Tuesday 23 September 2008

Bromsgrove Agility Show Review

After the events of last weekend it was nice to focus on the agility rather than the journey. Bromsgrove show is only 42 miles away so we did it each day, rather than camping over.
I was intent on improving Scotts clear round percentage this weekend, and after a positive weeks training was in a confident mood that we could get round some courses clear. This proved to be correct and a 50% clear round rate (3 from 6 runs) was a good return.

Scott won grade 3 jumping by 2.4 seconds, and had a 5th place in the open agility. Both runs were technically excellent in my opinion. The second box in the grade 3 jumping class was set so that it really only one chance of working it neatly. As long as I shaped the approached and timed the left and right commands okay, I thought he should do it, and it worked really well. I was very pleased with him and myself for standing still long enough!

The agility class was also pleasing, with two lots of weaves. Watching the video back I am also pleased with the shaping over jump 5 into the second set of weaves. Watching the video (below) back though, I was rather lax working the approach to jump 9, and Scott really recovered well considering. I do need to focus all the way around as we easily lost 0.6 at least there. The grade 3 agility class was nice also. I know for a fact I didn’t give a left weave command, which was defiantly needed. Because he had slightly come off the seesaw, I moved back, and then of course I was moving as he came out of the tunnel, and he looked at me because all I said was ‘go weave’... no directional (big slap for me!) although this was the only missed weave entry all weekend, 6 out of 7 weave pickups is pleasing.

Sunday proved to be more of a reality check, but still had some pleasing elements. We came 5th again in the open jumping class, 0.6 behind the grade 7 winning dog and Scotty also beat Jack, who came 9th 0.8 behind Scott’s time. However what then happened was not quite as pleasing. The grade 3-5 jumping class was technically difficult in two places, Scott worked these as well as any dog, but he knocked three (two consecutive) poles before the weaves. I know his confidence was high, but the manner in which he knocked them proved we still have plenty of work to do.
Our last run in grade 3 ever was in the agility class last thing on Sunday. I admit I did want to win it, and Scott was on course to put in a decent run until he knocked a pole midway round, so I trained the dog-walk and finished the course.

The video is below (thank you to Gina for all your hard work!)

Jack and Che were also running this weekend. Jack had a 9th, 6th and 3rd in grade 7 classes. Che had a 13th in grade 7 agility and a 10th in the open jumping, but also showed some rather poor contacts. Rusty, more like totally memory loss!!

A huge well done to all the LGT crew who had places this weekend: Joyce Lewis, Gina Graham, Wendy Williams, Ceri Jones, David Russel, Lyn Gibson, Christine & Alice all had places and well done :) to you all. If ive missed anyone... apologies again. I struggle to remember my own runs!!All the best, enjoy Scott’s video. Grade 4 up next for Scott at DashinDogs show next weekend!