Suffolk Five Rivers (the one with 100% weave success!)

[labgirl]

Just home from two days competing at Suffolk Five Rivers, a Kennel Club show. It has been a fab weekend, despite a rather rubbish start all due to me being a dopey handler. I actually missed a whole chunk of our Steeplechase course out! Was gutted and so cross with myself!

But on to the positives. Let's start with my favourite bit ~ Merlin had 100% success with his weaves this weekend! Yes, he completed them every time! No hesitation, no worries due to odd angles (or dodgy handling)! I am elated with that since I always said his weaves were 50/50.

Anyway, on to the runs!

Saturday
Grade 1-3 Jumping
Let's just say my brain was somewhere else, not sure where, but not on the course. First I walked the course wrong and missed a jump. I only realised when I got into the queue and watched other people running. Then I called out 'right' too soon and pulled Merlin off a jump. Then Merlin decided that his left wing wrap command now means go right... The only high was Merlin pulling himself back into the weaves correctly after shooting off wide. He then took the wrong jump... (E)

Grade 1-3 Steeplechase
This was a nice course after the Jumping, which everyone said was too hard for 1-3s. I had to run straight from Jumping as the classes clashed and I just wasn't composed enough for this run. After the first tunnel I should have gone left, left, and done the tunnel again, instead I ran straight into the end section. I was absolutely fuming with myself. I have never messed up a course so bad (yes, missed the odd jump, but never a whole 6 obstacle sequence). After beating myself up for a bit, I realised I had to put it behind me and focus on going clear in agility.

Grade 1-3 Agility
So, I went and walked the small height for this course, along with watching that class and then walking it again when it changed to medium. My main concern was the front cross onto the a-frame. Richard Brain was the judge and he is a lovely man who has a walking stick normally. Merlin freaks at his stick and last time we ran in one of his classes he told me that I should ask next time for him to put down his stick while we ran. I did ask and he was happy to do that.

Well, Merlin ran fast and smoothly. Then we hit the dogwalk, and I don't know what happened, but Merlin lost his footing and almost came off! I could hear the people in the queue gasp! Somehow he held on, even more importantly he didn't freak out! We made the front cross and the weaves and finished 3rd! We even got a trophy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfstksgGnL0

Sunday
I was determined to do better today, I told Merlin we were aiming for 3 out of 3 clears

Grade 1-3 Helter Skelter
I love starting on a fun class, as it gives a buzz with no pressure. At KC you don't gain points or win out through fun classes, so it is just 'for fun'. This was a nice Helter Skelter, a couple of traps, but nothing horrendous. Merlin ran smooth and fast, finishing clear. I knew he would be too slow for a placing, but it started the morning on a high

Grade 1-3 Agility
After nearly falling off the dogwalk on Saturday, I wondered how Merlin would go on this course. A lot of people didn't like the course because the angle of the seesaw meant the dogs were looking straight into the scrime tent, and that freaked out a lot of dogs. Merlin looked, but carried on. I was pleased with our run and we came 2ND!!!

Grade 1-3 Jumping
With two clears done I wanted to finish the day with 3 for 3. This was a tricky course, requiring a front cross from a right turn just before the weaves. To demonstrate just how tricky it was, only one Grade 1 dog went clear - and guess who that was?

Yep! Merlin came 1st!!! At KC, to progress up a Grade you need either 1 agility win or 3 Jumping wins, so we are on our way!

I did ask my friend to film this run, but she pressed the wrong button on the camera So no video of my first KC win, oh well!

We now have 53 points towards our Bronze agility warrant (200 required), not to mention a nice selection of glassware, as you get trophies at KC shows.

For those interested, these are my two horrid runs from Saturday, just very glad I booked for Sunday too!
https://youtu.be/nLoCQMzdUZM

And in other news ~~~ Sparrow measured small!!!! Yay!!!

 

[Calliesmom]

that jumpers run was very nice- very smooth

that dogwalk- couldn't see it all but very scary..... glad that he was ok on Sunday....

 

[seashel]

I've been thinking about everyone I know running at Five Rivers and (as the weather was good!) kicking myself for not going! So pleased to see you have posted already and thrilled to read of yours and Merlin's successes!! That is so fantastic to get the jumping win - I loathe FC before weaves and will avoid doing it if at all possible (usually RC instead) so that was a tricky course to get right by the sounds of it (such a shame no video always the way though!).

I don't know what you have been doing since DINAS but I see a huge improvement - not just in the weaves but overall. He is running on enthusiastically and your turns were super. You may have labelled those runs from Saturday as 'bloopers' but that Jumping round was full of positives. As someone whose most consistent outcome is to get an E, I've often been much happier with those rounds than on the odd occasions when we go clear - especially when the course has been tricky. I watched your Jumping run through several times and in slow motion and it really was well done. Lots of beastly 180 turns to contend with - yuk. That for me would be a run to be very pleased with - irrespective of the overall outcome.

