I turned nine in February 2005. Janet and I decided that it was time to go for one of the Big Titles. The Big Title I was closest to was the NADAC NATCH, so we set out to accomplish that. During my agility career, I had often injured myself jumping and would have to sit out for weeks, sometimes months at a time. I remember one time in particular, turning at a right angle off the dog walk and crashing a triple jump on my way to the weavepoles. Janet had to carry me off the course, which was embarrassing for me.

At some point in 2004, Janet decided that I shouldn't jump 22 inches in USDAA and, besides, the 6'3" A-frame hurt my back. So I was pretty much only doing NADAC that year anyway. When we counted it all up, it turned out I had one gamblers leg and four jumpers legs to go for the NATCH. Lynn and Yola helped us a lot with gamblers. Yola is a really good gambler so I took some inspiration from her. I don't like to gamble very much because I don't like to get too far away from Janet. We took some lessons with Mary Jo which were fun, except I had to share the hour with Fiona. Sharing with Fiona is never fun for me!

But, back to the NATCH. In the spring of 2005, at the LEAP trial in March I got my final gamble leg. The gamble was jump, jump and out to the weaves. I had a lot of momentum off the jumps. I didn't mind going out to the weaves because as I did, I came back toward where Janet was standing. That gamble leg was sweet because I realized I would never have to gamble again unless I wanted to!

At that same trial, I also got 3rd and Q in Jumpers. Janet and I were more confident that a NATCH was possible, but now things got pretty tense as well as exciting. It was getting harder to keep the bars up and make time because I had to spin around to see where Janet was and because sometimes my back legs would be a little tired.

On 19 June in Granby, there was a SoBAD trial and I got 2nd and Q in Jumpers. Now we were down to just two jumpers legs to go. Every time I ran a jumpers course, I could feel how nervous Janet was. Over the Fourth of July at Bogee I couldn't get a leg to save my life - except in the games which were easy and fun for me - no jumps involved! Janet treated me to a massage from Wolfsong, but I dropped the final bar in my otherwise perfect Jumpers run. Janet cried. I felt worried. Luckily, Fiona always took the pressure off me. She was so wild and crazy on her courses that no matter what I did, I looked good compared to her!

In August we all drove to Colorado and on the way home stopped in Oklahoma City for a NADAC trial. On the first run of the first day I got a Jumper's Q. Now only one left!

At the end of September, at the ASCNE trial in Westfield I finally got it. It wasn't beautiful - as I ran past the final jump and had to come back around. Luckily it was electronic timing, so that didn't count against me. Janet cried again, but this time it was the good kind of crying. We ran around the ring for a victory lap, which was fun, though a bit embarrassing. The Wigglebottom lady gave me a huge cookie-cigar all for myself and —