I can't believe how quickly this year has passed. Measuring time by Agility shows sure does speed it up. Our proper season begins about the middle of April and ends more or less in October so there is really only 6 -7 months at a push of outdoor shows. Last weekend Paws in the Park heralded for me the close of our outdoor KC show season. For once, the weather was kind! it poured with rain all day Friday and rained a lot on Monday and Tuesday but the weekend was fine and dry - perfect conditions if rather muddy underfoot in places. So nice to not be running in the rain.
I just wanted to enjoy this show. We were still entered as Grade 4 (because there is a 25 day grace period before you move up after winning out of a Grade) but our classes this time were against the higher grades so I wanted to see where we were against Grade 5 and higher dogs.
SATURDAY
First class was the Graded 4-5 agility. It was a lovely course, suited us perfectly but I had some kind of mental collapse in the middle and messed up for no reason at all.
Fortunately managed to save the situation and got 5f rather than an Elimination and even with the time lost messing around Epic came third. Apart from my stupid error I was delighted with this run.
Next was Jumping, combined class for Grades 3-5. This was a testing course, especially for the grade 3 dogs but I thought Epic handled it well. I wasn't brave enough to put the blind cross I had planned in front of the tyre but the FC came off well. Then another moment of stupidity when I forgot to FC at the top and put him over the jump the wrong way. I didn't even realise until my friends told me what I had done! But it was immaterial as I needed to pull him between the two jumps at the top of the course to the weaves and my positioning was way off so sent him over the off course. Am loving those tight turns though!
The final class was Agility combined for grades 4-7. What a thrill to run in the same class as Agility Champions!
This was a HUGE course - don't know if it shows up properly in the video but the distances between the jumps were massive. It was a running course, especially down the 'back straight'. I really did enjoy this, although I wasn't expecting to. Fortunately Epic has good sends and distance. He missed the weave entry from the tunnel, unusual for him but I think my position and cues were off and there was no chance the DW contact would happen coming down the ramp at that pace. I was overjoyed to finish with 10 faults (the first time on a 4-7 we have not been eliminated) and comparing Epic's time against the winners, factoring in the wide turns and weave re-entry he was only a few second off the pace - how encouraging is that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbcMcOpEsy4
SUNDAY
I was ring party all day and one of the classes was a sponsored steeplechase with a water jump. Gosh I wish I had entered because it looked fun to run! I must just mention that last week at Tenterden and this week Jessica has worked super hard doing ring party duties. She goes off and finds her own ring to work on and sticks with it all day, doing leads, calling etc. Last week she earned special commendation from the judge for her help and a little present and this week a tee-shirt. She really must enjoy it because when her ring was finished for the day she came and took my place while I was running Epic and then helped break down the ring at the end. I was a very proud Mum!
First class was the Graded Jumping over a nice flowing but fast course. Epic was 3rd again and I was very pleased with that.
Next was the combined 3-5 Agility on the ring with my favourite colour combination. I walked and walked the start of this but couldn't decide how to handle it best. The first three jumps were in a Z formation, with a wrap around 3 and another around 4. Handling from the left and wrapping around the two closest wings was the shortest distance but I thought not the quickest due to deceleration for the tight double wrap so I wanted to handle from the right and put a Ketsckher in at 4 and a FC wrap at 5. The residue of my conflict came out and as you will see, resulted in a very messy FC, RC, FC.
The only positive I'm taking away is that after the FC I handled 4 & 5 'on the fly' and it came off OK. Epic is a star for getting that right! He blew his DW contact again though inspite of me slowing right down and giving the stop so that is going to need putting right - my fault for letting him self release over the last few shows. The rest of the course went well though.
The final class was the 4-7 combined Jumping. This was another HUGE course with massive distances, to the extent that when walking it I stood turning around in the middle looking for where the next jump could possibly be LOL! Epic threadled on the last jump of the 4 jump serpentine at the start so an early elimination but I was delighted with the rest. The spin out of the tunnel was (of course) my fault for not calling him but he did some lovely distance handling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HHPE0Zf6U8
It's such a shame the season is coming to an end, I wish it could go on for a few more months - but what a season it has been for us! Epic is really focussed now and is handling beautifully when I get it right. I'm pleased with his close work and at a distance and his turns are so much tighter than they were a couple of months ago. (We can often be seen running in circles around trees and bins!). The start line issue that was such a problem has been resolved and he is nailing his weaves now the majority of the time.
