First shows

It's fantastic to be going to shows again, to see everyone and catch up. Zazzy had a couple of classes on the last afternoon of the Easter Celebration show, I went along early to help on the ring and chat. Agility classes are going to be a confidence building exercise for a while (her contact criteria have changed since competing last), and we had one small (handler) error in each of the two jumping classes. Last weekend was the first outing for the caravan since last summer, to the Spring at Shuttleworth show. No tyres exploded and no wheels fell off, so I consider that a successful trip. We had sunshine!!! After a long winter of poor weather it was fantastic to get good weather for camping! I also have a very nice new chair, a lovely thoughtful gift from Karen. Here we are camped next to a field of llamas and emus.

We competed on Saturday and I judged on Sunday. Although Zazzy is happier since her op, and this makes training her so much easier and more fun, it of course hasn't worked any agility miracles. While we might never set the world on fire, I can still see lots of things we can do to improve. Meanwhile, Becky and Kaydee had a go in the allsorts class. Kaydees face was a picture when I took her lead off on the start line, she has not run in a class since 2008! She joyfully set off making me really run (medium height jumps round the edge of the ring!!). Unfortunately no video, I would love to see how she was moving. Bless her, it's a testament to her innate drive and love of the game that she won the class (150 dogs in it), leaving Becky to take third place. Come to think of it she won the last open competition she was ever entered in too.Kaydee continues to amaze me, she is such a brilliant dog. I took her to try sheep herding, and she was fantastic at that (my sister video'd a bit on her phone, will post it when I can!) I still feel sad that my dog who most wants to run and do things is stuck in a body that just isn't strong enough to do what she wants. However she is much less frustrated now that she is doing various bits and pieces.

Judging. Well I was pleased with how my two courses ran, although I had to make last minute changes as I had two tunnels in the plan but only one was available! First was small 4-7 agility, followed by large G3 agility (just under 400 dogs in total). Will post the courses tomorrow. The dogs looked good running the courses, and lots of people said they enjoyed running them. The downside was the lack of helpers at this show! Thanks to Marion who helped ever such a lot despite needing a mobility scooter to get around herself. I must have spent more than two hours trying to put my course up the evening before, a lot of that time on my own. The following morning no one turned up at all until I went to ask the organisers for help! It was a very small band of people who worked a miracle and got the ring to run smoothly through the day, some missing their own runs to do so. This problem has been discussed on the agility forum but I don't know what the answer is really. At the end of the day you pay to compete, and someone is making money out of it, but the shows cannot run without people working for free. The worst part of the day for me was at the end when I stood for an hour in the secretarys tent waiting to give my presentation; two of the trophy winners had had enough, apologised and left. Other judges seemed to come in and give their presentations reasonably quickly so it was frustrating. I was one of the last people to leave, and my poor dogs had been stuck in the van for nine hours. I was asked back to judge next year. Hmm I don't know. If no one wants to judge or help, how will shows continue?