Show Results

Bretford Easter show 07/04/12
Saturday - weather pretty rubbish, grey and rainy - I promised Becca we would go home if it rained! Teal ran the G7 Jumping and loved it - she had so much fun, but she isn't right sadly, her stride is short and although she doesnt appear to be in pain, she isn't 'right' - so we pulled her out of the rest of her classes and will get her to the Osteopath asap.

Chewy was foot perfect in her C4-5 Agility, but with an early running order we didn't bother to look where she was ...
Then Chewy hit the tyre on her G4 Agility - it pulled loose of the pegs, fell on her back and rolled her over, as well as being pulled several yards :((
Thank heavens for the new soft tyre - she picked herself up and was right as rain- no fault on the judge or course design, it was just impossible to peg because they were just lifting out. No harm done anyway :-)
To cheer us up Becca then heard that she had won he combined 4/5 Agility - by 2.7 seconds! And 3rd place was 5 seconds behind them! A convincing win then Chewy ;)
Katyweasel had the first pole in agility - a lovely run though, with independant contacts, she worked well :-) The jumping was a really good run, she had a pole down but she ran well and I was pleased with her :-)
With CVA members also doing well, it was a lovely morning (we came home at 1.30!! Wet and dogs at home!) and we are back tomorrow :-)

Easter Sunday - Katy ran first in C1-3 Jumping, and did a nice run, very wide turns but lots of good bits too :-) Shame to have a pole down as I liked this course for her a lot! She then had C1-3 Agility, she was super, I just got caught off guard when she turned really tight!! So was a little out of place, and Katy being Katy, 'helped out' by showing me a trick or two lol. Beautiful contact position on the 'up' off the seesaw Katyweasel! Shame we weren't quite meant to do that - but very good! So we ran with an E again - but some really really nice bits :-) Then her last jumping, she was a little wild in this one, 2 poles - but at least she is driving on, confident and having fun! There are a lot worse things to be doing wrong at this stage and I am very excited about my funny little speckley dog!

Chewy was also rather clever today, no clears, but fantastic runs, just one mistake in each. I really think she works like her 'big sister' Teal - but with a bit more speed and a little less power! Lots of people saying this weekend how alike they are - both very smooth and tight :-)
All in all, very pleased with the girls this weekend, and had a lovely couple of days out too :-) Courses we ran were enjoyable and friends were good fun! Well Done everyone (Cherwell Valley Club had a rather good weekend, so Congratulations all!)

Border Collie Club of GB 18/3/12

Always a bit of a gamble, entering an outdoor show so early on in the year! However, it has been so dry this year - we thought we would be ok :-)
Oops! It tipped it down and the ground was not great, a real shame as it is a happy friendly show, the courses we ran were good - some testing but all fair and enjoyable :-)

We took Wren - who in G4/5 jumping did 1-5 beautifully, 6 was weaves and she pretended she has never seen a weave pole in her life, 7-10 was lovely, 11 required a bit of brakes so she didn't bother with that one, but 12-18 was again very fast, very keen and much enjoyed by her naughty self! She squeals all the way round, disgraceful little brown dog, but she does love it so much and just cannot contain herself. One day she will remember me while she is in the ring, she managed it a couple of times last year but then my knee stopped me running, and strangely no-one else offered to run her......lol
Chewy - wow! She had a pole in the jumping with the fastest course time of the day! Super little dog, she will have a good year I think! She was looking brill too in the agility, but Becca got a little out of position and pushed her over an extra jump - E but again a lovely run, she has really settled over the winter and we look forward to the summer shows!
Katy - she was such a good girl :-) I had some good luck in her first ever run - I was told to start by the scrime, so I left her in a wait and walked out - I turned to release her and the judge shouts 'stop' so instead of releasing her I walked back and released her to her toy! Left the ring for a minute or two while they re-pegged the tunnel, and then set her up again :-) So her first ever start-line wait and I was able to reward it :-) She worked very well too, she slipped and knocked a pole, but it didn't bother her really, her contacts were super, stopping beautifully and waiting for her release, she worked on when I sent her - all very positive! Her jumping run was going so well - all we had left to do was a right turn and 2 jumps home, I said close go go - she turned right, spotted a pipe tunnel somewhere over the other side of the course - and went! Had to laugh, she was such a good girl :-) So she got an E but she will have her day I think!

