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Summary A big HTM event for Rooskie at the beginning of the month. Then home and shopping in Dumfries. The nearly thrwee weeks at southerness. Two weeks in January and the first week of February.
Rooskie
Paws and Music HTM Event at Ryton on the 5th January.
Problem with luggage. I had a dog basket strapped on a four wheeled shopping trolley. I had a big holdall on top of the dog basket. Problem –– the holdall was too heavy for me to lift onto the trolley. So I thought about this. I finally decided that I would try discarding the dog box and instead buy three smaller holdalls. I would strap the bottom one firmly onto the trolley but have the upper two so that I could lift them off individually. That way I should also be able to left them onto the train myself. And even with Passenger Assistance I am better being able to do that myself. But that is fopr future reference.I hope it works.
The Event.Stayed at the Ibis Coventry South. The evening before the Event Rooskie pulled down the dog bag, managed to open it and ate a whole packet of One-a-Day Dental Stix.
Next day, in the queue at the music desk there was another competitor who was also a vet. She assured me that Rooskie would be all right. So that was a relief. Rooskie's tail was up etc. By the evening he had fully recovered and I fed him two small meals. And he kept them down.
Novice Freestyle.The first outing for The Roses of Prince Charlie. He ran off when the lead was taken off but came back to me quickly and we got started. Mistake. He was off to-ing and fro-ing and I should have gone back to the left hand start.
But he backed through my legs and then I got him to do a Bend and a Stay so it did not look too bad. Then onto the first chorus and jumping over the rose. Then onto the rest of the routine –– and nothing actually went wrong. We got 19.63 and I got the 8th rosette.
Judges Richard Curtis, Kath Hardman, Lesley Neville
Content 6.50, Accuracy, 6.63 Musical Interp, 6.50
Total 19.63. Placed eight and got last rosette.
Future reference. Do not be in such a hurry to signal for the music. Make sure that he is settled first.
After the show. No trouble with taxis this time. I phoned Skye and they had no one. So I phoned Allens and they came in ten minutes.
Home again. Shopping in Dumfries.
I was working on a new routine which involves Rooskie crawling under a step stool. (My new Artist's routine.) I managed to buy some step stools in Palings.
With a view to reorganising my luggage I bought some medium sized sized Karrimor Global bags from Millets. I also bought a stash bag. I found that the step stool would go on the bottom of my trolley and would be quite secure if I put plastic netting from the garden centre at the back to prevent it from slipping through. And then I could put the stash bag onn top of the step stool and fasten it down. Then I would just have two light Karrimor holdalls on top -- which I could lift off quite easily.
I also bought two wind up torches from Millets.
Outfit. I bought some teal fleece material from Fashion Fabrics Irish Street. For my artist’s big beret.. Also brooches for my padded fleeces.
Southerness. After this I went down to Southerness and managed to stay there for nearly three weeks. Into the first week of February.
Rooskie Press. I got three orders by e-mail from Nielsens for The History of Dumfries. I had only one in the chalet but I found that Antony Rowe could send them off for me. I also got one order for Solway Sleuth-Hounds.
HNS work. I had let things pile up so I was working on book reviews. Also I had to send the copies of the HNS Review to the publishers. But one piece of good news. I learned that I can now send them off electronically. That will be much quicker and take a logt of the pressure off me. Even so I vowed that I was going ton b e better organised in the future and not let things pile up again.
Shopping in Dalbeattie. I was in the pet shop for training titbits. I saw a small step stool. I did not think it was for sale but I still asked. I explained that my little Papillon did dog dancing and the woman at the till said she knew. She had judged him and given him a prize. It turned out that she had been the judge at the Rescue Centre Companion Show in the Loreburn Hall in June!
Working on Rooskie’s new Artist routine. Played Introduction and tried to get the timing right. Also tried to iron out all the problems with the step stool. See Training Notes and training video clip. Sewed my artist’as hat. Teal fleece.
Training. Working on New Start. The Fingers and Contact Start. Start off by getting him to do small circles in front. Then go on to him targetting my fingers. Going to and fro in front of me sideways. Do this until he is settled and then get him into Heel position using the left hand finish. See Training notes and training video clip.
Weather. Mixed but Southerness escaped the worst of the storms and blizzards which haqd raged over most of the country. On the 10th February there was fog. This is very unusual for Southerness.
