Newton Heath & The ABC Semi

Last weekend seemed to come and go really quickly, I had been looking forward to the Newton Heath show, mainly because Kiah and I had the ABC Semi Final.

On the Saturday Kiah was running really well, calm, clean jumping even over plastic poles, and two very good agility runs first off, though I decided to drop the jumping run as the course was a bit tricky, and end Saturday on a positive note. Very pleased to end up 6th in the first agility with held contacts as practice for later on. Just a quick note about Sunday though it wasn't as good, a couple of knocked poles and Kiah had a bit of a 'tunnel obsession' moment in a lovely jumping course though funny to watch, and SILLY call by me in a great agility round, causing Kiah to do a lovely 'go round' and back jump, shame I was meant to send her the other side!!

So on to the ABC Semi which took place on Saturday evening, its quite an exciting build up to it as it takes place after all the other rings shut, so there are lots of people sitting around the whole ring watching everyone run. I was quite lucky as my run was to be one from the end so it gave Kiah and I time to chill out, the time it took to go through 63 other dogs helped us both stay calm. Here's a pic of Kiah and I taken during our ABC run. The course was really nice, a good challenge and we had got over what I thought were the more difficult bits, shame a very simple bit of handling cost us. The part I messed up was where Kiah had to go through a curved pipe tunnel, over a wall and onto the see-saw... I should have stood still for a split second longer and let her clear the wall. Silly me went to run off though there was no need, and Kiah just flattened that little too much and took one little top tile (not even a brick!!!) out of the wall.

So this year it was obviously just not meant to be. I have to say that Kiah was working amazingly, the best I have ever seen her. It was also great to see that Kiah's speed is up there with the best as we would have ended up in 3rd place. I am not disappointed one bit with any part of the run, and as always the very best dog came home with me, and always will. There is always going to be another agility run, but there is only one little Kiah!!