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Foto: Grafiko.dk © |
In exactly one month, Max and I will be on our way from Solrød Strand, Denmark, to Turku, Finland, to participate in the Nordic Rally Obedience Championships Competition 25th-27th November.
The first Nordic Championships took place in Sjællands Agility Center in Ringsted, Denmark 2019. I was responsible for the event and was also one of the four judges.
The second one took place in Hundsportcentrum in Upplands Väsby outside Stockholm, Sweden 2021. I was also one of the four Nordic judges there.
The third will take place in Royal Canin Arena, Lieto near Turku, Finland.
Being involved in the championships 2019 and 2021 were of course great experiences. But this time it is entirely different. Being part of the Danish National team as a participant with Max is really something special.
We qualified five months ago, the 22nd May. A plan for the training was sketched and, along with necessary adjustments, has been followed meticulously. An important prerequisite was, and is, that the championship is not the goal. The goal is to enjoy every moment of my teamwork with Max. We have been a team for more than 11 years and grown from good to particularly good and now the last couple of years we have excelled.
The training has of course included focusing on our weak exercises, a few of them really hated exercises. I have learned to love them, and honestly, I don’t think we have any weak exercises longer. Not meaning that we can’t make faults, we can, but we are as prepared as we can be.
My primary focus has been my mental training.
I have been through a long process starting several years ago, but the last 2-3 years we have really developed. I can feel it. Max definitely benefits. My trainers and training partners have been heavily involved and can verify it! And anyone comparing our training and competitions today with those from a year ago, can easily see the difference.
The bottom line is that I NEVER – as in never, ever – think negatively when we train or compete. If negative thoughts should pop-up in my mind, I have techniques to remove them immediately.
I have trained the entire process from arriving at the training day and then the actual competition - and by the way competing as if it was training. I am not in doubt what I will do when arriving, when checking in, when warming up, when preparing to go into the competitions ring, when walking with Max in the ring, when doing the exercises, when managing errors (parking them mentally), when leaving the ring, when playing with Max outside or when making my notes reinforcing myself with the best things that happened during the course.
The entire process is working seamlessly and makes me confident that Max and I will succeed every single time. All because we will enjoy our connection as if it was the last time, we entered a training area or a competition.
Hopefully, it isn’t – but if it was, I want to make sure that I have the best feeling possible afterwards. That I know without any shadow of a doubt, that I have done my very best. I owe that to my loyal training partner and companion.
The plan for the next month includes continuing the weekly training sessions at Johanna Allanach (Bluewyle K9) and Karina Al-Saffar (Hund med mening), who both have motivated me to focus on details and make minor changes with surprisingly great effect.
The plan also includes two double-competitions: A Mästerklass (the top level in Sweden) in Trelleborg 29th October and a Championklasse (the top level in Denmark) in Ringsted 19th November.
I will take this opportunity to specifically thank Liv Elmark-Fich, who has supported me, challenged me, encouraged me and been a world class coach in the entire process.
PS: Did you wonder about the first three words in the title of this blog post? In the process I had a long talk with teammate Mette Tranberg discussing mental approaches to training and competition, and she inspired med to find a winning rhyme, which became: Optimus, Maximus, Focus.
PPS: The championship can be followed here.
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