TAG

Nice show, I've not done TAG before, don't know why as it's not too far, well 2 hours away.
The ground was muddy, but the rings had been moved outside the main arena which was great as there was loads of space
I helped on a ring most of the day with Deb and Dani, not many helpers that day :(

Ruger ran his first agility run, I was really pleased as I thought it was a clear, judge was clapping as we left the ring and a few people said Well Done, turns out he had 5f for the dogwalk contact, thought he had it, as he did stop but obviously just missed it!
He did manage a clear in the next agility class, not placed but I held him on the contacts, and he had 5f at the weaves in his other agility class with excellent contacts, so I think we are making progress. Both his jumping classes were tough, expected in 3-5 but not in 1-3. In the 3-5 he was brill and stayed, which I must admit threw me a little, but he worked the tight bit like a professional, really pleased, but the temptation to go in the tunnel instead of weaves was too much. In the 1-3 I overworked him, Ruger knew what I wanted, but the course was just one pull through too many, not a good confidence building course, tried it in training which was good, but not in competition at this level :( I was very pleased with his performance all day, he was a well behaved little Mali.

Zara did some lovely work, especially in the 4-5 Agility, fab run but knocked the last pole, aaarrrggghh not done that for a while. No clears today, but she enjoyed her 3 runs :)

Must go back to TAG, lovely show everyone friendly and a good atmosphere

Chippenham

We had two lovely days at Chippenham. On the Saturday both Zara and Ruger had clears, sadly not placed but Zara's was in a combined 1-7 jumping with a fab run. Ruger's was G3 jumping and he wasn't far off a place but we lost time as he spun round between the first jump and the weaves and didn't want to go forward. Zara ran a G4-7 Agility course that was quite tough and amazingly she got faulted on the weaves by coming out at no.10, but went clear on the rest of the course, typical. Ruger managed a 2on 2off on the dogwalk without touching the contact, aaarrrrggh, the judge looked at me and apologised when he marked it with 5 faults, but he was absolutely right to do so!!
On Sunday Zara managed 15f in the ABC agility for a pole and 2 contacts, then she got 10f in her next 2 classes. Ruger was consistent with an E in all 3 runs, but I must say his stay was much better, its coming back and he got most of his contacts.
Ruger and I trained with Lee Windeatt the day before the show, and I have some new ideas to move Ruger forward with. I have written myself a training plan for the winter which I need to stick to, as Ruger does not have many shows left now this year, just TAG and Clevedon, although I may do Dig It and train in the ring.
Zara is doing well although her rate of clears is dropping, she is fit and well and probably the best she has ever been.

Hare & Hounds Autumn Show

Had a lovely day yesterday at H&H, a bit hectic with 12 runs though, and 3 courses to walk first thing. Some very interesting courses, a little different. Zara's first jumping class G4-7 made you think, lots of choices for handling, she ran it brilliantly but I went for the gamble and took the shortest route out of the tunnel, Zara went left, I went right, resulting in her going back in, rest of the run was fab though! We had one clear in jumping but unplaced and a 6th in G4 Agility with a clear. Ruger just couldn't get his head around weaves though, he ran past every set, barked at me and then did them perfectly second time!!!! so no clears. He was very well behaved around the rings, so I was very happy with that. It was a great day for K9 Skool members yesterday. Katie had her first KC show with Barley the Cairn and did 2 lovely runs, 5r in jumping for running past a jump and 5r in agility for jumping off the see-saw, but 2 fantastic runs apart from that. Christine ran Amber for her first KC show too and they were really good, Amber stayed with her, not bad considering Amber is not her dog and Christine thought she would go looking for Helen, I was really pleased with their performance. Helen and Loki got 1st place in Agility, meaning that they go up to Grade 2 at their first KC show!!!!!! Sadly I missed the run :( Ali and Chewie and Dani and Jet both had 5th places and Deb and Lassie had an 8th place. A successful day all round, Well Done everyone!!!!!!

Dig It

Well what a difference at Dig It. I was judging agility so only competed in the jumping and steeplechase. Zara ran one of her runs with 5 faults at the weaves, she got a lovely entry I said good girl and she came out :( rest of the run was lovely. Ruger ran straight past the weaves in both runs, and did a circuit round the tunnel, didn't go in it though and had 2 runs with 5 faults, both for weaves! His second run had a nice stay though, so well pleased with that. I couldn't believe it when I heard Zara's name being called out for 2nd place and then Ruger won the class!!!! The steeplechase course was nice, a proper steeplechase, fast and flowing. Zara went clear I was well pleased as it was a difficult course for her, as she likes tough naggy courses. Ruger shot off the start line so I stood in the middle and directed him more or less from there :) He went clear beating Zara by over 5 seconds. So another 1st and 2nd place. Lin and Ollie had 2 places too, in jumping and steeplechase, a 3rd and 2nd. Sharon and Ryan had a 2nd in agility. Lassie, Jet and Chewie ran some fast rounds, but just unlucky with poles down.

