Supported by
 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. The judge for this inaugural Final was the
well-known and well-respected Angelo ‘'Doc' Docherty. Brenda Tenten reports...
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, along with some technical sections that required a high skill level
from both dog and handler! The course time was 48 seconds.
The
'white dog' - Steven Richardson and his Patterdale X – 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. They lead the class until almost the end!
Next
on the line was the first of the veteran dogs – 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.
Then up
stepped Amanda Hampson with the first of her Tollers, eight year old Minx (Winfren Vulpecula
Kayla) This is an experienced team, a member of the Bronze medal winning British team at last
year's European Open as well as competitors in the FCI World Championships in 2006 and 2007.
But this wasn't their day as Minx picked up a missed A-frame contact and had another 5F earlier
with a wide turn.
Farrier
Graham Burgess was next on the line with Whippet Patterdale X Deme (Miss Demeanour Whipperdale) another rescue dog. Sadly a back jump 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,
there was no sign of age as she was steered around the course at top speed around the course by
handler Eileen Ainsworth. They finished with 5R for a hesitation at the tunnel under the
A-frame in a time of 48.011 seconds.
The
sixth dog to run was the first of Kevin Macintosh's two dogs, Macs Muck (pet name Guinness ), a
four year old Working Cocker Spaniel who won the Avon Medium Dog of the Year in 2010. His time
of 39.935 proved that Dawn's time could be beaten but an unfortunate 5F on the dogwalk put
Guinness out of contention. Cheryl Harkness travelled from Northern Ireland for the Final with
her Cocker Spaniel Swift Lass (aka Beans.) They had a beautiful wait at the start line and an
excellent dogwalk entry, but unfortunately they worked a bit wide and entered the tunnel under
the A-frame, taking a wrong route.
Ag.Ch.
Monkey Madness Noworries, Ellie - yet another agility rescue dog - and her handler Linda
Cummings entered the ring. They are another very experienced partnership who were members for
the Gold medal team at this year's FCI 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 seven year old rescue Parson Russell Terrier 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' Staffie, 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 her Cocker Spaniel Jaz (Contrail
Midnight Delight) travelled down from Scotland on the day for the Final, and they really
attacked the course to finish with a super clear round in a time of 45.210 seconds.
Back
came Kevin Macintosh with the second of his two dogs, eight year old Working Cocker Spaniel
Scamp (Rhyl Rhuaridh) who has two 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 two 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.
The
last handler was the Olympia Medium winner Adam Wildman with his super fast Australian Kelpie,
Zoom (Za Zar Zoom.) Adam knew he would have to really run his heart out, and he did, with not
an inch spared until three obstacles 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.
And so
a very exciting, nail-biting Final was over.
The 2011 Finalists
The top
five placings were:-
-
Amanda Hampson with Shoredancer Sea Jade
-
Dawn
Harvey with Carrowdale Orchid
-
Linda
Cummings with Ag.Ch. Monkey Madness Noworries
-
Gloria Coupe with
Contrail Midnight Delight
-
Adam Wildman with
Za zar Zoom AW (G)
Thank you
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 Premium Foods without whom there would be no
competition at all, and who have provided very generous prizes and support throughout.
First published 28 September 2011
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