Having the time of her life...
In
March 2017, Janet White Spunner contacted Agilitynet to see if it would be
possible to add an extra age division to the Senior Agility League category -
one for the over 80s. After all, the other categories have five year gaps, while
Diamond handlers are aged 70 to infinity! That lead to Janet agreeing to write
something for Agilitynet about competing as an Octogenarian but only after her
80th birthday at Easter.
-
I
have just come back from my first
post-80 show and I feel like the cat who got the cream! It was a two day
show and my 12 year old Miniature Poodle - and first ever agility dog -
Marchesi Marie (alias Vicar of Dibley / Dib) won the trophy for Best Overall
Agility Dog (Small)! I was so chuffed we took it with us Pet therapy
visiting the next day!! She had 2 x 2nds, a 3rd, a 6th and a clear round
with seconds to spare!
My
little dog, Irish & International Champion Tanglebrook Nice 'n Noble got a 4th.
If only I hadn’t told him to go in the wrong end of the tunnel. It would have
had a 1st place. Their pup Shinrone Zarina (aka Cindy) got a superb 2nd, but I
have to admit to borrowing younger, longer legs! My dogs run with anyone and
they just love it when the legs go at speed!
What
gave me extra joy was to see two teenagers who train with me getting clear
rounds. One even won the trophy for Best Beginner Large dogs. Truly an All Age
Sport!
I
had Labradors all my adult life, trained them and worked them on the local
shoots 'picking up.' I also puppy walked a good number - some my own breeding -
for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Because we were farming, I've also had two Border collies. They made moving
cattle or sheep a pleasure, especially if I was riding a small pony in order to
keep up with them.
When
my last Labrador became old and arthritic and too heavy for me to lift, I looked
around for another breed, smaller and lighter. If it didn’t shed, that would be
a big bonus! And so Dib came into my life. At 4 1/2 months old she could buy
and sell me! We were out of control so I went to doggy classes and found
agility which has changed my life.
The
Kennel Club Festival
The KC Agility Festival used to be such fun especially the Nations Cup. The
first time I was persuaded by friends to come over to the UK, I only had Dib, whom
I think was still Grade 1. We came home covered in rosettes and, by default, had
made up a ‘Rest of the World’ team. We had a ball! What's more, the crowd loved
our antics!
Now
that Dib and Gounod are both Grade 6 and were part of Republic of Ireland teams
last year, but it wasn’t nearly as much fun. We are not coming this year, mainly
because our rabies vaccinations have run out and we don’t want to repeat them.
We thought of going to Scotland instead, via Larne. No passports needed from
Northern Ireland, and we are constantly up there for competitions! Will Brexit
make a difference? I was born
in St Albans, and still have my British passport.
So far none of us has been asked to show
our Pet Passports, but we wouldn’t risk it.
Agility is such a fabulous sport
I tell everyone that it's the best aerobic exercise you can get! There is no way
I could motivate myself to take the same exercise in a gym. I am blessed that I
still have my own hips and knees! I take glucosamine and chondroitin everyday
and have recently added a tablespoon of cider vinegar, taken in a glass full of
water sweetened with a little honey, every morning.
We are all very competitive, but never bitchy! We all appreciate
how hard our dogs try to please us and how often we let them down!
I set goals for myself.
It's an all age sport, and at every level we set our own targets.
Any time I
now complete a course within the allotted time, is a red letter day. Getting a
rosette is a cherry on the cake! Please God, there’s years ahead of us yet.
I’m trying
to find out about Rally Obedience. Would it be slower and more suited to my
'time of life?'
About
the author
Janet White Spunner's father was a rubber planter with Dunlops in
Malaysia when the Japanese invaded in 1942. Her father was taken prisoner and
she, her (step) mother and brother became refugees. They arrived in Australia
with very little more than what they stood up in! Australia and the Victoria
League (Red Cross equivalent) were very good to them. Janet was aged 4 and
nearly died of acute appendicitis as this was pre-penicillin days!
They headed home after VE day but before VJ day and were in convoy when an oil
tanker caught on fire after being hit by a depth charge. Janet's Mummy just said
‘Look at the lovely fireworks!' What a brilliant way of taking the fear out of
a very frightening situation.
Janet came back to England and started school in Bournemouth and boarded from
age 9. As her father who had arrived home, very emaciated, was now considered
fit to return to Malaysia to help get the economy going again, she did not see
him for four years. Her mother returned after her first sister was born, and
always divided her time between England and Malaya.
After leaving school, Janet trained as a nurse in St. Thomas’ hospital London
and then in Southampton as a midwife - jobs which she loved.
Then she met and married Richard who had been in the security forces in Malaya
and was back in Ireland, trying to bring the family farm back to solvency! She
became a 'hands on' farmer's wife. Cattle, rearing calves, sheep, poultry, pigs,
goats - you name it and they had it and did it! Her husband asked me not to
hunt, but had no problem with horse riding, so she bred and broke 12.2 ponies
for children and rode them bareback round the cattle and sheep accompanied by a
pack of Labradors who would sit and stay while she went to check the sheep. It
was as good as having eyes in the back of your head. If the sheep started to
move, she knew a Labrador had broken ranks! She used to tie the newest recruit
to the oldest Lab who would refuse to budge however hard the pup tried to drag
it!
Janet
had always been involved with the Church so became a Lay Reader. When women were
being ordained in Ireland but not in England, she decided to offer herself for
training. She has now been an ordained priest in the Church of Ireland for 22
years. Wonderfully fulfilling. Now retired. she helps out whenever she is asked,
but she is happy to say ‘Sorry I can’t do that Sunday’ when there's an agility
competition on!
When she was 68, Janet started doing amazing holiday trips, originally
fundraisers for charities. A horse ride camping in the Sahara on
stallions was first and others followed. Some were holidays, but always
challenging. Husky sledding in the Swedish Arctic was brilliantly exhilarating,
snorkelling in the Galapagos, and now she is off to kayak in the Indonesian
islands, snorkel and trek to see komodo dragons! How good can Life be!
First published 31 May 2017
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