Blenhiem

Amy and I left unusually late to travel up to Blenhiem show held at the Shrewsbury Showground, leaving at 5:50 on a Friday evening, but I'm very pleased to say we didin't hit any traffic and arrived safely at just after 7:30, luckily Jo had arrived much earlier and had saved us a brilliant space so we were happy and relaxed.
Saturday was Mine and Ruperts 1st grade 6 classes, my first round didn't go very well, I crumbled under the pressure and ended up leaving the ring after a few jumps, Rupert was great but I kept sending him over all the wrong fences!! after that I watched a few rounds and realised that actually some of these grade 6 handlers aren't really as good as I have thought which settled me a bit and we really enjoyed the remainder of our classes, Rupert was really working well and we did some great stuff.
Summer and Amy were really flying this weekend, and managed a brilliant 4th place in the combined 4-5 agility, we got a great video showing how tight and focused she is getting, still plenty to work on over the winter but great handling by Amy bringing home a great place against some great opposition.  GREAT lol.

We had a lovely celebratory meal with Jo and Sheila on Saturday night to celebrate Zippy winning into grade 7, Rupert into grade 6 and Summer into grade 4, this time it was Jo's turn to make the cake!! it was brilliant, I think we may need to get the experts in for the next one!

Annual Review

Well last year was a bit of a wash out, lots of shows cancelled due to the awful weather meaning we only managed to get to a handful of shows, however in hindsight we were quite pleased to have a more relaxing summer, I think sometimes we took it all a bit seriously, so we have decided to not do as many from now on.

My goal with Rupert was consistency, although I know Jo had other ideas and it seemed so did Rupert flying us into grade 6! so for 2013 I'm going to relax and work specifically on my handling and Ruperts jumping technique, so that hopefully we can get more clears.

Maisy hasn't done much and at 9 years old I have decided to put her in veterans and anysize, she isn't struggling at all with the height but I'd rather do it now than wait till she gets injured. she is still as mad as ever, so hopefully she may even get a few places.

Amy and Summer have had a great year, Summer still isn't the most driven dog but her tight turns gained her many top 5 places in grade 3 so we decided to put her into grade 4 at the end of the season and hope that the more tricky courses are more her thing.

2013 will hopefully see Amy with a new puppy, she has expressed an intrest in a couple of exciting litters so look out for some news on that front later in the year.

No Shows!

Our shows have been a bit barron of late! a couple of weeks ago Amy and I went for 1 day to Derbyshire show at Catton hall, Summer was a little star getting a lovely 9th in her agility round and Rupert ran really well, no clears this time but somehow I felt it had all started to come together, my handling and his listening so we came home very happy indeed.
Yesterday we went back to Catton Hall for the Adams show, we had decided to do this one instead of the KCI festival, and only 1 day!  I had meant to do a bit of last minute training on Friday but just didn't get around to it so on the way had decided I would work on my handling rather than worry about a clear round.  Summer was in the ring first and I think it's fair to say she hasn't done a lot of training in the past month but I have never seen her move so fast around a course, she completely took the first jump out and then had a little mishap getting an E at the end but held all her contacts and was really zooming so that was a GOOD sign.  Rupert was in next and took the challenge well, I nearly lost him after the flat tunnel but managed to keep control and gain a clear round! I was so excited I nearly forgot to get him back at the end and you will hear Amy frantically calling him!! oops but he came back and went on to win the class taking us to GRADE 6!!!!!!!
After this Summer turned into a little monkey, she managed a 9th in the grade 4 jumping but we wont talk about the other 2 classes!! and Rupert just had 1 pole in the Adams Derby and the 4-7 Agility and in the tricky 5-7 jumping it was all going great guns right to the end when he just got away from me and I managed to get us E'd.

So we are now booked into Blenheim, Southam and Dashing dogs weekends in September. Fun Fun Fun....

Catching Up

I'm really sorry, it's been ages since I blogged! The start to the season was really slow, we had to miss a few shows due to the 21 day rule and our horrid english weather stopping play but all was ok for the Dawn Weaver week, it started of a bit cold and wet but by the end of the week the weather was perfect as was the training. 
We really enjoyed our TAG weekend, there was plenty to do with pairs and brace along with the normal classes. Summer was flying and came home with lots of pretty ribbons and points for her record book. Maisy and Rupert were on good form only taking the odd pole or missing a contact and managed 5th in the Brace which I was over the moon with, but the highlight of our weekend really had to be watching Jo and Ronny getting their final agility win to take them to grade 7, we did have a little rummikub celebration that evening!.

Last weekend we were camping at Nottingham Champ show, Jo was judging so we had a lovely pitch close to the rings, and the weather was HOT! Saturday was my birthday and Rupert managed the best present he could muster winning us into grade 5, both he and Maisy have been working really well, Maisy just took the last but one pole in her jumping, my fault for not giving her enough space to clear it, but it still gained her a 13th place.  Amy wasn't very well all weekend, it seems she has had a nasty virus, unfortunately Summer seemed to pick up on it and really ran slowly, I think she was aware something was wrong because when I ran her in her agility she was a little speed demon gaining a well respectable 10th place, followed by a 13th in Jo's jumping class (which wasn't easy!!)