Wider world. The American primaries. Hilary Clinton versus Barack Obama for the Democrats
Summary. Another week at Southerness.
Southerness.
Working on book reviews etc.
Rooskie at Southerness
Working on Rooskie’s new Artist routine. Played Introduction and tried to get the timing right. Also tried to iron out all the problems with the step stool. See Training Notes. Sewed my artist’as hat. Teal fleece.
Working on new Start. The Fingers Start. See Training notes and video clips.
Home.
I had let my reviews for my web site pile up. I had a lot of reviews on my hard disc which I had not put on my web site. So I frantically started to work on that. I am determined not to let things pile up like that again.
HNS
Then I sent the HNS reviews to the publishers electronically. Marvellous. It saves so much time and I got instant feedback. What I did. I scanned the pages from the hard copy as jpegs and e-mailed them to the publishers.
Rooskie
My Rugby entry was returned. In some ways it was just as well because it gave me more time to get organized. But the trouble was that I did not have long enou7gh to organise for the Kayce Cover at Wood Green so I lost both of them.
Dog Class. The Loreburn Hall dog class has closed. The Loreburn Hall is going to close when the new leisure centre opens.
The Locharbriggs dog class. I tried out the new Start in the foyer and it went very well. The second week of the class Rooskie worked beautifully. He did the door control and his little bit of heel free instead of the recall and he did not try to run off once. But I was using cheese so how would he have done without the cheese?
Summary.
Three full weeks at Southerness. Training Rooskie and shopping at Dalbeattie. Reviewing books. I also managed to make a start on the sequel to Sleuth-Hounds.
Rooskie. Training Rooskie. Practising the Fingers Start. Working on the Artist's routine with andd without the music. Also planning ahead for the Tulips routine.
I also managed to make some video clips of the Fingers Start for YouTube. I made them on the patio and it took ages.
TV and electric convector heater.
The electric convector heater stopped working quite suddenly. As it caused the system to trip I just phoned the Council to come and take it away. Fortunately I was allm right as I had a spare. I sdhall get another from Argos.
The TV set also stopped working. As it is 15 years old thwere is no point in getting someone out to see it. It any case it would not work after June next year as Dumfries and Galloway is going digital. Butb I may replace it. I have a colour license for Southetrness but not for Dumfries so I would be better getting a new TV for Southerness and forgetting about one for Dumfries. (The Dumfries TV does not workm either.)
I hardly ever watch TV anyway. If I get one I want one with a DVD recorder. I phoned up some shops but the people there did not seem to know very much about them. But the man in MacKays should be able to tell me all about them.
I really left it too late considering I had to get ready for Westglen at the beginning of April. Bills etc behind the door. But one very nice letter from an American girl about Sleuth-Hounds.
I transferred the video clips of the Fingers Start from the camcorder to the hard disc of my computer. But one of the clips will have to be taken again.
There was a postcard behind the door saying that there had been a parcel for me but there was something to be paid -- for the Customs. When I went to ther office it was no longer there. Been returned to the sender. They had not taken a note of the sender but it may have been a CD from Amazon Marketplace. Anyway I e-mailed them.
Summary. Very much a Rooskie month.
Rooskie. Beginning of May – Westglen HTM Event.
Journey -- changing Birmingham New Street otherwise not too bad.
Also I found the biggest and best taxi firm in Worcester so no problems with taxis.
Saturday. Very cold and Rooskie got a chill. Westglen provide a practice ring and I tried out then new Fingers Start and it was going quite well.
We were in Novice Freestyle and not on until the afternoon. We were doing An Artist’s Life paired with Under the Bridges of Paris. The Fingers Start. We got started but he ran off once but came back to me at once. Then on to the Bridges part. He went under the step stool and round it really well. But he was reluctant to paw round it and he messed up the verse so I just went on. And when we got to the flags part he made a tiny puddle so that was that.
(Because of the cold weather he had caught a chill).
But more important was the fact that we had got started without Rooskie charging all round the ring first. Later one of the judges said it was a shame about the puddle as he was going well.
Sunday morning when I looked out of the Travelodge window there was snow on the ground. When I took Rooskie out I saw it was lying around the Cathedral but not on the streets. (A woman also pointed out to me trhat during the night someone had put a traffic cone on the head of the Elgin statue.)
The snow was lying on the playing fields at the venue. Later on the message board there was a photograph of one of the competitors who was camping. She was standing outside her tent which was covered in snow and the caption referred to her Igloo.
I was in the fun class in the afternoon. I was doing The Roses of Prince Charlie. On the Saturday when I had been practising Rooskie jumped over the small step stool. This gave me an idea. I decided to scrap the chair. Instead I used the step stool. I covered it with tartan material and put a bunch of white roses on it. Then for the chorus he could alternately go under it and for the next chorus, jump over it. And for the orchestral part at the beginning I would just use the extended Fingers Start. I did the routine with cheese in my hand and it went very well. The commentator said Brilliant and someone else said it was lovely. So I decided I would do it some more and when I went home I changed some of my entries. A friend videoed it for me with my own camcorder.
Catching up with old friends again.
Then back to Dumfries. I caught a bad cold. A coughing, gastric cold. But I managed to get down to Southerness for a fortnight.
My cold got better. I was very busy writing an article on Heelwork to Music for the web site of the Papillon Club. I decided to add video clips. The web master told me that she could put only small video clips on the web site.
I took them on the patio and in the sun lounge – where there were fewer distractions. It took ages to get them right.
Weather. Very cold the first week but it got much milder the next week. Spring had come at last.
Royal Mail Problem. I received an e-mail from the Amazon.com Marketplace seller. My Thomas the Tank Engine CD had arrived back in America. I told them not to reship it as the same thing would probably happen again. I would look into it and let them know.
Summary
Very much a Rooskie month with shows on two weekends. Still I managed to get a few other things done as well. Including an article on HTM and advising authors on self pubhlishing for the Society of Authors.
Article for Papillon Club on HTM.
I wrote an article on Heelwork to Music for the web site of the Papillon Club but the web mistress did not put it on line. I had included a section on How to get started in HTM complete with video clips of Rooskie demonstrating simple moves. I put the video clips on YouTube so that they would not get wasted.
Advice to Authors.
I also got some more requests for advice on self publishing from authors through the Siociety of Authors. I got an interesting one from a prominent scientist.
New Printer
I also got a new ink jet printer as the faithful old Epson was giving trouble.
Royal Mail.
The Thomas the Tank Engine CD finally arrived.
Rooskie
Rooskie had two HTM events. The first was at Brentwood.
Brentwood.
This year I found the journey rather long. Now with the following shows at Barnard Castle and Fife I may not go to Brentwood next year.
The Saturday was very hot – over 80 degrees and it was far too hot for both Rooskie and me. Lunchtime we tried Britain’s Brainest Dog. This was not to find the best trained dog but the dog who could work things out for himself. l just entered it on the spur of the moment and unfortunately I was using low grade titbits. The first exercise -- I had to walk through a gate, shut the gate and walk to a point. Then I had to call Rooskie and he was released. The point was that the dog had to work out that it had to walk round the fence and find an opening but Rooskie just ran under the fence and straight to me. The second exercise, Rooskie’s titbit bag was put in a little cupboard and the door left partly open. Rooskie was to be sent to it and open the door himself. But the sendaway was too long and he did not understand what he had to do. Then he was put in the beginning of a maze. I was some distance away and he had to find his way towards me. He just raced through the maze. Then titbits were placed inside a metal fenced square. Rooskie had to work out that he had to go round it. He failed that. Then I had to stand in front of a big hide while Rooskie was held. Then I had to walk round and go inside it and then walk to another hide and stay there. Rooskie found me no trouble. Then his titbits were put on a little table but it was too high for Rooskie but the assessor said that he indicated. Then titbits were hidden beneath a pot. Rooskie had to be sent away to the pots, find the right one and then tip it over. Rooskie found the right pot but would not tip it over. He eventually lay down but again the assessor said that he indicated. Finally he had to do 2 tricks. He did paws on sash and the assessors went Aww and then he circled hat and backed through my legs. I was told that he had done very well and I should ask at the main ring the next day. I did so but they did not know anything about it but they had my contact details.
But the Brainiest Dog competition had been done in the noonday heat and Rooskie had got overheated. I went back to the marquee. It was lunchtime. Rooskie was flat out but I had a pleasant chat with some of the other competitors. They had both been looking at our clips on YouTube and they both said how much better he was there than in the ring.
Then it was time for our Novice Freestyle. We were doing An Artist’s Life paired with Under the Bridges of Paris. I was worried that he might just lie down in the middle of the ring but he worked the routine. Nothing actually went wrong but he did the figure-of-eight at slow pace. He did very well to work at all considering that he was so hot. Afterwards one of the judges was concerned that he was so hot and said he needed more fluid.
Note. Go back to trying the figure-of-eight round me and in the free position without a prop.
Our marks. Content ---- Accuracy ---- Musical Interpretation
Artist’s Life/Under the Bridges of Paris
Jill Davis ------- 6.1, 6.0, 5.9
Ann DeRizzio ---- 7.2, 6.5, 6.8
Julie Bedford ----- 5.0, 4.50, 4.50
Total 17.5
There was a report in the CFGB Newsletter later. The report was written by Nicky Joyce and she said,
The handler caringly coaxed the dog through a series of moves which included crawling under a stool, figure of 8 round a French flag and also endearingly leaning on a large artists cap
Sunday. We were in Starters HTM – the first class after the Young Kennel Club. And I was first into the ring. We were doing the HTM version of The Roses of Prince Charlie. We started off all right with a good introduction but when I switched to the heelwork part with the rose target stick I hesitated and this worried Rooskie. He looked at me wide-eyed and then ran off. I got him back to me and he did beautiful heelwork but by then we were well into the routine. I did not have my own camcorder with me so I shall have to wait until I see Alan’s version.
Our marks.Content ---- Accuracy --- Musical Interpretation
The Roses of Prince Charlie
Venetia McVeigh --- 6.20, 6.00, 6.30
Ann DeRizzio ----5.40, 5.40, 6.00
Julie Bedford ----4.50, 4.50, 6.00
Total 16.8
Later two competitors thought his running off might have been partly because I was using the same prop as I had used for Under the Bridges of Paris and I should have used a different one. There was a tented area for the competitors next to the marquee.
Again there was a report later in the CFGB Newsletter. The report was written by Cathy Bates. This is what she said.
Mary wore a lovely tartan which was very fitting to her routine and although Rooskie was a bit distracted at first he soon settled down and worked beautifully giving us a lovely end pose.
Monday. A very tiring journey back to Leeds.
Tuesday. A very pleasant journey back to Carlisle and Dumfries. A new train company is now running the Settle line. Plenty of room for luggage. I also found a seat with a great view.
Barnard Castle
A fortnight later Rooskie had another Event at Barnard Castle, County Durham.
Journey not too bad. Got direct train from Dumfries to Newcastle. Then train from Newcastle to Darlington and taxi from Darlington to Travelodge Scotch Corner.
A two day show. Got there early on Saturday morning. Near pandemonium. Checked in. I was in Novice Freestyle and I was doing The Roses of Prince Charlie and I had plenty of time to get ready so I let Rooskie rest first. The door was open and it was quite cold and Rooskie caught another chill. Although this time it was not so bad. I walked him about on the surrounding grasslands.
Note. Make sure not to sit in a draught. And bring Rooskie's basket.
Then into the ring. Rooskie got away from me the minute the lead was taken off and scampered madly round the ring. But I got him back to me and we got the routine started. Nothing went wrong but my marks were disappointing.
Date 24th May, 2008
Show Northern Mutts and Music. Venue Teesdale Sports Centre, Barnard Castle
Class Novice Freestyle
Judges--- Margaret Booth – David Purser –Audrey Tuck
Content 6.5 5.5 6
A+E 6.5 5.5 5.5
Mus Intp 6 5.5 5.5
Total Content 5.87 A+E 5.77 Mus Intp 5.67 Overall Total 17.31
Routine The Roses of Prince Charlie – Mackenzie’s Pipes and Banjo/The Tartan Lads
Later an experienced competitor told me tat I had some good moves.
Sunday. We were doing Novice Freestyle again but this time to An Artist’s Life. I had left early the day before knowing that I would have to be up early the next day. On the Sunday another competitor told me that he had been at the show until 8pm on the Saturday.
