Our first KC agility show today

[MadPip]

We went to the Downland show today, had to leave home at 5:30am:eek:, but it was a lovely morning.

As this is the first show we've done the dogs are both Grade 1, and I'd entered them in 3 runs each, jumping grade 1-2; steeplechase combined grade 1-7 and the agility combined grade 1 - 7 which was an Olympia qualifier. The show was in an indoor equestrian centre, so lots of scents of horses and horse poo. I knew keeping little noses up off the floor would be hard, but it was funny as well.:D

Maddie got a clear run in the jumping, Pippin ducked out of the weaves so got 5 faults, but otherwise ran really well. When it came to the agility Pippin went first, went over the 1st jump, got his nose down and went haring off after a scent, which took him under a jump, so we were eliminated. :( It gave the judge a laugh though, and he kindly let me run Pippin round the rest of the course. So I went in with Maddie, we got 3/4 of the way round, going clear, when she shot off after a scent around the back of a tunnel, so that was one refusal. She then did the tunnel , which was meant to be followed by another tunnel and again she shot past it to a scent. 2nd refusal. Blow me, we had the weaves and 2 jumps left when she shot off after the same scent Pippin had, refusing another jump in the meantime, so we were eliminated. Bless her!

They both picked up refusal faults on the steeplechase, 2 for Pippin and 1 for Maddie, both because of sniffing. Don't you just love these little spaniels?:p:D:lotsaluv::lotsaluv:

However, it was a good day, the dogs and I really had fun, and that was what it was all about.:thmbsup:

[diddy]

It sounds like you all had loads of fun :(. Yep, you just cant take the spaniel out of the Cavalier can you, first hint of a scent and they rush around nose to the ground oblivious of everything else. Glad you had a good time.

[Jay]

Glad to hear that you had lots of fun! That is what agility is all about.
J.

[jld]

Oh, what fun..... I do agility with my Dixie. She can do the course perfectly, but takes her time, but it is fun.

[Sabby]

Sounds like you had a fantastic day. That’s what agility is all about fun. Where did you go? We got an agility competition coming up locally and I am thinking of entering Harley, I am just scared I forget the course as I am a scatter brain.

[MadPip]

Sounds like you had a fantastic day. That’s what agility is all about fun. Where did you go? We got an agility competition coming up locally and I am thinking of entering Harley, I am just scared I forget the course as I am a scatter brain.

Ours was down in Surry, hence the early start.

I know what you mean about forgetting courses. The one we went to had 2 rings and the small G1-2 jumping was the first course in one ring while the small G1-7 agility was the first course in the other. This meant I had to walk, and learn both courses at the same time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and I managed to remember them both - although I didn't really need to remember the agility course with Pippin because he officially only did the first jump:badgrin::badgrin::badgrin:. Some people who have been doing it a lot longer than I have went the wrong way, or had dogs that didn't listen and made up their own courses. It doesn't matter at the end of the day because your dog doesn't know it's gone wrong, it's just having fun. And that is, as you said, what it's all about.

I think you should enter the competition. The worst thing that can happen is you go wrong and get eliminated, but so will other people probably. But you never know, you may surprise yourself. :thmbsup: Actually the worst thing, or the most embarrasing icon_blshing was at a fun show Pippin and I getting eliminated for Pippin erm........... eliminating in the ring. icon_blshingicon_blshingicon_blshing Luckily I had taken some poo bags in with me. Unluckily he kept on moving whilst "eliminating" so I had to follow the trail. :o:o:o

[cavi lover]

Well my cav boy Tim was an absolute nightmare in his jumping class on Sunday. A delinquent dog without any doubt. He did redeem himself by getting a 3rd in agiility grade 1/2 class.

However the best was my little chin boy . His first comp and he got 9th out over 30 in an all size class.Such a well focused chappie. One very proud moment especially as very few chins do agility.

[Kate H]

If you're coming to the Coventry Fun Day on 24 April and haven't tried agility, try our little Have-a-Go agility course and see whether you and your dog enjoy it. If you do, you can go home and take it further, and give yourself and your Cavalier another fun thing to do together.

Kate, Oliver and Aled