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Fastest. Retriever. Evah.
By Gina Spadafori
October 6, 2009
When last I reported on my friend Teresa and her dog Sprint (who is my girl McKenzie’s sister), they’d just won the western regionals of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge in the large dog agility competition. (A click will take you to the video.)
The finals were held in St. Louis over the weekend, and the team was on the podium at the end again, finishing second. Sprinty is pretty used to being the only non-border collie at this level of competition, and at the end, only one of the BCs bested her.
Here they are in the image below. Click here to go vote up the image on MSNBC.com for the sports shot of the week.
.
.
Run
Sprinty
run!
Run
Run
Run
Run
Run!
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.
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Oh, hey, not that I’m proud of them or anything … ;)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — October 6, 2009 @ 5:06 am
Woot Sprint! I alway cheer for anyone who isn’t a bc or an aussie.
Tell Sprint and her Mom to check out NADACs super stakes if they haven’t already. Agility at a distance. I think there is a chance that dogs who are not border collies could be competitive at it. Some of the speed of the collies works against them. Although you wouldn’t know that at this years nationals as all three top finishers were … border collies. But 1 & 3 are good friends, so we had to cheer for them.
Comment by schnauzer — October 6, 2009 @ 5:58 am
Does pressing the “Recommend” tab constitute a vote? Not familiar with the website, I could not be sure.
Comment by Colorado Transplant — October 6, 2009 @ 6:04 am
Yes, I think that’ll do it. “Recommend” my niece!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — October 6, 2009 @ 6:35 am
Nice contact, Sprinty!
Comment by Debbie — October 6, 2009 @ 6:50 am
Comment by Gina Spadafori — October 6, 2009 @ 6:35 am
“Recommend” my niece!
Hmmm . . . . then I guess that makes Faith your granddaughter . . . and you looked so young . . . . . . . .
(ducking and running . . . . . . . . }
Comment by The OTHER Pat — October 6, 2009 @ 7:13 am
Congratulations Sprint MAD and Teresa on your PIDC finish! Going to Scottsdale next month I hope?
Comment by Anne T — October 6, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
I’d love to have a dog like this, but my fear is that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with him:)
Comment by Rob — October 6, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
Rob, no one can “keep up” with a dog and qualify at that level where course times are short. The trick is in the timing, teamwork and training your dog to learn your signals. There are older/disabled/slow handlers who can practically stand in the middle of the ring and direct their dog at a distance.
So if you want a dog like that, GO FOR IT!
Congrats to Sprinty!!!!
Comment by EmilyS — October 6, 2009 @ 2:07 pm
Like EmilyS said… with a dog that fast, it’s not about the handler physically keeping up - it’s a matter of mentally being able to stay a few obstacles ahead of the dog.
It’s HARD!! :-)
Comment by Barb — October 6, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
Awesome Sprinty!
Comment by Glo Kelnhofer — October 8, 2009 @ 3:16 pm
Yes, Anne, I will be in Scottsdale next month. Going for the 4th year in a row of winning the Performance Speed Jumping at the World Championships (3 years ago with Jazz, and the last 2 years with Sprint). So, Sprint is going for the 3peat!
As far as keeping up with her? - Ha! Teaching Sprint a solid “left” and “right” is VERY handy!
Comment by Teresa Rodney — October 8, 2009 @ 7:47 pm