We haven't booked many shows for the summer but we are at Chipping Norton and then Golden Valley (Watch out for the Dashing Darians in the Team Dash) and then I really must get around to booking some grade 5 shows! Jo is still expecting Rupert to be in grade 6 before the end of the season!!!!!

Agility & Obedience

Firstly, I'm pleased to say that my handling held it's own at the MBCC show and although we didn't get any clears I was thrilled with our performances in all 3 classes so progress is definitely being made.

Amy and I have been going to Jo's for our Sunday afternoon workout !!!!! and what a workout it is. I have attached a couple of video's from this week, they were taken halfway through so you will have to forgive the tired legs and my panting through Amy's video.

I hope you'll agree Summer and Amy are really starting to look good, it's such a vast transformation from this time last year, we are really looking forward to the 2012 season. Jo mentioned Rupert and I could easily be in Grade 6 by the end of the season GRADE 6!! I hadn't ever given that a thought, I was hoping to be on the way to grade 5 possibly, I can tell you the thought of walking into a grade 6 ring to walk frightens the crap out of me!

Rupert and I went for our first Obedience lesson with Mary Ray last week, it was brilliant, she picked up on two things, I need to teach Rupert to walk and trot, he is lovely when following my outstretched arm but he tries to hard to keep the position in Close and ends up hopping or limping! and also I need to work on his final postion, I've always had him in quite an upright position but he would be better in a wrapped around lower head position, so thats my home work before the next lesson at the end of Feb... Plenty to do. I've also had my draw for Crufts, I'm 20th out of 20 which I think is a really good place to be, plenty of time to watch the others and plenty of time for the rescue remedy to kick in!

Exciting year ahead

both Amy and I have now started our 2012 training, Amy with Joy Costello andboth of us with Jo Hyslop (and boy is that a workout!) but today I'm going to talk about my dogs and me.....

Rupert is looking fantastic in training, he is easily doing all the difficult exercises Jo sets for us, so on that note I am totally thrilled, he is exactly where he should be at the beginning of the season. However I'm very worried about my handling and whislt I am nearly spot on at the training field I know I'll let us down in the competition! my aim at the moment isn't a clear round but to feel pleased with MY performance at the end of the course - so this weekend I shall try to be better prepared before I step onto the start line, leave the nerves in the car and help my boy to do a good job. wether I achieve my goal is another matter, but I'll let you know.

2012 hopes, fears and dreams

We had a relatively quiet New years eve, just a few games and glasses of vino at home with our dogs for company. We are looking forward to the year ahead, I actually like to get past Crufts so we can really enjoy Agility competitions with our K9 friends. Last year was very interesting, and I really learnt a lot.

Maisy and I have had quite a good season she is now 8 years old but still behaves like a real youngster, my decision to only do jumping has paid off and she has given me some fantastic rounds leaving us with only 1 more win for grade 4, I guess my hopes for her are theat she will get to grade 5, but in reality if we get any clear rounds I'll be truely happy. My highlight of not only this year but in all our agility years has to be running in the laser pairs at Dashing dogs with her best mate Ronny, they were on fire that day, in fact that show was to be Ruperts highlight too.

Rupert came out and after only 7 weeks won 2 agility classes - there are some really funny folk around when a so called friend heard the news her reaction was "was it a good run?" well he beat over 200 dogs on both runs so I suppose it was ok!! it is very odd what people will say when a simple well done would do, although on the other hand I had some super comments from people around the rings after both wins. I'd love to go on and on about how brilliant we are going to be, but the truth of the matter is, no matter how much training you do if you're handling in the ring doesn't come up to scratch then there's little point. I have felt my competition handling lets me down again and again, so I will be working very hard on that over the next few months, I have some good training planned so hopefully running my dog will become more natural than the ridiculous standing still or worse still queing my dog over the wrong fence while I stand by and watch it all go wrong will eventually be a thing of the past.

Summer and Amy have had an amazing year, and we are really excited by what 2012 will bring. Amy will be starting back training with Joy Costello next week, Both her and Summer really enjoyed her training last year. Summer has really grown in confidence, she still has an occasional spook at a Judge or gets a scent and puts her head up, but if she comes around a corner with her tail in the air I know Amy is set to have her hands full as a very cheeky Summer zooms off making Amy use all her skills in one go.. It's exhausting to watch so God only knows how Amy feels!

Just a few thank you's

As always Jo Hyslop who has gone so far beyond the call of duty helping me train Rupert and walking courses, what am I going to do without you whilst you work through the Olympics?!?!?

Anne & Gloria - OMG you have made me so proud this year, what an amazing partnership you have become

Of course Amy - thank you for everything

Rupert & Maisy MWAH

And to all my agility friends who keep us entertained at every show to many to name but you know who you are.