For those who have been following Duncan's "Trials" (ok, pun intended!) in the obedience ring, it may seem too amazing to be true, but Duncan has finally managed to get a leg in Open A, with a first place ribbon, too!!

We have been trying for over a year to get a leg in the Open ring, but Duncan has found it to be a wonderful stage to totally humiliate his Mom, Beth. Each time he stepped in the ring, he found yet another creative way to avoid getting a leg. One day he would go down on the long sit. Another he would walk over the broad jump. The next trial he would decide to sit instead drop on recall... and so it went...

This weekend started out no different -- at the first trial on Saturday in the sleet and snow he came *very* close, cutting the corner of the broad jump just enough to NQ. He thanked the judge for letting him slip out of a Q by doing a paws up on his shoulders and attempting to smooch him -- eeek!! Thankfully, the judge had an amazing sense of humor and laughed it off (though it was caught on video tape for posterity -- double eeek!!). At the second trial on Saturday his NQ was less spectacular -- he decided to lay down on the long sit.

We arrived at the show grounds on Sunday to perfect Leo obedience weather -- breezy with temps in the 50's -- expecting more of the same, but Duncan decided to throw his Mom a bone, and finally allowed himself to get one Open leg, with an extra bonus of a first place ribbon and a respectable score of 184. We discovered we had a mini "fan club" as onlookers cheered when the judge said "Exercise Finished" after that looooong out-of-sight sit!!

Here are some pictures from the weekend -- it's hard to tell who has a bigger grin on their face, Duncan or Beth!!

Gunther & Gretel congratulating Duncan for totally shocking his mom with a "Q" in Open	Dazed Beth & happy Duncan getting their score & ribbon...
Duncan trying to score some congratulatory treats off of Diane	Beth & 'Da boys'
The Happy Family -- Duncan, Grant, Beth and Mackin