Barking Mad - 15th October
Katyweasel's debut!! To say I was nervous is a bit of an understatement! I was terrified lol....KW is a funny little dog, she is quite herdy, has loads of 'eye', she can spook at the strangest things - she is hugely affectionate to people she loves (ie everyone she knows!), but she is very wary of people she doesn't know...
So, her first show, first time indoors, first full course, first time on sand, first time with a judge.... all these things seemed impossible hurdles for Katy I thought - she would spook at dogs/judge/pole pickers - or she would freeze by my legs with her eyes popping out - or she would just walk round - or she would belt round and be uncontrollable with excitement, breaking waits/contacts/missing weaves....
She was a really really good girl! Her start line waits were all sound, her weaves and contacts were all perfect, she worked a bit slower than she does, but she tried her heart out and was by no means slow! Some 'bits' she did were just incredible - so a pole down in C3-5 Agility was all, she was having a super clear round in the NBC (nothing but collie!) jumping, until she ran past the last but one jump lol. We got E'd as I just sent her to her toy and played, her concentration just slipped but she is only a baby! C3-5 jumping was too hard a course for her, so we went in to do a few pieces of it rather than the whole thing,smartie pants KW figured out, after 2 runs, that her toy was after the timer posts - so belted off over no 1 jump again half way round looking for her toy! Clever speckly!! We carried on and she did some really good stuff, another run I was pleased with :-) I do think this little dog is going to be hard work, but she is worth it, I loved running her so much!

We also had Teal and Chewy with us for Becca to run, Teal was brilliant - think they got E'd in each run but she was definitely on form :-) really fired up and she is so smooth and fast and neat, just an amazing dog :-)) we have a training plan for doodle this winter, and we are really going to train and work her, so next year we can hopefully do this fantastic blue bear justice!
Chewy was also amazing - she has suddenly just 'grown up' and decided that agility isn't 'fun' - it is deadly serious and the most important thing to her! She is very fast, very neat and very exciting! Again, I don't think she was clear, a back jump in one agility class, slipped weave in jumping,pole in NBC - one little mistake with the majority looking impressive :-)
Teal and Chewy were also entered in the Laser Pairs heat - the first heat for next years final - and they qualified so that is that done at the first attempt!
All in all, we had a really good day, love running the dogs we have, they are all so easy to be with, yet so keen, we are so looking forward to next year competing with our team of girls :D

9th/10th July
Bretford and Chipping Norton shows
Well all the dogs came with us on Saturday, Katy was measured into large (no suprise there!), Tantan did a LOT of watching and judging - and was quite exhausted by home time! She is just great, I do so wish I could have her all over again!
Teal ran well, she has been having massage treatment and it seems to be working very well - 2nd in G7 Agility with a lovely run - we didn't run the c4-7 jump, then she ran past a jump in 6/7 jumping. Wren ran 19 obstacles well, and argued over 1 - but still came 2nd in G4 agility, ran 4/5 jumping really well just my error so we were quite pleased with our girls!
Sunday - flip!! Teal and Wiz both clear in C4-7 Jumping (Wren ran behind Wiz and was shocking!! We shall quickly pass over that run lol) Teal came 3rd, Wiz 9th :-)
Then both 'big' girls in 6/7 agility - Wiz missed her 'on' contact on the dog walk, Tealy missed hers on the A frame :/ Nice runs though! 6/7 Jumping, Wiz made a small mistake but Tealy was brill and won it by over 1/2 second - just a foot perfect run - well done doodle!!
Chewy - hmm, a little excited in the g1-3 agility, she should stop on the floor by the contacts - and technically she did - but Becca seemed to think that nearly under the next jump was a bit cheeky.........hence one E for Chewy :S
Then 1-3 jumping, a speed ourse and Chewy ran ok to come 6th :-) Then her last run, C1-3 agility (an Alpha challenge qualifier)- she was super, a lovely neat run, nice posiitive contacts, a 1st place and so now it's G4 for Chewy!
Wren was a bit of a handful in g4/5 jumping, we got E'd (!!) but super in the 4/5 agility - she won it so now she is G5!
Lots of work to do with the 'babies' yet, but we are so happy and proud of them :-) What fun!!

PADS 4th June

In a nutshell- the dogs went well - not so the handlers!
I ran Teal in the G7 jumping and pushed her round the back of a jump but she was going really well and I don't think she noticed as I recovered brilliantly (years of practise ha ha ha) and so she thought she won that :) Then I ran Wren in C4/5 Agility - her first time in G4. I loved the course, thought it was just right for the level - she ran it like a dream, but I pulled her past the last but 1 jump - another E :( I cheered up though because a friend won it, his wife later told me Wren had a faster time, as this was a combined class I am very pleased :D Always another day and she is so much fun!
We ran a team - Wren and I, Chewy and Becca, Phoenix and Diane and Sarah and Max, which was a bit mad but lots of fun!
Becca had a clear with Wiz in 6/7 agility but held her contacts for about half an hour.....lol Teal jumped off her A frame to belt over to Wiz who was queing - I stopped her going but this is very much 'work in progress'...Teal is obsessed with Wiz! I managed to get her to finish the course so that was an improvement.
Chewy is having her 'I can't possibly weave' stage, and either came out at 10 or slipped no 2 - she had a clear with me in C1-3 Jumping but really made it apparent that she wasn't impressed with me handling her, however I worked hard and we came 15th :-) She ran much better for Becca later and really did try - lovely fast contacts and concentrated too, funny that lol
Lastly (luckily as it nearly killed all 4 of us!) Becca with Wiz and myself with Teal managed to come 2nd in the Lazer Pairs knockout and so qualified for the final in August - such a fun class!

Dordale 30th April/1st May

Not a bad weekend, although Tealy and Becca collided in their first run of the weekend, so that was Teals first AND last run, she was definitely sore on Saturday so left her at home on Sunday! So down to 3 dogs, Wiz on Saturday was a bit over-excited, her best run was a pole down in G7 Agility. Sunday was better, again a pole in G7 Agility but a super run, in C4-7 Agility, she sort of fell down the dog walk, so although she got the contact it was a little bit messy, Becca stopped her A Frame (because she had forgotten to change sides!) so 7th was a nice result for this run - and it was a clear round anyway! C4-7 Jumping Wiz did exactly what Becca told her to do - but sadly it wasn't quite in the order the judge required......lol
Wren was a good girl, Saturday we were 2nd in C1-3 Agility (Max and Sarah were 3rd!), it was a day of 1st pole down though, not like Wren to knock poles... Sunday was better - although the first run (G3 Jumping) she knocked the 1st pole :S I decided that because all these starts required the dog to start at an angle, I was 'placing' her in a sit, and walking out. I always just walk her up and let her position herself, she usually stands. With this in mind, G3 Agility had an angled start too, so I just walked her up, took her lead off, said wait and walked out - sure enough, she corrected herself over the 1st and kept it up :D I love starting new dogs, there is so much to learn about each other! Despite 3 very wide turns, she still came 5th in this so I was very pleased. She also came 5th in the C1-3 agility, so a good day for pickle!
Chewy also had a good weekend, 4th in G3 Jumping on Saturday, 4th in C1-3 agility Sunday (yes yes yes, beating Wren and I by 0.1!) Her G3 Jumping on Sunday was a brilliant run, knocking 2 poles but her time was amazing - she is really looking good for the future.

WBSDS 22/23rd April

How hot was this weekend?! Just loving the sun, but not great for the dogs :-( We spent our time just trying to keep them cool. As Becca and I went together we could obviously queue for one another, while the other kept the dog in the shade,a blessing in this weather!
First time for our dogs on the rubber surface contacts, not one of them seemed to notice! I like them, can feel an urge to own coming on lol.....
Anyway the girls did really well - lots of clears and places, best were a 4th with Teal, and Wren and I actually held it together for 27 seconds, and WON G3 Agility - so that's her into G4:-) Well Done Pickle, I was hoping to do that this season - she hasn't had a lot of training yet, and we have an awful lot of work still to do - for instance, in G3 Jumping today,running quite well and she suddenly ran off to inspect the number to the side of the weaves! Giddy kipper!
Chewy was good - clears and places in jumping, she had a faulted Jumping class today that was just amazing :O She just belted round and Becca had a wobble which pulled her off a jump - never mind - this was a 'wow' run! Becca is holding all her contacts in agility classes as she isn't confident yet, they still managed a 10th today in G3 agility so it's all looking quite promising! Wren also had a 6th in G3 agility - I need to work on her seesaw, she stops on the other two contacts if I say to, but not this one....I will think about this! Wiz enjoyed her days out (lol) and so a fab couple of days out in the sun with our girls :-)

Wallingford 17th April

Teal and Wiz were first to run in the G7 Jumping, loved the course, lots to think about but not 'naggy'! Teal and I got E'd but she ran well, Wizzy knocked a pole but again ran really well - some of the 'bits' they did were just wicked :-)
Then it was the 'babies' turn, G3 Jumping, a lovely open course, with a fair bit of subtle handling required - Chewy started off steady but halfway through the weaves decided she could do this, and went round beautifully, clear and lovely! Wren (much to my suprise) managed to listen too - we ended up with Wren 2nd and Chewy 3rd - 0.1 between them!
We had a pairs run where Wiz took a pole and Teal did something odd (still not quite sure how!) and somehow jumped a pole then came back under it and shot off as if nothing had happened lol, the 'babies' had a pairs run too, Wren was back to normal though and just ran off doing whatever she fancied :/, Wiz was brilliant in her G7 agility - E'd but brilliant - it was a pleaseure to watch her actually, she was soooo happy to be back in the ring, totally off her rocker and screaming, but she just made us (and lots of other people!) smile at her enthusiasm and that's what it's all about lol. Teal went lame - she somehow picked up a thorn in her pad - we got it out but it was about 1/2 inch long and she was limping, so she didn't run the agility. Chewys agility was ok, she missed the weave entry (V hard) and her contacts need a lot of work yet, but all in all it was a lovely day :-)