Again plenty of time to get ready. To try and protect Rooskie from draughts I put Rooskie in the basket with the cover left open.
Our routine. I was unsettled because Rooskie had got away from me the day before. I started using the Fingers Start and signalled to the DJ but Rooskie was not settled and he ran off. Somehow I managed to get him back. I got him sitting in front of the stool and got him to go under it but I had lost my introduction. But he was fine once he went under the stool and worked quite well for the rest of the routine. Our marks
Date 25th May, 2008. Show Northern Mutts and Music. Venue Teesdale Sports Centre, Barnard Castle
Class Novice Freestyle
--------Judges---- Paula Ackary – Jackie Clarke –Ann DeRizzio
------Content 5.6 6 6.1
---------A+E 5.1 6.1 5.2
-------Mus Intp 5 6.5 6.5
----Total Content 5.90 A+E 5.47 Mus Intp 6
-----Overall Score 17.37
Routine An Artist’s Life --- An Artist’s Life/Under theBridges of Paris – Jean Pierre Bernac
I was interested to see that I had done slightly better on the Sunday than on the Saturday although I had done the whole routine on the Saturday and only two thirds of the routine on
Talking with another competitor. She had noticed that Rooskie was upset and that he gets upset when he knows I am not pleased with him.
People. Meeting old friends. Someone came over and asked me if I used to do Working Trials and we had a pleasant chat.
I managed to get three days at Southerness before having to get ready for Fife. Took Rooskie a walk over the golf course one evening. Disastrous. Got bitten by midgies.
The next day I went a long walk on the beach. The access had been improved. Also the beach was much cleaner. Also quiet.
Summary. Very much another Rooskie month with two weekends of HTM Events. At home the first week getting ready for the Fife shows. I had spent the previous week at Southerness and I had not given myself enough time to get ready for the shows.
I travelled with a friend. I got the train to Kilmarnock and she met me on the platform and we travelled to Glenrothes together. It was a very early start for me but the Glenrothes Travelodge has early check in and so I was able to make up my sleep.
Saturday. This was the show of the Scottish Bearded Collie Club. Another early start. I got a lift from the Travelodge with another competitor.
Starters HTM. Unfortunate. There was a carpeted warm up area beside the ring and I took Rooskie there. And there was a very strong scent. When I went into the ring Rooskie got away from me at once and dashed out of the ring to the warm up area. He does not usually leave the ring and I knew it was because of the scent. I put him on the lead and did a training round with the lead trailing. I later realized that I did not need to have done that because the music had not started when he ran out of the ring. But perhaps it was just as well because he was thoroughly unsettled. He worked very well. But, of course, as I worked him with the lead trailing, it was a training round. I was using the little Scottish flag fixed to the plastic tent peg as a target stick. It was very unfortunate because the standard was not very high and if Rooskie had done a competition round instead of a training round he could have been placed.
Novice Freestyle. This was in the afternoon. He got away from me right at the beginning and raced round the ring. And I made a dreadful mistake. When he ran off I grabbed him and he gave a little squeal. I eventually got him to me and got him to Sit. And then he went into the Down and just looked at me. Then I got him to Sit and into Heelwork and we got started. But I had lost my planned introduction and I had to improvise for the rest of the routine. To make matters he was reluctant to crawl under the stool – although he did do it.
But despite everything we got through the routine all right and we would have had a really good mark if it had not been for one judge.
Date 8th June, 2008
Show Scottish Bearded Collie Club. Venue Glenrothes Institute
Class Novice Freestyle
-------Judges----- Joan Hart – Helen Taylor –Joan Taylor
--------Content------ 7.0---------- 7.0 ------------------3.5
---------A+E ------- 6.5-----------6.8-----------------3.2
--------Mus Intp----- 7.5--------- 7.1 -----------------3.6
-------Total------ Content 5.8 A+E 5..5 Mus Intp 6.1
Routine The Roses of Prince Charlie – Mackenzie’s Pipes and Banjo, The Tartan Lads
Note He got away from me at the very beginning but I got him back to me before the music started and he worked well.
Later I was told that one of the judges who marked me up very experienced and has judged in many other canine disciplines. She told Heather that once Rooskie had settled down he had some good moves.
As well as working two routines I was also doing class reports so it was a very busy day.
