more agility show ...

Well, we went to bitz 'N' bobz show on Sunday, it is local to us, only about 10 miles, for once, we don't have to wake up early to go to an agility show! WooHoo! This is the first time I went to the show, I was rather disappointed with the venue. It was too crowded to put 2 rings in such a tiny space. They fenced up a tiny alley for people to walk to the inside ring. The Jumping ring wasn't too bad but the Agility ring was far too crowded with all the contacts equipment. I am so used to plenty of space to handle my dogs and I found the courses were too tight even for a sheltie, especially Sonic. He still struggle to jump the KC medium height comfortably, he really need a lot more space to stride. 

I've entered three dogs, Sonic, Sizzle and Sipzie. Each one of them have 4 runs each, and yes, I have 12 runs and that should warm me up in this freezing cold weather! Sonic is in the Grade 2-3 group and Sizzle & Sipzie are in the Grade 4-7 group. This is a bit like the UKA setting, they set up the course, all the heights walk the same course at the same time and the jumps move up and down. They have micro, small, medium, standard and large heights. Sizzle is in small and Sonic & Sipzie are in medium. 

Sonic and I didn't gel very well this weekend. His first run was Agility 1. I didn't handle this course well as I walk the wrong course. Oops! I went to walk the Jumping course as they put up the ring number wrong! I should have read the ring plan carefully in future! I only have a chance to walk the course once and my worried was the jump after the DW which I got fault for! Duh! Otherwise, I think Sonic work beautifully consider how tight the course is. 

Sonic @ Agility 1:

Sonic's second run was the Jumping course. My handling was so poorly that he nearly took the wrong jump. I should have trust him more on the tunnel and stand upright that gives me better position for handling the obstacles ahead but sadly, I didn't, so he probably read from my body that he should turn right instead of left but he took my verbal command so well, Bless him! Such responsive boy, but sadly he dropped the pole before taking the weave. Entirely my fault! Later, I went to check his time to give me an idea what kind of time frame he is in to find that he was given an elimination! I wasn't happy and I questioned them. Apparently, the girl that did the scoresheet told me that was a 5 fault written on with no time; so when she went out to ask the scrimer, she said it was an "E". Honestly, I was furious. Not that I care about the prize but I knew we only have the 5 on the pole, but why an E? Good job that Colin video us and I show them the video to proof that we didn't go off course! At the end, the secretary granted us a joint 2nd place as the presentation been presented and gave him a random time of 33 seconds. She said to me, your dog is not slow, so 33 seconds is good. I thought to myself, if Sonic did that in 33 seconds, I will probably call it a slow dog! When we got home, I used the video editor to trim the start and finish, he did that around 26-27 seconds. That's more like it. Grrr ...

Sonic @ Jumping:

Well, Sonic's next 2 classes when horribly wrong :( He got stuck in the car for all morning and he was so wound up! He just can't stop barking! I find this Agility 2 course very challenging, I think it is a hard one for the baby dogs, especially Grade 2-3? The weave entry was tough and the way I handled it is for me to be able to catch up at the end as the next two jumps are not in line. Sadly, I probably block his view to see the pole and he nearly took the jump in front of me. I guess I was curving out from the wing that he came with me. Just a baby mistakes really. 

Sonic @ Agility 2:

When I looked back at this video, I can see that I am a lazy handler :( I should have put another step forward to help with the tunnel but I didn't. Poor Sonic was tumble in the first tunnel. When he ran into the first tunnel, he was tumbled that I saw his bum in the exit; I can see he got disorientated a bit but then he got naughty about the tunnels :) more tunneling work! Well, Sonic won this class with 5 faults!

Sonic @ Steeplechase:

Sipzie did some good work, although she got very naughty in her first run! I don't know why she can't see the weave pole and keep taking the wrong jump :) I am really pleased that she did her 2o/2o on the DW. WooHoo! At least our hardwork paid off. Although I like her not to creep down the plank but we will keep practicing. 

Sipzie @ Agility 1:

Sipzie got a 2nd place in the Jumping. I don't think we did well enough. She was actually being careful and not being her crazy fast self. I think showing her treat in the queue is a bad thing but the place is crowded that she was too busy sniffing around, so I used the treat to lure her which is a bad move!

Sipzie @ Jumping:

I think Sipzie ran very well in this Agility. The way I handled her into the weave entry has gave me a bad position for the next obstacle but I can't handle her the way I handle Sizzle, Sizzle is much better in finding the entry where Sipzie is still learning. I am hoping with the 6 poles, she will not keep popping out like she did in 12 poles. It is very hard that you don't want a dog to think they are wrong all the time. Of course, I was in such a bad position that I didn't pull her enough for the jump but she did good though.

Sipzie @ Agility 2:

Not sure why Sipzie didn't go into the tunnel, she is a tunnel crazy! She also had a tumbled in the same tunnel that Sonic tumbled earlier. 

Sipzie @ Steeplechase:

Sizzle got a 2nd in this Agility run, he was so close with the winner's time. I guess I lost time after the weave, he thought he was going to take the jump but I called him back and then have to pull him through the gap which he has eyes on it :). It was good though. I struggled with the tight course again, I need more space!

Sizzle @ Agility 1:

Ah, naughty Sizzle, I wonder why he pop out of the weave poles? I know I was looking at the wrong end of the tunnel but not sure my body is showing too much of it? Hehehe ... I did the "funny turn" correctly :) We learned a lot of this "funny turn" at the new Club and I am struggling with it!

Sizzle @ Jumping: 

Sizzle won this class :), I don't think there are many clear rounds on this course. The weave entry and the jump after the weave caught too many dogs/handlers! I don't think I can handle it better other way. 

Sizzle @ Agility 2:

I think with all my dogs went into the wrong end of the tunnels, it got to be my handling problems!!

Sizzle @ Steeplechase: