Agility News

Amanda Hampson & Rogue win RAS/CSJ Med ABC Final

The RAS/CSJ Medium ABC Agility Final was held on Saturday 24 September at the Hare ‘n Hounds Agility Show at Barnard Castle, Co. Durham, with 14 Finalists coming from heats that had taken place all over the country during the last year. Judge for this inaugural Final was the well-known and well-respected Angelo ‘Doc' Docherty.

This year's RAS/CSJ Medium ABC Champions are Amanda Hampson and her Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Shoredancer Sea Jade, AKA Rogue. This partnership has represented Great Britain in both 2010 and 2011.

But it wasn't all plain sailing for Amanda! Doc had set a course that was fast and flowing, with wide spaces to traverse, but also some technical sections that required a high skill level from both dog and handler! Course time was 48 seconds.

First up was the ‘white dog' – Steven Richardson and his Patterdale cross – who made an excellent job of showing the waiting competitors and spectators just how it needed to be run – fast, tight and accurate.

Dawn Harvey was the first Finalist to run with her Working Cocker Spaniel Carrowdale Orchid aka Jasmin aka Sweetpea who set a great fast clear (40.232s) for all the others to chase, with lovely entries to the dog walk and the weaves , and leading the class until almost the end!

The first of the veterans was up next – not that you could tell from the speed of Julie Anderson's 10 year old rescue crossbreed Ron (Ginger Whinger Rocket Ron) who flew round accurately until a missed turn in the sequence before the dogwalk led to an Elimination.

Up stepped Amanda Hampson with the first of her Tollers, 8 year old Minx (Winfren Vulpecula Kayla) This is an experienced team, a member of the Bronze medal British team at last year's European Open as well as competing in the World Championships in 2006 and 2007. But this wasn't her day as Minx picked up a missed Aframe contact and another 5F earlier with a wide turn.

Farrier Graham Burgess was next on the line with Deme (Miss Demeanour Whipperdale) a whippet X patterdale, another rescue dog. Sadly a backjump led to an Elimination for this speed-merchant!

11 year old rescue lurcher Daisy (Crazy Daisy Moses) came out of retirement for this Final – again, no sign of age showing as she was guided at top speed around the course by handler Eileen Ainsworth, finishing with 5R for a hesitation at the tunnel under the Aframe in a time of 48.011.

Sixth dog to run was Kevin Macintosh's first of two dogs, Macs Muck, pet name Guiness, a 4 year old Working Cocker Spaniel who won the Avon Medium Dog of the Year in 2010. His time of 39.935 showed that Dawn's time could be beaten but an unfortunate 5F on the dogwalk put Guiness out of contention.

Cheryl Harkness travelled from Northern Ireland for the Final with her Cocker Spaniel Swift Lass aka Beans. Beautiful start line wait and an excellent dogwalk entry, but unfortunately worked a bit wide and entered the tunnel under the Aframe, taking a wrong route.

Agility Champion Monkey Madness Noworries (Ellie) (yet another agility rescue dog!) and handler Linda Cummings entered the ring. Another very experienced partnership and members of the Gold medal team at this year's World Agility Open Championship. Ellie self started but Linda quickly adjusted to steer her to a fast, fluid Clear round in a time of 41.408seconds....

Claire Gosling's 7 year old rescue Parson Jack Russell Frodo (Funtime Woodfella) who recently went into Grade 6 put in a great run but a refusal in the technical sequence cost her time as well as faults, leaving her on 5R and 45.668 seconds.

Next up was Catherine Rowlands' Staffy, Stella (Starshine Sula) yet another rescue doing agility! In her enthusiasm to attack the course, Stella rolled the pole on the second fence so was out of stride for the technical turn to 4 and had an unfortunate Elimination. But the partnership got back together and completed a stormin' round.

Gloria Coupe and Cocker Spaniel Jaz (Contrail Midnight Delight) travelled down from Scotland on the day for the Final, and really attacked the course to finish with a super Clear round in a time of 45.210.

Back came Kevin Macintosh with the second of his 2 dogs, 8 year old Working Cocker Spaniel, Scamp (Rhyl Rhuaridh) who has 2 CCs and is waiting on his third to make him up to a Champion. Knowing that there was all still to go for, Kevin and Scamp put in a consistent fluid round but 5R at the wishing well left him with 5 faults and a time of 46.067.

With just 2 very fast dogs to go, Dawn and Jasmine were still leading the way. Amanda Hampson and the second of her Tollers, Rogue (Shoredancer Sea Jade) had no choice but to go for broke....and they did! Super fast turns, lovely weaves, smooth, confident and Clear in a time of 35.926 seconds snatched the lead from Dawn.

But last dog was the Olympia Medium winner Adam Wildman and his super fast Australian Kelpie, Za Zar Zoom (Zoom). Adam knew he would have to really run his heart out, and he did, with not an inch spared until 3 from home when Zoom picked up a refusal at the Wishing Well! The crowd watching had been on the edge of their seats! Adam and Zoom finished on a total of 5R and a time of 39.073 seconds.

So, a very exciting, nail-biting Final was over and the top 5 placings were:

1^st Amanda Hampson and Shoredancer Sea Jade

2^nd Dawn Harvey and Carrowdale Orchid

3^rd Linda Cummings and Ag.Ch. Monkey Madness Noworries

4^th Gloria Coupe and Contrail Midnight Delight

5^th Adam Wildman and Za zar Zoom AW (G)

Many thanks to Doc for a fabulous course, and to Hare ‘N Hounds for allowing the Final to take place at their show, as well as to all those shows who have run heats over the past year. But biggest thanks must go to sponsors RAS Show Services and CSJ without whom there would be no competition at all, and who have provided very generous prizes and support throughout.

** Thanks to Brenda Tenten for this report..

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(posted 28/09/2011)

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