Fly

Tough decisions

This chapter is dedicated to @Nettie-an-nator. Thanks for the votes!

We arrived at the show ground nearly two hours later; refreshed and ready. Our handlers were instructed to go to the sign up tent and register while Breeze, Elvis, Cooper and I were let out our crates by Mr.Griffiths. As soon as we were out, the four of us started to sniff the grass almost mechanically. I found a rather interesting, yet vaguely familiar, scent that mixed with the smell of sweet morning dew and anticipation in my sensitive nose.

Once I had relieved myself, I headed back toward the van and Mr.Griffiths. He saw me coming toward him and crouched down low, welcoming me to him. He patted my head and leaned in to me. I could sense that he was distressed but I was unsure as to why. I just guessed that the stress of having to manage us all at the show was getting to him.

Once the four of us were back at the van, we were put back in the crates and waited for what was to happen next. Soon after, our handlers came back, each one with a pink card in their hand. It turned out that we were all in the first class that was starting soon which was jumping. Then we all had a rest for a few hours before our agility class began.

I watched closely as my girl disappeared back down the same way she had just come from, probably going to walk the course. I had never really understood why people needed to walk the course before they ran it. I could only assume it was because they weren't as skilled as us Dogs who were able to produce a perfect run first time. I chucked at the thought of my girl running around an empty course, shouting out commands to a dog that didn't exist.

When they returned, my girl rushed straight up to me. She looked quite happy and I guessed that if meant the course was going to be a nice one. I was right! She also told me that we were the first pair to go so if was about time we left to begin my warm up.

We began by just simply walking around with me on my lead so that I could loosen up a bit. Then the hard work began. My girl put me through a series of tasks that really made me work; not hard enough to tire me out though. By the end, we were both ready to go in the ring and show everyone that we weren't just one-shot wonders.

We headed back to the van for some last minute advice from Mr.Griffiths. He told us to have fun and try our best; just the same as always. My girl and I headed down towards the 12 rings set up at the venue and skilfully picked our way around hundreds of people and dogs to get to our ring. Of course, it was the one located furthest away from the car park.

We got to the entrance and ticked our names off the list before standing and waiting for the class to start. Gradually, more and more pairs arrived and a line soon formed behind us. The judge was at last ready and called in the first pair; us. I felt my girl take in a breath and tighten her grip on my lead. I was used to this by now and it no longer made me tense up. I was able to control it.

My harness had been unclipped and I found myself sat alone in front of the first jump with only my agility collar on. My girl had walked on and was now about 10 steps ahead of me; separating us was a combination of three jumps. I could see my girl preparing herself for what was going to happen.

"Ok. Go Storm!" I shot forward faster than I thought I could; the jumps disappeared behind me in a blur. After the line, I was commanded to take a sharp right turn, finding myself at the entrance of a rigid tunnel. On coming out the other side, I was once again instructed to take a right over the third jump in the sequence then on to the wall.

After tearing over a few more jumps, I found myself facing a rather terrifying sequence of jumps. We had attempted this in training but the thought of it still made me quake where I stood (well the ground I was running on). I hated threadles with a passion! I jumped the first, straight-forward jump, turned my long body as tightly as I could and pulled myself inside the wing so that I was able to correctly complete the second jump. On landing, I again had to turn my self tightly to perform a 180 degree turn, run past the near side of the jump I had just faced, and head back toward the first jump.