Norfolk Easter - Merlin Wins Out of Grade 2!!

labgirl

labgirl

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We had our first Kennel Club outdoor show this weekend. It was a big one with 6 rings and very busy. I was nervous and excited, first because Merlin has not been outside since last year and I was hoping he would still be confident running in this environment and second because I had entered him in the Kennel Club Starters Challenge, an event only open to Grade 1 & 2 dogs. If you qualify you go to the finals at a Championship show:eek2:

I had a fantastic weekend meeting up with friends and running courses. Merlin went clear in everything we had entered - now that is a first at KC!! But it wasn't all plain sailing, for a start the weather proved unpredictable - gale force winds on Saturday that took out scoring tents and caused some obstacles to be removed from courses for safety reasons, and rain that turned into hail on Sunday! We did get a bit of sunshine to warm us up and dry us off. The second drama was that I fell over on my first course with Merlin:ick Fortunately he was unfazed and I was unhurt so we were able to carry on.

Merlin
Saturday
Helter Skelter Combined 1-3 (10TH)
I love starting on a Helter Skelter, I don't love slipping over on wet grass and thudding down on my knee! Somehow I leapt back up and carried on, taking us over the finish line in a surprisingly speedy time. Merlin was surprised to discover me on the floor, but didn't stop!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jQB_oarXIA

Jumping Combined 1-2 (1ST)
Still rubbing my knee I raced over to the Jumping course. I had to walk this at the same time as the Helter Skelter, but it wasn't too bad, just had to concentrate on the weaves which finished right at the entrance of the ring, meaning dogs were weaving towards other dogs. Merlin did so good and won the class, gaining him a second Jumping win! (You need 3 to progress to the next Grade). So I had high hopes for Sunday!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X8kmhtmhiI

Sunday
Agility Club Starters Challenge (1ST)
The Agility Club is part of the Kennel Club. They host the Starters Challenge for Grade 1 & 2 dogs, with heats going on across the country before the final in July. It was a nice course being judged by a lady I know from our UKA comps. My main concerns were keeping Merlin in the weaves, as there was a jump dead ahead and sometimes he pulls out, and preventing him from pinging the dogwalk. He ran well, though he really hesitated on the DW! We went clear, in fact we were the only clear and won the class!!!

Not only does that mean we are going to the Starters Final, but we won straight out into Grade 3!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggXY_yi3U-8

Jumping C1-2 (1ST)
It was ages before my next run, but I was on Cloud Nine and knew that I didn't need my last runs to take me out of Grade 2. But I wanted to prove to myself I could do them, especially the weaves. This was not an easy course and, considering how much space the judge had to play with, it was incredibly tight.

Well, it got to the time for our Jumping class and the heavens opened as I stood on the startline and then it began to hail! Somehow I ran clear despite it and again Merlin was the only clear, beating the next dog by 10 seconds, and winning again. That was his third Jumping win, so we won out of Grade 2 again - though we get nothing extra for that! As soon as I came off the course I legged it with my friend to the nearby toilet block for shelter!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ8cowICMKE

Steeplechase C1-3) (6TH)
I was going for broke now - four clear courses was amazing, I wanted to make it 5 out of 5! The steeplechase was not hard as long as you remembered which end of the tunnel to send your dog into (a lot went wrong there). Unfortunately the ground had become very muddy during the storm. I took the course carefully as this was the ring I fell over in yesterday! I was so pleased with Merlin's distance work. I could not keep up with him and had to just send him. He checked over his shoulder once, but carried on.

No video of this, but a lovely run and I was pleased to come 6TH in a big class with a lot of fast dogs.

Sparrow
Saturday
Anysize Jumping
The real challenge with Sparrow was to see how she would be outdoors! Her first course was spread out and too hard for her at the moment, but I was so pleased with her focus. No spaniel sniffing and concentrating even when things went wrong. Her tunnel drive was awesome and we managed a slalom!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogMaLZQeXyw

Sunday
Anysize Jumping
I ran this moments after finishing the Starters Challenge with Merlin and having done a frantic dog swap at the car. I lost the course and hesitated, causing Sparrow to hesitate too, but we ran clear and her run home was amazing!:winkgrin: Very proud of my baby girl!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbIhbkFvTm8
 
What an awesome, awesome weekend! Glad you're okay after slipping and falling. I think we've all done that a time or two. I almost did a split the other day--and that was indoors! Managed to stay upright somehow :)

Really loved your starters challenge run. The serpentine was lovely! I also got to hear you yell "Merlin" and with your accent it was so pretty! :biggrin2:

Sparrow's send at the end of that last run was a thing of beauty! Way to go!
 
Thanks guys! I had a great weekend, want to do it all again this weekend! Merlin excelled my wildest dreams and Sparrow made me smile because she was so eager to come out and play.

I still ache a bit from my slip and I have ordered new trail running shoes for the next outdoor show to avoid such accidents again!

My accent is Suffolk tinged with a hint of panic, lol!:lol:
 
Oh WOW I'm just so thrilled for you and Merlin! :biggrin2: :biggrin2: Winning out of G2 is such a milestone, you can never go back in those classes again but how thrilling to do it in the Starters Challenge!! Jessica and I will be there at the Final cheering you on (all being well we'll be there all three days).

Yes you definitely need trail shoes - I've been using my More Miles for training all through the winter outside on long wet grass and they have only slipped once or twice and then only marginally. I think they are just as good as the Salomans (I keep for competition) except not Goretex and it means you can run properly, without even thinking about falling down. It's funny as I'm not a shoe person at all and a couple of years ago would never have considered spending so much money on shoes - let alone 'trainers' but as you can testify, falling over, even in soft mud is grim and it is money well spent to have the reassurance of trail shoes.

I loved the bit at the end of the dog walk where the leaf blew past and Merlin just gave it a little glance and the massive cheer at the end!

The Jumping round looked horrid :no: (weather wise!) I think you deserved an award just for attempting it so winning was amazing!

Sparrow looks fantastic - she is coming on so well! (She and Angus will be in the same classes now :wink2:) That was a brilliant 'go on' at the end of the second run.

I'm finding it hard not to be jealous of you though - two days of agility shows! Ours was cancelled this weekend (just as I arrived :rolleyes2:) but there was no way anyone could have run as the ground was literally under water. To prove it there were some ducks on the course! I've been living agility through your videos all over the winter but these latest ones were the best yet! I dream of having that kind of weekend!! You must be incredibly proud of yourself and your team. Do you have photos of Merlin festooned with all his rosettes and trophies?
 
Thanks Julia! :smile2: I just bought a pair of More Mile shoes, so its good to have the recommendation. And, YAY, to have someone I know at the Finals! I didn't even know where they were until someone explained it:lol:

It was truly an amazing weekend and I am so delighted to win out at a big show, especially in the Starters Challenge. Now been looking at all my future entries to see what the classes will be like. My next show the classes are G1-3, so that's fine, the show after they are G3-4, which will be good for Merlin, but more taxing on Sparrow. At Norfolk Easter the classes were G3-5 and some of those courses were too hard for baby dogs.

Sorry to hear your show was cancelled, which one was it? I knew that two had been cancelled due to the weather. We were really lucky, even the hail storm did not last long. Though it was very windy. Sitting in my friend's camper van drinking tea and feeling it rock back and forth was interesting.

Merlin doesn't like posing with his trophies, he finds them scary (or maybe he's modest?):wink2: But I did take a pic of them, because they were so nice.
 

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Fab rosettes and I LOVE those trophies!!! :biggrin2:

It was the Easter Celebration at Ardingly (it will have dried out by July :fl ) I think there were some pictures on Facebook taken just as I arrived of the A Frame in a pool. A very sad sight and I feel gutted for the organisers, stall holders etc especially as the weather during the weeks either side was so perfect (apart from Monday which was equally dreadful! I couldn't stand in the wind when I went out with the dogs :eek2:)

You'll love running in the More Miles. I can't recommend them highly enough. Paired with waterproof socks they can cope with any weather conditions and are very comfortable.

I do that too with future entries! I have a matrix drawn up of all the season's shows and colour code the classes :lol: Helps me prepare for the likely challenges (in theory at least :wink2:) and yes it is just nice to look at and look forward to!!
 
lots of cookies can persuade a sheltie to have stuff in the pic with them
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Not Merlin! He really has a thing about trophies! Won't go near them!:lol:

I heard about Ardingly being cancelled, must have been gutting for everybody. The joys of British weather! It will be fun walking the small G3 courses together at shows! Can't wait for DINAS, even though that will mean its the end of summer again!
 
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