snake-out, cake-out and sun-burnt!

I love Caerphilly Show, its one of my favourites. Although its a long way to go but its worth it. The first time I went to Caerphilly was in 2007. That was Saturn's first season of competing in Agility. Super Saturn won me the most beautiful Welsh Dragon Trophy by coming 2nd in the Grade 3 Jumping. It was a big class and he was behind the World Agility Champion Natasha Wise and Dizzy then (am I proud?).

Unfortunately, the beautiful dragon got chipped on its arm before it was handed to me, sadly I cannot exchange it as they were all label, so I considered myself a little unlucky and determined to come back to win a "complete" dragon.

We were back to Caerphilly in 2008 and 2010 and has to miss 2009 due to our first litter of puppy Zap born in June then. In 2008 and 2010, we kept missing out of winning one of those dragons. They give the dragon trophy to 1st place only in small & medium classes and we came 2nd all the time!

This year, I was hoping Miss Sipzie or Saturn could bring back another trophy but it was just not meant to be! We got two dragon slipped away on Saturday morning. Both Sipzie and Saturn did a cracking Graded 4-7 Jumping but both dropped a pole! For once, Miss Sipzie was a good girl, her Jumping round was so smooth and she even completed the 12 weave in speed (these are the widest weave pole they used here, so we thought that probably made her complete her weave but I was wrong as this is the only time she can weave, so its not the width of the weave then!) and such a shamed that she dropped the 2nd last pole. Arrrrggghhh ... her time was the fastest in all the grades and she beat the winner for a very good margin! I was really gutted! But at the same time, I was so happy that she finally did a fantastic round! Sadly, it didn't last. That was the only good round from her all weekend, after that, everything went down hill.

Sipzie @ Saturday, Graded 4-7 Jumping. Sorry about crazy Sonic barking at the background and Colin asked someone to strangled him!! I thought it was good to take him out to see the agility and possibly get Sipzie jealous and it worked though. Look at the result:

Saturn also ran the same course and also dropped a pole, 3rd from last. His time was a good margin quicker than the winner in his grade. To my surprised, Sipzie beat him by a good full second! Again, I was gutted. The judge even feel for me! Well, it is just not meant to be!!

Saturn ran the same course as Sipzie and is one second slower:

Its funny how a dog run a class, in the Comboined 4-7 Circular Jumping, Sipzie was one second slower than Saturn. There was no weave and I thought she will do well but obviosuly she wasn't. Saturn just managed to squueze into a placing.

Sipzie's circular Jumping. Please excuse Scara and Saturn barking at the background:

Saturn's circular Jumping, please excuse Scara barking at the background:

We have to wait for a long time to do our last class with Sipzie and Saturn, it was nearly 6pm when we ran. Oh dear oh dear! I wish I have not run the class at all. Both Sipzie and Saturn were a "nightmare". We had six sneak (serpentine) sequence to start and the spacings were wide. For Sipzie, its all down to inexperienced, she missed all the jumps and only did jump #1 and jump #6 and of coruse she forgot how to weave. I would not post the video here as it was horrible to watch. I think we took about 2 minutes to complete the course!!! Saturn was good but he missed his Dog Walk contact so I asked the judge if I can put him back but it was a long day, I was asked to leave, so I put Saturn back on the DW and quick release and left the ring.

this is my own draft of the course, margin may not be right but just give you an idea what we ran. Jump #3 to #4 was a big gap and a lot of dogs missing out and went around the back of the #4. There were a lot of faults and eliminations. I am not sure how many clear rounds but surely not many. The weave entry was putting a lot of dogs out as well. I wish I could run the full course with Saturn. Oh, and it is a big course, you just have ot RUN!

Sizzle was a good boy, we did our Graded 4-7 Jumping first thing in the morning, there were pull throughs and snake sequence. I was very proud of myself to be able to handle the pull through from behind as I was miles away from him. He ran clear in that course, sadly no video as Colin forgot the camera. He was one place out of the placings. They only place to 2nd. 

Then, later he did the Graded 4-7 Agility, mmmm ... naughty boy missed his DW!

After all the runs on Saturday, we took the dogs, all SEVEN of them to walk down to Wye Valley. The scenary is so beautiful. We got there late on Friday night and I was too tired to admire the surroundings. The dogs enjoyed a lovely walk and we cross over the bridge and went down to a field. We were the only people there and all the shelties having chasing each other. We even gone down to the river and all of them, apart from Seagull were in the water. It was good for the puppies. Scara is a water baby, Sonic dislike water but he was jealous about the others having fun so he was IN with them. WooHoo! Big step for my boy! I wish I have brought my camera. These photos are taken by my iPhone.

Colin and all our seven shelties:

 Sonic in the water with daddy and uncles:

We were out walking and playing for more than an hour, you thought the puppies would be tired? Nope! When we got back to the exercise area, Sonic has his FRAP moment! He was teasing Scara and to play but poor girl was too tired! He then tease Sipzie and she also tired! What's wrong with all the girls? Now, Colin calls Sonic "power puppy"!! Hehehe ... I like it.

Sunday was a late start for us, we have no first class in the morning. I like my morning run! For a change, Saturn ran clear in the Graded 4-7 Agility. Well, it wasn't pretty but he was clear. He was leading all the way ... until the last dog came and pushed him down to 2nd place. Oh dear! Dragon ran away again!

Saturn, Graded 4-7 Agility:

Well, Sipzie forgot how to weave on Sunday!!! And we need to fix her Dog Walk contact as well!!

Later in the Graded 4-7 Jumping, I am not sure why Saturn wouldn't come to me to do the jump #3! 

As for Sipzie, she forgot all about the weave again!

So, my dragon dream gone again! I didn't expect Sizzle to win me a dragon as there were a few good small dogs which are so much faster than him. Sizzle is a funny litttle guy, the ground wasn't the best ground to run and the grass was actually quite prickly for him. He refused to go to walk and I have to carry him or drag him to go to the ring ... so asking him to run, maybe I am asking too much from him?

We ran the Graded 4-7 Agility after lunch. It was a fast blasting course and I never dream he will win it. We ran quite early as I wanted to be able to leave around 4pm. You can see in the video that I slipped my foot at once, luckily I managed to stay upright. He was leading in his grade for a while, until I saw this little JRT. Eventhogh he is small, probably about the same size as Sizzle but hey, his speed is incredible! He ran fast and so do his handler ... they went all the way round clear but clipped the last pole! I feel for him but my hope went up. I was so nervous waiting to see the final result. Sizzle won the dragon! WooHoo! His time was also the fastest amongst all the grades and he beat the 2nd place by one full second! I am so proud of my little man! Finally, a complete dragon comes home!

this is Sizzle's victory run:

Then, we messed up our Jumping. I saw many dogs took the wrong jump in the box, instead of turning left, all dogs took the last jump, so I thought I will have to keep calling him and turning him but instead of taking the last jump, he took the right jump! Arrrggghhh ...

This weekend, apart from the Circular Jumping, all the courses we ran have sneak sequence! Then, I forgot to bring food, so I bought a couple of big cakes, home made at one of the trade stand, oh dear! Can you imagine me eating 2 big cakes? And for once, the weather was lovely, too hot for me though and I got sun-burnt and I am that sort of person that don't deal with sun and heat, so I am feeling a little poorly at the moment :(

Will do pups-date in another post later.