Dog Vegas

It was one of those shows were nothing seemed to go right. The ground was good and the layout fab, but I didn't really enjoy it. I walked Rugers first course G1-3 Agility and it was really good, the judge pitched it just right, not too difficult but not just straight up and down, we could have done well on this. Ruger leapt off the dogwalk contact so I asked the judge and put him back on for an E!!! He ran the rest of it nicely got his A frame contacts and the weaves 2nd time round but I did try distance handling. Rugers best run was 5 faults for weaves in jumping. Zara for some reason got 15 faults for contacts in agility, first time for ages she has been faulted on contacts, she even missed the up contact on the A frame :( so with a pole down too that was 20f, she's not done that for a long time! We had no clears at all probably our worst performance for a long time. Both dogs did some really good work but it was just a strange day. Deb was shocked she had 15 faults in jumping and came 2nd, 10 seconds faster than the dog that won!!!! Need more training, but the exciting news is we have a new indoor venue so we can train all winter :) :)

Love this picture of Ruger taken by Action Packed Photography, although I do need to get him to hit the floor rather than the air when he exits the see saw!

Holidays-Diamond and Devon Dogs

First time I have done Diamond Dogs and we spent 2 days there, it was a nice show. Zara had some really good runs but just unlucky with 5 faults. Ruger's best run was in Grade 3 Agility, I was a bit frustrated with his contacts as in training they are brill, so I decided to train them, he did a lovely 2o2o on the dog walk so I told him so but made him hold it for quite a while, same on A frame, he went clear and got 9th place, I was so pleased with this, looking at the times I don't think he would have made the top 3, but possibly could have got 4th, so very encouraging. The first day at Devon Dogs was very wet, so we took our time and didn't get there until lunchtime :( Meaning Zara only had one run and Ruger 2. Zara ran a nice clear but it was Combined 4-7 Jumping so she didn't get placed, but a good course lots to think about and she showed how good she can be :) Ruger had one E and a Clear in Combined 1-7 Jumping, they placed to 11th and he was 13th, so I am happy with this, his time wasn't that far off the winner. On the second day Zara had a clear in G1-4 Agility, and what would have been a clear in Jumping but she had time faults, its funny as lately some of the course times seem to be getting too tight, I agree not to allow too long, but when Zara is slow, she is still moving, I don't exactly get the chance to just jog alongside. Ruger managed 2 clears, in Com 1-3 Jumping he got 13th place and in Com 1-7 he was not placed. So a good start to the holiday with 4 days of agility, we then finished the rest of the week in Devon at The Woodleigh Guesthouse, fantastic dog friendly accommodation with an enclosed paddock for the dogs to play in. Weather was good to us and Simon's Mum and Dad joined us and my sister so we had a great time sightseeing. Then a week in South Wales. We finished our last day at The Welsh Kennel Club show, where I judged jumping. It was a lovely just one short shower, but the competitors all seemed to enjoy the courses, had some good feedback and I had the chance to judge some excellent teams and saw a lot of potential that day. Its a nice show, well run and I like having just 2 rings.

Dog Vegas

We've never been to Vegas before but Zara and Ruger both qualified for the finals at High Peak, so we decided to do 2 days camping Saturday and Sunday. Camping didn't happen!!! as 2 nights in a tent in wet windy weather wasn't as appealing as a 2 hour drive across the M62!!!! Sunday was a lovely day weather wise and Zara ran fantastically getting 2nd in G4 Agility and a clear in G4-5 Jumping. Ruger had a bad day as on his first run, just as he entered the ring 2 dogs dived in towards the ring one from behind and one from the side, and Ruger went to pieces. Its dreadful that people don't realise the effect this can have on other dogs, or are they just too selfish to realise. I think more empathsis needs to be put on safety around the rings and maybe even just good manners. His agility run was not good and then his jumping run was affected by a gobby dog behind him :( Both runs may have been bad anyway but we'll never know! His second agility run was nice except for the 5f for jumping the contact on the dogwalk aaarrrggh!!!! Monday was finals day. Zara was first in the C3-5 Agility she did a lovely run but just knocked the second to last pole. She then went clear in G4 Agility to get 3rd place, so pleased with her, she is getting faster and more accurate. She also had a clear in Jumping but not placed. Ruger got E'd in agility, but then went into the finals in C1-3 Agility, he was manic, barking at me and had no stay whatsoever, I went with him and he listened and got his contacts and weaves and managed to do the jumps all in the right order for a clear round and 5th place, so pleased with him, he won a huge rosette, £10 and a T-shirt. He then went clear in jumping to get a 6th place. We thoroughly enjoyed the show it was relaxed and the showground was good, so we will be back.