Sunday. The show of Help Fife Animals but at the same venue. Another early start.
Starters Heelwork to Music. Remembering how I had finally got control of him the previous day I used the brand new Target/Heelwork start. He got started all right and did one of his best ever rounds. I even managed to do a sequence with me stepping sideways and Rooskie across my legs. I always thought that I would not be able to do that because of my balance and then I realized that I can do it if I do it slow pace.
Date 9th June, 2008. Show Help Fife Animals. Venue Glenrothes Institute.
Class Starters Heelwork to Music
-----------Judges Carol Mortimer – Barbara Whittaker – Helen Taylor
------------Content ------- 6.7---------------6.5--------------------------------6.0
-------------A+E ------------ 6.5--------------7.2--------------------------------6.1
------------Mus Intp------ 7.0--------------7.8----------------------------------6.1
----------Total Content 6.4 A+E 6.6 Mus Intp 6.93
------------Overall Score 19.93
Routine Maggie, Grandfather’s Clock, She’ll be coming round the Mountain – Mackenzie’s Pipes and Banjo
I realised later that I could have improved my content but I forgot that I could do some Freestyle moves. So I will do some next time and increase my content. I was unlucky in that it was a very strong class. A number of competitors dropped out – but they were all people who I could have beaten.
Then waiting around for my Novice FS round. The hall was airless and Rooskie was lethargic. Also the previous day he had been reluctant to crawl under the stool and he was worse on the Sunday. I was forced to revise my routine at short notice.
Novice Freestyle. I used my new Target/Heelwork Start. He started right away and we got into Heelwork and then he ran off but I got him back quickly. He worked reasonably well but would not go under the stool.
Date 9th June, 2008. Show Help Fife Animals. Venue Glenrothes Institute.
Class Novice Freestyle
---------Judges ---- Jackie Clarke – Mary Muxworthy –Norma McCabe
---------Content------------ 7.2----------------------6.8---------------------6.0
----------A+E ------------ 7.3----------------------6.5---------------------6.0
---------Mus Intp--------- 6.9-------------------6.3---------------------6.0
-------Total Content 6.67 A+E 6.60 Mus Intp 6.40
----------Overall Total 19.67
Routine The Roses of Prince Charlie – Mackenzie’s Pipes and Banjo, The Tartan Lads
Note He started at once and then ran off but I got him back quickly. Target stick and heelwork start.
Notes. On Sunday Rooskie was lethargic because he had been all morning in the stuffy hall but that was probably not the only reason why he did not go under the stool. It was more likely that that move has not been consolidated as Kay Laurence would say. So keep practicing it and use it in routines but be ready to scrap the move if he is reluctant to do it in practice. I have revised the routine allowing for that move to be either used or omitted.
The Start. Keep practicing the Target/Heelwork start as it seems to have possibilities. And start it off by doing tight circles in the Heelwork position.
HTM. I always thought that I would not be able to do the different HW positions because of my balance but recently I realized that I can do them if I do them slow pace. So I am looking out music where I have a short piece at a much slower pace. I hope to do more HTM in the future – even if it does mean an early start.
After Starters HTM try to keep Rooskie fresh for his Novice FS.
______________________________________________
It was nice seeing all the HTM people again – from both sides of the Border. Once again I was doing class reports so it was a busy day.
After the show my friend took me to Kilmarnock. I spent the night in the Kilmarnock Travelodge as there was not a train until 11pm and I did not want to go home so late. The lift meant that I had an easy journey back on the Monday.
A fortnight later there was the two day show of Paws and Music. This year it was at a different venue. Instead of Ryton it was in the training barn of Rugby DTC.
It was an easy journey as there was a direct train from Carlisle. I got a taxi from Rugby station to the Ibis Hotel. I arranged for the taxi driver to pick me up the next morning. This was a mistake and I shall know in future to use the taxi drivers which the Ibis Hotel uses.
The Ibis Hotel was very comfortable but it turned out that it was some distance from the venue -- but best to stick with it.
The venue. Good -- and no restricted areas for dogs so I did not need to find a Rooskie holder. A large barn on a farm. An exercise area of a fenced in field. The way down to it was rather steep so I managed by holding onto to the fence. A relaxed atmosphere.
Saw all my old friends again. One had a tiny miniature pinscher puppy with her.
