A Magic Hat trick topples Rupert

It was Paws in the Park at Broadlands with agility and Dash N Splash.

I was worried about Dash n Splash. Since his back injury Rupert hasn't been jumping into water at all well. Magic at the Kent County Show had reverted to stopping before jumping into the blue and was only managing about 13 foot. I decided to book the Greyfriars hydro pool to sort out both dogs.

The hydro therapy session was mad both dogs were manic - jumping in and swan for their entire 25 minute session. I don't think the staff had seen anything like it. We're going back on the 2nd July.

Well, the hydro did the trick on Magic and he is less cautious about jumping into blue water.
He did well at the qualifiers on Saturday doing his 13 foot to get a place in the final. He also qualified for the final of the Splash n Grab speed retrieve. Rupert seemed in slightly better form with a 15 foot jump - not his 19/20 foot jumps but better than expected. We don;t put him in Splash n Grab as he just chomps on the ball and has a luxury swim.

First we had the splash and grab finals with Magic as top seed with a 10 sec qualifying time. He has a lovely targeted jump that lands just where he needs to pick up the ball and when he returns I only have to say ball and he rolls it to me. We were down to the last 2 when disaster struck. It's best out of 3 retrieves. We won the first and then on the second a child threw a stick into the water just nano seconds before magic jumped. It snapped into 2 and Magic caught the small bit. I thought he'd swallow it. We got a re-run but he had lost it. Was it stick or ball? So we were second.

Next was the Dash n Splash mini (17/18 inches and under) finals. Rupert is the unbeaten winner of this event. Sadly he only managed 15 1/2 feet. A springer called Jasper managed 16. Magic did 13. So Rupert was beaten into 2nd place with Magic 3rd.

The next day saw a new Magic. His speed on the run and height in the jump got him a qualifying jump of about 15 and a half feet. Rupert did 15. Magic also once again qualified for the Splash n grab finals.

Magic was out to win splash n grab from the outset. Targeted jumps, instant retrieves, quick release of the ball to me. (Anyone who has watched his grandfather in gun dog trials will know what I mean by this.) Well, we won.

Rupert seemed less complacent about the Dash n Splash finals and jumped 16 foot. Not bad - only 2 more feet and he'd be at his last year's average of 18. But this was Magic's day. He did a massive jump of 18 foot to win. (And I think there is another 3-4 foot in him.)

Rupert was rather sulky at Magic winning a Pets at Home voucher, free entry to Dash Splash and a luxury dog bed plus loads of treats from the doggie deli.

Rupert was a star in the agility ring. We didn't do much due to Dash n Splash but he came away with a 3rd in the G1-5 jumping a 2nd in the G1-2 jumping and 1st in the G1-2 agility.

Check out Steve Collins Momofoto web page for photos of the weekend.

Promotions and a familiy reunion

I cannot believe that I have not posted for 2 months! As most of you know, this has been a really difficult time for us and I cannot thank enough all of you who have supported us in the past months. This post is brief as we are still not out of the woods yet... But I could not let 2 occasions go by without mention.

We met up with Nat and the Demon Dogz at Wood Green and got to run in a starters team with them. It was a fantastic experience and we learnt so much. As we'd not done flyball since Easter we were a bit rusty. Magic and Jordan had forgotten most of their training!!! Magic had gone back to his January habit of running back in the lane. But we came 2nd but most of all I've seen some good flyball potential in Rupert, which I'd never seen before. We also enjoyed meeting Gemma, Paul, Alison and the dogs. I fell in love with Dora, the dog with the giant personality, who has the 100 per cent wow factor. Since then Jordan has remembered his training and is now nagging me to do more flyball. Thanks guys for a great day and for putting the buzz back inot flyball for us.

The pictures are of Magic reunited with Mum and Dad (who struggled to sit still for a nano second for the photos!! Even with Gemma nagging him!!!)

We drove form Wood Green to Chippenham, where Rup and Jordan were cheated of a YKC Crufts certificate and a 1st place by the final pole falling after the crowd and the judge were clapping and celebrating the beautifully handled round. Poor J is now known as the little boy with the pole!!!!! (The less said of Magic that day who was still a bit scatty and spent his rounds chasing butterflies in the ring and was referred to as the scatty one).

The next week was UKA Quad Paws and Magic became his reliable hard working self again and shot up from beginners into novice in the steeplechase programme. He's also done well in performance with points in games and jumping. We just need the 12 agility points to go up but I've decided not to run him in agility until his run contact is consistent. I also feel he needs time at the beginners level to enjoy himself without the pressure. After all cockers jus wanna have fun!!!!

Rupert also went into Senior in the steeplechase programme and he and Jordan are clocking up the points and are moving towards Champ (ahh!!!). However the single agility point they need to go senior in the performance programme eludes them. All their agility points were non qualifying as Rup alternated between contact and weave faults all week with intent!!!! How can that dog do beautiful run contacts one day and not the next and perfect weaves one day and just stand staring at the weaves the next!!! On the final day he deiced to do both weaves and contacts perfectly but to do TYOL agility. Maybe he knows Jordan needs a little bit more time in novice to build up confidence!!! Canny cocker.