By Alfred de Witte
K9Force members were thrilled when Isabella announced her plans to compete in two major competitions in the Czech Republic this summer. John summarized the preparations as follows: “The overarching theme in Isabella’s preparation was, as always, attention to detail. Simply being adequate was not acceptable. Rather, perfection in all aspects of the dog’s and handler’s performance was invariably the ultimate goal.”
Despite getting ready in the months leading up to the international competitions, Isabella also remained focused on coaching her team, ensuring that all club members were ready for a successful club trial scheduled two weeks prior to her departure. The most striking aspect of Isabella’s is her dedication to the sport. After the May trial, she gave us all a list of exercises to work on, so our September trial would be even more successful. Aika: “Isabella’s unwavering commitment to dog sport and the fact that she traveled halfway across the world to showcase her work with Cobra is pretty impressive.”
Two club members—Juraj, K9Force club helper, and Angie, K9 massage therapist —accompanied Isabella on her Czech adventures. For those who had to stay behind, Team Cobra’s participation was life-streamed across the globe.
The challenges of competing on an international stage were not lost on the team as Isabella kept us updated with daily messages. At the National Czech Championship unnecessary points were lost. But, it was this very adversity that highlighted the strength of team Cobra’s bond. Dorota: “The journey to CACIT showcased Team Cobra’s resilience and camaraderie, overcoming challenges with a unified spirit and unwavering commitment to excellence.”
Adam reflected on the emotional impact of seeing Team Cobra compete on such a grand stage. “Witnessing Isabella and Cobra preparing and competing in the Czech Republic evoked an overwhelming sense of pride and joy. The way they overcame difficulties and obstacles, pushing through with even more vigour and determination, was truly awe-inspiring.”
The National Championship was a bit of a challenge to follow from afar. The websites were in Czech language and the organization did not provide live-streaming. But we had our own reporter on site. Juraj life-streamed Team Cobra with his iPhone and we watched them in the middle of the Calgary night. English websites and live-streaming on working-dog.com made the second event, the CACIT, much more accessible. Although Czech Republic is eight hours ahead, many of us were watching the livestream of the Obedience and Protection routines. The CACIT award ceremony started at noon Calgary time. Gathered in the K9Force club house, we all felt very proud seeing Isabella on the podium receiving the High in Obedience trophy.”
Isabella and Cobra’s success in the Czech Republic was not only a personal victory. Their achievements were shared by us all at K9Force. Dorota: “We are proud to have Isabella as our coach, learning from all the experiences she readily shares.” Participating at international level surely brings in another dimension, and we are looking forward to implementing Team Cobra's experiences into our training.
K9Force (2024, August). Watching Team Cobra from Afar: Reflections from the Home Team
© K9Force WDC 2024. For permission to reproduce any article in this blog, contact info@k9force.ca
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