Agility @ UKA Prested Hall

Last weekend we went to UKA Prested Hall. I didn't realised it took us two hours to get there, this tells you never rely on me with directions, I am totally hopeless! If I were to know it takes me that long to get there, I would have booked camping. Prested Hall is very nice and the weather was lovely on the weekend. I got terrible sun burn on my face after Saturday!

We had to wake up 5am on Saturday morning as I have two classes to walk. With the UKA show, you need to walk your course eventhough it is not your height. I generally did badly at the UKA shows because by the time they lower down to my height, I forgot the course already! Especially when I have to run three dogs and they are at different levels!

It was quite a foggy morning to start with, the ground was a little wet but as soon as the sun burnt off the mist, it was lovely and sunny all day. Saturn was the first one in, running in his Novice Time Fault and Out. He has enough points to go Senior last year but I didn't do any Game classes. We need some Game points to take us up to Senior and I think it is about time I be brave to do the Games.

Saturn and I are still in the re-train progress for his contacts. I have not enter him in Agility at the Kennel Club shows. I want to make sure we both are confidence before we run the Agility at KC shows. At UKA, you are allow to train your dog in the ring if you wish, that is a big advantage for a young and problem dog.

At home and at Club, Saturn makes a big progress in all his contacts. I cannot say he is very fast running over all the contacts but I can see he is gaining more and more confidence each time he does his contacts. He knew his position, no hesitation at all. The only problem we have at training is he is still slowly walking over the peak of the A Frame. I cannot speed him up over that peak! I try to roll the treat down to let him chase the treat but didn't get a great response!

Back to our UKA, with TFO, you gotto run and run until the judge shouts TIMED or blow his whistle, then you need to run the faster you can to the finish jump to record the time. If you get a fault, you are out. Saturn was good (his standard), he didn't hesitate on the DW, he ran all the way down, maybe not as speedy as a good dog can be but I am happy that he didn't hesitate. We did the DW twice and both time he was good. He was looking around on top of the A Frame the first time but I managed to get his attention back to me. I did released him fast the first time to get him over the hesitation, the second time I got worried when the judge suddenly shout "TIMED", I lost my mind and ran and I forgot we are still in the training process. I wasn't too happy about his see-saw but there you go. He won the TFO and gain himself enough point to move up to Senior.

Later in the Agility, he blew everything off, he hesitate the position on the DW and freeze on top of the A Frame. I have to carry him out of the ring. 

On Sunday, we have Power & Speed as first run for Saturn. In P & S, you need to go clear in the power section before you are allow to do the speed section. In the Power section is consist of all contacts and weave and the judge allow you certain time (in this case, 38 seconds). I knew I am taking this opportunity to train Saturn's contacts. He was good on the A Frame, got into position and wait for my released word. See-saw ok and a little hesitate on the DW position but I gave him time to figure that out and he was good. I didn't carry on running onto the Speed section. I want to praise him when he took the last jump in the Power section. When we restart for the Speed section, I kinda confused where the 2nd jump was so we got eliminated! How funny! All the other got eliminated or faulted on the Power section and I am the only one that got eliminated on the Speed section! But I was pleased with Saturn. I know he needs more time to gain his confidence on the contacts.

Later in the Agility, he blew everything up again! Now, I beginning to wonder ... he can only do the contacts right first thing in the morning? mmmm ....

here is Saturn and some of his runs:

Sizzle was a good boy, he is always so keen and enthusiastic about Agility. We had to wait for a long time before his first run on Saturday. He did a very nice round in the Beginners Agility but got eliminated in the Beginners Jumping. It was my fault, I wanted to pull him but I was too far behind and too late, he went into the wrong end of the tunnel (yellow tunnel), otherwise it was lovely. I have never done clapping when he was weaving but I knew I was already eliminated, so I thought I will try to see if that affect/distract him but it seems that he weave faster? Then, we have another long wait before the Beginners Steeplechase. This Beginners Steeplechase Challenge is a Heat, the top three dogs will go into the Final held in August. There were some very good and fast little dogs there. Sizzle came 3rd and qualified for the Final. 

On Sunday, Sizzle won the Beginners Jumping. He moved up the Novice Steeplechase. It was a big course, long way round. I nearly run out of puff. Sizzle got a 3rd in that. Then, we have another long wait for the Beginners Agility. This Agility is CSJ Grand Prix Heat, the top three of the same height dogs in all levels (from Beginners to Champ levels) go through. All dogs run over the same course. I thought since all levels run over the same course, the course shouldn't be too hard but when I walk the course, I immediately saw the trap for me. DW to pull through over the jump. I knew I am still practicing the pull through and with the running DW, it is not easy especially the beginning sequence didn't allow me to be ahead of Sizzle on the DW ...

 this is my own draft, the scale may not be right especially after the see-saw:

I walked the course many times and in many ways. I am hoping to come through between #2 and #3, but then I will stuck behind #4 and give me no chance to catch up with him on the DW. I decided to go the long way, so I can send him over #4 and RUN as fast as I can to beat him to the DW. The set up of this course was a bit weird, the end of the DW was very close to the metal fencing, the fence is probably on top of the line 12! My option was if I can beat Sizzle to the DW, I will do a push through, if I am so far behind, I will try the pull through. Luckily I wasn't that far behind and I lost a little bit of time to do the push through. I know doing the push through mean I am stuck behind the A Frame! When Eleanor set up some cross behind the A Frame for us to practice, I always moan about it. I told her we don't need the cross behind with running contacts, how wrong was I? Now, I really appreciate she made me do it! 

Oh yes, Sizzle won that class too. He got a 2nd place in the Overall, just half a second behind a Grade 7 dog. I am really pleased! And yes, he also qualified for the Final in August! 

Now I feel much better, I can't wait to go back training! I haven't done any training for 4 weeks!! Lian and the shelties need training!

here is some of Sizzle's runs: