Yesterday was the Montana tracking test — one of my most favorite weekends of the year. The location is so beautiful and I really just love the tracking community.
Pozy did not get drawn for a track and so I was a volunteer. Suzanne and Sundance got a track in the TDX test — that was every bit as thrilling for me as if one of my own dogs had been drawn for a track.
As you may know, Suzanne was brand new to tracking when we started working together. Sundance got his TD two years ago at their first ever test.
That was SO amazingly awesome.
Suzanne and I then got to work to get Claire and Sundance ready for TDX.
Claire and Sundance on a post-tracking romp in 2019
Sundance is an exceptionally good tracking dog but TDX training is a lot. The tracks are aged three hours, and they are long and complicated. There are cross tracks to ignore and articles to be found. I have heard the pass rate for TDX is about 15%, which sounds about right. It is a tough test.
With Claire on the injured list, our attention for TDX training has been solely on Team Sundance. They were ready.
They drew the first TDX track, which was great because it was cool. They also had the track with the most forest, which added scent challenges but also shade.
The peanut gallery watched as Sundance started beautifully and easily made that first corner — remember, the track was three hours old. We held our breath as he figured out the cross tracks and we celebrated when Team Sundance found that first article.
I was a nervous wreck, anxious and pacing as I watched. I knew they could do it — I also know how hard it is to pass a TDX test.
Eventually the peanut gallery could not see Team Sundance anymore and so we listened quietly, hoping not to hear the dreaded whistle.
We never did.
Sundance TDX!
The wonderful thing about training with a friend is that while the success is theirs, the thrill and the joy is shared. What an honor and a gift it is when others let us join their journey.
WELL DONE, Team Sundance — and thank you!