On the Saturday I was doing Novice Freestyle. To the Roses of Prince Charlie. We got started quite quickly and then he ran off. I got him back for a time and then he ran off again. It was not until the Tartan Lads part that he really settled. I was thinking on my feet for the whole routine. But to my surprise I had my best ever result. When I came out of the ring an experienced handler said, You'll be pleased with that. But perhaps she did not see the part where he ran off. Our marks.
Date 21st June, 2008. Show Paws and Music. Venue Rugby DTC’s training barn at Rugby
Class Novice Freestyle
---------Judges---- Carol Dodson – Maggie Backhouse –Gina Pink
-------Content 7.03-----A + E--- 7.00 -----Mus Int ---7.17
----------Total 21.20
Routine The Roses of Prince Charlie – Mackenzie’s Pipes and Banjo, The Tartan Lads
Note He ran off during the orchestral part at the beginning but settled for the rest of the routine.
This was our best ever result and it did wonders for my morale. I felt I was getting the idea of the musical interpretation better. And I felt I was finally getting the idea of the Roses of Prince Charlie routine. But after this I planned to give it a rest and move on to another routine. But I could always come back to it later.
Taxi. A bit of a taxi problem at the end of the show. My friend with the min pin puppy was going to share a taxi back with me. I phoned the driver who had taken me and he said he was now off work. I phoned two numbers which my friend had. One, the number was unavailable the other refused to come for us. So I phoned the number of the Ibis hotel driver. My friend read out the instructions to the venue from the catalogue. The driver had Satnav and he found us no bother.
On Sunday I was doing Starters HTM. I felt the routine went quite well but my marks were disappointing. Alan was not there with his camcorder. Someone took the routine for me on my own camcorder but something was wrong and I could not save it to my hard disc so I do not have a video record. Our marks.
Date 22nd June, 2008. Show Paws and Music. Venue Rugby DTC’s training barn at Rugby.
Class Starters Heelwork to Music.
----------Judges Penny Draper, Carol Dodson, Gina Pink
---------Content 5.67-- A+E---5.7---- Mus Intp 5.7
-----------Total 17.03
Routine Maggie, Grandfather’s Clock, She’ll be coming round the Mountain – Mackenzie’s Pipes and Banjo
__________________________________________________
In the afternoon I was also doing two fun classes. This was because I wanted to try out a new routine to Tulips from Amsterdam. It was an absolute disaster so I knew I had to find a new routine for the autumn. The music was wrong for the routine.
I did another for the On Target class. To Ken Dodds Happiness. Rooskie ran off but came back to me and settled.
Points to note. A friend pointed out that when he ran off I turned away from him and he raced back to me. A friend had videoed it for me and I sawe exactly what had happened. He ran off at the very beginning and I turned away and hung my head in despair. And Rooskie came racing back to me.
Another point. I was walking slowly and then I speeded up and Rooskie went better then,
Other points. There had been a mobile catering van but he had closed early on the Saturday because he was not making enough money. So on the Sunday the PNM Association did their own catering. And it was much better than the commercial catering.
I was speaking to the handler who always likes my music. We spoke about music in general and her Scottish routine in particular.
Taxi back to Ibis. No trouble this time because I got the Ibis driver again. And next morning when I had to leave for the station he was unavailable but the Ibis got me the biggest taxi firm in the neighbourhood so now I have their telephone number for future reference.
A few days at home and then down to Southerness. And I stayed for about three weeks --- into the first fortnight in July.
Summary No shows for Rooskie this month so I had time to try to get things organised again. A long stay at Southerness.
Rooskie Press
Registered second edition of Sleuth-Hounds with Nielsens. I also got the new cover from my graphic designer. I gave him one of my own photoghraphs of Criffel in the autumn and he touched it up on his computer. I was very pleased qith it. And at last it should stop bookshops thinking that Sleuth-Hounds is a book for children.
Marketing. I found that slashing the price of Sleuth-Hounds and packaging it with Ghost Dog really worked. Sales from both the shell shop in Southerness and Dalbeattie Post Office.
HNS. Parcelling up books for reviewers at the HNS and taking said parcels to Dalbeattie.
