Cloud 9 with a spanner!!!!

I started this year with 2 goals. The first was for Twiggy to get a clear round in a KC show, achieved at Golden Valley last month. The second was a tough one, but I wanted to try and qualify Olli for the ABC semis for Olympia. Kerrching!!!!! Achieved on Saturday at Tuffley!!!! I am so utterly thrilled with Olli, who also managed 15th in the Novice qualifier on the same day, with over 260 dogs in the class!!! I cant believe my lovely spanner is off to Birmingham in Sept to try and get his place at Olympia. To be honest I think the final is pretty much an impossible step for Olli, as all the top Grade 7 handlers and their Kelpies and Belgians, who compete year in year out at Olympia are there for the semis, but he doesnt have to do any more in my eyes. To get to the semis is a huge achievement for my gun dog boy. 

Also at Tuffley this weekend, Fern & Cove won the Omnipro starters cup!! This is only their 3rd competition at Grade 2 and already up to Grade 3, with a place in the final next year to look forward to as well. He is such a consistent boy now, and with each weekend comes improvement, both in his speed and his confidence. Their first Grade 3 show is Agility Club, and unbelievably a chance too for them to qualify for the semis at Olympia. I can not even start to think about that, I cried enough when Twiggy got her clear, and when Olli qualified on Sunday, so for Cove to get through..................

Lily & I are a bit out of sync again. Having a few weeks off due to illness has really made a difference. Lily is faster than ever and so confident and I am just not keeping up with her. My timing is out and my split second decision making, which was starting to come seems to have disappeared again!! We did almost get it together in a fantastic handly G6/7 agility course on Sunday, when a dog ran in on her near the end. She had already picked up 5 faults for a missed weave entry so when the judge offered me a re run from scratch I accepted, thinking we would get it so right second time round. Unfortunately I was over working it and sent her in the wrong end of tunnel so another elimination, but there were some very good bits to take away from the course and I am hoping we will be back in tune this weekend.

Twiggy was a star all weekend. She had nearly all 5 fault rounds, with me pulling her off a jump in the Olympia qualifier, and then a slight split second loss of concentration in the CSJ Agility round as she spotted Fern by the ring and missed a jump so I had to pull her around it. Other than that she weaved beautifully and started to think about her contacts, so I reckon the clears will start to creep up soon. She is a joy to run and is starting to have so much fun in the rings now, which is the main thing for me. 
A lovely weekend, beautiful sunshine, great company and lots of our friends qualifying and winning trophies was a bonus. 186 miles added.

 

 This weekend off to Diamond Dogs and camping with the gang. Another go at Novice qualifier for Twiggy & Olli, and maybe a clear round or 2 for Lily and me if I can get my act together!! Also a lot more work on Georgies ringside manners as he is beginning to realise that this agility lark is highly exhilarating and he thinks he should be IN the rings not just watching!! I have my work cut out, but apart from this minor naughtiness he is coming on beautifully in his training and such a character we love him to bits :-)