agility show

Life has been hectic in the last few days. We finally sold the house in London (WooHoo!). We only have a couple of days' time to go and clear up; so you can imagine I've been driving between London and Midlands, trying to take stuff back to here. The Removal Company has made a mess! They've sent three removal vans (YES!) and still they leave some items behind and the worst thing is those items are by the door and they are big! How the removal man missed it and Colin missed it, only God knows! Anyway ... stressed over and I am going to enjoy my new "dream" home from now on ...

Agility slowly back on track again. I am loving it and the shelties must have been missing the game too. One thing, moved up to the Midlands meaning that I have to re-select the shows I can go to from scratch. The shows I used to go to are a bit too far to travel now ...

I've entered a UKA show with Sonic and Sizzle. Sonic desperately need some ring experience. All my other shelties have more ring experienced that him when they were about his age. Sadly, due to the big move, a lot of things have to be put on hold. I don't think this will do them any harm, in fact, it is good to give them a break. They came back even more enthusiasm!

Sonic and Sizzle were both entered 4 classes each, Agility, Jumping, Gambler & Steeplechase. I've also entered Sipzie on the day for Agility, Jumping and Steeplechase. As I've entered the show so early in the year and I wasn't sure if Sipzie has finished with her puppies. I like UKA because you can enter on the day although they are going to increase the late entry next January. 

Sonic surprised me what he can do since we went back to training three weeks ago. I always thought he is very clingy just like his daddy Sing when running a course. He is so much faster than Sing, so keeping up with him is hard work and I do not want him to wait for me. 

As we have entered 4 runs with him, I've decided to run 2 in NFC (Not For Competition); his first run was Beginners Agility. I've left the toy at the finishing line, sadly it was put in a box, so the reward was a bit late but he got the reward at the end anyway. Our only tiny mistake was the cross behind. I was too far ahead and the cross behind wasn't pretty and he didn't take the jump after that. This is a baby mistake but that will be our homework. 

I really like this photo of Sonic over the DW plank. He is so powerful and strong and enthusiastic as well :)

Sonic, Beginners Agility (excuse Sipzie barking in the background):

His second run was the Beginners Jumping, I've decided to go for a competition run. I am very pleased that he ran ahead of me, the only downside is that my cue and command were a bit too late so he turned like a tank :) He did won the class though :)

Sonic, Beginners Jumping:

His third run was the Beginners Gambler, I ran this as for competition. He missed the 11th pole the first time round it, I didn't want to put him back; when he did the second time, it was perfect, so I was very happy. This is not a smooth round at all, a lot of hip-cups. I should have treated this as NFC with the toy in the ring but too late. I've learned. He did the Gambler and Q-ed! Clever puppy!

Sonic, Beginners Gambler:

After the messy round in the Gambler, I decided to run the Steeplechase in NFC with toy in the ring. Sonic ran the course really well and smooth, I decided to chuck the ball over the last jump for him. Wasn't that a big mistake? He missed out the last jump and chase for his ball! Silly me!

Sonic, Beginners Steepelchase:

He was so tired after that. His first run was first thing in the morning; then he has to wait for a long time before the 2nd, 3rd and 4th run all came at the same time! I am very proud of my baby boy. 

Sipzie was in the same classes as Sonic. She is in the Beginners in the performance and Novice in the Steeplechase. Just before we moved, we have not done any Agility with her in the competition, only Jumping. We gone back to train her with 2o/2o on the DW. I wasn't sure what she's going to give me, to run it or to stop? She surprised me by stopping at the bottom. WooHoo! I verbal praise her but she was reluctant to move on to the next obstacle. She was looking for food! Hahaha ... Just as I thought we have nail the weave, she proved me wrong again! Arrrggghhh ... we've done so much weave practice at home lately and every single time, she did that perfectly. But, she can't weave at the show! Sigh ~

She was very good girl to put herself back on the see-saw the second time though. I just loved her craziness!

Sipzie, Beginner Agility (excuse Sizzle's bark in the background):

Well, I am not going to post her Jumping round, she can't weave. I made her weave three times and each time she failed to complete. I can see stress coming through her eyes, so I took her out. Thank God her Steeplechase was not immediately, so she has time to forget the stress. She didn't surprised me she won the class, she really was running very well in that course :)

Sipzie, Novice Steeplechase: 

Well, poor Sizzle hasn't got a good day. Three eliminations out of 4 runs. His first run was the Champ Jumping, I was running over from the Beginners ring and I forgot the course, so we look terrible in co-ordination!

Sizzle, Champ Jumping (excuse Sipzie's bark in the background):

In the Champ Agility, obstacle discrimination let us down. I saw a lot of dogs taking the longer route but I thought it is a good practice to go through the gap as the longer route is taking a lot of time. Surely, we are very poor in obstacle discrimination because we did exactly the same again in the Gambler! BTW, I don't know what spoke him on the DW, he was creeping up the plank. I saw some dogs do that as well! Mmm ...

Sizzle, Champ Agility:

Sizzle did a very nice opening. I am sure he collect quite a lot of points but again, I tried to come through the gap to get a shorter route and he went into the tunnel, so no Gambler no Q :(

Sizzle, Champ Gambler:

It was a long day, our last run was the Champ Steeplechase, again, Sizzle took extra jump LOL.

Sizzle, Champ Steeplechase: