Eastbourne show

Yesterday I took Zen and Pax to the Eastbourne show. We went there rather than BATS because it is much closer. It was a nice show with only 2 rings! Fantastic! Such a nice change from these huge 12 ring shows. It was nice to just sit ringside and watch some runs. Unfortunately it was quite windy and that got annoying after awhile and finally had to go sit in the car to get out of the wind. Luckily it wasn't a strong wind and it didn't affect the dogs.

Zen was running nicely after coming back from being in season. Hex has to stay home for another week and will be back out at Supadogs. I can't wait to start running her again. The courses were definitely geared towards easy at this show. I do wish judges would learn how to set simple courses without putting straight lines in. I know that many people would like courses with small challenges even at the lower grades. Give them something to do rather than run in straight lines up and down the ring. And that doesn't mean pull-thrus!

My medium and small classes were geared correctly for the lower grades (small and medium classes were open or Grade 1-7 so it had to be simple courses) but that doesn't mean that we necessarily run clear on them. haha

In Zen's jumping she ran lovely but after the collapsed tunnel she did something weird and actually ran BETWEEN 13 and 14. If I had tried to do that I couldn't have as the gap was pretty darn small! Oh well no clear in that class. Zen did win the pay-on the day jumping which was also pretty simple except for a three jump pull thru which she handled well. She also won the agility which was a very simple course but involved a 5 JUMP sprint down the long side of the ring (in a very BIG ring) at the end. I think these judges are out to kill me.

Here is a rough draft of the jumping course.

I am not sure why I entered Pax except that I knew it was a small local show. She was glad to be out running but I still think I am going to restrict her only to jumping from now on. She fell off the dog walk yesterday and that really worries me. I do not think it was the wind but a combination of her just not getting alot of training, losing her balance and a bit of the wind. It is quite a long way down from our dogwalks and she hit with a thud. She got up and shook herself off and seems fine; but she will be 11 in September and I want her sound in her old age. I have been lucky in that she has not had any lameness in her entire life and never had any agility-related injuries. Joy was the same way and she was sound and agile up until she left us this year. I don't know if it was genetics or just my being careful with them but I want the same for Pax. So no more agility classes for her and only the occasional jumping classes to keep us both happy. It was nice to have her out around the rings and playing with her; she is such a fun dog.

Today no agility for us. Hopefully a nice long walk with the dogs and I think the sun is shining. Hurrah!