August

Well it is August and just have done my last agility show for the year (kc ones at least).
They are all down in the central belt and just too expensive to do them.
Just back from Platinum beside Edinburgh, could only do the 1 day though.
Weather down was very rainy and at the show was a wee bit miserable until lunchtime.
4 runs 2 e's and 2 clears but no rossies.

Granite City Show

Missed the Beardie show as I think that 1-7 combined classes are not very good except for grades 6 /7.
Difficult for the judges as well to pitch a course for all grades of dogs.
Granite City what can I say the weather was really too hot on Sat. Sunday was just a wee bitty cooler (not Much).
Got 3 clears over the weekend how did I do that?
The heat got to me and on 1 course I was 21 seconds over the course time.
Also seemed to have less dogs at our show.
Is it because there are now too many shows in the central belt?
Or too expensive to travel.
My average miles up to now for all shows is now 203 miles each.

Having a wee break from agility, all the competitions are really too far away just now .
Most of them are in the central belt, just too expensive to go to shows.
Only done 4 shows this year and my average miles per show is 250 miles.
Back to Jodie had a big scare last Tuesday she was very ill and you could hardly touch her as she would scream out.
So off to the vet we went and guess what, the vet tested every limb, her spine and head movements.
She never complained once, on arrival home I had to lift her out of the car and she screamed again.
Going upstairs seemed to be a problem but going down was ok.
Thankfully she was more friskier on Wednesday and now seems virtually back to normal.
Took her to the vet this morning and she thought I brought a different dog to the surgery.

Avon Agility Show.
Sunny Saturday, Sunday not so sunny .
These agility courses seem to be getting longer and longer.
Some courses were tricky I thought, but I managed a 2nd and 3rd on the Sunday.
Fiona course was really long, did a nice slow start because I wanted a clear round.
Went up to Falkirk to see the Kelpies on the way home.
I thought they were dogs but it turned out to be statues of horses.
Nice park think you could spend all day wandering around the canal and locks.
You really must go and see this place.

Gleniffer May 2014

Weather was good mostly rained during the night.
Although we had thunder and lightning it didna last long and it was at lunch time.
Jodie had 8 runs 7 were the big E but we had a clear. (how did that happen).
Some courses looked pretty easy, but they soon caught you out.
What I notice with a lot of courses now, seems to be a long distance between some jumps, passing too close to jumps that you have already done.
One little loss of concentration and your dog takes the wrong jump.

Fair City 2014

Arrived at the show about 08.00 was raining a wee bit, so on with the waterproofs.
Didna like a couple of courses one had a spread, the first time I have done one in a competition.
Jodie managed up to the spread and then darted out of the ring for a wee. (first time for everything)
So we had 3 big E's on the first day. The weather improved as the day went on so pitched the tent had a good look at all the other rings running.
Had a good walk before tea, went to see the peacocks and a wee walk to see if we could see some otters.
The camera I took went flat so never got any pics for the weekend. (silly billy charged the wrong batteries).
Sunday weather was pretty good, got a Second in Helens Glass course 4/5 combined agility went a wee bit slower just to see if I could get a clear round.
On to Linda Park ring tricky start I thought and a tricky bit at the end anyway we got the big E because she back jumped( woman always knows best)
Back to Helen Glass last event a 5/6/7 combined jumping it was the same for large so walked at 14.00 and just turned up as it was about 75% finished for smalls, then I found out she had changed the start she made it even more tricky I thought.
We were last to run managed the start quite well. Jodie was going well, so much so that I coodna get her on to my right  side and we arrived at jump 7 so it was either jump the jump or kick the dog, I took the jump and got the big E.
Jodie and I finished very fast and I thought I had clear because there is nothing in the rules says you canna jump a jump.
So we had a discussion about it, and it turned out I widna get anything anyway so everyone went away with some good banter going about.
At the prize giving Helen gave me the judges special.
Hey I was a happy bunny all the way home

Fair City Perth. 10/05/14
Well off we go to our second show of the year, same venue Scone Palace (nice grounds).
Wonder if we will get some clears this time.
Have to travel down on the Sat morning because I have to go and watch the granddaughter dancing show on the Friday night. Why can they not have it on the dark nights.

KOF April

Went to KOF show in Perth.
Weather was sunny but very cold with the wind, with a little drizzle.
Nose got a wee bit sunburn.
Had 6 runs 5 were big E, and had a 5 faults on Laura's course.
Seemed a long show, some classes lasted ages. Maybe because loads of dogs and people from far away came to try a wee holiday up here.
Scone Palace is a wonderful setting for an agility show.
We will be back again in May for another show this time Fair City.

Middle of February and just started training again, last I done was at the beginning of November.
Had a really bad fall in a local park in Novenber, and then fell off a ladder 3 weeks ago and had a badly bruised wrist, coodna drive for nearly 2 weeks.
Didna do much though, need to get a wee bit fitter as well. First show will be KOF in April.
Lets hope the agility season will be mostly dry like it was last year (except Granite City in 2013)