As Bailie posted yesterday we spent 4th of July weekend at Camp Big Timber in Elgin, Illinois for a huge AKC Scent Work Trial. Most trials have two to four judges but this one had seven. We feared total chaos but it was the most well run AKC Scent Work Trial we have ever been to! The three reasons for the trip were to avoid fireworks, have Nelson get his Master Interior Title which would then be his Overall Masters Title in Scent Work, and for me to enter a few things for fun and practice.
Saturday it was a steamy day. Nelson had the big and long searches as well as a couple shorter ones indoors. As you can see from his tongue, it was a bit warm waiting for his turn to search. Even in the shade it was pretty warm.
He started his trial weekend off with a bang, getting a Q in his Detective search, the first search of the day. Not only did he find all the hides, he placed fifth. Detective is very hard so most clubs give out fancy Q ribbons. Now he has a bright red one which is fun to add to his collection.
Day two he passed his first Master Interior search right away in the morning. He only needed one Q for his title and he got that. Since he already had his Exterior, Container, and Buried Titles in Masters, he earned his Overall Masters Scent Work Title! Only three GBGV,s have a Masters Title. Olivia was first in February 2022, Madison was the second in September 2024, and now Nelson. Hopefully one day other GBGV’s will do more sniffing sports.
Sunday Mom came back from one of our searches to find someone in our car. She flipped out and didn’t know how to get that thing out of our car. It was on the dashboard. She put on some gloves and pushed it towards the open window. Finally it left. We definitely didn’t want to drive almost six hours back home with it in our car!
For my entertainment, I did four searches, two a day for some practice. I placed in my Container and Exterior searches, and only didn’t pass buried hides. I nailed the water hides but had no idea about the ones in the sand. Evidently almost ever dog who searched for a sand hide that day failed. The heat and humidity turned the sand into something like a cement case around the odor and no one could find it. Oh well, for me, it was all for fun. That is a wrap for Camp Big Timber. Maybe we will come back another year?
My GBGV Life is happy, so we’re joining Comedy Plus for Happy Tuesday!
What a well earned beautiful red ribbon, Nelson. Congratulations!
I got three nice red ribbons and had a lot of fun.
ooh congrats that ribbon rocks… the mama had such abeast in her bed… she tried to chase it away and it jumped in her hair!!! iiiihhh eeewwww… thats the way horror movies start hahahaha
Mom was not amused by that ugly bug in the car!
What a Grand weekend you all had!
It all worked out perfectly 🙂
What a fun place Grand Timber sounds like…and it sounds like you all had a great time (well, except when your Mom had to remove the hitchhiker from the car, BOL)!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
It was an ugly hitchhiker too and he resisted being kicked out.
wow! wow! ~ You deserved the ribbons just for participating in the heat ~ hugs to all ~
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
an artist reflects
It was very hot but we work in any weather. Bailie would never work in the heat but we just love the game in any weather.
I’d say Elgin is a must redo for next year! Fun, well run, challenging and not to far from home
If we need any AKC SW things then yes but I will be done with it soon, hopefully. Maybe they will have something else to offer.
You’re a superstar Nelson. Congratulations on your achievements. Mom was good to get you away from the fireworks too.
Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. Scritches to all the pups and a hug to mom. ♥
Bailie would have been terrified as we heard from the neighbor it was awful for three days. Mom thinks if we had stayed and been subjected to that much of it we may have been scared too. It worked our really well.
Nelson well done and congrats!!! I agree with no way you want Mom driving with an extra occupant not to mention one of you might have decided to scent track it.
Hugs Cecilia
It was an ugly defiant hitchhiker. He fought to stay, but Mom put on her gloves for pumping gas and won the battle.
What a successful fun trip. No fireworks was the icing on the cake.
That was a huge goal and it was so very nice!
WOW, what an exciting weekend, congratulations! The temperature wasn’t the only thing that was hot.
I was a hot hound for sure!
Congratulations, Nelson, I’m so glad it was a good weekend.
We accomplished all our weekend goals and although it was still a bit stressful for Bailie, she was better off with us than at home.
Whew…it was good you were able to get rid of the hitchhiker out of your car! Ick. Those things are so gross. Congrats to all of you-you were all winners this Fourth of July!
Mom said it was butt ugly and creepy. We agree and we sure didn’t need to bring it home with us.