Saturday we battled the wind and rain and drove down to Weston-Super-Mare. I was in two minds whether or not to go to this show. Inca is out of coat at the moment as shes been dropping it since before Scotland. However, I specifically didn't enter Wimslow because of WoEBCC so decided to go any way. We stayed at the Premier Inn which is right next to the venue and dog judging didn't start until 10.30am so we had a lazy Sunday morning and enjoyed their full breakfast..mmm!

Diesel was first in the ring in Yearling. D is certainly a dog that needs a good walk before going in the ring. Sadly with the weather as bad as it was he didn't get much of one so was full of it. So although he moved and stood well he was a bit of pain whilst we were waiting for the other dogs to be gone over and move out; he wanted to play with the dog in front of us and decided the dog behind needed to be kept an eye on so kept turning round (the dog did keep trying to sniff his butt). Still, I pleased he got V.H.C in both Yearling and Novice.



Inca was in a rather large limit class of 23 entries. I was happy with how she went in the ring; she was standing nicely, moved well and generally seemed to be enjoying showing herself off. However, although the judge seemed to like her we werent picked for the final line-up, probably due to her lack of coat. It was a short wait until her working class which she managed to win - I may have just found her calling, lol. We didnt hang around to watch the dog and bitch challenge as I wasnt sure on how kind the weather was going to be on the way back home.





So that's our last breed show of the year. I didn't enter LKA and I'm glad I didn't given the current state of Incas coat as we wouldn't be going as shes still loosing. She doesn't look that bad in the photos but she looks scrawny IRL, not helped by the fact I keep her light compared to a lot of the other show collies anyway.

So, I have a feeling our first show next year will be MBCC in Feb and then Crufts!

We were meant to be at BCCGB pup of the year today with D but decided some time ago we'd have a day off instead.

After much deliberation on who to get neutered when I decided to try D with the Suprelorin implant. The jury is still out on what we're doing with Inca. Originally I was going to stop showing at the end of this month, and although I've not entered any more I think I'll see how we do to the end of March.

I ordered last week and today we took him to have it done. I did feel slightly guilty when I saw the size of needle, especially as our vet had a bit of trouble getting it through his skin, but he was a good boy and didnt even flinch - probably something to do with mum having peperami.

There is a bit of a mixed debate as to whether dogs with Suprelorin should be shown, although theres nothing official to say they shouldnt be. One side effect is that their balls shrink up to 1/4 of their original size (can't say I've measured his, lol). Some people say it effects their coat. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what effect is has on him. Showing isn't my prority, and I could always return him to the ring when its worn off.

At least I wont have to put up with the screaming banshee that kept trying to dig under the kitchen door when Incas next in season ;)

Saturday we headed off to Snetterston for the next installment of the East Anglian Winter Series. No videos though as I left Si at home as hes been working funny hours for the past week. The weather had been awful all night, pouring with rain and blowing a gale, yet I was safe in the knowledge that we'd be inside so the wettest I'd get was running back and forth to the car and taking the dogs out for a pee. I couldnt have been more wrong. When I arrived I discovered they'd put up a ring OUSIDE! Of course I'd come completely inappropriately dressed with jeans that reached the floor and so started getting wet from the bottom up before I'd even run.

Diesel seemed particulaly lary and only managed one clear all day. That said, it was only little mistakes and overall I was really pleased with how he was running - I could have just done with less of the gob! His clear made up for it all as he came 2nd by 0.5 seconds. Not a hard course by any means but it started spread-12 weaves which caught a lot of dogs out.

Inca was having a bouncy blonde day. Very up for it, but very la-la and easily distracted. Same jumping start for her and she crashed into the spread and messed up her weaves. Did the rest of the course lovely though, lol. I trained her power & speed (I missed walking the course, oops!) and then ran her senior agility. She did a cracking run including a very impressive running dog walk contact (if only I had trained it like that!) and ended up 2nd, behind Nancy Faris's G6 dog, Shaka.

Pippas first run was champ jumping in the outside ring in the pouring rain. As soon as I took her coat off she was spinning in circles. I thought this meant the terrierist had taken over but she was a good girl and did a really good run given the conditions. However, they called me back when I'd finished and said the timer hadnt gone off so I needed to run it again..Argh! Thankfully we went clear again and ended up winning it. I trained her P&S and then ran her agility - she flew her a-frame, Grr! Champ SC was right at the end over a very flowy course so I decided to really push her (and me) on it.

Overall it one of those days that I guitily know I didnt enjoy as much as I should of. I didnt leave until gone 5.30pm so didnt get home till after 6.30pm. First thing I did was get straight in the bath - I was frozen and rather soggy!

Friday morning we bundled Pip, Mishka and Rex into the van and dropped them off with Sarah at the kennels. As always Pip was keen as ever to go in, but then stood at the gate of the exercise pen yelling her head off once she realised she was staying, bless! We then went home, loaded the car and headed off on our journey up north. All 7 hours of it - Lovely! Thankfully I had my Mexican meal as my incentive and it was nice to arrive with plenty of time before bed rather than our usual tradition of arriving in the early hours of the next day.

Saturday we headed off to the Working and Pastoral Breeds of Scotland. Judith Gregory was judging so I was quite excited to see how Inca would do - Inca is her type and shes said good things about her before..of course there is that small thing called the competition but I knew we had a chance at least. Diesel was in the ring first in Yearling. He wasn't too bad on the move, but was a little distracted by the men in yellow jackets dorking with the vents above us. Again, strong competition but I was happy on how he'd done. It was a long wait for Incas class - 22 entries in it too. A couple classes before I started getting her ready and trying to get that coat of hers straight. For once I was happy with it and just as we headed towards the ring I noticed she was dropping her shoulder. Only slighty, but if I could see it then so could everyone else - especially the judge. I actually asked Heather, her breeder, to look at her move. Don't exactly know why as I knew she wasn't right - just needed someone else to confirm it I guess. So we didn't even make the ring. I was gutted! Frustratingly by the time we got to the car she seemed fine so I'm almost convinced she was just stiff from lying in her crate. Still, retail therapy and another meal out followed.

Sunday we headed off to Scottish Border Collie club. They changed it this year so rather than have the 2 rings they just had one..it seemed to go on forever! Diesel was again up first. its held in a sports hall and the flooring is terrible for making dogs fly their tails simply because it bounces and the noise it makes as you run round. Diesel was no exception and flew his tail most of the way round the ring. Grr! He settled down by his Novice class and managed to win that. Inca seemed perfectly fine, although I was at this point completely paranoid, so I kept getting her out and trotting her up and down the car park, lol. She moved well and got shortlisted to the final 7 but sadly didn't make the final cut.

So, um...yeah. still a bit gutted about that one. Our next show is West Of England BCC and Inca is dropping her coat so heavily I'm beginning to wonder if she'll have any left. Also wish the judges were the other way round but hey ho..

I had to go up to Rudham today to help move some agility equipment, so I decided to go back to Brancaster with the dogs first. We did a good couple of hours again, walking along the sea front first and then back along the dunes. The dunes were apparently the best thing since sliced bread as all three (mainly led on by Pip!) had great fun tearing about. It was like one bit obstacle course for Pip and I swear she covers twice the distance the collies do on their walks with all her toing and froing, lol.









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