That time of year again - (BFA) Flyball Champs

[Annette4]

Whose off to Driffield this year?

Fizz is running in Div 31 on Friday and Dobby is taking part in the Disc workshop on Friday night too.

We've got teams on all 3 days so will likely be back on Sunday but we're off to the beach on Saturday to help the dogs sleep through the party

 

[Clodagh]

Oh best of luck and I hope it goes well.
My neice is on a gap year so missing out and next year she says her dog will be too old (7) so no more for her, although she is campaigning for another dog!

 

[rara007]

Good luck!

 

[Annette4]

Oh best of luck and I hope it goes well.
My neice is on a gap year so missing out and next year she says her dog will be too old (7) so no more for her, although she is campaigning for another dog!

7 isn't that old, it does depend on the dog but we've got a couple of 10+ year olds in our slower team. It keeps the older dogs fit and ticking over and they make great, steady team mates for the younger dogs coming through to learn from.

 

[Clodagh]

7 isn't that old, it does depend on the dog but we've got a couple of 10+ year olds in our slower team. It keeps the older dogs fit and ticking over and they make great, steady team mates for the younger dogs coming through to learn from.

She's a lab, and wouldn't do 'slower' so they worry about her joints. I am not sure if she will still do some training with her or not.

 

[Karran]

Div 31? You're with Dukes aint you?
We have a team running in div before you! Will keep an eye out to see if we can say hi!
Mrs Spaniel is in div 30 and we have two other teams running on saturday and top team in div 7 Sunday
Seeded top of our div but it's going to be iffy. One of the dogs is returned after a terrible RTA and handler injuries earlier this year, Mrs Spaniel is currently being a diva and insisting that she must go last and no one is to look at her and we also have a pup making her debut at open (nowt like throwing them in deep end!)

Really looking forward to it regardless though!

 

[Annette4]

We are indeed with Dukes.....Fizz is fingers crossed lead dog however much like Mrs Spaniel is prone to a diva moment. If the other team revs she feels the need to tell their dog off and she often refuses to run in the rain so who knows what will happen.

 

[Karran]

Bloody hoping for dry weather too! Mrs spaniel is not a fan of cold and wet!
Good luck! If I get the chance, we'll come cheer you on!

 

[Oenoke]

I was at the UKFL Championships last weekend, Tayen helped her team, Essex Aspire, win indoors Division 4 on Sunday and her multibreed team, Essex Multi A, won indoors multibreed Division 3 on Monday. I'm of to KCIAF now until Sunday.

 

[Annette4]

I was at the UKFL Championships last weekend, Tayen helped her team, Essex Aspire, win indoors Division 4 on Sunday and her multibreed team, Essex Multi A, won indoors multibreed Division 3 on Monday. I'm of to KCIAF now until Sunday.

Well done! Our 'boss' and another person from the club were at UKFL champs outdoors and did well both in their division and the multibreed.

We decided as a club not to do UKFL (I'm glad to be honest as we've recently discovered staggered racing does not suit Fizz which is all they seem to do up here, although she does love indoors ) but we have a UKFL club who are part of the family and people in both teams cross over.

 

[Karran]

UKFL seems to be a bit more "northern" from what I see (of course anything past Watford is North for me!)

Brilliant result Oenoke - hopefully your luck will rub off on both of us!

I quite like staggered racing, although the majority of my team don't - but then I currently only have the one dog and I can see how it'd get confusing when you have two or more!!

In an attempt to stop any nerves building up i've entered Mrs Spaniel in our first agility show this weekend. It's going to end in disaster, we don't know what we're doing. Left and Rights are always an issue for me, tunnels are more fun to sit on than go through but everyone's got to start somewhere and they're starter classes so what's the worst that can happen!? Either way she'll have a lot of fun and i'll be doing my best not to trip over her!

 

[Oenoke]

Well done! Our 'boss' and another person from the club were at UKFL champs outdoors and did well both in their division and the multibreed.

We decided as a club not to do UKFL (I'm glad to be honest as we've recently discovered staggered racing does not suit Fizz which is all they seem to do up here, although she does love indoors ) but we have a UKFL club who are part of the family and people in both teams cross over.

My dogs prefer staggered, 1 of my girls especially holds her times better over the day, I was a bit concerned for the old dog to begin with (having time to warm up and cool down), but my old girl was competing staggered last year at 12 years old, I retired her at the Champs last year

 

[Oenoke]

UKFL seems to be a bit more "northern" from what I see (of course anything past Watford is North for me!)

Brilliant result Oenoke - hopefully your luck will rub off on both of us!

I quite like staggered racing, although the majority of my team don't - but then I currently only have the one dog and I can see how it'd get confusing when you have two or more!!

In an attempt to stop any nerves building up i've entered Mrs Spaniel in our first agility show this weekend. It's going to end in disaster, we don't know what we're doing. Left and Rights are always an issue for me, tunnels are more fun to sit on than go through but everyone's got to start somewhere and they're starter classes so what's the worst that can happen!? Either way she'll have a lot of fun and i'll be doing my best not to trip over her!

We haven’t done too many shows this year, we made a team declared the beginning of the year to concentrate on training, we have lots of young dogs and had pulled some of the older dogs for retraining (including Tayen) and it’s really paid off. We are travelling further to shows, Anglesey and Drax this year.

 

[Annette4]

My dogs prefer staggered, 1 of my girls especially holds her times better over the day, I was a bit concerned for the old dog to begin with (having time to warm up and cool down), but my old girl was competing staggered last year at 12 years old, I retired her at the Champs last year

The problem I have with madam during staggered (which might change with age) is she doesn't have time to get rid of that initial adrenaline and calm down so by the second race she's hit the ceiling and starts chasing the other team

 

[Oenoke]

Tayen had to run last dog the 1st year and a half because otherwise she’d do her run, then turn and chase. She now runs start as otherwise she gets too hyped waiting her turn!

 

[Karran]

Mrs Spaniel runs last or she double strides on the way back and has a tendency to run out if she thinks it looks like someone might be in her way. Even if they haven't even released their dog yet 🙄 so frustrating. On her day she is a 4.7 dog, however we often settle for 5.2 as she cant cope with the idea of coming back with something due to come

 

[Karran]

I started a new job in May, the whole office has been bemused by me explaining to them about flyball, and then becoming hooked when i showed them youtube videos and then they've been betting amongst themselves each week when I show them the running orders for each comp we do and this week has just been full of hype when i showed them the running orders for champs. Today is my last day in before next Thursday and well.... Mrs Spaniel has no pressure whatsoever, but i don't think i'm going to be allowed back unless we do well...

 

[Annette4]

Bless, that's so sweet.

We've got two dogs in Fizz's team retiring this year so really want a win to send them off in style. I just hope the diva keeps her head

 

[Karran]

Yes! I was very touched!

I will have all fingers crossed for you and Mrs Spaniel all paws!