Flyball Tourneys 2007 - Messages Posted to Flyballdogs.com

Tourneys 2007
Messages Posted to Flyballdogs.com

The following are all the 2007 tournament-related messages we posted to the flyballdogs.com email list.

Note: Since we use/update some of our tourneys web pages each year, a few of the links below go to pages containing information that might only pertain to our upcoming tourneys (instead of our archived tourneys).

September 28, 2006

Subject: Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys 2007

Having just celebrated the autumnal equinox, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are losing light faster now than at any other time during the year. However, rather than get depressed about the shorter days, Alaska Dogs Gone Wild suggests that you look on the bright side <grin> and think about all the daylight and fun you can have at Alaska's second annual set of flyball tournaments, beginning on the longest day of the year -- summer solstice!

To see what you missed at our 2006 Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys, check out the following webpage. It includes links to gobs of photos (from the competitions, tourney BBQ, and glacier/wildlife tour), links to some of the media coverage we received, and links to the entertaining blogs chronicled by our out-of-state competitors DogGoneFast and Good2Go.

http://flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/2006/

Here is some information for next summer's tourneys:

- We will have two separate two-day tournaments on Wed-Thu, June 20-21, 2007 and Sat-Sun, June 23-24, 2007. If necessary, we will use Friday and Monday as make-up days due to rain.

- We have yet to finalize our tourney venue, but all of our options have grass as a racing surface with >70' of runback in a very scenic location with breathtaking views of Alaska's mountainous landscape.

Here are some additional tidbits:

- On June 20, there will be 19 hours and 21 minutes from sunrise to sunset with 24 hours of civil twilight, which means it'll never get completely dark! Check out the following daylight calendar.

http://flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/daylight.html

- The average high and low temperatures for Anchorage on June 20 are 64 F (18 C) and 49 F (9 C). The dogs will love the cooler temps! You can find more weather and climate information here:

http://flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/weather.html

It's never too early to begin planning your flyball vacation of a lifetime! If you're even remotely considering coming up, *PLEASE* get back to me with your number of proposed teams and your level of interest (1=glimmer of hope up to 10=definitely coming). The information will help us choose a suitably-sized and affordable venue at which time we'll apply for NAFA sanctioning.

Thanks,

Curtis

November 1 , 2006

Subject: Help support flyball in Alaska!

According to info provided by our illustrious webmaster Lisa Pignetti (in a message dated 6/24/06), we have as many as 350 active clubs in NAFA. If just five different goodhearted clubs chose to support Alaska Dogs Gone Wild each year by coming to our Summer Solstice Tourneys, we'd be set for 70 years!

Please consider being one of those five clubs for 2007.

Curtis

November 12, 2006

Subject: Grass/sunsets in Alaska [was: Cynosports]

Hey Lynn (and any other present or former skeptics),

Can I convince you to run on grass in Alaska? Our mountains tend to be even bigger than those in Arizona, and our sunsets are equally beautiful (assuming you're willing to stay up until nearly midnight to view them).

Alaska will arguably be your most memorable location for a flyball tourney!

Curtis

P.S. Good2Go, who participated in our 2006 Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys, understandably had some apprehension about running on grass for the first time, but their dogs did an awesome job.

On 11/11/06, Lynn Lico <MercAndVibe@comcast.net> wrote:
> The large outdoor flyball ring made our indoor flyball seem
> small, plain and LOUD! As a big skeptic, I can now say - play
> outside - if you get a chance it's awesome! A huge surprise was
> how much our dogs LOVED it too!

December 21, 2006

Subject: Alaska tourneys: Happy winter solstice!

Cool science stuff (to get your attention)
------------------
Today (Dec 21) at 3:22 PM Alaska time, the sun will have reached the southernmost point of its journey -- the Tropic of Capricorn -- thereby marking the winter solstice. On this day in Anchorage, the sun will rise at 10:14 AM and then set only 5 hours 27 minutes later at 3:41 PM. Contrast that with the 19 hours 21 minutes we'll have from sunrise to sunset on June 21, 2007 -- the summer solstice -- when it'll never get completely dark!

