Nordic Rally Obedience Championship 2019

Paul og Amanda

It has been the most wonderful weekend!

The Danish Kennel Club (DKK) hosted the first Nordic Rally Obedience Championship ever.

I had the honour and pleasure of being responsible for the event, and I must admit that the outcome was amazing!

I have got so much positive feedback, and I will start to share it with the most wonderful Danish team of assistants and helpers:

Mette and Anita

1. Amanda, my secretary during all three rounds. A judge with an extremely sharp eye for details, and my daughter in the dog world, being able to make me listen and calm down, when I couldn’t keep my temper under control.
2. Anita, the main secretary, being totally in control of the judging forms, and assured that all results were registered correctly and published in the DKK Rally group on Facebook.
3. Lone, an extraordinary talented speaker, who introduced the teams, and made excellent musical choices all way through as a top DJ. She has written a blog from a speaker view.  
4. Lonni, must of course be mentioned. For her – as secretary for the Danish rally committee – to be involved in an event as this is part of her work. But she has, which is quite normal for her 😊 – done much more than could reasonably be expected to make this championship an extraordinary one.
5. Mette, with two important roles: acting as runner, i.e. getting the judging forms from the judges/secretaries and bringing them to Anita. And, not the least, servicing the judges, secretaries and helpers with snacks, drinks and lunch during the two days
6. Stine, taking responsibility for livestreaming all important parts of the event, enabling rally enthusiasts to follow this first international championship from the distance. 

I don't have the intention of writing about the two days in detail. I will allow myself the luxury of just mentioning a few things (moments/impressions/courses), which made a special impression this weekend, in a non-prioritized order:

A very special present

1. The award ceremony Sunday afternoon, where all reserves, helpers and secretaries where thanked for their contribution to the successful event, and the twenty teams in the championship, where honoured one by one
2. The dinner Saturday evening at Scandic Hotel Roskilde, where we all enjoyed an excellent three course menu and socialised
3. The exceptional performance of the team of Danish helpers, not all being in a roll they were acquainted with, but managed extraordinarily
4. The special feeling of being a part of an event larger than life – experiencing the teams from different countries interact, acknowledge each other’s and hear about the first training plans between countries
5. The great teamspirit that evolved even further during the event between the judges and secretaries. 
6. The intensity in the hall when the 3rd round started today. You could literally feel the mood
7. The many teardrops from secretaries, judges and not the least participants, due to extraordinary results 
8. Being totally surprised just before the award ceremony Sunday, by Lone announcing that the Swedish team lead Linda Penttilä had a message, and she gave me an extraordinary present, a Lindshammar glass sculpture.  This gift is of high value for me. It will forever remind me of this first Nordic Rally Obedience Championship
9. Christina Ulrich Pedersen and Tempos course Sunday, which I awarded with 100 point, for me the best performance of the whole event
10. The many hugs I got, none mentioned none forgotten
11. The way we kept the individual results a secret for everyone else than Anita (the main secretary) and Mette (the controller), until the price award. I didn’t know the results before they were displayed by Anita, the second before I announced them
12. And finally, I must thank Sjælland’s Agility Center primarily fronted by Johanna Allanach, for their extremely service mindedness before, during and after the event.

Of course this major milestone for rally obedience called for  af glass of champagne this evening.