MydnightShadow
Well-Known Member
Hi
I just had to share my pride and excitement after a busy weekend with Poppy (Kirkwind Poppet), my Border Collie.
We were at Richmond Champ show on Saturday and entered into Yearling Bitch and she got 3rd which means we have qualified for Crufts 2012!! As she is 2 tomorrow it was our last chance to qualify from Yearling before having to move up to Post Graduate which she is not mature enough for yet. I thought the judge called the dog next to me into 3rd and me into 4th as I couldn't believe I had got that elusive spot but the stewards convinced me!! I was so excited and proud!
Sunday was then another busy day for us as we went to our 1st Agility competition. As it was run under Kennel Club rules we ran Not For Competition (NFC) so I could run her at Medium height and ignore the weaves which are the 1 item we have not yet mastered. She was really good in her agility round adn did lovely contacts. Our entry onto the seesaw still needs a little work but she only went over it understanding it for the 1st time on Friday so I was thrilled with the way she went over it and sat on the contact at the bottom!! She did her jumps (with me nearly messing up where to go) beautifully and flew through the tunnel. She was completely focused on me and the course and her wait at the start was also very good. The jumping was in the afternoon and after a long day before we were both a little tired and I mucked up my handling over the jumps on a couple of more complicated turns twice. She was really good and trying really hard and flew round most of the course beautifully - just my bad handling that mucked her up! I think she really enjoyed it although she is very tired today after her long weekend. I really enjoyed it too so I am looking forward to perfecting her weaves over the winter and competing her properly next season. I am planning a UKA Steeplechase and another Kennel Club agility NFC before the end of the year as I think it is a great way to learn and for us to gain confidence. Not planning on rushing to put her jumps up to large either until we have both gained more confidence and I have improved my handling enough not to confuse her too much. The last thing I want is her learning to go under the jumps!
Still I am a very proud Mum as she was brilliant this weekend and we now get to go to Crufts 2012 as well as having loads to look forward to agility wise. I have to admit seeing how badly behaved and unmotivated some of the dogs were at agility (several disappeared out of the ring) made me feel a lot less daunted about competing her!!
I just had to share my pride and excitement after a busy weekend with Poppy (Kirkwind Poppet), my Border Collie.
We were at Richmond Champ show on Saturday and entered into Yearling Bitch and she got 3rd which means we have qualified for Crufts 2012!! As she is 2 tomorrow it was our last chance to qualify from Yearling before having to move up to Post Graduate which she is not mature enough for yet. I thought the judge called the dog next to me into 3rd and me into 4th as I couldn't believe I had got that elusive spot but the stewards convinced me!! I was so excited and proud!
Sunday was then another busy day for us as we went to our 1st Agility competition. As it was run under Kennel Club rules we ran Not For Competition (NFC) so I could run her at Medium height and ignore the weaves which are the 1 item we have not yet mastered. She was really good in her agility round adn did lovely contacts. Our entry onto the seesaw still needs a little work but she only went over it understanding it for the 1st time on Friday so I was thrilled with the way she went over it and sat on the contact at the bottom!! She did her jumps (with me nearly messing up where to go) beautifully and flew through the tunnel. She was completely focused on me and the course and her wait at the start was also very good. The jumping was in the afternoon and after a long day before we were both a little tired and I mucked up my handling over the jumps on a couple of more complicated turns twice. She was really good and trying really hard and flew round most of the course beautifully - just my bad handling that mucked her up! I think she really enjoyed it although she is very tired today after her long weekend. I really enjoyed it too so I am looking forward to perfecting her weaves over the winter and competing her properly next season. I am planning a UKA Steeplechase and another Kennel Club agility NFC before the end of the year as I think it is a great way to learn and for us to gain confidence. Not planning on rushing to put her jumps up to large either until we have both gained more confidence and I have improved my handling enough not to confuse her too much. The last thing I want is her learning to go under the jumps!
Still I am a very proud Mum as she was brilliant this weekend and we now get to go to Crufts 2012 as well as having loads to look forward to agility wise. I have to admit seeing how badly behaved and unmotivated some of the dogs were at agility (several disappeared out of the ring) made me feel a lot less daunted about competing her!!
x