Segue to flyball (because that's what this list is about)
----------------
The variation in daylight is just one of many, many extremes that characterize Alaska. Why not experience our wonderful "state of extremes" firsthand by combining two of your favorite pastimes -- taking a vacation and competing in flyball?!? Alaska Dogs Gone Wild will be hosting our second annual Summer Solstice Tourneys on June 20-21 and June 23-24, 2007. We'll even have the opportunity to race at the exact moment of the summer solstice when the sun reaches the northernmost point of its journey -- the Tropic of Cancer -- at 10:06 AM Alaska time.

Shorthanded...no problem!
-------------------------
If you'd like to participate in our tourneys, but you're unable to recruit enough equally insane teammates to join you, keep in mind that our team can provide extra handlers, boxloaders, and even some of our own flyball-trained dogs if necessary. For instance, the founders of the White Mountain Mayhem team from New Hampshire (Trish & Chris) are coming all the way up here with three of their dogs (including a height dog...whew!), and we plan to run two of our own dogs with their team.

As I mentioned in a previous message, if you're even remotely considering coming to Alaska, *PLEASE* get back to me with your proposed number of teams (or dogs) and your level of interest (1=glimmer of hope up to 10=definitely coming). The information will help us choose a suitably-sized and affordable venue.

Happy winter solstice!

Curtis

March 20, 2007

Subject: Alaska tourneys: Happy vernal equinox!

Today, at 4:07 PM Alaska Time, the sun will be directly over the
equator. Folks in the Northern Hemisphere are gaining light faster now than at any other time during the year. Those of us in the Anchorage area are gaining 6 minutes of light per day, and for the next six months, we will have more daylight than anyone else south of us.

Despite recent temperatures below 0 F, our winter snowpack will slowly disappear over the next few weeks, which will give plenty of time for everything to green-up before our Summer Solstice Tourneys, June 20-21 and 23-24. The fact that it never gets completely dark up here around the summer solstice goes a long way toward promoting vegetation growth <grin>. If we so choose, the abundance of daylight will also give us the option of running flyball outside at midnight!!!

Curtis

March 22, 2007

Subject: Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys update

1) Here's the homepage for our Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys 2007:

http://flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/

2) Once again, we've decided to hold our tourneys at the Alaska State Fairgrounds (see links below for photos of the tourney site).

flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/fairgrounds.html
flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/2006/photos_tourneys1.html
flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/2006/photos_tourneys2.html
flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/2006/photos_tourneys3.html

3) On-site camping/RV parking will be available (see link below for
additional information). Many of our members (including Stacy and me) plan to join the fun by camping out during the tourneys.

http://flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/camping.html

4) We've submitted our NAFA sanctioning paperwork for two separate two-day tournaments with unlimited Regular, Multibreed, and Veterans racing.

Please check out our website and contact me if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Curtis

March 23, 2007

Subject: Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys sanctioned!

NAFA has officially sanctioned our Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys.

http://flyballdogs.com/alaska/tourney/

Still apprehensive about taking the plunge? Consider the following
quote from the Good2Go website regarding our tournaments in 2006:

"We had a GREAT time. Do yourself a favour and go to their tournament in 2007. Curtis and the crew from ADGW put on the best show we have ever been a part of...well maybe a close second to a G2G Tournament. :) . No really..we have NEVER been treated better and we come from a great region."

Thanks for the kind words Darcey!

Curtis

March 23, 2007

Subject: Wanna run your Veteran in Alaska?

Please contact me if you'd like to run in the Veterans class during
our Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys. I can help coordinate the
formation of teams. We even have a few veterans of our own who are quite experienced.

Curtis

May 11, 2007

Subject: WANTED: Height dog for Alaska Tourneys!

We could use a well-trained height dog to round out the required
minimum number of four lineups at our tourneys in June. We have
several height dogs that are nearly ready for competition, but we
would prefer to use them as backups. Of course, another full lineup
would be even better, but a single height dog would suffice. We easily have enough non-height dogs to complete a fourth lineup.

