Saturday 26 September 2009

Photo from Severnside demo

Here's my darling little toddler Jamie, thumb in mouth, tired out from a lovely day demonstrating agility at the RSPCA's dog show in Ashton Court - the dogs were brilliant and are enjoying a well earned break in the waterhole. Thanks to Fiona Melford for the great shot! :-)

Devon Dogs & Honiton show

Some FAN-tastic news - Lel and Hattie won Gd. 1-3 Small Agility and came 2nd in Gd. 1-3 Small Jumping. What a way to turn G4 - congratulations to them both, what a brilliant team they both make! We're going back for more tomorrow, so will report more then...

Today I'm grateful for my best friend winning up to G4 with her lovely little dog, and the celebrations which are just about to start :-))

Thursday 24 September 2009

Off-Season Talk

PLANNING YOUR OFF-SEASON

Gemma Osmond

Friday 2nd October 2009
7.30pm for 8.00pm
Prince of Orange Pub,
17, High St, Yatton, Bristol, Avon BS49 4JD
£5 per person

The agility year works in a cycle of pre-season, competition season and off-season. Roughly speaking the off-season runs between October – December, and this is where the bulk of any re-training work should be done.

Working out where you need to begin can be overwhelming if you’ve been disappointed with your performance throughout the competition season. But a good place to start is by answering the following questions:
  • Have you enjoyed competing with your dog this year?
  • Were you successful and achieve what you wanted to this year?
  • Did you start the year with a clear idea of what it is you wanted?
This talk is designed to get you thinking about the ‘why’ behind your answers to these questions. Once we can work out the ‘why’, we can better plan your goals and aspirations for the 2010 competition season, and what you need to use your off-season for.

The beauty of being in a club is people around you for support, through cheering at the good times to commiserating at the bad. My aim is that by sharing our hopes and disappointments, we can better support each other in planning and achieving our goals.

Things to bring:
  • Pen and notebook
  • Record of competition results this year if available

Saturday 19 September 2009

Bromsgrove show

A beautiful day weather wise, but lonely travelling up to Holt Heath near Worcester without my usual competition buddies Lel & Hattie. Think Ella felt it too, we were a little out of sorts all day. After last weekend's excitement today was always going to be about proofing our contacts, but it was still a little disappointing that she needs reminding. In our first class of the day she self-released the A-frame straight off, and then again after I'd put her back! She hadn't had breakfast at that point, that's my only excuse for her! The see-saw amd dog walk that followed were better, but still not perfect.

Our jumping course was nice, but have a niggling worry that she self-released fractionally early from her wait on the startline. I think I might just a bit paranoid at the moment! What I definitely wasn't paranoid about was watching her race off without completing the last two weave poles in a set of 12 - not impressed! However used it as a training opportunity and set her up for a tough entry. She failed to cut back in for the 2nd pole the first time, but got it the 2nd and completed the whole lot properly. By this point though we were a little out of sorts, and when she banged herself coming out of the tunnel I gave up. Not terribly proud of myself, but was frustrated as the jumping was our only real chance of an exciting placing.

The last course of the day was the Burns Adams Novice Derby, which was a power and speed type course. Firstly they had to complete the dog walk, a spread jump, long jump, A-frame and see-saw (un-timed) and then if un-faulted, continue over a jumping course. She stopped on her dog-walk, but crashed the spread that came after it. Training note there! Plus I think she knocked the last plank on the long jump, something I knew could do with a little work anyway. The a-frame she self-released on and was firmly replaced (getting frustrated by this point!!) but then did her see-saw properly. The lesson still needs reminding, but it isn't as far away as I am apt to worry.

Today I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with such an intelligent agility partner, who is constantly expanding my knowledge of dog training and pushing me to be the best that I can be.

Saturday 12 September 2009

Gillingham show

Great day at Gillingham show - have the rosy, sunkissed cheeks to prove it! 2 great E's early on where Ella gave me 2 perfect sets of 12 weave poles, and 3 classic Ella contacts - 2 handling mistakes on my part caused the E's. So very up for the G4 Agility class - happy to say was clear and fast. With a little panic over the fact that tickets had been mixed up and somehow Ella's ticket had been tarnished with an undeserved 'E', we re-ran for time and did it even better than before. Straight into the lead and there we stayed - 1st place in our first G4 show :-))



Today I am grateful for my extraordinary dog and our very special relationship. Now a G5 partnership!

Sunday 6 September 2009

Prestbury Park

What a lovely venue! It took around an hour and a quarter to get there, but was really lovely so will definitely want to enter next year. We worked a ring for Sue Yeo (Severnside's club chairwoman) with some great camaraderie, leg pulling and general merriment - lots of fun! One of the great things about the show was the fact that there were 4 runs per dog each day. Saturday started with the Team Dash event - 5 for a missed weave entry (handling error on my part), and 5 for a knocked pole - must keep mouth shut whilst Ella is jumping! Agility was next, 3 lovely held contacts, 12 weaves - trouble was in trying to straighten her up for the dog walk I sent her into the tunnel. A shame; as E's go it was a good 'un! Some great work in the collie jumping, just couldn't keep it up towards the end and made another E. Jumping at the end of the day was a good course (Sue Yeo's!) but messed up weaves part way through. Later investigation showed that during the day dogs had dug up the ground around the weaves and they weren't very straight at all. Not a great design of weaves really, Adams Agility don't normally have that issue. Last but not least, my gorgeous Kai-kai gave me a clear in the Any Size - broke his wait on the startline, but responded so well around the rest of the course I didn't have the heart to chastise him much. Never mind, some good things to go forward into Sunday with.

Only managed 3 of my 4 runs today - no exciting news either I'm afraid! Knocked bar in the Agility for 5 faults, but 3 perfect contacts and clean 6 weaves. Pairs jumping, perfect 12 weaves but so excited about that I didn't control her into the jumps that followed - durhh! Nice round otherwise though. Lastly, missed walking the 3-5 Agility so watched a few dogs go round before we had to leave and joined the queue. Didn't handle it as well as I would have liked, but did okay - until the last jump when I relaxed too early and pulled her off the final jump. Oooh could have kicked myself! Not desperately unhappy though - another perfect 12 weave poles. 100% record today - my clever girlie! :-))

Next weekend is Ella's first Grade 4 classes, which should be exciting. My plan this week is to be well rested going into the weekend, as I've been more tired than usual this weekend and I think it's shown in my handling. This years show campaign is nearly at a close so I just need to find some reserves to get me through these last few shows, and then I can rest up and take a little time off.

Today I am enormously grateful for the privilege of competing with two of the best dogs in the world, and doing so alongside such great friends and their precious dogs.