NAWS

Not a good start to the day as the van would not start. However, maggie has gone off to Canada leaving behind a perfectly servicable car. So cages into it and dogs loaded up, flask and the other stuff transferred we set off 1/2 hour late. Then her racing tyres could not get me up the centre car park. However from there it was a good day.

Ben still way too bouncy, but no silly contacts again, so we are getting there. I think I might still not be running past the jumps enough and he pulled off a couple. I think I run him right in training, but not in shows. Also the level I have put him in at is too hard for him, we would have done better on G1/G2 courses. Min you we would probably win out quite quick 'cos he is fast. His wait was rubbish, and then he skipped round the first jump, and under it on the second run.

Spike was good, we did a good round but somehow got the last pole down, then got 2 down in the 2nd run. Agility with Spike was faulty, and he pinged his contacts, so we need to do more proofing. He even got faulted on a contact, BAD! Spike got 5th place with 5 faults for the jumping and none of the other rounds got anywhere. He had the 2nd fastest time (to the 4th place which was also 5f).

We had fun though, and at least we got out on a not too promising day. With the snow and reduced attendance the show was finished quickly and we got back in time to do our local walk, which is always nice.

Wilmslow

We went to the Wilmslow show at Myerscough last weekend.

Spike got a 12th in jumping, and we got 5 eliminations to go with it.

Ben is really trying his hardest, but too eager and needs better, more careful handling from me really. E.g, jumps one and two straight up the A-frame. I could have stopped him and got him over jump 3 instead just by calling his name. Of course with Spike I would have had a longer lead out and it would not have happened.

Ben is grade 3 and Spike grade 4. They only shared one class, and that got split due to numbers. So I have 6 different courses between the two of them. Spike blew his weaves twice which was unexpected, but in each case the weaves were set very close to the netting. I really thought he got them on the second failure and would have been a good run, but talking to someone who was watching it sounds like he came out of the wrong side (RHS), so must have gone wrong somewhere.

Ben did not do any silly flying contacts, and got them all, albeit some he ran just off the end of. He also had weavie trouble, but then he has not seen 12 weaves much in competition (or at all in fact). The others were only 6 and he ran down the side of them, schoolboy error due to the excitement I think.