Please consider bringing your height dog (or someone else's!) to our tourneys. Here are some of the perks if you decide to come:

1) You wouldn't need to worry about lodging! We can either provide you with your own lakeside house to use (<30 minutes from the tourney site), or you can camp out with the multitude of us who will be staying on site (including the folks from White Mountain Mayhem).

2) We would provide you with a car to use!

3) We would make sure you get fed!

4) After our first day of competition, we'll be having an awesome BBQ *AND* you'll get to attend a wedding! Two of our teammates are getting married and one of their six huskies -- Alaska's only dog with an ONYX -- will be the ring bearer!

The 90-day rule would not be a problem, since we have some ADGW dogs who can run as part of your club. In fact, we already plan to run some of our dogs as part of the White Mountain Mayhem team. There would be no need to share a slot, since our questionable height dogs would share with one of our other dogs in a different lineup.

Please contact me ASAP if you are at all interested in joining the
fun. Don't pass up this opportunity to run flyball in Alaska without
having to concern yourself with many of the normal travel expenses (lodging, rental car, meals).

Thanks,
Curtis

May 23, 2007

Subject: Alaska flyball tourneys closing!!!

To do list for May 23, 2007:

1) Give in to your desire to play flyball in Alaska!

2) Convince some of your teammates to join you...(or at least let you bring their dogs!).

3) Ask your boss for time off and make your travel arrangements. Oh, and please do so quickly because our tourneys close today!!!

If such a "to do" list is a bit overwhelming for one day, then please add each of the above items to your list of things to do in preparation for our Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys 2008. However, if all you would need is a few extra days to complete the list, I could see about extending our closing date :)

OK everyone...get busy!

Curtis

P.S. Thanks to those of you who responded to our request for a height dog to compete in our tourneys. Fortunately, we now have two additional flyballers (+ dogs) who will be joining us from Michigan.

July 1, 2007

Subject: Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys...THANKS!

One week has passed since our Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys ended and the proverbial glacial dust is finally starting settle. We had the friendliest most enjoyable folks join us all the way from New Hampshire and Michigan. Thank you to Trish and Chris from White Mountain Mayhem for committing to our tournaments way back in October and for following through with your RV adventure. Thanks also go to Trish and Chris for recruiting two additional thrill-seekers who made the trip up here by air -- another WMMer, Sandi, and adopted WMMer Gail (from Boston Stragglers). If running in Region 13 is as much fun as it was hanging out with all of you, then I may need to move back to the Northeastern US. A huge thank you to Linda and Jerry from Quicksilver for helping us on such short notice by coming up with not one, but two height dogs, which allowed us to add a fourth team to our tourneys. It was an honor to meet such fun and friendly folks who have extensive flyball experience to boot. Our ADGW dogs and handlers who ran with WMM and QS enjoyed it so much that I'm afraid they're hatching plans to defect. I would certainly understand it if they did, since it was a sincere pleasure to meet, visit, and run with each and every one of our out-of-state visitors.

We offered *LOTS* of racing during our tourneys -- 96 heats/team over four days! On the first day of racing, we had a record high of 80 F...IN THE SHADE! It was a perfect day for a flyball-themed wedding and a BBQ (photos coming soon!). The second day of competition was just as sunny and warm, and the dogs -- even our chillyphilic Alaskan dogs -- continued to perform extremely well despite the heat. After a one-day break from racing, Alaska lived up to its reputation as the land of extremes with the temperature dropping >20 F to below normal levels for our second two-day tourney, at which point the dogs really turned up the heat. They *LOVED* the cooler temps! Sixteen different dogs earned 28 new titles during our tourneys.

We, once again, had some TV news coverage and the Anchorage Daily News published the following article/photos.

ADN article:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/
9055303p-8971281c.html

ADN photos:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/v-story_gallery_0/
story/9055303p-8971281c.html
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/v-story_gallery_1/story/
9055303p-8971281c.html
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/v-story_gallery_2/story/
9055303p-8971281c.html

Thanks a million to everyone who made our 2nd Annual Alaska Summer Solstice Tourneys a huge success! We're already looking forward to hosting our 3rd annual set of tourneys...(hint, hint to those of you thinking of taking the flyball vacation of a lifetime).

Curtis