Top 3 Shows

I’m just sending in a bunch of entries for the shows at the beginning of the summer season, and I’m keeping a sharp eye out for certain schedules. I haven’t been competing regularly or for long enough to have shows that are really unmissable, but there are some that I am always determined to enter if I can. So I got to thinking, what are my three favourite competitions? There are a few who didn’t make the list (I debated long and hard over Lincoln!) but here are my final three, although I withhold the right to change them later! In no particular order …

EMDAC Midsummer Madness

Anyone who knows me will tell you how much I love this show. It begins on Thursday evening at 5pm, and if you’ve ever done agility on a summer evening you’ll know how fantastic it is to be competing there! It runs for 4-days in the third week of July from Thurs – Sun, at the brilliant Asfordby venue. Everyone is exceptionally friendly, the classes are big and competitive but it never loses the small show feel. Every dog gets 2-5 runs a day, and there is always a practise ring, which is run on an honesty-box basis and you can go and play on the equipment until you’re done.

High Peak DTS

Through what I can only call twisted circumstances of fate, I have only ever actually attended this show once, in 2005. In 2006 it wasn’t held, in 2007 it was cancelled due to the weather, and this year (2008) the date has changed so that it now clashes with EMDAC (above). Nevertheless, it’s still one of my favourites. It runs over 2 days, usually the first weekend in August although that may have changed for good now. In 2005, the Elementary Jumping class only had 50 dogs in it, and the judge decided to continue running through lunch to get through. Everybody sat and watched everyone else and was incredibly supportive, and that one class is the reason I really got hooked on competitive agility. Amazingly, about a month later, they sent a rosette through the post and Kim had come 9th in that class – her first ever agility rosette.

Wyre Myerscough

Ok, it’s not a summer show, but I do love it. It’s usually held on the first weekend of December, a 1-day indoor with 6 rings. It’s vaguely festive, has a great venue and always has good classes on. What’s not to love?! Kim nearly won out of Elementary there in 2006 with a 4th in Starters Agility, and she was also re-measured as a Medium on the same day, so it’s a special show for us.

So, what are your top 3 shows and why do you love them?!