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.