February 2011

Thought we should dust off our running shoes and get out to a show :-)
So we entered Chewy, Wren, Teal and Wiz at Barking Mad. Chewys' first show ever, first time indoors ever, first time doing 20 obstacles ever....lol Teal and Wiz haven't done anything since august/september last year, and Wren has come off her pups on the 'porky' side of fit - so we weren't expecting anything, but hoping for some good 'bits'!
Faults for both g7 girls in their first agility class, Wiz didn't see the seesaw and got 5r, and Teal ducked out of it and also got 5r! Both very nice runs though,in their second agility Wiz was fab, just took a pole but a brilliant run, Teal was super - a nice clear and a win for us :D
In the only jumping that we ran, both got E'd, we are easily bored lol
So, the 'young uns'...well no clears for Chewy, she ran 2 agility classes and one jumping, and did really well. A little bit over excited, and Becca asked her to lie down and breathe once or twice (lol), but all in all she looked good, just a bit dizzy and that's better than worried!
Wren had 4 runs, she turned the wrong way in her first jumping, and just ran round while I stood still calling Wren here, Wren here (which made me giggle, she was like ''where now where now where now oh this way'' lol) but her other 3 runs were pretty cool :D
I stopped her on all of her contacts, I have noticed that since the pups, she has decided that she can just run off them, but I beg to differ :S
So, Wrens idea of a compromise is to walk to the bottom and sulk, and despite loads of fuss and play from me, at home we either have good fast contacts which she bombs off of, or slow dull ones which she stops on. Not great. So I was dead pleased with her today, nice speed with a stop offered each time too, so all I had to do was tell her she's good and clever and release her!
She won one and came 2nd in the other agilitys, and was 2nd in the jumping too :)) She worked really well, and was great fun, thanks Pickle!

Letchworth , 4th September

What a super day :-) Lovely to catch up with people we hadn't seen for ages, we met with Karen,Charlotte and Pink (who seemed quite pleased to see us!) and all in all had a lovely day!
Wren stayed at home as she is in season, Teal had another day of running with Becca and I, which can't be easy for her but again she was a total star, 2/3 clears.Teal and I had a 4th in the Mixi pairs with partners Cheryl and Misiu poodley, Teal and Becca came 2nd in G7 Agility - with held contacts too :-) One E, and that was with me, but it was a fantastic run so we are well pleased with our Doodle :D
I had entered Wizzy here too, so we took her (expecting a mad hooligan!) and she was fab too! No clears but she had a brill time in G7 jumping with a pole down (yes, we looked because she hasn't competed for months), the other two runs both good with a little wobble!

Derby 31st July

Had Wren in 3 classes, and Teal in 4, with just myself handling them both.
Wrens' G3 agility was a nice course, her A Frame was rubbish - I said 'wait' and she did - half way down :S, and she ran out at 10 weaves over the next jump so an 'E', but the rest was OK!
Her 1-4 Agility run was brilliant, we were docked on our A Frame, can only assume it was the 'on' contact as she was waiting at the bottom for me, a shame but that's the way it goes I guess! Win some lose some :-)

Teal was a space-cadet! This does tend to happen when I run her lol. I think she gets a tad over-excited! So an E in her 6/7 Agility - it was a tricky course and I have to say, she was brilliant, she just powered off and I was left miles behind, trying to salvage a tricky handling sequence from 2 jumps back - NOT going to happen!Then an E in 5-7 Agility, this course she really was a bit headstrong and just did what she wanted! Then in 6/7 Jumping, she was so overcome that she couldn't do flat tunnel-jump, she had to spin and twist past the wing of the jump, she then came out at 10 weaves, then back jumped a wall........
Hmm.
Thankfully, the last run of the day was the small/mixi pairs, the reason we had entered this show, and we managed a double clear with Cheryl and Misiu-poodley, and another 2nd place :D
It was a nice day though, despite the 'nearly' runs!

Axstane 19th June

Just had Teal and Wren entered here - a difficult day for Teal as she was running with both of us and we handle her totally differently!
First run was Wrens G3 agility - I really liked this course, thought it was just right for G3 and was looking forward to running it :) Wren was super - but for some reason I changed my mind completely about how to handle it as I ran, and did a neat little reverse turn (ha ha ha) before the dog walk - turned round and somehow the dog walk had moved!! Lol, I managed to locate it off to the left of me and we carried on :) She really did work well and despite my poor handling, we still came 3rd! Bless her, good girl Pickle!

Then I ran to the mini/mixi pairs, where Becca and my partner (Cheryl with her mini poodle Misiu) were queuing, swapped dogs and off I went with Tealy! She was a super girl, neat and smooth and Misiu also went clear - we finished in 2nd place so a good start for us in this points accumulator.

Then Wren had a C3/4 Jumping, she whipped round a jump on a very tight turn, my fault as she has never done this before, and it didn't occur to me that she would, so I wasn't there to prevent it! She was a tad wild in this class, but I admire a bit of spirit!
Her last run was C1-3 jumping - the course was very nice, but she never really got going - it was the best '3rd run of the day' that she has done, but the last run always seems to lack something with her - she is listening much better but I think I prefer the naughty one in the middle ;) Anyway, she went round sweetly enough and we finished in 9th place.

Teal had 3 more classes, she was going so well in one of the jumping classes, and just missed out the last but one jump :( Becca was just not quite able to prevent it! However it was a super run and we were pleased with it. Her G7 agility was another super run, she finished in 2nd place.
Her other jumping run was a very interesting course, again I liked it a lot and as Becca decided she didn't - I ran Teal again. We were E'd and she was rather over excited (lol) but it was fun!
So another good fun day although it was freezing!

