Blackdown

Local show! Whoop! Lie-in (Well kind of) and 25min drive.

I only had one course to walk for Hex first thing and decided not to run it, it really wasn't a Hex course and I was still a bit wary of running her after the tumble she took at Cornwall a couple of weeks prior.
I did however have Stitch in the same course in Medium and we couldn't have done a worse job so glad I gave it a miss with Hex.

I'd only been at the show a matter of hours and I felt deflated and defeated, the show was seeming like somewhat of an anti-climax after my Champ runs at Vyne. I even debated going home, but decided to stick it out - the forecast promised rain, but it wasn't raining yet so thought I'd kick about until things got wet.

The rain never came, so I stuck about all day and glad I did! Hex only had 2 runs and she ALMOST had another of her G6 wins (just missing out to Tim Jones) and had a 5th in the Combined Jumping, only 0.3 of a second between her and some dogs I would never think she'd keep up with especially on such a blasty course.  Really pleased with her energy at the moment.

Results:

Hex - 2nd, G6-7 Agility
Hex - 5th, C6-7 Agility
Gill & Mollyanna - 2nd, C3-4 Jumping

Shrewsbury/Vyne

A weekend of 'close but no cigar' for me. I came 3rd in the Olympia qualifier I had traveled all the way to Shrewsbury for (top 2 qualify, so I would have rather come 4th or 5th!). I went into the lead when I ran but knew that with 2 wide turns it was beatable - sure enough I got beaten!

At Vyne, I went clear in Champ Jumping putting me in 2nd place and had 10f in the Agility but as only 1 dog in the whole competition got a double clear (Well done Sam Lane) I still qualified 6th overall putting me into the Final.

I got 5r in the Final with a refusal at No3 (The A-Frame) I still don't know how this happened - it's the biggest piece of equipment in the ring , how did he miss it?! But he did miss it and followed me around it. I think having not trained with a collapsible tunnel since November, he was just a bit dazed coming out of it and looked for me, but I handled the rest of the course like I was clear and put in a wicked run which I was more than proud of. Close...but no cigar.

I really expected not to enjoy Champs, I thought I would find them stressful on me and Stitch, but actually the environment is a very supporting one. I am enjoying the challenge of the courses and the ring side atmosphere, the only bit I don't like is the second qualifying run when the pressure is on. Whether I will feel the same when I don't have my Mum to help me prepare Stitch and hold him while I do a last minute walk, only time will tell. But for now I am looking forward to and enjoying them :)

SHREWSBURY:
Stitch - 2nd, 6-7 Jumping
Stitch - 3rd, KC Olympia Qualifier C1-7
Stitch - 5th, G7 Jumping
Stitch - 5th, 6-7 Agility
Anne & Chas - 1st, C1-3 Jumping (one more to go until Grade 4!)
Anne & Chas - 2nd, C1-3 Agility
Anne & Chas - 3rd, G3 Jumping
Anne & Zara - 2nd, G3 Jumping

VYNE:
Stitch - 2nd, Champ Jumping

Cornwall/Dartmoor

I've done that thing again when I don't have time to post about a weekend's work, then the same happens the next weekend, then they build up so I know I need to really sit down and get on with it... and then I don't really remember the show and have to rely on the Agility Club tables for results.

So... Cornwall and Dartmoor.

I was running with a quad injury, Hex slipped and injured her leg and A-SIT collected the following results:

Stitch - G6-7 Jumping, 1st
Stitch - G1-7 Steeplechase, 1st
Stitch - G1-7 Steeplechase, 2nd
Hex - G6-7 Jumping, 3rd
Hex - C4-7 Steeplechase, 10th
Hex - G6-7 Jumping, 2nd
Karen & Mollie - G3 Jumping, 4th
Karen & Mollie - G3 Steeplechase, 6th