Report from the 2014 agility season
The year 2014 was full of seminars and not that many competitions.
I was competing on every Croatian qualifications and in total ranking Tip ended on the 1st place and Gunga finished on the 3rd place.
Season with both of my dogs started great especially with Tip. He was very consistent in every run. Somehow I was more focused this year on seminars and training with my dogs then competitions.
In April we had seminars in Austria and Denmark. In May we had seminars in Austria, Denmark and Finland. Also in May I competed with Gunga on FMBB, a competition which was organized great. Gunga had some really nice runs there and I could notice that she was putting more and more speed in each run. From Finland we went straight to Estonia where we had a great time and where I had the opportunity to meet that country a little bit more.
July was time for spending a long time in Sweden, combining judging competing and teaching. I was invited to judge Guldagility, a big competition in Sweden held for the first time. It was great experience and everything went great. Organization, courses, hospitality.
As I was judging there I also had the opportunity to compete with my dogs and with both of them I managed to qualify for the final.
Unfortunately I didn’t compete with Tip in the final because I noticed that he didn’t run full speed and that some things were just missing.
I immediately took him to some physiotherapists to check what was wrong. They had different opinions and none of them were bad.
Still I decided to cancel Dania Cup with him, a competition that I was really looking forward to to run for the first time. Gunga had nice runs there setting some best time in some runs.
After Dania Cup it was time for summer camp at Jenny’s place. Traditional super cool seminar!
Time for EO was coming and I still didn’t feel comfortable with Tip's shape. There he had some nice runs but still I could feel it was not the real Tip. Did some check up there with physiotherapists and osteopath and all of them could just feel that he is a bit stiffed in the muscles but nothing serious.
For me it was strange that he could be stiffed, something needed to cause that.
After the EO we went to competition in Germany and some seminars in Belgium. When I came back home I took Tip to my vet to test him on diseases and he was positive on anaplasmosis (disease that is caused by ticks).
That was the reason why he looked tired sometimes and had less energy in some runs. He needed to be on antibiotics and he needed to rest. That meant that he would go on WC totally unprepared.
While he was resting I went to Ireland for seminar and I enjoyed judging and teaching there and getting to know the country and people.
I was looking so forward to compete with Tip this year because the season started so good but it looks like it was not our year.
So it was more focus on Gunga and she improved much more in speed and started to be more consistent in competitions. WC in Luxembourg was something what I expected. Really good organization, great atmosphere and a bit boring courses
Not so many challenges and a little bit to easy courses. Tip didn’t started so good. In first run (jumping team) he dropped 3 bars and I was scared that he didn't feel good so I left the course.
It was hard to forget that and immediately to run with Gunga but somehow I did it. Not our best course, I lost her in one part but still we ran that course clear with quite good time.
In every other course Tip was better. Gunga had some Gunga moments so some courses where good and some where just “fun”.
After WC was done I was just happy that Tip was better and that Gunga did RC on the dog walk (almost killed herself but she did it).
After WC time for some seminars; Belgium, Austria and slowly end of the year.
Will do some blood tests with Tip to see if anaplasmosis is gone and I planned to have a litter with Gunga.
I am just waiting for the moment she will be in heat and than the fun can start.
I was competing on every Croatian qualifications and in total ranking Tip ended on the 1st place and Gunga finished on the 3rd place.
Season with both of my dogs started great especially with Tip. He was very consistent in every run. Somehow I was more focused this year on seminars and training with my dogs then competitions.
In April we had seminars in Austria and Denmark. In May we had seminars in Austria, Denmark and Finland. Also in May I competed with Gunga on FMBB, a competition which was organized great. Gunga had some really nice runs there and I could notice that she was putting more and more speed in each run. From Finland we went straight to Estonia where we had a great time and where I had the opportunity to meet that country a little bit more.
July was time for spending a long time in Sweden, combining judging competing and teaching. I was invited to judge Guldagility, a big competition in Sweden held for the first time. It was great experience and everything went great. Organization, courses, hospitality.
As I was judging there I also had the opportunity to compete with my dogs and with both of them I managed to qualify for the final.
Unfortunately I didn’t compete with Tip in the final because I noticed that he didn’t run full speed and that some things were just missing.
I immediately took him to some physiotherapists to check what was wrong. They had different opinions and none of them were bad.
Still I decided to cancel Dania Cup with him, a competition that I was really looking forward to to run for the first time. Gunga had nice runs there setting some best time in some runs.
After Dania Cup it was time for summer camp at Jenny’s place. Traditional super cool seminar!
Time for EO was coming and I still didn’t feel comfortable with Tip's shape. There he had some nice runs but still I could feel it was not the real Tip. Did some check up there with physiotherapists and osteopath and all of them could just feel that he is a bit stiffed in the muscles but nothing serious.
For me it was strange that he could be stiffed, something needed to cause that.
After the EO we went to competition in Germany and some seminars in Belgium. When I came back home I took Tip to my vet to test him on diseases and he was positive on anaplasmosis (disease that is caused by ticks).
That was the reason why he looked tired sometimes and had less energy in some runs. He needed to be on antibiotics and he needed to rest. That meant that he would go on WC totally unprepared.
While he was resting I went to Ireland for seminar and I enjoyed judging and teaching there and getting to know the country and people.
I was looking so forward to compete with Tip this year because the season started so good but it looks like it was not our year.
