4-H Jamboree at CCSC

Thanks to Baker's bad tooth keeping us home from playing agility games in Lawrence I ended up over at CCSC for the day.  What I got to do was to help out with the first 4-H Jamboree.  It turned out to be a great way to spend a bitterly cold day watching over 80 kids and their dogs from all over the state partake in a variety of dog activities.  Most of the participants were from outside of the Columbia area which made me aware of the fact that we take our access to facilities to work with our dogs for granted. 

The organizers; Gretchen & Sarah Carlisle and Julie & Liz Holle focussed on 4 activities: Obedience (with Andrea),

Rally with Jamie & Steve, and Joyce below:
and Showmanship (with the 2 Lizs),

and Agility with Sarah (the one activity that I failed to photograph thanks to a dead battery).

The kids were grouped into four sections according to experience which helped the instructors to pitch the training to maximize the experience for each team.  In addition the kids were lucky to have their experienced instructors aided by Jamie, Steve, Jenn, Judy, and Vicki.  The support staff inside preparing hot drinks and food and setting up parking of Barry & Beth & Mike & Terry & Gary, to mention a few illustrated how the dog community is just that - a community. It was super to see the kids and their dogs learn one new thing after another.  In spite of the chilly conditions in the building (a little hard on the heater units to keep up with constant opening and closing of the doors in addition to single digit temperatures and wind outdoors) they and their parents kept up a hectic pace.  I suspect that there will be a number of tired pooches and handlers this evening!  

These guys are the future of dog sports. Their ability to develop a relationship with their dogs will teach them skills that they will carry forward in life: including caring, responsibility, the joy of learning, patience, unrequited love, and the satisfaction of starting something new.