! She was under time as well. The joys of trialling a cavalier! Cleo dropped a bar in her JDX run. Again, she would have been under time. I really think she just doesn't want those titles because she knows she is going to be retired after she gets them.
We didn't come away empty handed though. There is a coveted award amongst the competitors at this trial called the Chester Trophy. It is awarded to the most entertaining run of the evening. After years of trying to win this trophy, Cleo now finally has her name on it. It took 6 years, but she finally did it! And her agility run definitely made her a worthy contender. I can still picture the look on her face, sitting there in the middle of the weave poles - it was absolutely priceless. What really cracked me up though was that she finished the course correctly on her own without me.
Thanks to Cleo's Mum, Linda Hennessy for letting me run the little "angel". It was definitely an experience I will never forget, and I'm glad to have been able to help to finally get Cleo's name on that trophy.
