I went to Birmingham & all I got was this lousy vet bed

First show of the year! No Veterans for Sprite and no Kif because the show was indoors (he’s such a fraidy cat), so just Hex to play with. I must thank Mike for car sharing with me; I wouldn’t have travelled all that way for one dog if it hadn’t been for Mike sharing the petrol cost. So, the first show of the season and with a young dog and indoors; I wasn’t sure what to expect...

My first class was the G4-5 Jumping and guess what ending came up?! For anybody that was training the more complex ending of this week’s A-SIT course, it was indeed that ending. All week I have been telling you all to think about whether you play it safe as I did every time it cropped up last year or do you take the risk? So I was asking MYSELF that very question – the course was a complete blast up until that point so the round really was going to be won or lost with those last three jumps. I had practiced both ways with Hex Friday & Saturday and she had only managed to get the risky but quicker way right once or twice. But I decided after some persuasion from Mike & Abi that the risk was worth it – in it to win it and all that. Then Mike & I sat up in the balcony and watched dog after dog get it wrong, we both agreed I should abort the risk. Then when I joined the queue with Hex Abi asked me what I had decided to do and I was back to umm-ing and ahh-ing until I decided with about two dogs to go that I would play it safe only if I was clear to that point. Hex had pole 16 down so the risk was ON and she pulled it off beautifully, nice and tight, fast and accurate she completed the course in 24.061 seconds with just the 5 faults from the pole.

The G1-4 Agility was another blast and she missed the up of the seesaw, she just didn't see it so shot past it, but her contacts were the fastest they have been and she was so accurate – I wish we’d gotten the run on film, firstly to find out what happened at the seesaw and secondly to admire her contacts over and over. My last class was the G4 Agility; I took a risk which didn't pay off - my timing was a bit off throughout the whole run. But O-Well, Hex had fun and the parts we did right were breath taking so I was very proud of her. So I thought I’d treat her to some new fancy vet bed for her crate, she wasn’t that impressed, we’d walked past the shop a couple of times and she’d had a good sniff of some treats and toys but I got her bedding – she looked at me as if to say ‘is that it?, but I wanted yummies!’ – ‘Yes, Hex but I wanted a rosette’. Hopefully next time I’ll get my rosettes and she’ll get her yummies!