Nottingham ADTC Champ Show

The weather has been spectacular over the last couple of days which is so unlike our show! I have to say that it has been very hard work and I'm now totally exhausted but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

On Saturday I worked as time keeper in the Champ ring. I always love that job as it gives me the perfect opportunity to see the best Dogs and Handlers being put through their paces. The Large Champ Final was one of the most exciting and nerve wracking that I have watched as Rusty (Reno's Auntie), running 15th, went into the lead and went on to win her first ticket. Well done Dave!

I managed to get Kiros eliminated in the pairs, which was a shame as Harley went clear, but we did a nice clear in his Agility unfortunately not fast enough to get placed.

Yesterday I managed Andy Widdess's ring. He was a great judge to work with. Kiros was running really well - Eliminated in Andy's Agility but it was tricky and I worked most of it ok, 5th place in the ABC Agility only just behind Mark Douglas and Nigel Stain's two dogs and Clear in the Team. Our Team had our best result yet, both Kiros and Jet were clear and we only had 20 faults. We'd have finished 9th out of 44.

Best Rescue

Yesterday we went to the RSPCA Dog Walk and Fun Dog Show at Wollaton Hall.

I wanted to find out how Reno would react in the show ring as I'm worried about how "spooky" he is when meeting new people.

The show started at 10am but we didn't get there until 12pm so there were only 3 classes left to enter - Best Rescue, Best Pedigree and Best Mongrel - so I entered Reno in the Pedigree Class and Kiros in the Rescue and Mongrel. I didn't enter Ronnie in anything as he doesn't enjoy being in the ring with other dogs so close to him.

Kiros was in the ring first in Rescue. The class was huge, being judged in two rings by two different judges with the 6 best from each ring going forward to the final. Kiros could see the Agility set up in a ring behind us and thought he was queueing to have a go so he started his queueing routine of performing tricks! To my surprise the judge in our ring picked Kiros in his 6.

As I looked about the ring waiting for the other 6 to join us I saw Dogs that had been scared from terrible abuse and heard horror stories so thought Kiros didn't stand a chance, especially as he is not an RSPCA rescue.

I'm sure you will have worked out from the title of this post that Kiros was picked as the winner! The Judges said he was a terrific example of what could be achieved with a rescue dog.

Reno was next in Pedigree but, as Kiros had already stole his thunder, I didn't expect him to come anywhere in this class. (At Fun Shows Judges try to be "fair" and not place the same person twice) Having said that he did very well. He was happy to have the Judge touch him, not a proper going over but a tickle around the head, but thought he was just there to play with the Chocolate Lab next to him! The Judge must have liked him as he picked him in his first cut but he didn't get any further then that.

Kiros also got picked in the Judges final cut in Best Mongrel and came 3rd in Best in Show so my "Super Star" must have made quite an impression!

This week is going to be a busy one with trying to fit the final preparations for our show around work and training. Still I'm really looking forward to our show next weekend and hope it runs well and all the competitors enjoy themselves.

A Long Silence!!

Oh dear, I've been so bad at updating my Blog.

I'm not sure if I can remember everything that has happened but I'll give it a go!

Over the last few weeks we've been to Dordale, Agility Nuts, Beacon and I've just got back from Dog Vegas. Kiros and I are averaging about 1 clear per show, either in jumping (outside the placings) or pairs.

Having said that, his results today didn't do his runs justice. He was only fractionally out of the placings in a very fast jumping class and did two lovely rounds in his other jumping and Agility only to go past the last obstacle and have a refusal marked on both of them.

Ronnie is beginning to get a lot better. I know I've said this before but this time he really is! He had a clear round at Nuts although he ran round me a few times and today he ran the Anysize Jumping course with no spinning at all, just knocking one pole.

Reno has had a great time at all the shows he has been to. He's met and played with his brothers, Zippy and Speedy, and made lots of new Friends. He is getting a lot less shy.

Tomorrow we are taking him to the RSPCA Dog Walk at Wollaton Hall as they have a fun Dog Show there that I'm planning on entering him in to see how he gets on. I must remember to take my Camera!!