Finishing on a high.....and starting on a high...

Zev and Christine - Olympia Medium KC Stakes 2014

After our Autumn break in October, where we switched off from the agility and had some R&R, the plan was to ease back into training in November. However Zev, suffered his first ever attack of pancreatitis. The dramatic quickness of how fast his health deteriorated was scary. Thankfully swift veterinary intervention, modern medicine plus Zev's and mine determination he recovered, with just one small set back. In short, I have learnt caring skills I have never needed previously. It was a real shock to the system. In a year of having to say goodbye to our beloved Nuts it was a massive downer.
But as always we focus on looking forward.

Marc & the guys and gals - Christmas 2014

 In December I got a phone call, from the organizer of the KC Agility at Olympia - Medium Day,  Zev and I were one of the handlers being called up. I knew he was fit enough as I had worked to maintained that.  Our original qualifying run was paw-perfect, however as agility goes despite this, we were just outside the places, which is the way it can go. We were the only Sheltie in in the Olympia medium event. As always we just have to go out and run our best and as the sporting expression goes "It ain't over 'til it's over" by Yogi Berra. 
At Olympia on the Medium day we achieved a 5th in the jumping and a 4th in the agility. In many ways I felt like I had won, with Zev just being Zev, his recovery, the fact that he had only returned to agility just two weeks before, his enthusiasm, his and mine's performance, how we handled the whole event. 
I remained composed and calm even with running first in the evening final, I worked every obstacle and maintained handler focus. Sure there is one turn I felt that could have been improved but heck at the beginning of November I did not know what the future held for Zev far less to have the joy of running him again. To run him in front of such a great crowd  I was on a high and Zev had a brilliant time too. A friend said we will always be an excitable team the difference is I am learning to control it and channel it more consistently. A wise friend indeed and very true.

As always for Christmas and New Year we have lighted candles and remembered the loved ones no longer by our side to celebrate many good memories and the fact that we were fortunate enough to have had them with us for part of our journey, however briefly that has been.

That said we finished 2014 on a high.....so here's to looking forward to 2015 and making the plans, ambitions and dreams for that year and beyond a reality.