A SUPER HUGE thanks to Total Performance Premium Dog Food, and to Hero Disc USA for supporting Team Maggie the last two years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

First off, check this photo out:

 

This is the UFO trophy, handmade by Tom, and it is really cool.  One of those things that when you walk by the reg tent first thing in the morning and they are pulling out the trophies, you take a quick glance at it and wipe the drool off your chin. 

 

A HUGE thanks to the UFO staff and all the competitors who showed up this weekend.  When we got to the field early Friday morning, oh GOD but it was WINDY and the rain was blowing almost sideways.  Again, Gary and Sarah Duke rolled out the red carpet for Maggie and provided us with tent space and all the amenities of a 4 star hotel.  I had to sit in the car all day, but they took care of Mags for me.  Thanks TONS to the Dukes and the entire FL club for always making us feel welcome when we travel down there.  And to Sarah for her spot on releases of Maggie and helping get her wound up.

With everyone huddled under one tent, cussing the weather, we thought we were in for some unfavorable playing conditions.  We kept looking across the field at the palm trees and the water.... what a cruel joke.  The start was delayed until 10:30 am, Maggie and I were the first team to take the field, and by 10:15, the rain AND the wind had stopped, and we stepped out to great conditions.  Overcast and cool, and the weather just got better and better as the weekend went on, all the way to Sunday when we had idyllic conditions.

 

HUGE kudos to the UFO staff for picking this park.  It is the sort of place that when you are on a road trip, you drive past and go out of your way to stop there and throw a few discs for your dog.  It was beautiful grass, out on a peninsula, surrounded by blue water, and lined by palm trees swaying in the light breeze.  The water was all of 15 yards from the field!!  It was picture perfect, probably the coolest place I have competed.

 

As Chris said, the level of competition was incredible, with a field full of competitors fully capable of putting up huge rounds on any given day.  Maggie and I have gone up against Danny and Guinan a few times before and it has usually been pretty close, with him edging us at times, and vice versa, so the feeling of a tight, fiercely heated battle for the top spot was there.  After Saturday, the main topic of conversation was the first round of T&C Sunday morning and how it was going to decide who would get a firm foothold on first, Chris was dead on about Saturday night being a LONG night of thinking about that one round, hopefully Danny drank as much Pepto as I did!!  Only compounded by the fact that there were legends competing with us, Donna and Diva, some awesome teams from Germany, Mark Muir and his pack, the entire Indy crew is strong, Mya is such and awesome disc dog, and the FL gang brought their big guns with Gary Duke trying to show us that Fergi is closing on Bayer for top dog in the Duke household, KIDS, mere infants hanging with the big boys, Preston really put himself on the map, and our perennial favorite, Christopher Steel in from Houston with uber disc guru Chuck Middleton.  I have not listed everyone, but the field was DEEP!!!!!!!!!!

 

When the dust settled, I had been fortunate enough to be involved in one of the tightest battles for a world title that I can remember hearing about, and I think it kept everyone's attention as we took it down to the wire, with Mark and Rocket, Chuck and Hank and Preston and Skye right there to keep things super interesting.  One slip and you not only lose the top spot, but possibly get passed by two or more teams!!  WOW, it was incredible. 

 

Thanks SO much to Mark Goss for streaming the feed so everyone could watch and be part of it, and thanks so much for all the congrats, one thing on this.... I am FAR from the best disc handler around.  FARRRR from it, I just happen to have a freaking phenomenal dog.  Who knew when she picked me out in the shelter 5 years ago where she would take me!!!  So please, save the congrats for Maggie next time you see her.  This little girl leaves her heart on the field every time she takes it, and would love nothing more than a "good girl" and a scratch behind the ears from everyone (I am happy with a beer!!).  When we started in this sport, my #1 goal was for someday, when people are sitting around drinking a beer and talking disc doggin', and the subject of the great dogs to play the sport, that Maggie's name comes up and she is recognized for the freakish level of talent that she has!!

 

One thing that Chris didn't mention, was that the event was ran so well, we were done on Saturday by 3:00, and had a judges competition.  You had to play with a borrowed dog, and the "new" judges, were allowed to make the rules.  After having some of our suggestions tossed out, we settled upon these rules:

 

1. The team HAD to foot fault.  If your foot wasn't over the throwing line, the throw didn't count.

2. 60 seconds, although there is controversy that Maggie was allowed closer to 2 minutes, because I was keeping time......

3. NO back hand throws.  Skips, sidearm, tomahawks, overhand wrist flips... all good.

4. I would say "go" and start the clock whenever I felt like it.

 

So the judges, all legends in the sport, took the line to endure my trash talking, and Gary Duke line judging and evem more trash talking, and to have a TON of fun throwing for some of the best dogs in the sport. The teams were:

 

Tom W & Banzai

Chris Sexton & Harley

Jodi & Laika

Christi & Easy Rider

Jim S & Rocket

Rick B & Ringo

Uncle Larry & Maggie (per the terms of her contract, to play with Lawrence, is that Maggie can now refer to LF as "Uncle Larry" whenever she wishes)

 

The competition was awesome, with the judges trying all sorts of different throws and the dogs watching them in amazement.  Rick had problems getting Ringo to drop the disc, but quickly figured out that if you HAVE to foot fault, why not run out to the middle of the field and try to hit the zone from there!!

 

When it was all said and done, Lawrence and Maggie stood on top as the winners!!!!!  Ok, ok, I lied right there, CHRIS AND HARLEY took home the judge's challenge trophy!!

 

Things like this make the competitions so much fun and are stories we will tell and re-tell for years to come.  Especially Middleton after a beer or three ;o)

 

Thanks again SO MUCH to everyone who made this weekend possible, by either judging, helping out, competing or just coming to watch and cheer!!!  Rick Brydum, from Colorado, did some of the best, fastest scoring imaginable, the last competitior would still be walking off the field and the current results and standings were being taped to the table!!

 

It was awesome, hope to see everyone in 2009..... maybe in VEGAS, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!