UKA - Rivi's flying high and Zev's first agility adventure

I debated with myself whether to do this UKA show, it would be weird going without Marc, can you believe in all the years I have done agility, I think I probably have only done around 4 shows without him. But I thought it would be nice and low key, the venue is lovely and the weather forecast was dry.

It was totally mad. It is the first time I have attempted five runs with Rivi, and it was manic, booking in, the guessing which class would get to Rivi’s or Zev’s class/height first. Rivi was a Beautyoli and won 4 of our 5 Novice classes. I was on cloud nine. I am such a kid, I get so excited when we achieve a first place, actually I get excited about handling something well, let alone achieving an rosette! Hence the picture....as the thrill just does not diminish.

I could have kicked myself with the snooker, as Rivi was going beautifully and then I heard the whistle and thought ‘last jump’. I should have thought ‘weaves, last jump’. Still only the second go at snooker and the judge was lovely and sympathetic. Oh what a doughnut. I think I will have to have a lesson with someone who is experience in Snooker, as the rule book makes loads of sense until I read the section about the snooker! I also think the more I do the class, the more the rules will make sense. A classic ‘chicken and egg’ dilemma. So that is a project for the winter, get to grips with snooker. Thank you, Babyoli.

Now the Zev was brill I had just run Rivi, and Zev’s class was closing. "Yikes", there is no way I could miss his first one. I ran with Rivi to the ring, explained I was going to get Zev. The lady said the class is closing. So I explained I just had to run in another class and will go and get him straight away. Poor Rivi, straight back to the van. Poor Zev, rushed from van to the ring, plonked on the start line and off we went. It was a good big course, just how I envisioned a steeplechase. I got Zev ‘e’d’ as I pulled him off a jump after the tunnel, but it did not matter. He ran like the wind, was so responsive, hence the ‘e’ and made me feel so alive. His second class, was another steeplechase, now this course was real clever in how the line of jumps was set, and driving Zev round, we had more close shaves with the jumps than Wallace & Gromit. But I was thrilled with how he attempted to change his line, understood the rear cross cue and also did a reverse turn and he ran and found his cool kong and did a little lap of honour. And despite the zigzagging we still came 2nd! We had a really good laugh, as it was such fun. I wish we had the day on video....

What a day, I was beaming so much, my cheeks ached, so chuffed with my guys, it was good to be smiling again. And Nuts really enjoyed getting treats off new people he met. He is such a cheeky charmer shoving his nose at people’s pockets! In his defence, he keeps getting rewarded for the said behaviour ;-)