I have learned a huge amount even in just the last month about handling technique, course walking etc so there is strategy and more thought going on - well some of the time anyway! The dog walk is something I need to put a lot of work on, weaves from tunnels and smoother, clearer handling. Also training verbal directional commands so winter is not going to be boring! Next year we take on Grade 5 and I can't wait!
I just wanted to enjoy this show. We were still entered as Grade 4 (because there is a 25 day grace period before you move up after winning out of a Grade) but our classes this time were against the higher grades so I wanted to see where we were against Grade 5 and higher dogs.
SATURDAY
First class was the Graded 4-5 agility. It was a lovely course, suited us perfectly but I had some kind of mental collapse in the middle and messed up for no reason at all.
Fortunately managed to save the situation and got 5f rather than an Elimination and even with the time lost messing around Epic came third. Apart from my stupid error I was delighted with this run.Next was Jumping, combined class for Grades 3-5. This was a testing course, especially for the grade 3 dogs but I thought Epic handled it well. I wasn't brave enough to put the blind cross I had planned in front of the tyre but the FC came off well. Then another moment of stupidity when I forgot to FC at the top and put him over the jump the wrong way. I didn't even realise until my friends told me what I had done! But it was immaterial as I needed to pull him between the two jumps at the top of the course to the weaves and my positioning was way off so sent him over the off course. Am loving those tight turns though!
The final class was Agility combined for grades 4-7. What a thrill to run in the same class as Agility Champions!
This was a HUGE course - don't know if it shows up properly in the video but the distances between the jumps were massive. It was a running course, especially down the 'back straight'. I really did enjoy this, although I wasn't expecting to. Fortunately Epic has good sends and distance. He missed the weave entry from the tunnel, unusual for him but I think my position and cues were off and there was no chance the DW contact would happen coming down the ramp at that pace. I was overjoyed to finish with 10 faults (the first time on a 4-7 we have not been eliminated) and comparing Epic's time against the winners, factoring in the wide turns and weave re-entry he was only a few second off the pace - how encouraging is that!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbcMcOpEsy4
SUNDAY
I was ring party all day and one of the classes was a sponsored steeplechase with a water jump. Gosh I wish I had entered because it looked fun to run! I must just mention that last week at Tenterden and this week Jessica has worked super hard doing ring party duties. She goes off and finds her own ring to work on and sticks with it all day, doing leads, calling etc. Last week she earned special commendation from the judge for her help and a little present and this week a tee-shirt. She really must enjoy it because when her ring was finished for the day she came and took my place while I was running Epic and then helped break down the ring at the end. I was a very proud Mum!
First class was the Graded Jumping over a nice flowing but fast course. Epic was 3rd again and I was very pleased with that.
Next was the combined 3-5 Agility on the ring with my favourite colour combination. I walked and walked the start of this but couldn't decide how to handle it best. The first three jumps were in a Z formation, with a wrap around 3 and another around 4. Handling from the left and wrapping around the two closest wings was the shortest distance but I thought not the quickest due to deceleration for the tight double wrap so I wanted to handle from the right and put a Ketsckher in at 4 and a FC wrap at 5. The residue of my conflict came out and as you will see, resulted in a very messy FC, RC, FC.
The only positive I'm taking away is that after the FC I handled 4 & 5 'on the fly' and it came off OK. Epic is a star for getting that right! He blew his DW contact again though inspite of me slowing right down and giving the stop so that is going to need putting right - my fault for letting him self release over the last few shows. The rest of the course went well though. The final class was the 4-7 combined Jumping. This was another HUGE course with massive distances, to the extent that when walking it I stood turning around in the middle looking for where the next jump could possibly be LOL! Epic threadled on the last jump of the 4 jump serpentine at the start so an early elimination but I was delighted with the rest. The spin out of the tunnel was (of course) my fault for not calling him but he did some lovely distance handling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HHPE0Zf6U8
It's such a shame the season is coming to an end, I wish it could go on for a few more months - but what a season it has been for us! Epic is really focussed now and is handling beautifully when I get it right. I'm pleased with his close work and at a distance and his turns are so much tighter than they were a couple of months ago. (We can often be seen running in circles around trees and bins!). The start line issue that was such a problem has been resolved and he is nailing his weaves now the majority of the time.
I have learned a huge amount even in just the last month about handling technique, course walking etc so there is strategy and more thought going on - well some of the time anyway! The dog walk is something I need to put a lot of work on, weaves from tunnels and smoother, clearer handling. Also training verbal directional commands so winter is not going to be boring! Next year we take on Grade 5 and I can't wait!
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