Wallingford KC 20/4/12

Pip's first KC. And mine really - only ever entered one KC with Bonnie and then didnt end up doing it! I was more nervous than usual - stupid but no idea why. Followed my plan though and walked the first course (Agility) then took the Pipster for a walk for 25 mins or so. Didn't have to queue which was a bonus and led to a far less stressed puppy. Agility was a nice course with a couple of tricky bits. His wait was lovely and he left all the first jumps up though he rattled a couple. Lovely front cross out of the tunnel to the Aframe. Here I think with hindsight I would have handled it differently. I had opted to front cross before the Aframe so I was on the right side for the jump weaves jump after it. However it was a hard turn to the weave entry. 4 strides straight from the Aframe to a jump then hard right turn to weaves - but there was another jump right ahead. The way I ran it Pip thought he was going to take that jump and although he picked up my change of direction and came off it it was a bit late and he entered the weaves from the wrong side missing the first pole. Restarted and he did it fine, then jump and I muffed the handling of the DW entry. got it though and then muffed the exit and he hared off towards the tunnel. but again turned off and came the right way. to like. start line, got all contacts, went exactly where I sent him, issues - my handling! Also the seesaw caught him out again and tipped faster than he expected and he slid off. Need to think of a way to tell him the difference between wood and ally! With hindsight I think I would handle the first part differently and would rear cross the A frame to give a clear direction to the weaves. I THINK we had 15 faults. J 1-2 - I liked this course as it was nice and twisty. He ran the first half nicely, though the pull off from jump 5 was late and thus sent him wide again for the weaves and same happened as agility. restarted fine though and then stupidly pulled him out too early, then muffed the handling of the tunnel and jumps after it and it all kind of went wrong then so I took the last and made a big fuss. E J1 - long flowing course that I usually hate! I think I messed up here by assuming I wouldn't keep up and thus had no chance. Actually I DID keep up but again made some silly mistakes. Start was a tunnel round a corner to 3 jumps to another tunnel in the corner. I led out to between 2 & 3 and he started perfectly. He committed to the tunnels well and I legged it - all clear until half way round where he had to jump an upright and then pull off tunnel for more uprights and I called him too soon and he pulled off the jump! DOH! went round and restarted over another straight run of jumps into a corner tunnel to 6 weaves - He came out of the tunnel so fast he just couldnt decel enough for the weave entry, circled and did it properly and finished well. Inca won this class in 24.1s. Pip did it in 31s - but he had 2 attempts at weaves and a circel for the jump we missed, so must have be close to her in speed, so a win if clear was possible. He was fab - worked well and happy working out away from me, and I kept up and could be in the right place so that was good. I just need to work out how to stop ME making silly mistakes! I think my brain is too far ahead of reality - I'm thinking a couple of obstacles ahead and then my mouth goes with my brain and not where Pip is! I just want a clear round :( lol