2004 Great Dane Club of America National Specialty
AGILITY on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2004 (morning)
Fort Worth, Texas

This year we had a great entry of 27 Danes for a total of 50 runs, and the event was held outdoors in the blazing sun on grass soccer fields nearby the host hotel of the National Specialty. The turnout of spectators was great, there was a ton of support for all the Danes showing off their stuff! Here are the results (click on the dog's name for their Bio with more information about each of them, photos and videos if available):

The majority of the Danes entered were in the Novice classes, accounting for over half of the runs. As usual, the Novice dogs were the biggest crowd pleasers with their often goofy and wild antics. Many of the dogs had great runs, but most were affected by the heat and were unable to run their best. This year the ring surface conditions were greatly improved (grass is great to run on!), however the hot weather, abscence of ring gating, and difficult courses negatively affected the dogs...and we had the lowest qualifying rate of the last 5 years of Great Dane National Specialty Agility trials - just 9%.

Despite the low qualifying rate, the Danes had greatly improved performances over prior years. You can really tell that the handlers and the dogs are all getting better training, they're more serious about the sport, and these Danes are really looking good! Some of them were "newbies" out for their first trial, and a lot of them were fabulous with extreme energy. Some of that energy was too much for the ring, so the dogs had to blast out into the soccer fields (there were no ring gates) to show off their potential for lure coursing. Others were too hot and performed slower then usual, there were several who would have qualified had they been just a few seconds faster.

Suzzanne and High In Trial Winner "Penelope" on the dog walk during Novice Familiarization (when the Novice dogs get to "try-out" the equipment before their actual runs).

One of the "newbies" was actually the oldest Dane entered (8 years old), she was Suzzane Kelleher-Duckett & Pacific Coast Harlequin's "Penelope" (Daneridge Penelope Steele NJP). This event was Penelope's very first competition running a Standard Agility course, and she had been introduced to the Teeter for the first time just a week before the Nationals. Penelope's Champion daughter, Lava (CH PCH It's What's Shakin NA NAJ, was also entered in Agility as well as Best of Breed (and won an Award of Merit), and Penelope's grandson Rumpus was entered in 6-9 Harl dogs (and won 2nd place in his class). Just to prove that you CAN teach an old grandma dog new tricks, Penelope ran clean to win 1st place in Novice Preferred Standard Agility and also had the best run of the day to win the all-around High In Trial award. This was the first year a HIT for Agility was offered, and it was well deserved!

"Pinkerton" had a good time and is apparently unaware that he is 8 years old!

Another 8 year old entered was Sandy Schneider's dog "Pinkerton" (Chauffered Witzn's Katillac VCD1 NA), who is the son of the famous CH Chauffered's Lotus Elan UDX TDX OA, Lottie. Pinkerton showed everyone that even the biggest and the oldest boys (intact, too!) can run a fast course just as well as the youngsters!

Three of the Danes competing were back for their FIFTH year in a row! Karen Martin and "Tori" (CH Diamond Danes Victorious Winner CD NA NAJ NAP NJP) came back this year in the Preferred classes, which allow 6 year old Tori to jump 20" jumps instead of 24". Margaret Ontl and "Max" (CH Lyn-Bar's Blue Max Von Croix CD) competed in both Novice A Jumpers (Max won 1st place in 2002!) and also Novice B Obedience. Keri Caraher and "Morgan" (MACH Morgan "Danger" Powers CD) ran fast in Excellent B Standard and Jumpers but knocked bars. None of them qualified this year, but they'll probably still be back again next year!

"Kinsey" says she's had enough of this boring sitting on the table, let's go RUN Dad!!! And then RUN she did!

It was their first time competing in the GDCA National Specialty Agility Trial for twelve of the Danes. Laurie Lutton and My-Jon's Pocket Full of Dreams CD, Valerie Dunagan and Avant-Weaver's Toucher, Carrie Burns and Chroma-Orion of the Red Bluff CD, Barbara Bristol and Calypso's Vrroom With A View, Mickey Schufman and The Tenacious Ms Tessa Mae CD NA NAJ, Suzzane Kelleher-Duckett and Daneridge Penelope Steele NJP and CH PCH It's What's Shakin NA NAJ (who received an Award of Merit in Conformation!), Joyce Guthrie and Liberty's Kindred Spirit CD, Karen Martin and CH Diamond Danes Hot Topic, and Susan Robinson with 3 puppies out of Druidess Catrina CDX AX AXJ (who she ran in the 2000 GDCA Nationals Agility Trial), SR Chroma Druid Shaymus, SR Chroma Druidess Joker, and SR Chroma X-Quiz-It Druidess. Unfortunately none of these first-timers qualified, but there were several very impressive and had very near-qualifying runs.

And then of course most of the "regulars" were back again for their second or third year at the GDCA Nationals. Two qualifiers this year had also qualified in past GDCA Nationals Agility Trials. Marta Brock and "Natty" (Paquestone N'Zaniri Rollnthndr CD NA NAJ) had won 1st place in Novice B JWW in 2002, and this year they won 1st place in Open JWW. Keri Caraher and "Ali" (CH Cheshire's Allthat N'Thensome OA AXJ) had won 1st place in Open JWW in 2002, 1st place in Open Standard in 2003, and this year they won 1st place in Excellent B JWW. Valerie Clows and "Ross" ran in their homestate of Florida last year, and this year they won 1st place in Novice B JWW. Rosemary Hill and "Whisper" (Hillsides Whisper My Name NJP) won 1st place last year in Preferred Open JWW, and this year they had a great run but knocked a bar.

Susan Robinson competed at the 2000 GDCA National Agility Trial with her harlequin bitch Druidess Catrina CDX AX AXJ, and in 2004 she came back with Cat's 3 puppies showing in Obedience AND Agility. Pictured above is "Quizzy" showing off a very fast Teeter performance.

Thanks to all of you who came out to support the event - both the competitors and spectators. The Danes were Great!

More Photos and Information about the event:

• GreatDanePhotos.com
  (Tons of photos of the event are here, but in low quality proofs.)
• Tienharra.net
  (click NEXT to page through all the Agility pics, or go to the thumbnails to view them Tons of good ones!)
• GDCA Website Agility Photos
  (scroll half-way down the page)
• DaneLinks.com Agility Photos
• GDCA Website Agility & Obedience Results

All photos on this page by Keri Caraher unless otherwise noted.