newsletter dec 2009
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December newsletterTRANSCRIPT
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Stour Valley Newsletter December 2009 9
www.stourvalleyagilityclub.co.ukChristmas Edition
Founder and Hon. Member Frances Elliott
Honorary MemberMary BakerAudrey Weekes
Committee
ChairmanCarol Maclean 01303 874190Email [email protected]
SecretaryVacant
TreasurerMelanie Buxton 01797 270769Email: [email protected] Morgan 07973671069Email: [email protected] Culmer 07761344726Email: [email protected] Norma Thompson 07796 180231
InstructorsMelanie BuxtonDee MorganSue CulmerNorma Thompson
Dear Members,
Welcome to our Christmas edition of thenewsletter. Congratulations first to Melwho passed her instructors Training course,well done we know how difficult it is.
Congratulations to all those who havegone up a grade in competition agility.Thank you to all our instructors who giveup their time and possibly their sanity totrain us all each week and thanks to allwho turn up each week to train aswithout you there would not be a club.
Have a wonderful Christmas and welook forward to seeing you all in the NewYear.
Carol - Chairman
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Agility Club InstructorsSeminar 2009
At the end of October I was luckyenough to finally, after 2 years on thewaiting list, be invited to attend the'Agility Club' Instructors Seminar inGuildford, Surrey.
I arrived at the college around6.30pm on the Thursday evening whenafter a swift introduction to the fourinstructors, we were put into groups ofabout 10 students and straight into ourfirst seminar which finished at 9.30pmthat evening. We were then able tomake our way to our B&Bs for an earlystart the next morning.
We had been given the followingtimetable, so I guessed that there wasgoing to be a lot to cram in.Friday - Practical and lectures 8.30am- 6.00pmSaturday - Practical and lectures8.30pm-5.30. Written exam 6pm-7pm.Sunday - Examinations 8am- 3.30pm
Practicals and lectures were alternatedthroughout the day as I think that manyof the students there had not studiedsince they were at school and wouldhave found it hard to sit and take in theinformation given out during the
lectures without the 'break' of thepractical lessons. The lessons coveredeverything from setting up of sequencedcourses, teaching beginners, to learningthe correct ways to critique yourstudents performance whilst givinghelpful exercises to improve anyproblem areas. My instructor was LizMorgan and her teaching was bothinformative and great fun. I'll neverforget her catch phrase used throughoutthe weekend 'you might want toremember that'! which always senteveryone in the group scrambling forour note pads as we desperately tried toremember what she had just said!
The course was hard work because itwas very intense with lots to rememberbut it was made tougher by the driveback to your B&B, having to walk yourdog then make a choice betweenfinding somewhere to eat/purchasefood or staying in, doing yourhomework and swatting for the nextday. Being a nervous wreck and by thistime, certain that I was going to fail, Idecided that I should for go the eatingand get on with my homework - yepr e a l l y ! )
The people in my yellow group rangedfrom dog walker to computer salesmanto behaviourist at Battersea Dogs
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Home, really diverse and interestingpeople and on the Sunday of the examour group really gelled. It was great tosee how, as people started to feel thepressure, we all started helping andsupporting one another. No rivalry, nojealously, simply a real will to help andsupport your teammates. There weretears, laughter and one person almostleft for home as the stress and lack ofsleep finally got to her.
As is always the way with hindsight, theexams were not too bad in themselves,the instructors judging us were wonderfuland did their best to put you at ease.
When I left the college on Sundayafternoon, I felt quite sad to leavebehind those ten in my group, weseemed to have shared and learned so
much together in such a short spaceof time. It was a once in a lifetimeexperience because everyone therehas the same passion for agility andso badly wants to succeed. Am I glad I did it? - Yes. Would I do it again? - No thanks!!
I am pleased to say a week later Ireceived my results and am now anAgility Club Approved Instructor, witha little badge to prove it. Whoopeee!!!
Mel and Bruno were proud to representthe Blue Cross as a member of theirNational Agility Rescue Team at DiscoverDogs this year. The aim was to raise theawareness of the general public thatStaffies and their crosses can make good,fun pets and are highly trainable dogs.Mel and Bruno at Discover Dogs
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Training Session with Roy Napper
Once in a while the club like to bring
in an outside trainer for our members
to train with. As a thank you for all of
you that helped at our club show this
year we arranged for Roy Napper and
his wife, unfortunetley Kathy his wife
was ill and so she could not make it,
to come along one Saturday and
spend half a day training us all. The
amount of time was very useful
because we could take our time, watch
others and hopefully learn from it. It
also gave both handlers and dogs
time to rest so that it was not
constant. This would not be fair to the
d o g s .
