Agility Nuts Sept
I’ve been meaning to do this show since it started a couple of years ago, but there’s always something else on this weekend. I could have been judging in Cheshire for UKA, instead I trekked 2hrs to Nottingham and spent the weekend reading and playing with the dogs and occasionally running some agility.
C6-7 Agility first thing was a nice course, we promptly got E’d, but Dylan ran it really well. No freak outs on the dogwalk, no uncomfortable jumping, just a happy run. Shame about my handling!
Very messy clear in the Dog Vegas G6 Qualifier, but it was very very messy. We had a detour where he just headed straight for the pipe tunnel instead of the weaves, detoured back to get a rather tough weave entry, but good boy! Clear run, but we got 4+ time faults. 7th place, reserve for next years Final. Only 3 dogs got under the course time without other faults.
Both jumping courses were ok. We got 10F in the G6-7 Jumping, did all the difficult bits and then Dyl popped the last 2 weaves, then took down the last element in the long jump. I hate the long jump, it came up all weekend as a jump into nowhere, or with a long run in, just perfect for panicking Dylan. I did enjoy running the C6-7 in Ring 5 and we went clear, just squeaking under course time. The judge wheeled the course, I think her course time was fair. I was very happy with how Dyl ran the second half of that course, he took it up a gear and it felt a bit like how we used to run.
G6-7 Agility was a fair course, we went clear and made it under course time (omg!). The “difficult” bits really weren’t, for Dyl, he nailed the hard side weave entry and did a lovely distance push-out, whilst avoiding all the traps. Really, it was a nice run, just not very fast.
Ian Dobison’s course was super, brilliant difficult opening which had multiple handling options. The rest of the course was very fast and open, with a few subtle handling bits that meant you couldn’t just take it easy. Unfortunately, the course time was set at 40s, which meant whatever option I picked, we weren’t going to make the course time. As it happened, I messed up the handling and managed to pull Dyl through the gap and then send him out round the back of #2. Absolutely needed a wait for this one and I demanded one, Dylan shuffled but then realised I was serious and held it.
Clear in both jumping classes to finish the weekend. C6-7 Jumping was a nice easy run, but Dylan stuttered on the very long run to the final spread. We just squeaked into course time 38s with 37.788s. Not sure how we did in the very very easy G6-7 Jumping, course time was 35s and the course was so straightforward, nearly everyone went clear. Got some beautiful waits on the startline however, I guess we didn’t really ever loose that skill, just got lazy with maintaining it.
Rio did well too, had a lot more focus from her around the rings, much more concentrated tugging/play when asked. I think we’ll crash UKA Field of Dreams at Bakewell on Sunday and see how she does in Steeplechase. I’m worried I’m pushing her because I’m worried I won’t have a dog to compete with, but then I also think she needs the ring experience and we need to get on with it. I am worried I won’t have a dog to compete with, but I also think I’ve been a bit lazy with Rio and need to get my ass in gear. I spoil her.