Coursing Ability Test

[bradl]

AKC has a new event for all breeds (and mixed breeds), based on the Hound group's Lure Coursing. It's called the Coursing Ability Test (rules). We know from drag racing (similar to what the Jack Russell people do) that Cairns are very prey motivated and will chase a lure, so it stands to reason they would enjoy coursing. A dog show in Enumclaw Washington this weekend had a coursing test associated with it, put on by the good folks of the Cascade Coursing Club. Many of the Cairns at the show today went over and tried their paws and I think all of them qualified. Here's a typical run by local Cairn, Oz, owned by Betsy Peets.

Just a cameraphone video but gives you the sense of what they are doing. The course for dogs under 12" at the withers is 300 yards. The course is a motor-driven continuous loop string with three stout plastic bags tied to it. Basically all the Cairns took one look at any previous dog on the course and immediately started talking and wiggling, wanting to have a go at it. Dundee (our Cairn) qualified on his turn as did they all (to the best of my knowledge). We will be bringing the girls Echo and Stella with us to the show tomorrow so they can have a turn.

If you ever learn about one of these in your area, give it a try!

[pindrop]

You can almost hear the dogs chomping at the bit to help catch whatever that one is chasing. I imagine the dogs are having a great time at these events. Thanks for sharing the video.

[hheldorfer]

Look at 'em go! I love to see Cairns doing Cairnish things.

[Dempsy's Mom]

That was fun! What a beautiful day for it. Thanks for the video!

[Lynn in TN]

Great video. I don't think there is anything cuter than a Cairn chasing something!

[bradl]

Today there were two more tests (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). In the morning test Dundee qualified again. Echo qualified. Stella ran for a bit and apparently decided she'd gotten too far away from Peggy so she ran straight back to her. Not a qualifying performance, but I'm not going to fault a Cairn with a self-induced recall!

In the afternoon test, Dundee Q'd again for his CA title! Echo got a second Q. And Stella did a very similar run as in the morning. Apparently, unless cattle are involved, she loves to run but doesn't want to get too far from us!

It was a Cairn invasion of the test this weekend. From our local (Portland) group, Dundee, Oz, Padme, Tessa, and Dottie (Dundee's sister) all completed their CA titles during the weekend, while Happy the Cairn did well but wasn't entered the necessary third time.

We also were psyched to meet a Washington Cairn we didn't know previously - and I believe "Chopps" passed twice. Chopps was a nice dog and an "honorary Corgi" as he apparently lives with or at least hangs out with Corgis all the time. We're hoping to maybe see Chopps and his owner Sparky down to the Cairn picnic in a couple weeks.

It was a blast and so much fun to watch the dogs, big and small, run. I was surprised - stunned even - by the grace of the Corgi's at full tilt. A Standard Schnauzer was also unexpected poetry in motion. The sight hounds like you might expect were graceful and athletic, and of course the Dachshunds have drive and ambition far outmeasuring their shortness, although there is nevertheless some inescapable comedy involved

[bradl]

Just bought some pro photos from the weekend

photos by Laurie Gregory - Jumoke Photography

[Lynn in TN]

WOW! Great photo's. Thanks for sharing. It is awesome to see the in motion like that. Simply amazing.

[janis]

Brad

The way you describe the event and the dogs is almost poetry! Love the video and the pics.

[Newman]

Just bought some pro photos from the weekend

photos by Laurie Gregory - Jumoke Photography

ROFL AWESOME PICS

I NEED TO GET FONZY TO DO THIS OMGgggggggggggggggggggggg

AHAHAHA <3

[kjwarnold]

Oh, I like the sound of this. Packy has done lure coursing at Purina Farms at their Terrier Fun Days, but they make them wear muzzles, which completely distracted him until he got it off. I really want to get Kirby in one because he's a real speed demon and very prey driven.

Thanks for the great photos and fun video!

[hheldorfer]

Fantastic photos, Brad. Are you the official photographer? If not, you should be!

[bradl]

Oh my, no. Laurie Gregory stood out in the middle of that field for two straight (hot) days with a telephoto lens taking photos of virtually every dog that ran: http://www.jumoke.com/photo/?p=506

Naturally I'm biased toward pictures of my own dogs, even though one person described Echo as looking like a bad toupee escaping at high speed

[Lynn in TN]

I was think Tasmanian Devil from the cartoon it was always one of my favorites.

[Newman]

Oh my, no. Laurie Gregory stood out in the middle of that field for two straight (hot) days with a telephoto lens taking photos of virtually every dog that ran: http://www.jumoke.com/photo/?p=506

Naturally I'm biased toward pictures of my own dogs, even though one person described Echo as looking like a bad toupee escaping at high speed

If you can get those photos of fonzy doing that... my grandma will pay big $$

[hheldorfer]

I doubt that Buffy would hold a candle to Echo or any of the others at this event but she's the gold medalist in the 10-yard squirrel-at-the-bird-feeder dash.

[gt_mustang_gal]

LOVE those action pictures!