Roy was interested in seeing us all
run our dogs over an agilty course
first to see where we could all
improve. Roy was happy to work on
through but some of us needed our
coffee break and dare I say it our
nicotine hit!
We then worked on weaves and those
that may have an issue with them
were used to demonstrate ways of
improving this.
The last part of the session involved
jumping and Roy was keen to step it
up a level by asking us to pull round
and across. Some found this fairly
easy to execute, usually the higher
grade dogs but for others it took a
little longer for the dogs to grasp and
some didn't grasp it at all. Not
because they were not trying but
because they were young and still
have a bit to learn. But it was obvious
that every one took something away
from watching others deal with these
p r o b l e m s .
We hope to hold another training day
in the not too distant future and hope
that all those that were unable to
attend will have the opportunity to
participate next time.
Dee Morgan
Roxy having fun - as usual
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Competition Report
Handler: Judi Cross
Dogs: Liza, Keira, Marja
Breed: Samoyeds, Finnish Lapphund
Height: L a r g e
Results: 5 clears and a 6th with Liza,not bad for a 9 year old in January.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Handler: Chris Phillips
Dog: J a c k
Breed: Border Collie
Height: L a r g e
Results: 4th and 5th~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Handler: Roz Gentry
Dog: B e r t i e
Breed: Golden Retriever
Height: L a r g e
Results: Clear only last weekend attheir first winter show.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Handler: Jennifer Bannister
Dog: T i l l y
Breed: Spaniel cross
Height: L a r g e
Results: Clear and very well done.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Handler: Dee MorganDogs: Candy, Chey
Breed: L u r c h e r s
Height: L a r g e
Results: 9 clear rounds, 5th and 2 x
6th places.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Handler: Julie Macey
Dogs: Stanley, Gilbert
Breed: King Charles Caveliers
Height: S m a l l
Results: Several clears
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Handler: Carol Maclean
Dogs: Patch, Meg
Breed: Jack Russell, Border Collie
Height: S m a l l / L a r g e
Results: 1st with Patch and clear round
with Meg at her first ever show
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Handler: Elaine Smith
Dogs: B e n / R o x y
Breed: Lurcher/ Spaniel
Height: Large/ Medium
Results: 5th, 6th place
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Instructor Training
During October we held a series of
in house training sessions for those
wishing to become instructors, which
Sue organised.
It took place over a few weeks and
involved both theory and practical
with a test to complete the course.
Sue was very pleased with the
enthusiasm and results of the group
and so as from January we look
forward to some new faces in a
teaching capacity.
Well done to you all and good luck.
Guest Instructor
During November Sandra joined us
as a guest instructor. We would like to
thank her for her time and input
which we all found to be both
rewarding and refreshing.
Caption Competition
Who won the caption competition!
All will be revealed at the fun night
along with the mystery prize!!
On behalf of the committee may we take this Merry Christmas and
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N o t i c e B o a r d
Christmas Dinner
To all those that have booked to attend
our Christmas dinner, please arrive at
7pm to be seated at 7.30pm at
Conningbrook Manor Hotel on 17th
December. Dancing commences at 9pm!
Don't forget to bring your secret Santa!
Payment Dates
Jan 2010 £12.00Feb 2010 £12.00Mar 2010 £12.00
Club will be closed from Thursday
17th December 2009 and will re-open
7th January 2010.
See you all in the new year!
Show Schedules
Anyone looking to compete needs to
log onto:
www.agilitynet.com or
w w w . a g i l i t y e y e . c o . u k
A d v e r t i s e m e n t s
For all your canine massage
requirements please contact Elizabeth
Ford on 01233 502536 or go to her
website www.dogscanheal.co.uk
Agility Equipment
For good quality made agility
equipment, highly endorsed by Toni
Dawkins, please contact David or
Angela on 01233 733024.
Club Clothing
If anyone would like to purchase club
clotihng this can be found on our
w e b s i t e :
www.stourvalleyagilityclub.co.uk
opportunity to wish all our members a very . a Happy New Year! .