Merlin's Magicians Newsletter
FERRYSIDE NEWSLETTER – JULY 2011
I have been out of action this month, had my total hip replacement and am now home recovering well, I am hoping to be back in action in the very near future. Everyone has been so kind, hospital visits from Christine, Debs, Debbie and Megan cheered me up no end. Mike has been golden, staying at mine caring for four dogs, visiting every day, and is now staying here for a week or two whilst I get properly up and about. My sincere thanks to them all and everyone who left good wishes for me on facebook, Debs for fostering Charlie Brown and my son Liam, his partner Emma and Alysha (grand daughter) who were, and still are fostering Dolly and Pretzel. I hope to have Pretzel this weekend and Charlie Brown very shortly, Dolly is staying put for a few more days for some extra spoiling. Well, she is 14 years old love her.
The teams went to Nantwich with Brenda acting as team captain. They were delighted when the Apprentices had third place in Starters, Pepper was a star, didn’t put a paw wrong at his very first outing. The Magicians had an off day but one could hardly blame them, the weather was atrocious, heavy rain and they had to run in slippery muddy conditions.
Next outing is the Champs; I will still be ‘recuperating’ so Brenda will be doing team captain for that too. With the Champs in mind Debbie and Andrew have (at my suggestion) removed wings and got Billie running successfully without them, this will enable him to run in division as height dog, YES!!!!!
Team meeting/meal out is booked for August 14th and this time we can meet about 10.30 at the Bluebell in Cynwyl and follow up with their superb Carvery.
BEULAH
Well what a strange month - torrential rain or blazing sunshine! Luckily Brenda's fields adapt so we do not get too muddy or dusty.
Numbers have been disappointing. There have been a few phonecalls about possible new members but nobody has made it to the practises yet. Add that to regulars on holiday or ill and at times it has just been Brenda, Tally and me. Tally has been running Jed as well as box loading - we are extremely lucky to have her, and we are also VERY proud of her as she has been competing this weekend at Stoneleigh in the Trailblazers show jumping trials - at Senior Level!
July 9th was a lovely day for Kidwelly Carnival. Alfie went a bit shy during the demonstration so first reserve Bo was called in - he soon made it clear why he is a reserve! Running back to mug Jed for the ball, running out so he could get closer to the crowd to demonstrate he had a ball in his mouth ...... typical clown Bo! Mind you, the crowd love it when they get a loon like him!
It was a wet weekend for the Tournament in Nantwich, Cheshire. We were due to ring party and then our section of Starters was booked for 11:15. I left the campsite and my satnav said ETA would be 9.43, well needless to say even that early on a Saturday morning there were the 30mph brigade out and I did not get to the venue until 10:43 - only to see Brenda and Ishka in the ring! I leaped out of the car and ran over and was asked to bring one of my boys out quickly for the races which had started early.
Bo was the frirst one to escape when I opened the tailgate so we rushed back to the ring, he was still in his travel harness which I had to strip off him on the move and he ran "naked" in just his collar for the first race. Managed to get back and put his harness on for the second race and it appears we now know how to get him to perform - turn up at the last minute and throw him straight into racing with no warm ups or run backs. He only ran out once which was on the final run when he could not hold it any longer and had to do what a boy had to do. Ishka was having a dramatic day so it was Billy, Pepper, Bo and Deeze - and our time is now officially lower than the declared one!
Jed took over from him at lunchtime (you end while winning with Bo or he goes silly) - in one of his races a large collie ran across from the other lane to interfere and Jed (who has bowed out of Division as he does not "do" height) jumped over it to get back with his ball! Our team came third and we are all very proud of the dogs. I spent most of the day with a hot water bottle clutched to my face as I was on 2 lots of penecillin, plus extra strength painkiller and ibruprofen - thank you everyone who provided me with hot water! The tooth came out the day after getting home but the jaw is still causing pain.
Division on the Sunday - wet, cold, wet, miserable and wet! No major dramas but I think everyone got soaked to the skin.
Come on everyone, we need some more people and dogs at practises! It has been so quiet we have even got Reggie to go over one jump and fetch the ball then bring it back to me - looking worried when the ball is near Brenda or Tally but feeling incredibly proud of himself that he can do it! (and I am extremely proud of him and the support my Beasts have given him to get him this far from the terrified little scrap he was in January).