Learning still and as McDonald's says I am luving it :-)

Blimey what a couple of months, Wings, Rivi, Zev and Big has all qualified and participated in a final. In addition Rivi, Zev and Big have all progressed to Grade 7 and now eligible for Championship classes. With Zev and Big is was a bit oh crikey as they are so young, and even though they did not get placed in the finals due to pilot errors they had a great time and a very positive experience of going into a ring with people around watching, clapping and oohing and arrhing. And in another routine jumping round, Zev got a spontaneous round of applause for a cracking weave entry. But ''Oh Drats '' not caught on film. But this does mean our goals for the year more than achieved :-)

The great thing with the KC Festival and DINAS is the opportunity to watch European and International competitiors. I love the European approach, appreciative of good stuff (clapping), support when things so wrong (more clapping slower and uplifting) and then watching some awesome European/International handling I feel very inspired and going to be improving my handling style even further. Take more risks, run more stylishly - i live in hope;-)

The Video is of a nice run that Wings and Marc did this year.



Then the old learning curve. Having read my posting about being tired and making excuses/or reality take your pick. I thought I have forgotten a crucial part of Lanny Bassham's book when he talks about an event where it was bone chillin' cold and stuff and how he overcome it. That got me thinking was the motivation to win an overrider of the over conditions? It would seem so. And then I had to give myself a talking too, as it is so easy to slip into 'bad' mental habits. Gosh I wish I had a coach for agility, but I will have to make do with myself. And that made me think even more that next year I need to have some very focused goals that I want to achieve both for training and competition.

Yep summer is over the rain has come and that means no training tonight :-( our club is only indoors from Oct to March and it is so wet and yucky. Oh frustrating or what as now with other stuff more settled I am really getting into training, not just for my dogs but think I would be ready to tread my toes in the water and start training others again. With the knowledge I have gained this year...agility seems more exciting than ever.

What a weekend....

An epic drive for me although probably for some nothing - 4.5hours of driving to attend my old club show in Fordingbridge. It was a great excuse to see some girlfriends and Saturday night we laughed so much I was nearly crying with laughter. Competing wise my guys were great but I was not the 'jet lagged' feeling stayed with me all day. I was only fit for socialising and eating. Fortunately my guys are very tolerant of my human foibles.

This was Zevs and Mine agility run. He was super and just coming out of the canvas tunnel he turned to look for me and ran around the last jump. What the heck his performance is continuing improve, we did 'pull thrus',  'outs' and everything else I asked. His see-saw is getting scary fast, he virtually skids over it. I may have to look at retaining it so that he has more control over the tilt. People were 'gutted for me' as it was a KC qualifier, but all that mattered was the progress we are making. It was easy with Rivi and Zev I can play with them and they are oblivious, but friends disappointment as they want to see Zev and Rivi at more finals is harder.  A friend texted me and said "I want you to win, more than you want to win".

I do want to win, but I don't want to lose good grace, positive focus and the joy of running.  The wins or qualifications will come. This year I have not thought we ready to hit those heights. Zev and me are so excitable when we start chasing qualifiers next year. Perhaps I am wrong, and I know opportunities should be seized. But how you deal with things is oh so important to me too. There is a fantastic motivational poster at work that says "Attitudes are contagious - Is yours worth catching" (copyrighted) I think it was by corporate impressions .  Such a great tag line and thought provoking too.
Then what a donut moment I had in my last posting saying perhaps I was asking too much. The truth of the matter is I probably don't ask for enough. I am so known for 'babying' my guys. However come September I may be getting to classes twice a week rather than once, where I can train how I want. It is hard to find places to train where you are not being instructed :-)

Then my grapes, the birds have been nicking them!!!!

Intact - before the birds helping themselves

The birds have had grapes for a change!!!!!!!!!!!!!oh well

The Babyoli - back with a bang :-) Weeeeeheeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Back with a bam. The Babyoli is back and what a comeback, two 1st in Agility, a 2nd & 5th in Jumping. The two agility wins put her into Grade 7. Then the icing on the cake was we came 2nd in the Adams Novice Derby that she qualified for last September. I have deliberately erred on the side and caution and gave her extended time off to recover from her poorly paw which is now a very sound and healthy paw again. Phew for our first run I was actually a bit nervous, would she be OK? Logically, medically, physically and rationally there was nothing to be concerned about. But as I would walk to the end of the universe for my guys, I was just you know was a tad concerned. But I need not have been, way cooooool! The video is of the Final...a yes, yes, yes moment indeed!

Then Mister Big and Marc went Grade 7 to. So next year they will all be in Championship Classes. The rise of Big's through the grades has been fast. He only made his first KC show at Easter. This is one of his winning runs, from the weekend.

Then the handsome irrespressible Zev had a 2nd and 3rd in Grade 7 jumping classes. I was thrilled with this. The vid of one of his runs shows a pole come down and if you watch carefully it is actually knocked down by his tail, how frustrating is that! On the whole the run was fast, responsive and with the longest leadout we have done, so I was very pleased. However I have been lax with Zev he is so charming and I have not followed my criteria to its usual standards and I realised this last night, when Marc said "Zev is quiet going on the up and running across the dog walk, but he barks all the way down". Which tells me I have been asking to much to soon. And whilst he is fast, I can run too fast for him, which then gets him all barky in telling me off mode. Which is fair enough. Note for Zev:- your handler has had a 'lightbulb' moment.