.....with Ribble's indoor show at Accrington, a new venue to me as they used to be at Osbaldeston. Amber's courses didn't really suit her, so we did our TYOL versions (with judges' prior permission) and she thought she'd just won the Champ class! Well, she did have the fastest course time of the day - 6.02 seconds - just not the right course. Lol!
Bryn was not at all settled in the venue, though I can't work out why as he is usually fine indoors. He was a bit anxious, not working on but watching me carefully (instead of looking where he was going) so getting 5F on the first 2 courses. He managed a Clear and 9th place with a 'nice' round in Comb 1 to 3 Helter Skelter, then got his act together suddenly for the last class of the day, blasting off from the start. As a result I was playing 'catch up', tried to turn a corner too tight - and forced him into having a pole down! Such a shame, as he had a very competitive time, too.
That was Bryn's last Grade 3 show - he goes up to play with the 'big boys and Girls' in Grade 4 at his next show, Lune Valley. I hope he's got over his spookiness at indoor venues by then!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Friday, September 04, 2009
Chatsworth - or retail therapy
I had entered 4 classes each for Amber and Bryn: Medium 1 to 7 agility, jumping and combined small and medium helter skelter, with 'on the day' pairs for Amber; and Large 1 to 3 agility, jumping, helter skelter and pairs for Bryn. In the meantime I had decided only to run Amber in jumping classes, so that would mean 7 classes in total. I ran 3 in total - so what went wrong?
Bryn ran his agility but rolled a pole (huge wooden ones) so I put him back on his contact when it wasn't as perfect as usual, and got him eliminated. Then the helter-skelter class (same for all sizes) was set up, and in my opinion, it was dangerous to run. What you have to know is that the ring at Chatsworth has some plastic boards in the middle of it marking the helipad....novel I know. Anyway, in the rain, they had become very slippery. Most Chatsworth judges avoid this area, or stick something over the top of it like a water jump, but this course would have required me to run across the boards twice, once on a tightish turn, so I opted not to run it. As far as I know, only one handler skidded and fell, but I wasn't risking yet another injury - so I went shopping instead with Corker for company. Try eating a mediterranean chicken wrap with a shopping bag in one hand and a cattle dog in the other!! But sampling the cider/beer/sloe gin was fun.......
After lunch I ran Amber and Bryn in their respective jumping classes. Amber was on a flier, so I decided to layer a section in a way that I can usually only do with Bryn - it didn't work sadly, so another big E. Then Bryn got on the start line - first fence, second fence, sharp left to the tunnel - except Bryn did a right out to the boundary, then a beautiful outrun all the way around the edge of the ring, taking several jumps en route, and back to me. (I suspect he had heard the stunt planes arriving over the hill as Corker has taught him to chase planes....) The judge said I could start again - so he did one of the most impressively clear rounds he has ever done - of course!!
Couldn't be bothered with the pairs, so went for some more retail therapy (bakewell tarts, latte coffee, chocolate sampling...) and watched the terrier racing and log sawing (can anything be less interesting?!?) and birds of prey in the main arena.
The agility may have been crap, but I had a lovely day out!!
Bryn ran his agility but rolled a pole (huge wooden ones) so I put him back on his contact when it wasn't as perfect as usual, and got him eliminated. Then the helter-skelter class (same for all sizes) was set up, and in my opinion, it was dangerous to run. What you have to know is that the ring at Chatsworth has some plastic boards in the middle of it marking the helipad....novel I know. Anyway, in the rain, they had become very slippery. Most Chatsworth judges avoid this area, or stick something over the top of it like a water jump, but this course would have required me to run across the boards twice, once on a tightish turn, so I opted not to run it. As far as I know, only one handler skidded and fell, but I wasn't risking yet another injury - so I went shopping instead with Corker for company. Try eating a mediterranean chicken wrap with a shopping bag in one hand and a cattle dog in the other!! But sampling the cider/beer/sloe gin was fun.......
After lunch I ran Amber and Bryn in their respective jumping classes. Amber was on a flier, so I decided to layer a section in a way that I can usually only do with Bryn - it didn't work sadly, so another big E. Then Bryn got on the start line - first fence, second fence, sharp left to the tunnel - except Bryn did a right out to the boundary, then a beautiful outrun all the way around the edge of the ring, taking several jumps en route, and back to me. (I suspect he had heard the stunt planes arriving over the hill as Corker has taught him to chase planes....) The judge said I could start again - so he did one of the most impressively clear rounds he has ever done - of course!!
Couldn't be bothered with the pairs, so went for some more retail therapy (bakewell tarts, latte coffee, chocolate sampling...) and watched the terrier racing and log sawing (can anything be less interesting?!?) and birds of prey in the main arena.
The agility may have been crap, but I had a lovely day out!!
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Best Laid Plans...
The plan was:
Enter Chatsworth on Friday, and High Peak at nearby Bakewell Showground on Saturday and Sunday. After negotiations, arranged to stay overnight Thursday night at Bakewell so that I could get up at a civilised time on Friday, and tootle the 10 miles or so to Chatsworth. Simples!!
Best laid plans, and all that!!!
The remnants of Hurricane David (or some such) hit the British Isles on Wednesday, bringing torrential rain and gales to the north of the country. Rang High Peak on Thursday morning - was there any danger of the show being cancelled? Told that I could park on the hard standing next to the clubs' caravans to ensure I could get away Friday morning - sorted! So even if the showgorund was waterlogged, I'd be all right jack!
Packed the camper and set off for a blustery drive to Bakewell. Got to the showground and.....no road - just a river where the approach road should be. I could see the caravans on the far side, but there was no way I could drive the camper through the water to get there.... and would I ever get off again in the morning? Rang the show organisers who confirmed the inevitable - Show cancelled.
So, multi-point turn on the road and set off back the way I'd come. Wait a sec! I'd have to go past Chatsworth, so worth calling in to see what the state of play was there.....via the great Chatsworth Farm Shop Restaurant of course. Well, I needed a consolation meal for having driven all that way for nothing!
At Chatsworth the car park was closed - already impassable - but I knew how to get to our usual show spot inside the Country Fair grounds. No sign of the organisers, but the ring looked pretty wet, with the agility equipment standing forlornly in the middle. There was a huge pool of water alongside the ring, and it was evident that the usual car parking places for us were not going to be available this time.
The SatNav took me home via the scenic route, which would have been wonderful except that I was driving a high sided camper in gale force gusts of wind. Got home to the news that, so far as anyone knew, Chatsworth was still scheduled to go ahead.
So, unpacked the camper; packed the car; fuelled the car; and now I'm watching anxiously for confirmation/cancellation to be announced before I start the whole journey again - at some silly hour of the morning! It had better be worth-while....Bryn!!!
Enter Chatsworth on Friday, and High Peak at nearby Bakewell Showground on Saturday and Sunday. After negotiations, arranged to stay overnight Thursday night at Bakewell so that I could get up at a civilised time on Friday, and tootle the 10 miles or so to Chatsworth. Simples!!
Best laid plans, and all that!!!
The remnants of Hurricane David (or some such) hit the British Isles on Wednesday, bringing torrential rain and gales to the north of the country. Rang High Peak on Thursday morning - was there any danger of the show being cancelled? Told that I could park on the hard standing next to the clubs' caravans to ensure I could get away Friday morning - sorted! So even if the showgorund was waterlogged, I'd be all right jack!
Packed the camper and set off for a blustery drive to Bakewell. Got to the showground and.....no road - just a river where the approach road should be. I could see the caravans on the far side, but there was no way I could drive the camper through the water to get there.... and would I ever get off again in the morning? Rang the show organisers who confirmed the inevitable - Show cancelled.
So, multi-point turn on the road and set off back the way I'd come. Wait a sec! I'd have to go past Chatsworth, so worth calling in to see what the state of play was there.....via the great Chatsworth Farm Shop Restaurant of course. Well, I needed a consolation meal for having driven all that way for nothing!
At Chatsworth the car park was closed - already impassable - but I knew how to get to our usual show spot inside the Country Fair grounds. No sign of the organisers, but the ring looked pretty wet, with the agility equipment standing forlornly in the middle. There was a huge pool of water alongside the ring, and it was evident that the usual car parking places for us were not going to be available this time.
The SatNav took me home via the scenic route, which would have been wonderful except that I was driving a high sided camper in gale force gusts of wind. Got home to the news that, so far as anyone knew, Chatsworth was still scheduled to go ahead.
So, unpacked the camper; packed the car; fuelled the car; and now I'm watching anxiously for confirmation/cancellation to be announced before I start the whole journey again - at some silly hour of the morning! It had better be worth-while....Bryn!!!
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