Adams & Derby

We competed on the Saturday & Sunday at Adams and just the Saturday at Derby.


Rum has progressed well, he's never going to be the fastest agility dog in the world but I love running him.  At Adams we had a 13th in Grade 6 Jumping where we lost a second or so as we had a bit of a wobble before the tunnel entrance where I didn't hold my position, we had a clear in combined 6-7 agility on the Sunday where I held his contacts.  At Derby we had a 14th in Grade 6 Jumping.  What I am finding with him is his first couple of runs he is quite steady and cautious, in agility this results in creepy contacts!  However after that he seems to get his confidence back and is a lot more drivey.  He worries about doing things wrong so much!  We had an awesome run in the last class at Derby, I made a right mess of it but Rum felt so confident, it felt great, much better than our clear in the jumping.


Ember at Adams was a nightmare and fought me all day Saturday, on Sunday we started off with what I thought was an amazing clear in jumping but stupid me had missed a jump out!!  She started being naughty on contacts so I was taking her out of the ring.  At Derby her first class she missed her a-frame so I put her back over then in the next class she got her a-frame, was running lovely then turned around on the see-saw?!?!  Ember always does something random!  In jumping she had a clear but was turning like the titanic, I struggle to get her turns tight, always have done and she ended up just outside the placings but was nice to finally get a clear!!!


Cas was a star and had several clears, the others she had just five faultitis.  She's not quick enough as a veteran to be in the placings though but she has a whale of a time :)


I am enjoying running them, I wish Rum could be confident all the time but he's better than he was and isn't stressing out at all so that's a big plus.  Ember can be amazing one minute and a nightmare the next - nothing changes!  And Cas as long as she's fit and healthy enough to enjoy her agility still I will continue to run her in veterans/anysize.  Some candid shots taken inbetween classes.

Dig It Dogs

I was in two minds as to whether to go to this show as we have had awful weather all week.  However they changed venue and it was the same as last time so I knew parking was on hardstanding and it wasn't far to travel so we could always come home early.  I am glad I went as we had a lovely dry day, fantastic running conditions, we even saw the sun for the afternoon.
Rum struggled a little in the jumping ring as it was quite small, he ran lovely but had a couple of poles in both Champ Jumping and Senior Steeplechase 1, in Senior Steeplechase 2 he had a fab clear and won it.  We're now 6 points away from Champ Steeplechase.  In Champ Agility he worked lovely picking up a fairly tricky (for him) weave entry, a month ago he would have not turned to take the second pole but he did and surprised me!  Unfortunately he saw his lead and ran round the last jump!!  Then Champ Snakes & Ladder and I felt I didn't plan it well, was very hesitant and he picked up on that, we sort of made a right hash!  Finished the day entering a pay on the day agility but I trained his contacts, he worked lovely.

Rum's Steeplechase Win & Agility Training Round
 

Ember was being a nightmare today and insisting on backchatting!!  Novice Jumping she missed the last 2 weaves, I think perhaps because I was moving away but no excuse.  Agility and she missed her a-frame contact grr, naughty sheltie!  Senior Steeplechase 1 she backjumped, 2 she did a similar thing taking a more awkward than easy route.  Finally Snakes & Ladders and I had missed the fact you could only do contacts one way so we messed that up.
It was a lovely show and I really feel together with Rum but Ember, we're fighting again at the minute!!
On another point it was interesting for me as there was the usual stall selling dog toys and treats etc.  They had a lifesize cuddly dog sitting upright at the edge of the stall, I wondered what Rum would do if I tried to introduce him as I remembered us taking Cas to Marie for TTouch and she did similar with Cas.  Rum would not go near it, even if I held a treat near he backed away and wouldn't look at it at, poor lad.  I just don't know what happened with him as a youngster he would be fine socialising with other dogs.

GT Agility

I had got a little disheartened at our last show - Bitz n Bobz in Daventry as I just felt I couldn't keep up with the dogs and my handling was all over the shop.  Having had a nice relaxing couple of weeks in Spain I was feeling refreshed and ready to pick my agility back up, I have been working on my fitness and Rum's fitness all week since we've been back.


Ember, well Ember is Ember and will always do something unexpected!  In Novice Jumping she really flew, I felt so in tune with her, she just knocked a pole.  Then Senior Steeplechase and she tripped me up knocking me flying!  Followed by Novice Agility and silly me sent her off over a jump I shouldn't have done, a shame as her contacts were spot on.  I then trained Novice Gamblers as I know she misses her contacts on the second run - lo and behold she did!  I don't know why she's doing that, the last few shows it's been a case of perfect contacts in the first run but after that - no hope!  Finally Senior Steeplechase - hoorah a fab clear and she won the class :)


Rum, well for ages I have been on about always wanting consistency and today I got it!  Five runs and five clears :)  Started with Senior Steeplechase which I hadn't walked as got there a little late, it was a bit messy but still fairly quick and we won.  Then Senior Jumping, lovely run, a wide turn on the first flick flack and out of the tunnel but otherwise he worked lovely and won.  Followed by Senior Gamblers (now I hate gamblers and have never ever done well) which he worked lovely, however he got a bit worried when I put him back over the dogwalk as he was wondering if he did it wrong the first time, poor lad his little face when he crept down the down plank!  I wasn't sure whether we got the gamble as it was a bit messy, but we did and won it!  Senior agility I wanted to push his contacts as I wanted the points (getting too competitive lol!) and although the dogwalk was creepy we had a nice run and another win!  Finally senior steeplechase and I stupidly tried to overcorrect him and he had a big twizzle, otherwise lovely and finished 2nd, 0.5s off the winner.  


There was a time where I would have dwelled on that mistake but now I think well I could have lost it completely and got an E or a 5R so we did well to recover, I need to focus more on what we have done well.  We never analyse why we have done well, only when we don't do so well.  Why?  If we do well we want to try and replicate that so we need to focus on why we have done well.


So Rum had already had 12 points at Dig It and today he got the remaining points to take him up to Championship - yeah, but I need to train those contacts next time!  Lol.  I am most happy with the consistency as I hate being so inconsistent, a lot of that is to do with my fitness (I could almost keep up with them!) and also how happy Rum is.  Today we even queued and he stayed calm.  I am just so pleased with him!!