Merlin's Magicians June 2010 Newsletter
Well we did it! We actually managed to compete without the ritual humiliation experienced on our last two outings.
OK so we didn’t win anything but who cares? We took a team of six dogs, no height dogs so all had to compete at full height, Sassy and Alfie had never even been to watch, let alone compete before and they did Flyball.
Sadie had a couple of ‘flutters’ when she ran out but did it right on the re runs. Del was a star running her first; he got so keen he actually got a couple of lights for starting too fast!! Ollie Collie did so brilliantly for the first heat then, goodness knows why switched off and just wouldn’t do the jumps on the way back. (Such a fast boy we must find out what is causing it) Poor Brenda had a rotten journey up, came on the day (as did Sheryl & Del) her Sat Nav packed in; she arrived almost as we were going into the ring for our first heat!! Trumps was practically thrown from the car to the ring and was brilliant, fast and reliable, (just like her owner – well maybe not the fast bit aye Brenda?) she is such an asset to the team.
To be honest, Annie has slowed down to her younger days, she did lose us a couple of races, but she is still, at 9 years old, solid over the full height. Our seed time will now be 25.63 and so what that it isn’t ‘fast’ the division we were in the fastest time run was about 24.50, if we had been consistent we would have been among the rosettes. That was the racing, the camping was great fun, Myself, Liz, Sarah and Mike camped from the Friday evening, the Friday evening was a hoot, we all helped to erect Liz’s new (to her) trailer tent, and agreed it is not as easy as made out! Very large and comfortable though. Liz has now to decide if it was worth the work or if she should start using her Camper van. Then Sarah’s tent, its flippin enormous!! She could have parked inside it! That girl certainly knows how to camp. I had a lazy weekend as Mike took his caravan, say no more!!
Sarah ran Pip with a starter team Saturday; dare I say the Pipster was the best dog in their team?!!! Our height dog is getting there, one more outing in Starters, Anglesey then we’ll give her a whirl in the Division team. Saturday evening was ‘chill out time’ Mike and I took off to the local Asda for beers and the Chippy for Fish & Chips all round. The weather was good to us and we were able to sit under the van awning eating, drinking and chatting. Brilliant.
The Bryn Iwen Agility has moved to Monday evenings now and we have four or five at each session, including a delightful Samoyed, Ruby.
Delighted to welcome to Ferryside, Debbie, Andrew & Megan Thomas, with Freddie. Freddie a Collie X German Shepherd in three sessions has sussed Flyball and promises to be a star! He is super fast and so focused, reminds me of Fiona (Swifts) Ferris. I shall try and get a picture and write up for the July update. Andrew is a carpenter, Debbie has sourced the material for making Flyball jumps and he is going to make a set.
Have heard from Beth with Eli, they are hoping to complete their move from Middlesex August and will be joining us ‘properly’ then.
We are doing a display at the Kidwelly Carnival 10th July; unfortunately it clashes with the Tivyside show, which Brenda helps organize so we will be missing Trumps and Ishka.
Talking about Ishka, Brenda has had a box for a couple of weeks and, Ishka is now doing Flyball! Brenda says her attention span isn’t great but we are going to run her in starters, Anglesey, a Great Dane over 7 inch jumps in the same team as Pip, Ollie and Jed (Bo and Possibly Tippi too) should be great fun.
We have got in to the Anglesey tournament, 24th July, running the division team that we ran last and the starter team, watch this space!
Whilst the weather permits we are going to continue training Friday evenings at Brenda’s in Beulah. Outside on grass is better preparation for tournaments. We are very lucky to have the choice with Starlight as an indoor venue to train in inclement weather and when the dark evenings arrive.
Hope you are all enjoying this spell of good weather and that it continues into July.
On a completely non Flyball note, yours truly is feeling quite proud of herself! Despite being terrified of heights and suffering a re occurrence of positional vertigo, I have, this morning painted the upstairs window frames. My thighs feel as though I have done a 10 mile walk I was so tense on the ladder.
Keep smiling,
June