Thames 12/13th June

Just Teal and Wren today, Becca ran Teal first and had a rather 'interesting' G6/7 Agility run with her ;) Tealy was in orbit somewhere in outer space and had a super time, Becca was mortified and left as quickly as was possible! Lol
Their next run was a bit better - Champ Jumping and apart from a tricky bit where Becca (quite rightly) insisted on Teal coming right back to her, they ran it well and they finished in 10th :)
Sadly an 'E' in the Champ Agility, a lot more work needed - Teal is a brilliant dog who gets literally no training, just a run around to keep fit, yet she does her best every time we take her out and is our super star!
Wren - hmm, today she decided to show us what she can do if she so wishes, and had a super run in the G3 jumping - a very fast course, she was really wide (but such is Wren) but she still listened and worked her little white socks off! Was very pleased to finish in 2nd place - she then ran a very nice C3-5 Agility, I couldn't quite bring myself to push her and took the 'safe' way round once or twice, and was very suprised to finish in 7th place :D
Well Done Pickle!
Her G3 agility was her worst run of the day, she didn't want to wait at the start, and I did want her to, she then slipped on the dogwalk - not off but just sort of along it, and then she twinkled round the rest of it! I think she finished about 12th but it was another clear - and as I sent her into a flat tunnel, I wondered when/if she had ever been through one before......
As I say, she does need some practise ;)

PADS 6th June

I was judging here, and Becca had Teal and Wiz entered.
Judging went well, I liked how all my classes ran (Adams Derby/M C3-5 Ag/S, M & L C6/7 Ag) weather was good, ring party super - enjoyed our day very much.
Thank you PADS!
Becca also had a pretty good day, Teal came 2nd in G7 Jumping, and 2nd in my class (which makes a change, Becca usually gets E'd in my classes!), and Wiz came 2nd in C6/7 Jumping (but had about 4 E's in my class LOL). Not able to comment more as obviously I didn't even see the courses let alone watch them run!

Packington

Entered both days but we only did the Monday, Wiz and Teal only had one run (a helter skelter) each, Wiz got 5f and Teal came 4th.
Wren had 3 runs, G3 Jumping and Becca ran her, very open spaced out course, she flew round actually, just didn't pick up the weaves which is unlike her as she usually has a very good entry, then she knocked a pole but it wasn't a bad run.
Then I took her in the KC Novice Olympia - waaayy too much for her, however, she always suprises me so I decided to run her anyway....
It was way too much for her lol
Good points were - she was fast, enthusiastic and her contacts and start line wait were all super.
Unfortunately everything else was pretty bad lol - she was like a wild animal, she just helped herself to jumps left right and centre, back jumped all of the pull throughs, went in the weaves when she shouldn't have, came out at 10 and just did a few more jumps....... so naughty and so pleased with herself when I eventually managed to get her out! She really thought she had been great ;)
So, I went into her last run (C1-7 Helter Skelter) and thought she would be the same, she was as good as gold, and did what I asked her immediately - which totally threw me as I was sure she would ignore me and I got her E'd!
Lol, oh dear one day we might get it right!

Dordale 1st May

Just me today, as Becca decided to stay home and do college work.
So off I went with Teal and Wren, feeling somewhat like a novice as I hadn't run a dog in competition since September last year, and have hardly run Teal (even in training) for about two years!

Anyway, much to my relief I found that I could just about think how to get Wren round her courses, G3 Jumping she was ok, she knocked a pole but her time was good.
In the C1-3 Jumping she was so sweet, it was a huge open 'blast' and a lovely course to run her round, too quick for her little legs but she still managed a 9th place :)
Her G3 Agility was a very nice run, she was marked 5f on her A Frame contact, a shame as she had a fast time - ah well, win some lose some!

Teal's G7 Agility was a nice course, but we managed to make a pig's ear of it! She was so utterly delighted to be in the ring with me again, and just charged around showing off! Dreadful behaviour for a G7 dog!! We really must try and be a little more serious about this .....
C4-7 Jumping was a lovely straightforward course, she was much more settled in this and went round as good as gold, and we came 6th :)
G7 jumping - a very straightforward course, however I managed to muck that up too - but Tealy didn't notice so we pretended to her that she did in fact win that one ;)

A good fun day out anyway, even if the results could have been a bit better lol.

Wallingford 17th April

Judging again here, this time doing Laser Pairs Knockout, alongside Charlie Wyatt - what a great fun class this is! I designed a fast and furious course (with room for error!) which Charlie set up really well the night before, it ran well and we saw some brilliant runs!
Next class was G5 jumping - course wasn't hard but there were one or two areas that needed some concentration from the handler - lots of clears but not many very smooth ones! A full size long jump as no.2 caught a lot of dogs, although there were 6 paces from no.1 so lots of time to 'set up' for it. Mind you, a 'snake' of two jumps and a pipe tunnel took it's toll too, with several dogs ignoring the middle jump to nip into the pipe entrance instead!
Winner was a super run, the top 3 or 4 were all very good and will have their day!
Becca had Teal in 2 classes, but got E'd near the end of G7 jumping and didn't run the Agility as we were too busy playing with the 'pups' (Pink, Max and Phoenix)!
Lovely sunny, happy day, thank you Wallingford!

