A, B and E weekend

Sing at KC Festival, lovely photo courtesy of Dennis & Bernadette Bay

A for arnica; B for bruise; and E for excellent and elimination!

We left home at 6am last Thursday to drive up to Kennel Club International Agility Festival at Kelmarsh Hall. The journey was very easy and smooth, we got there around 9:30. Considering how big the show was, we actually got a very good camping spot. Eventhough it was on a separate field from the main showground, the distance was manageble and we were close to the portaloo, shower block, water supply and doggie exercise area. I don't think anyone can complain about the convenient we had for the fabulous weekend!

We have plenty of time to set up the caravan and go shopping to stock up food for the weekend. This is the second time this year we took the caravan out, guess what? We ran out of gas! Colin and I were struggling to lid the fridge, I thought the gas pipe got a blockage and needed a service, not until we tried to boil some hot water to realise we actually ran out of gas! Brilliant! We have a fridge full of food and it was late in the evening!

Don't think this is a good start to a wonderful weekend?

Friday was the Cups Day, the qualifying rounds for Starters Cup, Novice Cup and British Open Cup. Sing was in the British Open Cup and Saturn was in the Novice Cup. This is my third year at KC Festival, for the last two years, it didn't start until 12noon on Friday but this year, it started at 8:30. I guess they must be flooded with competitors!

Again, my day didn't start off well at all. I have three classes first thing on Friday morning, two for Sing and one for Saturn. I've got very stressed that morning, Colin went to hunt for a gas and I have to leave the dogs locked in the caravan on their own and went to walk the courses. It was a very wet morning, it wasn't raining the night before or that morning, just condensation, heavy dew.

Sing ran very well in his first class, the British Open Jumping, it was quite a challenging course; it was a straightline to start with then a box; I set him up on the start line then do a recall, he shot down the straightline in speed then turning in the box where he slipped twice on the tight turns, he did a lovely clear round though. Then, we ran in the Grade 6 Jumping straight after as there was no queue, again, poor Sing slipped in the turn in the wet condition, I then noticed him struggled in the weave after that and I think he must have pulled a muscle or something because he started to slow down but he finished with a clear round. He then walk very slowly back to the caravan, not like himself at all, so the first arnica was given! Luckily his British Open Agility round not until later in the afternoon so he got a couple of hours rest. The British Open Agility course was set by an European judge Allan Hansen, another challenging course which I enjoyed very much, unfortunately Sing got 5 on the weave. It was a slight tricky entry, with running A Frame, I have no chance to switch but to trust him to take the weave. Sing got the weave entry the first time but stupid me standing in the wrong place pulled him away so he pop out. So, our first British Open Cup Final didn't fulfill this year!

What can I say about Saturn? He was excellent in speed this weekend, he was fast, keen and enthusiastic but we just can't pull ourselves together as a team. Every single class he was in this weekend, we got eliminated!! So, our dream into the Novice Cup Final didn't fulfill. Other than all the eliminations, I am generally very happy with Saturn, he was keen and happy and these two are the most important to me than gettting a clear round.

So, no main ring for us this year!

I've got Sizzle to try out on their "try out" ring on Friday afternoon, the jumps were set to the minimum height and the dog walk and A Frame were only tiny, not even half the size but I thought it was a good way to take him out to run in a big environement like that. He actually flew around the course nicely, TWICE!

On Saturday, my first class wasn't on until 10am, so I thought I will run Sizzle in the practise ring, hoping he will do his running contacts in a big show like this. Unfortunately, they set the practise ring to a jumping ring, so no contacts but it was still good for me to try and run Sizzle in. With practise ring, you are allow to bring toy/food and do you own course in one minute. I started with Sizzle in a big loop and he did every jumps/tunnel and weave nicely and he got rewarded with toy at the end. Since we only did a big loop, we still have half the time left and there was no queue, so we got to go again. I set him up, it was a tyre to three jumps into the tunnel sequence, I think Sizzle misjudged the jump after the tyre and hit himself very badly in his face. I wasn't watching and thought he hit his shoulder but people outside the ring watched us and told me to check his mouth, so I did. Blimey, it was lots of blood in his mouth. All his teeth look ok and I cannot see any other damage but we went straight back to the caravan and have some arnica! This is our first B - bruise!

Saturday was the individual day, I didn't start well. Saturn and I were the first one to go in the ring, we did a lovely jumping round, just before we finished, I trip on a hole in the groud and twisted my ankle, so that's it! I was in agony most of the day. Even arnica is no good for me! I tried not to run too much but for Sing, he only run the speed I am running, eventhough he went clear in all his classes but I wish he would go ahead of me to make a faster time. Again, Saturn wasn't listen to me, he was a little wild child but he was happy and run his own course like a lunatic!

Sunday was the individual class day + Nation Cup day, Sing and I got selected to run in the Nation Cup on Sunday. Sunday was quite a busy day, lots happening in the main ring so I missed most of my individual classes. I wanted to do Sing's Grade 6 Agility judge by Don Nunn, but I missed walking the course and the course was very tricky. When I got over to the ring, the class was calling to the end and there were only a few dogs in front of me. I was hoping to watch the dogs run before we go in to learn the course, unfortunately no dogs went clear before us, so I have to be braved to find my way around it. Sing did all the difficult bit but I forgot where to go after the weave so got eliminated. I wish I have walked the course as it was a very good course and I like challenging course. I need to find the course map so I can set it up and run it.

The Nation Cup was consist of three team mates, if a country don't have enough handlers and dogs, they will put them under "Rest of the World" Team, three years in a row, I was running with Sing and Saturn under two different ROW together with other dogs from different countries. Sing was in the ROW 2 with two other dogs from Jersey; Saturn got to run for ROW 3 with a dog from Belgium and a dog from Hungary. Sing went clear in both of his Jumping and Agility rounds, unfortunately a team mate got eliminated and we didn't make it to the top 3 places. In Saturn's Team, all the dogs were very enthusiatic and all got eliminated, so no top places for us.

I really enjoyed the courses this weekend, most of my classes were tricky and needed handling. Sing was a good little boy, he went clear in most of his class, only one elimination! I hope Saturn and I improve after this weekend, We need to work harder together.

The first video was Sizzle in the practise ring, the 2nd clip is the little accident, the last two clips are from the Nation Cup:

Other than not being so successful in agility this weekend, we actually spent some lovely time walking/playing with the dogs and have someone special visiting us ... little Ellie and her mummy Yvonne, granny and sister Khandi from Scotland! It was a long way for Yvonne and her mum to travel down here to compete but it was so good to meet up with them and Ellie and Khandi.

Ellie and Sizzle are so much alike, in many ways, they are both crazy and mischievious! I nearly dognapped Ellie but Yvonne kept a very close eyes on me, so no chance! Ellie is so gorgeous, I was expecting her to bully Sizzle like she did as a youngster but no, she was so well behaved and loving.

Sizzle and his dear little mischievious sister Ellie

Sing took his liking on Khandi straightaway, unfortunately Khandi has been spayed or else they will make some lovely babies. Khandi is so gentle and obedient. She competed in KC Festival, her first Grade 2 show. She did some lovely rounds, check out on their blog to find out more.

what a lovely pair! Sing and Khandi

left to right: Khandi, Ellie, Seagull, Titan, Saturn, Sizzle, Sing