Club Match & Contact Training

Well last weekend we had the Honiton v South Devon match which Honiton were hosting as they won it last year. Four runs, agility, jumping, agility steeplechase and tunnel fun. Jumping was the first run, Wren was off her head as it was held where we train so she was over confident and cocky. 6 poles came down (about half the course) which is no surprise. She didnt pick up on a snake line which I was disappointed with but took her back and she then picked up on it. Kai had a good run but just knocked a pole due to my bad timing.

The agility was not a bad course just one slightly tricky bit - I had decided how to handle it but when I got where I needed to be I gave dogs absolutely no direction for some reason (well I couldnt feel my hands or feet after scriming for a couple of hours so that may have had something to do with it).

The tunnel fun was fun, both dogs thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Wren just got a pole but was flying. Kai went clear and got a 5th which for a flat out speed course it isnt bad for him.

The agility steeplechase was a fun course, Wren drove to the end on her dog walk and stopped for the slightest of seconds but then self released, she went clear - just by a toenail on the a frame. She came away with a 2nd place for that. Kai also went clear and came with a 3rd, Wren beat him by just over a second.

I have been agonising over Wren's contacts, she is such a super dog - her weaves are fantastic and getting quicker the more confident she becomes, her jumping is great just a little weak on rear crosses but contacts are just dreadful. She can hit them at training provided I dont run past but in competition she can hardly think of stopping let alone stopping. I had played with the idea of going to 4 off instead of 2o2o but have decided to stick with 2o2o for the moment after great deliberation really due to the fact that this is what i have trained from the start so hoping the end behaviour will end up being stronger. Have loads to work on and loads of homework so will give me something to aim for.

We did a goal setting seminar on Tuesday - I always enjoy these and it gets me fired up for the coming season. If I can get those solid contacts I really think Wren could do well and I would like to be able to do some qualifiers and feel that we have a real chance and qualifying - the dream would be olympia but we shall have to wait see - watch this space as they say....

Dartmoor

Wet, windy and muddy about covers Dartmoor. It was awful but thank god the rings are inside but even inside there were places of puddles and bog but it was an early finish and I was home by 3pm - needed a soak in the bath so I could feel my feet again.

Well Grade 3 and 4 ran the same course but were graded. I will admit that I had high hopes for Kai that maybe he would get his final win and for Wren that she could do well in the jumping and to see how we would do in our first agility run.

The jumping course had a hard weave entry but was a nice flowy course with a bit of handly in the middle - nothing that we could cope with. Kai had a lovely run and got the weave entry which was my worry for him but you had a very slight pull through that he read as a push through so undoubtedly my fault. Wren got her weave entry as well but then dropped a pole into the snake and then went all silly and started nipping but we finished the course in the end.

The agility course was a big open course and fast with a tricky snake line towards the end. Wren did everything I asked but god those contacts need work, I decided to hang back so she would get them but then she didnt drive down to the end which I was surprised about but she stopped at the end which was something. I know it is managing it but I dont want her to get the idea that she run her contacts in competition. She did the tricky bit but was a bit wide as she overjumped and got a fast weave entry that I pushed so on the whole pleased with her performance if not a little disappointed that we didnt do better.

Kai had a lovely run but its his contacts that are just not quick enough and I have to manage them a bit so he went clear and came out with a 6th - he was about 2.5 seconds behind the winner. I now have a dilemma at the end of the season. Do I stay in 4 with him and wait for that final jumping win or do I put him into 5 on points that will have the trickier course that he could cope with. He is 7 next year and I am really unsure as to what to do especially as I have Wren to think of next year in 3. Any comments or advice?

UKA Bugle

wow wow wow and more wows. Wren came away with her first ever win and hopefully the first of many. I was very good and trained her agility - umm well attempted to train it although she flew every single contact so we only got chance to do the seesaw and dog walk and only got a chance to put her back on the dog walk. We need work thats for sure.

Her jumping round was lovely, she just didnt read a rear cross from me so went back over the start but got her weave entry and weaves with no hesitatation and did the rest beautifully.

Her win was in steeplchase and was a fun course that you could easily have got lost in. She ran like a dream and was so smooth and I knew it was a fantastic run when we came out. She ended up winning by over 5 seconds - not bad for a baby dog.

Kai had a lovely round in the agility that I trained. His jumping run he decided to run off course and look for his toy - the real spaniel in him came out as he insisted that his toy was near the start - it wasnt it was at the finish! Steeplechase round I am not sure what went wrong, I went one way and he went the other simple.

Dartmoor this Saturday and the last KC of the year. Wren I am hoping she can cope with the grade 3 course although I suspect I have nothing to worry about. Kai I am still chasing that final jumping win. Wish me luck.

Wren's run

This is Wren's last run of the UKA Cheltenham Show on Sunday and is the run that I am pleased with - shame about the handler as they so though

Cheltenham

Mr first time to Cheltenham racecourse and not a bad venue for this time of the year. Three steeplechases and were all nice courses and all very different.

This was my second show with wren and the interesting thing i have noticed is that the first run she has she is alot slower than she is at training and I wonder if it is the change of venue and new place. After her first run is out of the way the rest of her runs and much more like her so I do wonder if the more shows we do the more confident she will become.

We went clear in the first run - probably cos I had some control and although not at her usual pace we got a second and I am very pleased to have a clear from her but to be honest I prefer her other two runs as they were more like her. The judge made a comment about how nice her last run was and someone asked me how old she was and when I said they said I must be extremely happy with her and that I am.

Kai was a complete twat - did his own thing, backjumped all sorts, anything other than where I wanted him to go. Apparently on the last run when we had to cross the box, I looked back to make sure he was with me and as soon as I turned my back he then flicked across the box and behind me aaarrrgggghhhh!

We have Cornwall next weekend with jumping, agility and steeplechase. Lots of training contacts and weaves next week and I am gonna train them properly or I am sure I will be told off LOL

Training

yes more training again but then there isnt much else going on at the moment.

Wren has been put up another group at training which I am really happy with and it was our first session this week. A full jumping course set up that wasnt easy and was very handly - not sure what grade it was set up but probably about grade 5.

I am still getting used to how to handle Wren as she is so different from Kai, Kai I have to really push into the jumps to get the speed out of him with Wren its the opposite and have to learn to decelerate at the right time otherwise she will go very wide or will overjump and have to go under a jump cos she cant make the jump. We did ok and by the end had the handling down nicely although she dropped poles every time which is just her rushing herself. Did some very nice weave entries and just needs more confidence to get the more speed from them but that will come.

Well tomorrow I am UKA Cheltenham, three steeplechase courses, Kai just needs a clear round to go up to novice and it will be good practice for Wren doing full courses and not having to worry about weaves or contacts. I will let you know how we do.....

Thursday Training

well we have plenty of drive and plenty of speed its the slowing down for a turn thats the problem also doing a lot of jumps in a straight line Wren will over jump and will have to go under a jump cos she can't make it so plenty of practise required on both of these. We did lots of rear crosses last night and need to really work on getting them tight but I am very pleased at where we are at. It has been worth the hard work and I adore her plain and simple and can't wait for next season as I enjoy running her so much. Thanks Chel for letting me have her.