GT, Vyne and Tun Wells Agility Shows

Well Agility season is back in full force. I have had mixed emotions about the competitions but I do so love running Zen. I have found the UKA shows better for me this year as they don't bring back so many memories of Hex. The Championship shows...well that is another story. Vyne was not good for me; all I kept thinking of was Hex. It did not help that her 4th birthday would have been on 5th May. My heart just was not into the Champs at Vyne and so I skipped the Beacon Champ this weekend. Last year I loved running the Champ classes but that feeling is gone right now. I just may skip the Champs this year; I will take it day by day (or weekend by weekend!) Zen has nothing to prove; I think she has 9 Champ Tickets and 4 reserve Champ tickets.

The one good thing about Vyne was that I got a chance to run Corrie again. Here she is running a Grade 3-5 jumping. Corrie placed 22nd out of 250 dogs; strangely I would have never thought I would be happy with a 22nd Place rosette and yet I was thrilled!



My sweet Zen turned 6 years old on 30 April! She is starting to coat up again after the pups and is looking good. I liked this photo as it shows how Zen turns so tightly. I think if those jump cups were not at her eye level she would even be tighter! Look at those thigh muscles!



I just liked how she was smiling on this jump photo.



The GT UKA show was good for us. Lots of chances to train in the ring and Zen had some good runs. Here is one run we did in the Royal Canin Qualifier. The first time we got to the weaves before a dog ran in to the ring to confront Zen. It was interesting to watch this as I had not seen the dog coming. When I watched the video back I could see the dog had it's eye on her almost from before she got onto the dogalk. Thank goodness Zen did not react to the dog or try and run away as I think she would have been chased. Zen is not the bravest dog in the world and something like that would really bother her.



We ran again right away as Zen does best without alot of waiting around the rings. I was really pleased with this run and she did not seem to be affected at all from the experience.



There has been much talk lately about the number of dog fights, dogs chasing and dogs getting hurt at shows. I know of so many dogs that have been bitten just over these past few weeks and so many shelties that have been hurt/killed over the past few years. It does make me very nervous about having the pups at shows although I know it can happen anywhere. Just today at the vets a lady was telling us how her dog was attacked on a walk by a staffie.

I know these things do happen but am just amazed at the people who do not take responsibility. I did not know who owned this dog that ran into the ring after Zen but was but was grateful that the owner took the time to find me afterwards and apologize. Sometimes that is all it takes to diffuse a situation and am amazed at the number of people at shows who forget how to be polite and civilized. I think almost everyone I know has had their dogs bit at least once ringside. What worries me is that I think I would not be able to control myself if one of my pups got hurt and I would end up in trouble! I think that is when my New York background would come out in full force!

The GT show was three days long and so brought the caravan and camped. It was very relaxing and I am looking forward to our next camping show in July. :-)

When not hanging out ringside the pups have to be in a puppy pen as Itzy has learned how to escape under the windbreaks around the caravan. She decided she wanted to sit on TOP of the crate in order to have a better view.



Meanwhile Pax likes to sleep in the sun on the lounge chair. In this photo we just woke her up when we tried to sneak up for a photo of her sleeping. I don't know how she heard us as she is almost totally deaf now.


This weekend ,since Zen and I had saturday off,we had a nice day at home, got the back lawn cut and set up a new course in the back garden. We went to Tunbridge Wells on Sunday. I like the Tunbridge Wells show as it is only 40 minutes away and the weather was good! It turned out to be a very good show for me and Zen. Zen ran 100% clear runs and came 2nd in a tough Crufts Singles, 3rd in the Olympia Qualifer (which qualified us for the Olympia Semi final!) and 2nd in a fast Grade 6,7 jumping. We still have lots of training needed to get ready for the EO and the World Champ try-outs in July but that is half the fun!