Weeds. The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Southerness was all the weeds. Enormous, gigantic dockens, thistles and nettles. I phoned my gardener but he was at Blackpool and so I had to live with the weeds for a week.
But he came the next week and tidied them up remarkably quickly.
A fairly quiet time. Taking Rooskie for walks and practising his new routine.
Summary
Only one show for Rooskie and it was at the end of the month so a lengthy stay at Southerness and then back home to pack for the show.
Rooskie Press. The sales of the reduced-priced books continued and Galloway Craft Guild phoned up and asked me for more.
Southerness. A quiet time just walking Rooskie and practising his new routine. The heather was out on the golf course. Weather showery.
Got the train down to Preston. Then got the train to Blackpool. Stayed at the Blackpool Travelodge.
Took Rooskie a walk down to the Promenade. On way saw some of the beach donkeys being led up the street. Had not seen beach donkeys for years. On way to promenade I met another competitor and had a chat with her.
Reached the promenade and saw a big lorry marked Donkeys leaving. Promenade quite nice but I did not like the general atmosphere of Blackpool. Saw the little carriages pulled by horses trotting along the prom. I would have said that some of the horses were cobs.
Back to Travelodge to get ready for the show the next day. Very busy. Rooskie barked at 2.30 the next morning and I was frantic thinking of complaints. It was not continuous barking just a few sharp barks. And I heard voices. The next morning I heard that there had been a hen night and what Rooskie heard was the people returning from the hen night.
Breakfast. Rooskie was not allowed in the café. I tied him up in reception while I fetched my food and ate it at a table in reception. When leaving on the Monday there was a long queue. I tied him up again. People – and children – were patting him. I am not doing that again. He is good with children but there is always the danger of him being upset and snapping. It is not worth the risk. Next year I am going to stay at the Preston Ibis in spite of the expensive taxi fare.
Also the train journey from Blackpool was tiring and added quite a bit on to the journey. Another reason for staying at the Preston Ibis.
The show. I got a lift there with another competitor and the leisure centre got a taxi for me after the show.
We were entered in one class only. Novice Freestyle with our new routine Garden of Roses. Someone videoed the routine for me on my own camcorder. Rooskie ran off at the Start but he came back to me quite quickly. It was the first time in the ring for this routine and two things in particular went badly wrong. He would not start the figures-of-eight round the cones but when he did it he did it beautifully. Also he messed up the verse from the sendaway mat so I went on to the Sit and big circles and after that he did the verse.
My mistake. I gave him a home distance instead of a strange place distance. And because of all the mistakes we missed out some of the other good moves.
But all things considering, although this was disappointing, it was still quite promising for a new routine. The things that wenr wrong can be fixed.
(Later, back in Travelodge, I discovered how to do the cones – and we had been having trouble with them before. Start him off by sending him round me in a circle and bring him through my legs from behind and then send him round the cones. He seems to like that and be more sure of himself that way. But I have decided to ditch the cones and replace them with the weaving through the chair and then a figure-of-eight round me and a circle in front in the free position and then a weave sequence.)
He finished well doing his hat moves and jumping into the basket.
Our marks.
Date 31st August, 2008. Show Flyde K9 Dancers
Venue Poulton-le-Flyde.
Class Novice Freestyle
Judges-- Mary Muxworthy – Sue Leyland –Cathy Bates
----------------------------Content -------- A + E----------Mus Int
MaryMuxworthy----------7.6---------------7----------------6.5
SueLeyland----------------6.9--------------6.9---------------7
CathyBates-----------------6.8--------------6.6--------------6.8
Content 21.1---- A+E ------ 20.8 ------MusInt 20.2
Overall Total ---20.7
Notes. He ran off at the beginning but came back to me quickly. It was a completely new routine and it contained new moves. He made a dreadful mess of the cones but did them well – eventually. Also in the verse from the mat I gave him too long a distance to be doing it in a strange environment. After the show I sorted out the cones and found a better way of doing them but will still have to see if he does them in a strange place. But I think I would be better to re-instate the chair. The mat moves were promising.
We were placed eight and got the last rosette but our marks were just behind a bunch of the others. So, if I have got the routine sorted out, there is hope for the future.
After the show I was speaking to an advanced competitor. She said that Rooskie does come back to me when he runs off and as it does not count if it is before the music starts then I should not worry.
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