Went down to FAB Cornwall on Sunday. Elton had two runs (Agility & Jumping) and Ria had three (Agility, Jumping & Steeplechase). I wanted to do Grand Prix rather than Steeplechase with Elton and then it went on so long I couldn't stay, so unfortunately he missed out! Decided not to run Solei as he only does steeplechase and I didn't have enough time to gather my thoughts after Ria, plus it was an entirely right sided course which isn't his strong point. I ran both Elton's courses NFC and his Agility was stunning. I was so pleased with him, wish I'd had video! He managed 12 weaves and was driving on nicely, even managed a tunnel without me having to be there! His Jumping was nice to start with, and then went pear-shaped when he decided he'd forgotten how to weave since he ran the agility lol very frustrating when (after a couple of completely failed attempts) he pops out at #11 and I want to reward because he's done so much right but can't! But so much more confident and driven, he didn't stop to look round at all.

Ria...during her agility and jumping (both NFC) spent a lot of time running round the ring with some nice bits when she was focused! Because she has come such a phenomenal way in such a short space of time (I can't believe it's barely been 4 months since she started training again) and she is very able in some ways I forget she is still very much a baby dog, although 3.5yrs. She's also at a funny stage - because she started foundation at about 8 months old and trained til she was 2, in some ways she has done a lot...but because of all the issues we had and the fact a lot of her classes were fairly unproductive, in other ways it's almost as if she never started. Anyway! For her Steeplechase - as I was going NFC anyway - I asked them if I could drop her down to small - I was fairly sure most of the reason for the largely unproductive previous runs was because at medium height she goes round half the jumps, she just hasn't got the experience and confidence yet...which then makes it all go wrong.

This is what I got!!! The end bit was entirely my fault - I was convinced the course went round in a circle including the tunnel again (it didn't include the tunnel) so cued the tunnel which she thought about but then didn't take (apparently dog knows the course better than I do!) which meant I was further up the course than I would have been had I not cued the tunnel but didn't get the time I would have got had she taken the tunnel to move away. That then meant (esp as she patterns things VERY quickly) that due to my position she was expecting to go left again, she then corrected herself but that meant she took the penultimate jump at a very acute angle to the right - and then expected to wing wrap. Again corrected herself, but by that time I'd already thrown the toy so made her go round the last jump (having played it back in slo mo I see why - the below is where she was when I started to throw the ball. You can very much see the wing wrap she was expecting and the fact she was facing completely the wrong way as I threw! In fact having seen that still I'm impressed she managed to alter course)

Great rewarding on my part :-P One day I might get it right!

Redid that last bit (last 11 seconds of the video) and it went much better (though I still hadn't twigged the tunnel wasn't part of the course at that point!)

Yet another day I never thought I'd see! She never ceases to amaze me at the moment.