On Saturday I went to a KC show run by North Downs agility club at Merrist Wood in Guildford. It was the first show that I was attending as a Grade 3 competitor and the classes that I could enter were all combined - Grade 3-5 Agility and Jumping and Grade 3-7 Agility. I was a little daunted by what the courses might be like but was glad for the opportunity to get my first show out of the way rather than have it hanging over me through the winter.
It was a strange day as all of the large dogs were running first so we knew that we wouldn't be needed until after lunch, but had to try to guess what time to get there. I had a lie in, did some housework and found myself with a bit of time to spare so had a little G&T to settle my nerves before I headed off. I was far too early and had to wait over 3 hours to walk my first course, by which time the affects of the G&T had worn off! The G3-7 agility was hideous! Luckily I could run that one first so could use it to settle me and Pepper! The Jumping was a nice course and flowed well, but I didn't decelerate at a point that I needed to turn Pepper and missed the cue - I managed to get her back and prevent her from getting eliminated by back jumping so we managed a clear, albeit with a twiddle in the middle!!
The final run was the G3-5 agility - another nice course - quite spaced out, but nothing too scary! It all ran to plan, except one wing where she did another twiddle, but another clear.
We got 4th for the Jumping and 2nd for the Agility - I really can't complain about that for my first outing in Grade 3! But of course I'm beating myself up for not being half a second faster which would have seen us win the Agility and move into Grade 4!!
It was a strange day as all of the large dogs were running first so we knew that we wouldn't be needed until after lunch, but had to try to guess what time to get there. I had a lie in, did some housework and found myself with a bit of time to spare so had a little G&T to settle my nerves before I headed off. I was far too early and had to wait over 3 hours to walk my first course, by which time the affects of the G&T had worn off! The G3-7 agility was hideous! Luckily I could run that one first so could use it to settle me and Pepper! The Jumping was a nice course and flowed well, but I didn't decelerate at a point that I needed to turn Pepper and missed the cue - I managed to get her back and prevent her from getting eliminated by back jumping so we managed a clear, albeit with a twiddle in the middle!!
The final run was the G3-5 agility - another nice course - quite spaced out, but nothing too scary! It all ran to plan, except one wing where she did another twiddle, but another clear.
We got 4th for the Jumping and 2nd for the Agility - I really can't complain about that for my first outing in Grade 3! But of course I'm beating myself up for not being half a second faster which would have seen us win the Agility and move into Grade 4!!
Beautiful Pepper with her two rosettes - 4th for Combined G3-5 Jumping and 2nd for Combined G3-5 Agility
The trophy for our 2nd place - seemed rude not to fill it with wine!
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