Monday, July 24, 2006

June and July Wellingbough and Empingham Shows
Due to an illness that Lemon picked up after the EMDAC competition, training and competitions were put on hold for a few weeks until he was fit and healthy again to compete.

Well we entered the Wellingborough competition first. I am glad to say that his fitness was almost back to normal and he put in some great clear rounds, under very hot conditions. We entered the WSD/BC Open Helter Skelter event where he put in a clear round that gave him 16th place, just outside the official placings.

After a few week of very positive training we entered the Empingham DTC up in Grantham. On Saturday we had a mixed bag of results due to the everlasting thunder. Starters events were a wipe out, but in the afternoon we entered the Novice Jumping for the first time and Lemon got a clear round on a difficult course. He would have probably been placed if I hadn't fallen over just before the last fence, Whoops!!!

On Sunday the weather was far more conducive to dog agility and Lemon ran a blinding round in the Starters Jumping coming 7th overall out of 290 dogs. Fantastic jumping.

Another great competition. The madness returns.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

27th-29th May - EMDAC, Kent County Show
The Kent County Show has always been a fun day out so we decided to make this our long weekend away during half term. Lemon and Bruce were entered into this show on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Lemon picked up a 2nd place in the introductory jumping on the Saturday, with a time of 19.59 secs and the Sunday with a time of 17.56 secs, and then got a 1st place in the introductory jumping with a time of 18.74 secs and a 1st place in the introductory snakes and ladders on the Monday with a time of 19.21 secs. EMDAC are well know for their simple course, well in this competition I think the courses were aimed more at the Senior handlers than the introductory one, so I was even more pleased with Lemon's efforts. The same course was set for introductory and novice plus.

A excellent weekend and they had showers so Papia was pleased.
21st May 2006 - Cranbourne Open Agility Test
Well it happened and rather quicker than I first thought. Lemon and I won out of Elementary at the Cranbourne show. And what's more we did it in an agility round, so wonderful contacts and jumping. So he took first place with a time of 21.35secs, a whole 2 seconds faster than the second placed dog. It's nice to get a trophy I have to admit.

A fantastic weekend and we did it for Queenie.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

30th April - 1st May Orchard Events in Knebworth.


Knebworth House held the Orchard event for Jumping and Agility. On the Sunday we had a exciting day, Lemon put in some fantastic runs working well ahead of me, sometimes upto 4 jumps. This was something that had not been possible in competitions before. Unfortunately due to the fact that the weave monster came up and bit Lemon, he did not get a clear round. Not deterred by the weave experience, Lemon came back with a vengeance on the Monday and took 1st place in Elementary Jumping with a time of 22.50secs, over 3 seconds faster than the 2nd place dog. Then he went on to take 3rd place in the Starters Jumping with a time of 23.01 seconds, only 0.6 of a second slower than the 1st placed dog.

A great end to a great weekend. Lemon you are indeed a little star.

Friday, April 21, 2006

16th and 17th April 2006
Orchard Event Easter Aglity Show at Shuttleworth
After our success in the Spring at Shuttleworth event I had high hopes for my little star, even if I was extremely nervous about my handling. We were entered for both Elementary and Starters events in Agility and Jumping.
On Saturday we ran the Elementary Agility and Jumping course. With a time of 26.42sec and 26.54secs respectively I was over the moon when he took 1st place in both events. What a start to the weekend, beyond my wildest dreams.

Then on the Sunday we entered the Starters events and had, shall we say a mixed bag of success. The agility was the first event at 8.30. I don't think Lemon likes early mornings as he decided to run off and check out a pretty little Blue Merle on the otherside of the ring. Still those things happen, so after a short little sleep for both Lemon and I we entered the Starters jumping. I have never seen Lemon run and jump so fast, he put in a staggering time of 16.78secs and took 3rd place.

A wonderful weekend with a wonderful dog. Thanks Mohican.
8th and 9th of April 2006
Spring at Shuttleworth, Kennel Club Affiliated Open Competition.

Both Lemon and I had worked really hard since the Whitstable competitions. We had been concentrating on the main combinations and contacts. This was Lemon's first real competition, out in the open so I wasn't really sure if he was even going to stay in the ring with me. Needless to say he put in some fantastic runs missing clear rounds by a whisker on the Saturday. On Sunday he went into the ring even more determined and as a result walked away with a 5th place in Starters Jumping with a time of 28.46secs. What a dog. 
November 2005
Unaffiliated Competition at Whitstable, Plum Pudding Lane

This was a great warm up for Lemon. We had only being doing agility for 3 months and I was pretty brave to put him into competitions this early. He made a great effort and negotiated some pretty difficult combinations. Lemon and I made great improvements over the two competitions.