I'd be surprised if there is anyone doing agility who hasn't done the same thing and missed out part of the course - I've been there done that...more than once on a steeplechase course which are rather notorious for handler confusion I've seen even well known handlers do the same thing too - which is reassuring. If I could make one small observation/suggestion though? If things go wrong on course, then try to carry on as if nothing has happened, even if you have to make your own route up back to the finish. The dog doesn't realise it is an E and it does a lot for their confidence if they think every run is a clear round. This was advice that someone gave me after something similar happened last year and it is not easy ( I can't help myself saying "never mind" or words to that effect ) but it is worth trying. Like you I get terribly downhearted if I mess up on course and as you say, hard to refocus on the next run. Oddly I feel better when we finish like we've gone clear even if there has been a hideous error on course so psychologically it could be good for the handler as well as the dog.

Whew - even forewarned that dog walk incident looked scary! What a relief Merlin kept his footing and didn't even look bothered by it - what a trooper.

So a full set from Five Rivers! That is a lovely way to end the outdoor season - I guess no more outdoor shows after this? I'm sure Merlin will be winning you out of G1 very soon as he is definitely knocking on the door now. And little speedy Sparrow is waiting in the wings for her debut. Fantastic she measured into Small!

What a lovely weekend you've had - Merlin looks very pleased with his haul of rosettes and trophies!!

 

[labgirl]

Thank you both

Yes, it was a fantastic weekend with glorious weather (so lucky!). You would have liked the 4-7 courses Julia, they were really flowing.

Both 1-3 Jumping courses were hard, but yesterday took the biscuit. The course began with two straight on jumps, then a right turn over a jump and then a left turn to get into the weaves. As I have no RC on the weaves with Merlin, I really had no choice but to FC. So many people tried to run up behind their dogs, on the far side of the start, trying to push their dogs into the weaves. But if you don't have a dog that can do weaves at a distance, that was impossible. Plus many of the dogs could simply not find the angle. I heard the judge moaning that so many handlers and dogs could not do the course. Personally, I felt that was a reflection of how tough that course was for beginner handlers.

You are right, there was lots of good stuff in both my bad courses. My head was not in the right place. Normally I would never just stop mid-course like I did on the Steeplechase, but I was so embarrassed with myself I just froze.

The main difference between this show and DINAS was I had the confidence Merlin would run and not freak out. Plus I have been working to perfect our weaves using a clicker (our new club allows clickers in training) and this seems to have really paid off.

Yep, last outdoor show. All indoors now. Next one is UKA and then the one after Sparrow will have her debut!!!

 

[Silaria]

Congratulations on an outstanding weekend for you and Merlin! You are both improving and growing as a team. It's evident with each run, even the bad ones.

Don't fuss to much over missing a section of the course; most of us have been there done that. I had a beautiful jumpers run going, very fast - too fast. I got to the end and found out I missed an entire sequence of about 5 or 6 jumps. I've also had situations where I made a wrong turn and the numbers were no longer facing me (never a good thing) or when I've forgotten a course completely. It happens and you learn to roll with it and have fun.

 

[labgirl]

Yes, you are right, courses go wrong. Part of the joys of agility. I think my nerves got to me, they always tend to at KC shows. Once I settled I ran so much better.

 

[Silaria]

Yes, you are right, courses go wrong. Part of the joys of agility. I think my nerves got to me, they always tend to at KC shows. Once I settled I ran so much better.

(Emphasis above is mine)

I can SO relate! I have been running agility since 2009. I have multiple championship titles in other venues but I STILL get butterflies when I step up to the start line at an AKC show. Same equipment. Same premise as every other venue. Courses that are challenging but no moreso than some others and I STILL have the nerves.

The mistakes Edan and I tend to make aren't even off courses. We get through the complex stuff fine. No, it's missed contacts, table faults or I pull him off an obstacle by moving to fast before he's committed.

Trust me, I can definitely relate.

 

[labgirl]

I think, certainly in my case, its because I see KC as the prestigious level of agility. Its where it all began, after all, and of course I've sat and watched agility at Crufts on TV for years, with all these top level dogs. And you think to yourself, "wow, what amazing dogs!" Perhaps its under confidence on my part and the fear I will look silly in front of all these clever agility folk?

However, once I settle and watch some of the dogs running, I begin to realise these are the same people I see elsewhere and the same dogs, and some of them are clearly very new to the sport. They make the same mistakes I do and no one is judging them (well, except the judge, lol).

Goes to show how much of this sport is about our mindset before we run