It's been a funny year so far - it hasn't turned out quite like I expected, though mostly in a good way!

Elton ran his first proper courses at a UKA show in February. He did well, got round the steeplechase courses albeit over time, and a couple of lovely NFC runs in Nursery working on his dog walk - he couldn't manage it on his own first time, but once placed near the top of the up plank he completed it successfully and then happily ran over it as many times as I wanted him to by himself! Just needs to get over that first attempt.

Also in February he won another BOB, along with his last point for his ShCM title :-) I have hardly shown him this year.

Crufts was very quiet - we just attended on one day, and all I had entered was Ria in breed. She came away with a 4th and a 2nd, so not a bad day.

In April we just attended one show (of any type) which was South Wales Papillon Club's open show. For a change I had Elton and Sadie entered....Sadie's one and only appearance in the show ring in 2014! She won her class, and Elton won his class, Best Phalene Dog and BEST PHALENE IN SHOW :-D

Sadie winning Graduate Bitch at SW Pap

May was chaos! It started off with Ria's first appearance at South West Utility Club (now Kooikers have been moved from Gundog to Utility) where there we no Kooiker classes but she won Best AVNSC. We then finally managed to make it to our first FAB agility show. I've been trying to get to one of these since Dawn Weaver started them, they are ideal for my dogs - an 8" jump height for toy breeds, and the ability to run NFC with food as well as toys! Both boys had productive NFC rounds in the agility, then Elton managed his first ever clear round in the steeplechase, and Solei was just over course time.

Ria taking five in the ring during BIS at South West Utility

The bank holiday weekend saw our own private triathlon - breed at Bath Ch Show on the Friday (Elton), Phoenix UKA on Saturday (Elton & Solei) and then Exeter obedience show on Sunday (Elton and Solei). I had also entered Ria at Bath on Monday, but we were concerned about the state of the car park as it had been very wet, and tbh had run out of energy too! So didn't go. It was a successful weekend, Elton got a 3rd at Bath and also placed in the stakes winning £10. Elton ran a nice Steeplechase at Phoenix - shame about his handler who was so convinced the course went a certain way she didn't even realize she'd been eliminated!! - and then Nursery NFC. Solei!! Solei....I'd entered him in Casual Agility and Casual Steeplechase. We ran the agility NFC so we could avoid the see-saw, and then he ran the best he has ever run at a show in the steeplechase to not only get his first clear round but also 2nd place! So, so, so proud. At Exeter Elton did a lovely training round in Pre-Beginners, I was so pleased with him. The boy is coming back :-) Solei was Solei, but came 9th in Pre-Beginners.

The following weekend was the Dogs for the Disabled Open Day, after the success of the previous year we were asked to take part in the agility demonstration again. I just ran Elton this year as there were more people, and I was so proud of him. He ran really well, did his first full height aframe and got his weaves, which were right alongside a fence which also had a large crowd so really wasn't sure he'd do them.

Here is a video of the demo, Elton is the first dog running.


Although not participating in the demo this year Solei didn't rest on his laurels all day, we managed this...

Solei the Gold Good Citizen - who'd have thought it!

June has been mostly comprised of agility, though prior to that was the annual Kooikerhondje Club of Great Britain show. Super proud of Ria, who won Reserve Best Bitch for the second year running! Later also winning her stakes Bred in the UK under a different judge.

Nothing of note in the agility really. Two weekends/four days of competition. The first weekend was UKA, Solei had one Gamblers run and other than that it was just Elton, there were some nice parts but all either Es or over time. The second weekend was two different shows and the Saturday UKA show had the most horrendous ground  so I gave Elton one steeplechase run in the best ring, and with hindsight shouldn't have bothered but never mind! Sunday was our second FAB show. Good NFC agility run with Elton working on the dog walk and seesaw, then NFC jumping working on weaves - which were lovely! Ran him for real in the steeplechase but realized only as I got to it that the long jump had one piece more than I expected, and it was a plastic one so he wasn't confident enough to do it. Gave him a couple of attempts than just ran him past it, not worth it! Solei ran agility and steeplechase and I have no idea what got into that dog! I released him off the start line for the agility and he was running really well, this'll be good I thought...til we got to the fourth obstacle and he took it, then just kept going! A few laps round the ring and a couple of random obstacles later I got him back....he's never done that before, then went on to do the same in his steeplechase!! I suppose at least he was having fun :-P

Let's see what the rest of the year brings....

Well that was massive fail yet again! I started writing a 2014 goals and ambitions list back in January and apparently never did Ria, or published it. So now I shall publish this as it was when I wrote it in January, and then it's time for an update! The longer I leave it the less inclined I get because the more there is to catch up on and the more overwhelmed I get...so, I bring you my 2014 Goals and Ambitions for Solei and Elton, as of January 2014!

Solei
Agility
Get a clear round at a UKA show
Get a placement at a UKA show (not sure if this is being optimistic, but hey - we'll shoot for it!)
Learn to weave
Get the confidence to do the seesaw
Rally
Complete his RL1 title
Obedience
Haven't really got any obedience goals. I was actually going to retire him, but things have changed...so I might try a training round, hope for a motivated and enthusiastic Solei and then see where we go from there. Might consider seeing if he can finish off his P-Beg Ex
Oh I do have one - to pass his Good Citizen Gold Award...had better train it then!
Showing
A Best Veteran Dog at a breed club show. This may be completely unrealistic, cos it may turn out that this year happens as last did, where I don't actually enter him for any!

and above all, as he approaches double figures I hope he continues to be happy and healthy, and I get a few more years to enjoy training and competing with the Solei that I have now :-D

Elton
Agility
Generalise weaves and improve confidence enough that he can complete them successfully in any situation
insert rest
Rally
Complete his RL1.Ex title (would love to get RL1.Ex rather than just the RL1...but that may be too much pressure!)
Obedience
This is another odd one...I'm not sure if I want to try for the Pre-Beginner Stakes again, but I also don't want him to advance out of Pre-Beginners yet. Might just have a year off from obedience.
Showing
This is the year he finally finishes his ShCM! He needs one measly point, so if he doesn't get it this year there is no hope lol Other than that I have no goals, I am probably mostly retiring him this year til Veteran.