World's 5th UDX Kerry!
I had an absolutely wonderful, exciting weekend at the Lackawanna Kennel Club shows on Friday and Saturday. After getting his first UDX leg at Mt. Nittany in June of 2004, one year and one month later, Jessie finished his UDX with two legs in one weekend. He is now, officially, Primrose Jessie James UDX NAJ!

In case you haven't been there, the Lackawanna Kennel Club holds a show on Friday and Saturday only in the rolling hills of PA. The setting is absolutely beautiful. Definately a show to camp at, or if you stay, book a room at the Comfort Inn of Wysox nice and early since it is always full and enjoy their free breakfast of homemade waffles.

The weather this year was perfect -- cool mornings heating up to a nice, toasty, but not too hot summer day. No rain at all. It was Jessie's kind of weather. The obedience is in a big farm building, the rings completely separated. The only thing that distracted dogs at all were some low ceilings.

On Friday, much to Jessie's fury, the morning was all about my shih tzu, Bailey. He showed in Open A for the very first time, and trooper like he is, he picked up his first leg with a score of 190.5 and a fourth place ribbon. That set the bar for Jessie! He was raring to get out of his crate as the day progressed. When I eventually got him out, he was almost bouncing off the walls in excitement, tearing around the rings with his tail up and full of joy. First we showed in Utility under Evelyn VanUnden. She gave us a qualifying score of 191 starting the day right. Then we went into Open and showed for Janet Lewis, always a tough but fair judge. Once again, he was full of energy and comments (too many barks!) and got a 195. I was glad to know the down stay was first, so after the sit stay he got his treats and party, setting him up right for Saturday.

On Saturday Jessie was luck enough to be in both his classes earlier in the day. First we did Open under judge Ed Whitney. Most of you probably know him as both an obedience judge and a breeder of Kerry Blue Terriers and P Water Dogs. He was very enthusiastic about having a kerry in his Open class and encouraging, telling me he thought Jessie was a very nice working dog. Jessie pulled a 195.5 and one 4th place after a 3 way run-off! Good boy!

Then we had a long wait for Utility. I kept him up with a steady supply of some yummy dog treats and we practiced our moving stand with a number of people to help steady him on this difficult (for him) exercise (why make the judge walk to you when you can walk to the judge?). He then showed for Janet Lewis again, scoring a 191.5! I don't know how I held my nerves together! It was very hard to concintrate. When he brought back that last scent article in the last exercise, all my friends were there yelling.

But I had almost no time to celebrate, and had to run over and do the Open sit stays with my shih tzu, As I came in the ring I told judge Ed Whitney I'd just gotten the UDX. As I returned from the sits, Bailey was down, and I have to admit I still had a grin on my face. There will be so many more times in the ring with Bailey, and I'd gotten that UDX!

What an adventure! Now I'll have to sit back and think of new goals. Maybe Open titles in agility? Who knows! Right now I'm just happy to have seen this through to the end.