Sunday, February 07, 2010

first agility show of the year

We went to TraVal show yesterday, this is our first show of the year. To my non-UK friends, this is an unaffiliated show, so the wins did not count towards your progression with the Kennel Club Grading system.

As I have no longer have a Grade 3 dog so I cannot compete in the Combined 1-3 classes (what a shame!), I think I need to start a new dog? I always enjoy running a Grade 3 dog. I have entered Sing, Saturn and Sizzle in the Open classes (combined 1-7), so the earliest of my first run would be sometimes after 12noon. This mean I have a lie-in (not!) and do some housework before setting off to the show.

We got there just after 12, the carpark was so muddy and the field was under water! I was so lucky that Colin was very happy to walk the dogs in the swamp for me and I can go and watch some of the runs. The dogs were all covered in thick mud and yuk! The car needs a good clean up tomorrow!!

My first run was with Sizzle in the Small Open Jumping. I think our starting was bad, it was a pin wheel and that slow Sizzle down, I need to try to improve that! The trap that most people worried about is the double tunnels and I saw a few dogs did spun around after they came out from the first tunnel and didn't go into the 2nd tunnel (the long yellow tunnel). I knew my dogs will dive into the tunnels, so I wasn't worried. My only worried is the 2nd last jump. I can't decide to whether to do a front cross or scoop on the 3rd last jump, with Sizzle, I did the scoop and he turned wide but he was responsive and we managed the pivot! WooHoo! Pivot is always my weakest point. Unfortunately we got a refusal in the middle. I cue him too early to turn "right" into the green/white tunnel and also if I have moved a step forward, he probably would take the jump and turn (bad and lazy handling)! He was a very good boy, he turned a fraction too early, otherwise, I think he looks great.

My 2nd run was with Saturn in the same course but medium height. He was too hyper on the start line. After the slow pin wheel start, he actually shot through the tunnel and I have learned from Sizzle and didn't cue him until I see him taking off to do the jump before the tunnel. Unfortunately we got eliminated because Saturn missed the 2nd last jump! I should have tried a front cross from the 3rd last jump with him but I didn't! I did the scoop and he took the finish jump! Bad handling!

My 3rd run, also my last run was the small Open Agility with Sizzle. I was very disappointed there is no Dog Walk in it. We still have to do three contacts, A Frame twice. Again, I cue Sizzle too early after the first A Frame to turn left into the cloth tunnel, he turned before taking the jump! Another refusal there!

I think I must have over practise "come into me" last week that made him being too responsive to my call. I hope this is not a bad start of the season!

Sing is still on the rest, so no run for him. Hopefully he will be back on training again after next week. He is on anti-inflammatory until next week. I didn't run Saturn in the Agility because we are retraining his contacts.  

all photos by: Spidge








here is our runs:



5 comments:

Diana said...

You guys looked great!! The pictures are cute too. Diana

Natasha said...

The dogs look great, both in the video and photos. Saturn is looking happy to run again!! And Sizzle was very fast, as always!

I've always liked that song, by the way ;)

Sara said...

Great runs! Sizzle & Saturn looked awesome.

Boy, Sizzle is living up to his name....he is sizzling!

Vonnie said...

Nice runs! Sizzle is really good at distance handling :) Saturn was flying, always eager to please handsome boy! Sizzle is fast too and handsome :)

Chris and Ricky said...

Awesome job in the first show of the year! Pinwheels at the beginning really slow me down too but I thought Sizzle and Saturn both did very well! Sizzle's a-frames look great and he was especially fast in that last run! Looks like it's going to be a great year!