Dress Rehearsal

Reno and I have decided that this year is just a "Dress Rehearsal" for next year!

2012 is going to be our year so watch out for great things :-)

So the rehearsal continued at the WDSDS Show yesterday.  Just Reno and Kiros competing as Ann has decided to give Harley a break. 

What a nice little show and contrastingly different to the KCI.  The only downside to it was the number of Dogs that left their rings to chase Dogs in the next ring (thankfully on only one occasion resulting in an attack).  Talk on the Forum has suggested that this type of behavior was on the increase but this was the first time I've actually witnessed it. 

Not sure why this show was so affected?  The rings were well spaced.  Maybe the show was frequented by less experienced handlers?  Maybe it was the Small and Large Dogs competing close to each other? (3 of the Dogs running out of the ring were Small) or maybe it's just that at bigger shows it's just less obvious?

Either way you had to feel sorry for the poor Lady that ran just before me in the 1-3 Jumping.  Her Dog was attacked by a Collie that flew in from no-where whilst she was setting it up at the start line and then, after she had composed herself, a Jack Russell ran at her Dog from that next ring whilst she was running the course!

Everyone was willing her to go clear on the re-run but unfortunately her Dog ran past the last jump :-(

Anyway......on to Reno's performance!!

Check out the Start line on all of the runs......they are for real with no editing.  What a difference a week makes?

Graded 3-5 Agility - Judge: Sue Leech - "It's all about the Contacts"!!  Jump, weave start that Reno seems to struggle with and this was no exception.  The pull through didn't work either but we know we have to practice this.  Two really great contacts so I decided to quit and praise.  The A-frame was especially good as Reno found a leaf at the bottom that he thought had to be targeted.

Combined 1-3 Jumping - Judge: Patrick Bray - Really interesting course with off set jumps that could be handled in several different ways.  It's fair to say that we had an excellent start and finish but it was a shame about the bit in the middle.  I really thought he was going to weave in this run but he lost confidence at the last second.

ABC Agility - Judge: Doc Docherty - Naughty See-Saw so repositioned and left the ring.  Probably for the best as we wouldn't have been able to do the bit after the A-Frame!!

Combined 1-5 Jumping - Judge: Anne-Marie Hill - Good start but Reno showed exactly what his problem is with the weaves.  If he gets the entry he struggles to keep going.  I'm hoping that this will improve when he realises that all the weaves he meets will have the same (larger) gaps. The end of the course was completely my fault as, for a fraction of a second, I couldn't work out what jump I was supposed to turn at!!

Kiros ran a lovely Veteran Jumping (unfortunately not on film).  Didn't manage a placing but had a great time.

Agility Nuts is next weekend.  Once more Ann and I are sharing Judging - This time Tunnel Torment Jumping and Jumping on Saturday leaving us Sunday to concentrate on our own Dogs.

My plan for this show was to take Reno's toy into the ring to train the weaves and contacts.  Not sure what to do now as we've had quite a bit of success recently without the toy and I don't want it to be another thing that I have to phase out?