The end of October can be cold and wet in Northern California, but the Mondio Gods were kind and benevolent and provided fabulous weather for “Birthday Party,” two days of trials sponsored by Club Mondio and California Alliance Mondioringer.
Field decorations were festive, and included a pennant rope portico over the obstacle suspended by three giant helium balloons, as well as a generous supply of balloons in other locations
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There were special focal points made from plywood - a seven foot clown with holes for ball toss, a small and medium size pony and three standing “dog waiters” that held the on the field food at nose level for the MR2 & 3s. Giant candles were the markers for the send out and a giant wedge of cake lined with balloons and nestled behind a normal blind was the “special” hiding place for the search. And of course PRESENTS galore, wrapped and unwrapped made this party super special for us all! Interestingly, Sunday WAS the birthday of two of the players, Lisa Gellar & Wendy Schmitt, unbeknownst to us as we were planning our theme.....

Birthday Party judge, Jos Helsen, made level appropriate, fun, and challenging games both days. Saturday retrieve items included a rubber mallet, a fabric flower and a bicycle tire. Absence distractions were movement noises from behind the big clown made with increasing frequency and intensity with a twirling flex-y tube that made a siren sound, a fish “tong”, and a plastic hand clapper. Little wood was done with the dogs having to run towards the wooden ponies. A decorated step stool was used for the object guard with the “accessory” attempt using a hoop with bottle strands.

Level 3 Defense of Handler exercises started with the handler walking through a corridor of six people who were clapping, and cheering birthday well wishes. The handler then had to sit in a chair facing the corridor. Starting with the decoys, each and every person brought two presents to the handler. The first present was a large stuffed animal and was placed about 3 meters in front of the handler, then the “guest” gave a smaller present to the handler, which was placed in a box next to the handler, then they shook hands. While all the other guests lavished gifts upon the handler, the first decoy hid behind the big clown. After all the gifts were presented, the second decoy said “OK, time’s up, we have to get out of here for the next party – Get your gifts and go.” As the handler stood up with their box of small presents, the second decoy said “WAIT, WAIT, it’s not safe to walk through here yet” and he vigorously rearranged the large animals so that the handler had a direct path forward. Then the handler had to walk past the cheering guests towards the clown. As the handler walked through a small passage between the big clown and a chair with a large teddy bear sitting upon it, the aggressive decoy jumped out from behind his hiding place and made the “attack.” Level two defense of handler had the decoy directing the handler to first throw balls towards the holes in the clown. Then the decoy told the handler to try something different and gave them an air rifle loaded with hollow plastic balls and the decoy walked next to the clown. The handler was supposed to shoot the decoy and the injured decoy went to sit in a chair. When the handler went to the seated decoy, the decoy “hit” the handler from the chair. A simpler version was made for the level 1’s playing off of level 2’s defense. The handler walked with the decoy to face the clown game and was given the air rifle. The decoy walked to the clown and stood next to it and was “shot” when the handler missed the clown, but hit the decoy. The decoy then walked over to the handler for the aggression. A shorter DOH with gunshot, while quite challenging for brevet, was aced by USA’s newest Brevet, ABD, Pride’s CLUTCH du Metcalf, expertly handled by former USMRA president Sam Mannion, who we warmly welcome back after a hiatus from Mondioring.

Saturday after trial activities included of course, a bit more training, a fabulous bbq prepared by Club Mondio host with the Most, Mike Weiss and after dinner safe and sane fireworks to end a close to perfect day.

Sunday trial was a short day with one Level 1 and one level 3. Retrieve item for level 1 was a plastic bone and an “x” shaped piece of insulation for level 3. Accessory was one hand with a bottle pom and one hand with a pom made from electrical covering and petite orange caution tape A large red bucket served as object guard and a big wooden box covered by a tarp was the discovered hiding place for the search. Level one defense was a simple walk and meet the decoy. Then the decoy tossed a ball away from the handler and executed the “hit.” Level 3 defense added on a “hit” on the judge before the “hit” on the decoy.

More training proceeded after trial award presentation. At the awards, everyone went home with something, including fabulous first place puzzles made in wood by Lee Hendricks’ www.TexasMattings.com and metal “mondio rings” made by Mike Weiss and Sharon Novak. Our safe and fair decoys also received “DECOY” mondio rings. A “JUDGE” mondio ring was presented to the always challenging Jos Helsen and an appreciation Mondio ring to his lovely wife Marlene for all their hard work and dedication to Mondioring. ”Le Docteur” Mondioring was presented to Daniel Boulais who came from France on his holiday to help bring a healthier attitude in our handling and our dog’s training. Special above and beyond rings were also awarded to USMRA Pres. Augusta Farley, and to Michael Ellis for his coast to coast promotion of Mondioring.

Truly a Mondio (world) event with our judge and his wife from Belgium, Daniel from France, and players, decoys, and spectators from Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota and various California locations. THANK YOU to our supportive spectators and all involved – the judge and his wife who gave their holiday to help us before and during the trial, for great safe and level appropriate work from our decoys Jeremy & Chris, and to Kyle Sprague, Michael Ellis and Michael Weiss who pitched in doing the very important job of trial secretary. Thanks to the players who in addition to showing great sportsmanship and great dogs, made this event a historic event with a USA record number (FOUR) of level 3 dogs in the same game and a new record of TWO new MR3’s earned by Lisa Geller & Mongoose and Sharon Novak & Ysha Rose, and especial thanks to the Marlene Helsen and the players who helped finish the painting and other trial preparations. Thanks to the Gellars for providing videography services AND free copies of such, and to Dane Austin for taking hundreds of fabulous photos. Club mondio is also very grateful to our special friend Daniel Boulais, who while on his "vacation" worked twelve days long before helping with trial preparations AND showing our dogs advanced decoy work to better prepare them for the trial as well as critiquing our handling in an amusing but effective fashion as well as working both days as deputy judge. I wish to thank Rene Sagarra, our former trainer for "pushing me out of the nest." Rene worked with me for 7 years, which were according to him, the hardest training in his life as a trainer, with me as the most difficult student in his life. Thanks to club members Martha Hoffman and Risa Hunnicutt, who were not able to be with us in physical manifestation, were with us in our hearts and cheered us on via telephone daily. My warmest affection to mentor and dear friend Kathy O’Brien who exposed me to mondioring, and who had enough faith in me as a begining handler and decoy to trust me the with the BEST puppy. O’Bre-on’s YSHA Rose, from Kathy’s fabulous litter out of Xosa bred to Michael Ellis’s Lothar. AND of course, my marvelous and beloved husband Michael Weiss, who gave up two weeks of his precious vacation time for this trial, working on preparations,running errands, helping with the training and preparing fabulous food at regular intervals. He allowed our normally monastic home and land to be invaded by a pack of crazy dog people and their wonderful dogs. Finally, is the acknowledgment of our dogs, who in their ability in this fabulous sport have shown us the way to be better handlers, decoys, trainers, and sometimes, even better human beings. Because of our dogs, regardless of politics, differences in training and personalities, we all found ways to work together for this amazing sport called Mondioring!!!



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BACK to USA trial results
LINK to Birthday Party Photo Album - getting ready, trial & awards pics
Link to Interview with Jos Helsen about how he starts his pups
Link to Rules Update

page posted 10 december 2007