SANDRINE:
When, where and why did you start Agility?
SUE:
Will started Agility with our Midi dog
Jack about nine years ago. We'd had collies before, but we hadn't tried Agility. I had
done a bit of Obedience with Pip. We thought it would be good fun for Jack .
I went to watch Will train Jack, but it wasn't much fun
watching so I soon decided to give it a go! I started Agility with Penny about eight
years ago. Will and I went to UpAndOver, and it's still our club now. Penny was a rescue.
She was about 15 months old when I got her. She was a problem dog and training her was a
very long process. In fact, it took months of hard work before I could even join an
agility class, but I was determined not to give up.
SANDRINE:
What did you achieve with Penny?
SUE:
We got to Senior level. Penny was, in fact, the first dog trained up to Senior level by
UpAndOver. She also did Flyball and got to Intermediate level.
SANDRINE:
Tell me about your present dog Kestrel
SUE:
Kes was born on the 21 July 2001. Her
sire is Mary Ray's dog Quincy and her dam is Tri Fly. We had seen Tri Fly run and had
been impressed.
Kes has some famous brothers from a previous mating of
Quincy and Tri Fly such as Simon Peachey's Forby For Diesel and Dianne Talbot's Paws for
Breath.
When we saw the puppies, I immediately fell in love with Kes.
She was the only tri-coloured bitch and she had a very high drive. She has been brilliant
to train, so bright and full of enthusiasm and although she is mad in the agility ring
she is very easy to live with. I love her dearly.
SANDRINE:
Who inspires you?
SUE:
Jo Fraser, because she is so full of passion and also Will because he's been so
successful.
SANDRINE:
What qualities make a good handler?
SUE:
A good partnership. Have a dog that you
love. I love Kes, and we have fun together. You also need to know your own strengths and
weaknesses as well as your dog's. Remember what works for one doesn't work for another.
It's what works for you and your dog.
Another thing that is most important is consistency. Be true
to your ideas, stick with them e.g. how you want your contacts.
Also remember to keep things FUN. In the early days of
training don't be too hard on your dog it may put them off. Tell them when something is
wrong then make it possible for them to do it right and then praise them and TUG, TUG,
TUG.
Sandrine:
What advice would you give to people who start competing in 2005? |
Olympia 2004 - The Groom's Story
Karen Laker was asked by Sue to be her groom on the day. The
Semi Final course in the morning was tricky at the beginning, then spread out.
Sue and Kes ran 11th and apart from one bit after a long
straight where Kes had a slight twizzle, they worked spot on - good handling and good
response.
Sue's husband Will was unlucky. As a result of his bad back
and Maeve's slight lameness, he hadn't been able to run Maeve much. They were eliminated
in the Semis.
Poor Will had to put up with a great deal of ribbing from
all the other competitors and the commentator. If he was disappointed, he hid it and
instead concentrated on helping Sue to relax and enjoy the day. He was brilliant, and he
deserves a mention and congratulations too because getting to the Semi finals is a huge
achievement for any handler.
Sue and Kes were inspiring in the Final. It was a big course
- a running man's course.
They went clear and into the lead with a truly brilliant
run. The Final is in reverse order so as Sue had come fourth in the Semi Final there were
three to go after her: Chris Cole, David Munnings and last years winner Alan Disbery.
Next to run was Chris Cole and he certainly can run. He was
also clear but not quite quick enough. Pressure got to the next two handlers resulting in
faults. Sue and Kes had done it!
Everybody - all the other competitors and the organisers -
were all genuinely pleased for Sue and Kes. They were very popular winners. Some were
pleased because she 'did it for the girls', some because they were newcomers, some
because it was a brilliant run. Karen was pleased because she deserved it. Sue always
does her best and her best beat the rest of them that night! |