So it was more focus on Gunga and she improved much more in speed and started to be more consistent in competitions. WC in Luxembourg was something what I expected. Really good organization, great atmosphere and a bit boring courses
Not so many challenges and a little bit to easy courses. Tip didn’t started so good. In first run (jumping team) he dropped 3 bars and I was scared that he didn't feel good so I left the course.
It was hard to forget that and immediately to run with Gunga but somehow I did it. Not our best course, I lost her in one part but still we ran that course clear with quite good time.
In every other course Tip was better. Gunga had some Gunga moments so some courses where good and some where just “fun”.
After WC was done I was just happy that Tip was better and that Gunga did RC on the dog walk (almost killed herself but she did it).
After WC time for some seminars; Belgium, Austria and slowly end of the year.
Will do some blood tests with Tip to see if anaplasmosis is gone and I planned to have a litter with Gunga.
I am just waiting for the moment she will be in heat and than the fun can start.
Report from seminars from February till March
After first qualifications for WC it was time for some seminars.
Year started very busy and I was really looking forward to all that traveling.
First of the seminars was in Netherlands and it was my first time having seminar there. Some new people came and some of participants I already trained with before. Always so good to see people from before and to see how much they are improving.
Seminar was organized in Dit Hall by Thora Van Der Stock.
Nice place with really good surface. When I was training with my dogs I noticed that Gunga, who has not that much experience running on the artificial grass, was running really good, not slipping at all. After training I found out it is the same surface as on WC in France but used more and then it is no problem for dogs to run.
The house where we were staying was unbelievable. Placed in the middle of nowhere, with no neighbours close, lot of nature. Just perfect, something what I would like to have.
Weekend after that I went to Luxembourg for competition.
If I am having seminar somewhere close to there I always look if they have competition in Luxembourg because that people are just great in organizing and having fun in agility. Really enjoyed to go there!
From Belgium I went directly to Austria to judge qualifications for Belgium shepherds. Something cool and interesting, because it was many good Belgium shepherds running there. So I enjoyed judging and watching them.
After staying home for few days it was time to go back to Belgium for some new seminars.
I saw some really good teams in training and I have to admit, Belgium agility is going up again. People are trying more and more new things in handling and in training in general and with some of them I was impressed how they improved.
We had A LOT OF LUCK with weather. Luckily it was not typical Belgian weather so we were enjoying in the nice and sunny training.
I also competed there after break that I had with my dogs, because both Gunga and Tip had stupid tick disease (Babesiosis) they needed to rest for 3 weeks. So that competition was more like training and coming back in shape.
After having fun in Belgium it was time to go home.
On the way to Croatia I stopped in Austria for judging and one day of seminar.
After being home for 3 days I went back to Austria for two days of seminar with the group that we are already meeting for 3rd time.
The plan is to meet them two times per year and most of the time same people are coming for training. Great idea and a lot of fun to see them improving and pushing them to do more and more.
After having this training it is time to focus on my dogs, because 2nd round of Croatian qualifications are coming.After first qualifications for WC it was time for some seminars.
Year started very busy and I was really looking forward to all that traveling.
First of the seminars was in Netherlands and it was my first time having seminar there. Some new people came and some of participants I already trained with before. Always so good to see people from before and to see how much they are improving.
Seminar was organized in Dit Hall by Thora Van Der Stock.
Nice place with really good surface. When I was training with my dogs I noticed that Gunga, who has not that much experience running on the artificial grass, was running really good, not slipping at all. After training I found out it is the same surface as on WC in France but used more and then it is no problem for dogs to run.
The house where we were staying was unbelievable. Placed in the middle of nowhere, with no neighbours close, lot of nature. Just perfect, something what I would like to have.
Weekend after that I went to Luxembourg for competition.
If I am having seminar somewhere close to there I always look if they have competition in Luxembourg because that people are just great in organizing and having fun in agility. Really enjoyed to go there!
From Belgium I went directly to Austria to judge qualifications for Belgium shepherds. Something cool and interesting, because it was many good Belgium shepherds running there. So I enjoyed judging and watching them.
After staying home for few days it was time to go back to Belgium for some new seminars.
I saw some really good teams in training and I have to admit, Belgium agility is going up again. People are trying more and more new things in handling and in training in general and with some of them I was impressed how they improved.
We had A LOT OF LUCK with weather. Luckily it was not typical Belgian weather so we were enjoying in the nice and sunny training.
I also competed there after break that I had with my dogs, because both Gunga and Tip had stupid tick disease (Babesiosis) they needed to rest for 3 weeks. So that competition was more like training and coming back in shape.
After having fun in Belgium it was time to go home.
On the way to Croatia I stopped in Austria for judging and one day of seminar.
After being home for 3 days I went back to Austria for two days of seminar with the group that we are already meeting for 3rd time.
The plan is to meet them two times per year and most of the time same people are coming for training. Great idea and a lot of fun to see them improving and pushing them to do more and more.
After having this training it is time to focus on my dogs, because 2nd round of Croatian qualifications are coming.After first qualifications for WC it was time for some seminars.
The beginning of 2014
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Year 2014. started really nice. On 1st qualifications for WC Tip was just awesome. From 3 runs he won 2 and in one he took 3rd place. Gunga was good but still not used how to run on carpet so results were not that good as Tips :). I hope me and my dogs will stay focused until the end of the year like in the beginning :) Here is the video from Tip on the 1st qualifications. |