''Easter Celebration'' 3rd/4th April

A really enjoyable weekend spent down at Ardingly, we camped Friday and Saturday night,as we were competing on the Saturday, and I was judging on the Sunday.
Woke up during the first night when Teal jumped up on me, and landed IN my left eye - 'Ouch' seemed rather inadequate, but it was the middle of the night and didn't want to wake everyone else up...
Anyway, come morning I was sporting a black eye (plus cut just above eyebrow), and my neck was killing me as the 5 Border Collies sharing the bed had cleverly left the drafty bit for me..... As Becca laughed a lot, I got my own back and gave her Wren to run for the day!
Teal and Wren both had 3 runs, Teal had 2 clears and an E, she didn't run very well though, not sure why, her KC Agility was going well, but then she came off the dog walk and there was a simple box of jumps to do to finish, but she just nearly stopped around them for some reason - maybe she thought she had already finished or something? So just a low place there, she got a 9th (think it was G7 Jumping) but to be honest, if we want to be very competitive, we need to train more! She is such a brilliant dog, she always gives her all and is so pleased with herself afterwards bless her!
Wren did well, her first class was Agility, she ran round sweetly enough until the seesaw, when she just stopped! Luckily she didn't jump off, and Becca was able to run back to her and persuade her to just do the rest of it, and the 3 jumps home to finish! She still came 5th so may have had a trophy if not for that.
She had one very nice jumping round, handler error meant a 5r, but then Wren got a bit giddy so ended up being E'd on the way to the finish and the other jumping run was not so good - between jumps 13 and 14 Wren decided she really doesn't do agility with Becca, so........ she stopped. Despite Becca's best efforts (and through her giggles) Pickle could not be encouraged over even one more jump, so a quick U-turn and dash for lead and play at the finish line was the end of Wren and Becca's day.
Sunday I was judging - the ring was actually bigger than I was expecting and my courses just needed some slight adjustments to fit. I was doing Grades 1-5, so I wanted lots of space to run, rather than tight and tricky! First up was Large C1/2 Helter Skelter - I may be old fashioned (lol) but I do like a Helter Skelter to go round and round! I tried to make it very fast and flowing,and to need some control and Handler awareness too - the winners made it look easy and it was won by a magnificent Belgian Shepherd (Malinois) - I was very impressed with this dog and think they will go far! Everyone seemed to enjoy it, I had to help a couple of people find the way out as they got a bit stuck going around - one lady was very apologetic but I assured her I once got stuck in a Helter Skelter course for (what felt like) two weeks before I found the way out, so hopefully she saw the funny side and will attempt another one one day! Special mention to the lady with her Gordon Setter, only their second show I believe, they went clear to their obvious delight - and a reminder to me that this is really what it is all about - a very happy dog and owner having fun.
Medium G1-5 next, I found this quite hard to call, there is a huge difference between a G1 at their first show, and a G5 dog with a G7 handler! I decided to forget 'grades' and think (old fashioned again) 'novice' - again a fast flowing course that needed some handling and an eye on the dog to keep the right line. I think it went well, obviously pretty easy for the G5 dogs handlers, but the majority of handlers had a really good go at it, and I saw some super dogs. Always nice to see people so delighted with their rosette too!
Lastly Large G2 Jumping, again some really super dogs/handlers and some of these are definitely going to go far! The same BSD Malinois won this course as well, again a fantastic run, 2nd place a super BC, both did the most super handling into and out of the weaves, I set this up carefully so that there were a dozen different ways it could be handled, and both of these handlers took the shortest, quickest way - but it needed a good weave entry from the dog (and self control from the handler!) to get it right.
Ring party were great - nearly 400 dogs and we were finished,packed up and all presentations done by 3.30pm. A very enjoyable day, with lots of humour and some downright giggly moments when I had to hide under my scarf, the 'GO' stick certainly wasn't dull!

''Barking Mad'' 2nd January

We were both judging, but due to a little mix up, we ended up judging one of 'each others' courses! This meant that Wren had two NFC runs, as Becca was judging a course I designed, and I was judging one that Becca had designed, so in the C3-5 agility that I designed but Becca judged (lol) Wren was really nice, she knocked a pole but it was a super run, in the C3-5 Jumping - her only competition run! - again she knocked a pole, but she didn't run well in this class, an early call off a pipe tunnel kind of took the edge off her (I should have let her go in to keep her buzzing - my mistake), and in the C3/4 jumping Becca ran her, but NFC as Becca had designed the course, anyway she had a refusal as Becca asked her to come tight around a wing - and Wren turned off the jump, but apart from that she ran well (and I used a big indoor ring for lots of running in this class!) All in all, very pleased with her, loads more to do but she is starting to look quite nice now.
Wiz had her first ever Anysize class as we are trying to bring her back to full fitness, she enjoyed herself very much and came home with the 1st place.
Teal was as good as ever, she only did 2 runs due to us judging/scriming, she had a 2nd in C6/7 Agility, and E'd in the Jumping, but that was handler error - not Teal error!

