2009, what a year.

Its a cold snowy Sunday so we finally got around to taking portrait photos of my 2 Agility stars with all their bling!
First Lily. It seems such a long time ago that I started competing with her, back in February, and I wondered if she would overcome her nerves and manage to cope with the noise, the amount of screaming dogs and actually get round a course! It took 2 or 3 shows before she stopped going under the 1st jump. She hated the start line as there were always dogs close behind her in the queue, and I wasn't confident enough to ask people to give her space. That changed though and then we had 4 shows before her first clear round, and I cried with joy! From that day on Lily went from strength to strength, and gaining confidence from each other we started to get placed. Her first full KC show she won into Grade 2, 2 shows at grade 2 and she won into grade 3, then 4 shows in grade 3 and she won into grade 4. We had an amazing summer and learnt so much together, building a bond which can never be beaten. 19 trophies and countless rosettes in 6 months and so much to look forward to in 2010.
Lily also went from Beginner to Novice to Senior at UKA shows, winning numerous competitions.


Then there is Olli. The first spaniel I have owned from a puppy, he was to be trained as a gundog, and for those of you who follow my blog you will know he has become a very successful one. However, I thought he would be fun to try at agility, and it makes the day more interesting if you have more than 1 dog to run. I never imagined after those first few shows that he would progress and achieve as much as he has. His incredible personality, keenness to please and boundless enthusiasm has meant that Olli too has worked his way through the Agility season with more than his fair share of rosettes, and 2 trophies! Every run with Olli is fun. He barks and wags his tail the entire way round a course and his speed is quite incredible. From thinking he was just a bit of fun I now believe he can win a lot this next year and I am really thrilled that he is my boy. Fern has won a lot with him too, so look out this year. He is Grade 3 at KC, thanks to Lily and Novice at UKA. My best place with him was actually 16th. Not best as in highest place, but it was at the Agility Club show, Grade 3 agility with 350 dogs, mainly Collies in his class. That is some achievement for a spaniel gundog, and at only 2 years old he has a huge and exciting future ahead of him.