Have you ever been so involved with a project that you
foolishly took your focus off of the mundane task at hand so as to
prepare yourself for the next big obstacle only to fail and eventually realize that the success of your mission hung on that one
seemingly insignifigant moment in time? It can be painful, heart
breaking, and depending on how often you do this in the show
ring, down right expensive. So, listen to the sage advice from
Rally Judge, Jane Mendleson, and the next time you go in a ring
you'll take your turn at the sign in front of you and worry about
what comes "next" when you get there. Enjoy the interview.
Hopey:“So Jane, what’s your biggest beef with handlers in the Rally ring?”
Jane:“I want to see left turns that are left turns and right turns that are right turns. I don’t want to see semi-circles.”
Hopey:“Jane, when you say ‘semi-circles’, what do you mean ?”
Jane: “I mean when they make a broad wide curve and it looks like they just skipped the turn sign and went on to the next thing.”
Hopey:“What are you thinking when you see a handler begin this wide swoop?”
Jane: “I’m thinking, ‘Did the person actually see the sign, or did they just blow past it and move on to the next one.”
Hopey:“Okay, so what kind of turn would make you happy?”
Jane: “I want to see left and right turns in the Rally ring look just like left and right turns in the Obedience ring.”