'Trent Park' 20th September

Well, we both felt pretty rough - I owned up to mine being self inflicted, but as I felt worse and worse through the week, I think I may actually have been genuinely unwell!
Anyway, Laser pairs and for once it wasn't Teal and I that messed up, Wiz has clearly never been taught to weave, and therefore it was unrealistic of Becca to ask her to do so. Ahem.
Moving on, Wiz knocked a pole in C6/7 jumping, Becca ran both her and Teal in this, but felt really bad and didn't work either of them as well as she wanted to, Teal came 7th but never really got going. I ran them both in the C6/7 Agility, Wiz got 5 on her dog walk - I thought she was stopped on it, but it appears she stopped 'over' it - it happens, she is a big girl, so we trained the rest and super she was too, good girl Bear! Then I ran Teal and was totally rubbish, I gave the wrong commands a couple of times, was in the wrong place a couple of times, and generally completely mucked it up. Poor dog, she didn't seem to mind at all though, she still thought she was the best (and we still think she is too!)

Wren had two G3 classes, and ran ok, not as good as at Letchworth, but not too badly. She had a nice run and came 4th in the Agility, and missed the weave entry in the jumping, so was E'd, but a good run apart from that . Her weave entry is pretty good, but this was a bit tricky and I never really expected her to get it - she has a big long jump and she landed past the first pole, she did her best and that's all anyone can ask. Hopefully we will work on how long she jumps over the winter - it's great for big open helter skelters and the like, but not for twisty fiddly bits.........

'Pedigree Pairs Final' 6th September

Back up to Stoneleigh to take part in this final today

In the singles 'warm up' jumping class, both girls knocked a pole, but their times were very good and so we hoped we could do ok......

Becca's main worry was that Wiz would be uncontrollable! She can get a 'bit' over excited , but all I could think of was that Teal & I have a 100% result of E's in Finals! Yep - every single final we have been in together, we have been E'd in. So................

Becca and Wiz had a super clear, Teal and I got E'd LOL.
Teal, for whatever reason, went in the 2nd pole of the weaves (straight - easy entry ) and so we got E'd as we carried on. Although she then just belted off to kiss Wiz and tell her how well she was doing, before jumping the last on her way back to me to carry on being so 'special' I do have to smile at her, she is decidedly an odddog! Becca, thankfully, kept a sense of humour too, and the girls thought they were just fab. To ease our sorrow, it was won by a couple that we train, and well deserved it was too.

All in all, another good afternoon spent around agility - gosh, it that 3 days in a row for me? I will need two weeks off to recover!

''Letchworth'' 5th September

We took Wiz, Teal and Wren today, with 3 classes each.
Wiz in G7 Jumping, was going great guns, but a jump was away on her left (her blind side), we knew she would struggle to pick it up and she did, but the rest was nice - just one of those things. Her G7 Agility was nice, it was an 'interesting' course (lol) and she and Becca did well to finish 2nd, her head was all over the place! Then Mini/Mixi pairs (why we entered this show really) - and she took an unplanned detour around the 'mini' side of the course on her way round.........
Teal was a good girl in G7 Jumping, a couple of wide (for Teal!) turns but a very nice run and she finished in 2nd place. In G7 agility she turned the wrong way a few times, and didn't want to do a few of the (large amount of!!) pull throughs, and so was clear but very scrappy. C6/7 Agility, and she wasn't going to do any more pull throughs today, thank you very much and so got a big fat E in that .

Wren was fab, she had 3 x E's, but wow did that little dog run! She just slipped one weave pole in G3 agility, carried on so an E - but it was won in 30 plus seconds and she did it in 28 :) Then C3-5 Agility, a simple mistake of mine and a late call, another E (but did all 12 weaves this time lol), and then G3 Jumping...........This course had me really thinking. It was harder than the G7! Anyway, despite being designed for a very tight/steady dog, I decided to give it a go, and just keep her happy around it, and do whatever took our fancy! She was super, she ran really well and worked really hard - and this was hard for a long jumping/baby dog who has been taught to work forward - she was clear until right at the end when she again slipped the last weave so another E (I don't see the point in correction, and never do it, a missed weave/contact is my fault and needs more training at home I feel) But... I was really very pleased with all of her runs today, she flew round and I am thrilled with her :D

All in all a good day, all dogs were working well and we enjoyed good company too

'Olympia Semi Final' 4th September

Becca and Teal qualified for this Semi-Final at Stoneleigh, this is the 3rd time Teal has been to this venue for an Olympia Semi - not bad for a 3year old! The first year she was in the 'Novice' semi, last year was the 'Senior', and so we had fingers crossed for third time lucky.

