"Open House" was the theme for Club Mondio's first trial held in November 2005 in Corning, California. Judge, Gerado Stratermans, directed an excellant and entertaining game with safe and fair decoy work by Tim Bartlett, James Coleman and Richard Schneider. The "stage set" was a simple arrangement of a few items one might find in a house. The "bathroom" was an old toliet sitting between a "shower" and a bamboo plant, with a strip of vinyl in front of the toliet. The living room was an old couch, chair, table, rug and a fake cardboard fire place. Bedroom was a mattress close to the ground next to an "accessories" curtain. The kitchen held a small round table, a small "counter" with dishes and an upright tool holder which had brooms and mops. A freestanding double doorway became a focal point for Day 1's defence as well as the heeling pattern..

Heeling patterns held challanges of noises as the handler walked by, movement when the handler had to go underneath the slinky cat on a fishing pole, and the unknown when the team had to open and walk through the double doors.

Level 1 retrieves were a shoe and a small vinyl purse. Level 2 brought back a plastic dusting tool and a strand of tennis balls.

Day 1's Level 2 absence treated the dog to a show of a slinky cat toy attached to a fishing pole being reeled in followed by Carol yelling to Mike to "bring the ball" ( a huge soccar ball) and him responding "there's a dog in the way" she saying he should go around and then he rolled the ball. Level 1 had the reeling action w/out the ball yelling and rolling. On the second day, level 1 watched badmiton practice and level 2 dogs listened to a symphony of squeky toy sounds.

Day 1's Send out had a bunny headed decoy on a dolly in the 12pt zone.

Food refusal was Spicy Mikee's bbq's ribs on Saturday and burgers and hotdogs for Sunday.

Little wood was by the toliet, slightly under the lineleom first day and under the "slinky cat on fishing pole" the next day.

Sunday's Level 2 DOH had the handler walking to chair to sit. Decoy walked to chair and shook hands w/ handler, then circled handler left then circled right, then told handler to go sit on couch. Handler sat on couch and the phone on the mantle rang. Handler answer phone then went to the couch to lie down. Decoy approached the couch, and said "who are you taling to on the phone? your lover???" he then turned on a vibrating toy and then attacked the handler. The Level 1 defence was the same with the exception of the phone/who's calling exchange and went directly into the attack after the toy was turned on with the handler sitting on the couch.

Day one's level 2 defence - Handler walks to a freestanding double doorway & knocks on door. Decoy opens door and shakes hands and says "come in" Handler walks in and sits by kitchen table, starts to read and then tells decoy to wash dishes. Decoy washes dishes. Handler tells decoy to sweep. Decoy sweeps around handler in chair. Handler tells decoy we must put the baby to bed and they walk together tothe living room, where the handler sits in chair while decoy puts the baby in the bed. Handler tells decoy to clean the toliet. Decoy hits handler.

Level 1 defence on Saturday started a few meters in front of the door way where the handler was aggressively approached by the decoy who was trying to sell some stuffed animals "for a good cause" After the handler declined, they passed thru the doorway and sat in a chair. Decoy knocked on door, shook hands with handler and tried to "sell" again. Handler declined sat in chair (with back to the door and then decoy came thru doorway and attacked handler from behind. Club Mondio "acting award" to James Coleman for his "aggressive sales pitch"

Thank you to our most excellant judge, who made a very fun game!
  
  To our decoys for fair AND safe work
  
  The players for coming from far and near to make a good show
  AND the audience for cheering us on!
  
  Leri Hanson for the epitome of competence as deputy judge
  Risa for making trial secretary. Carol Smith and Mike Weiss as the field workers.

EVERYONE who helped prepare the field ESPECIALLY Mike, Tim & James who at the last minute, found a way to make the doorway.
  
  AND again thanks to my beloved husband Mike Weiss for footing the bill for this event AND cooking GREAT food for us for the last few days, AND the excellant fireworks display!!

Last, by not least, many thanks to our Coach, Rene Sagarra. A large part of our success is from the help he has given us in our handling, training and decoy skills. For the last four years, he has given us his best for just the cost of his travel and upkeep (though as Ann says, he IS "high maintenance" :)))

just say "no" to leftovers

over the obstacle

which decoy???

Link to USA Mondioring Trial Results