Teal hasn't been quite on form lately, so we didn't really know how she would work, but needn't have worried - she was her usual cool self, and went round so smoothly, they had a running order of 6th/20, Becca kept her nerve and they went into 2nd place. Now it was a waiting game, but while we sat and watched, Becca went off to find food (typical behaviour for Becca!) I actually had to phone her to get her back for the presentation while running to get Teal from the car for the photos myself!

They stayed in 2nd place (the top 5 go through), and so we came home very pleased with young Doodle (and young Becca!)

''KC Festival'' 15/16th August

We had actually entered Friday too, but neither of us was feeling well, so we stayed at home instead.
However, we were there Saturday and Sunday, Becca feeling better than I, so she mostly ran Teal too.
Not a very successful weekend it has to be said, Wiz wasn't running well at all on Saturday, and so Becca only did one class with her, and Teal had just the one clear (despite her best efforts to get E'd in that class too, you can see her run on our video page), which resulted in 7th in G7 Jumping.
Sunday, and Wiz was back to normal, just having a pole in each round, her G7 Agility was really super but she knocked the first pole :( Teal missed the weave in this class and had E's in her other classes, it was her turn to not work very well today - maybe it's 'puppy fever', as Chewy came with us and thoroughly enjoyed her two days out! She is so brave and bold, and pretty enough that everyone stops and speaks to her. We met up with Karen and Charlotte with Pink, also Pete and Jennie with Cola, the pups seemed very pleased to see each other and would have played all day.

''Agility Club'' 25/26th July

Saturday was Champ day - we had both Teal and Wiz entered, both got E'd in the jumping round, Becca right at the end which was a great shame. Teal and I rather earlier as I was sure she would bomb off for a tunnel, so I kept her by my side - and she managed to back jump the wall instead!
Poor Teal, I forgot how tightly she works and should have pushed her out a little.
We both fared much better in the Agility round, Becca and Wiz flew round and came 3rd, Teal and I chased them as hard as we could, but came home almost 1/2 second behind them, and finished 10th. Team - hmm, I didn't think and tried to run Teal first dog, with Becca and Wiz 2nd. Teal is awful if she can hear Wiz 'cheering' - she keeps trying to race back to her, and sure enough she jumped back towards her instead of running past, and we got E'd .
Totally my fault as I should have thought of that.
In the Crufts agility Wiz did some brilliant stuff, but knocked the long jump and a pole, Teal was clear but I sent her miles out wide, then gave up as I thought I had lost too much time, and so trained the contacts instead!
Last run of the day was our pairs run, we hadn't walked the course so we watched a few pairs run it before we went in - luckily it was a straightforward course and easy to remember! Both girls ran really well, and we were very pleased to win it, and so qualify for the final at Stoneleigh!
Funnily enough, Becca won this same class last year with Tan and her partner.
Chewy came with us for a day out, she thoroughly enjoyed herself, especially meeting her gorgeous brother Phoenix again (and he really is stunning), and she screamed support for Wizzy when she was watching her work too - I had to pick her up as she was all for joining in and helping - didn't think Becca would appreciate that .

Sunday was a less hectic day, KC Olympia - Becca ran Wiz first, and as there were no clears so far, she decided not to push, but to get good solid contacts, keep poles up and hope for a clear! She got a nice clear, so now it was wait and see When it was time to run Teal, Becca was in 4th place but nearly 2 seconds off the winning time, so she decided to push round a bit more, Teal really responded and was flying - but just nipped back in the pipe tunnel instead of past it, so an E.
Wiz finished out of the top ten, so we will have to wait and see!
Team - Wiz ran first and was clear, then Teal (learnt from yesterday lol) and she just clipped a pole - but a better result although one of our team mates did get an E - not me this time LOL. G7 agility - Teal did the oddest thing, although I watched it I have no idea why! Becca sent her to a pipe tunnel, she was running full pelt at it - and right at the entrance suddenly just slammed to a halt, her head came up, and she looked totally spooked. Have no idea why, but she wasn't happy until she was back in the car. Poor Tealy, something obviously scared her, although what is anyones guess! Wiz did something wrong in the weaves, so nothing in that class either!

I also had Wren, and was really pleased with how she ran. G3 agility had a wall after the dog walk - she nipped round the side of that and so we were E'd as I just carried on, she then flew the see-saw, which is most unlike her! Think it gave her a bit of a shock as she was most careful when I popped her back over - thank you judge for letting me carry on too - as she did a brilliant weave entry by herself, all 12 weaves and nice and quickly too. All in all, I was pleased with the way she went round - a little wild but she enjoyed herself! Her team run couldn't have been different - she was clear, and sweet, but a little bit 'airyfairy' again although her team mates all thought she looked nice so it wasn't that bad obviously! Then she had C3-5 Jumping, where you had to put them in the 'wrong end' of the tunnel - I decided I liked the course apart from that bit, so I just put her in the obvious end, hence another E, but she ran quite nicely in this too.
She is coming, slowly but surely, and the day she runs like she does at home is getting closer!