It Could be Verse!

Are you the budding Wordsworth or Keats of the canine world? Do you think in iambic pentameter or dream in haiku. If you have ever scribbled a poem on the back of a show schedule while waiting in the car park for your go or written a verse to show how you feel about your dog, email them to:- agilitynet.

Agility Blessing
By P.J. Hughes, Inspired by his little 'Tater'

May the tunnels not have too much suction,
May the course be fun and fast,
May your dog not stop to say 'hello'
to the photographers they pass!

May the table not be too slippery,
May the chute house no scary beast,
May all the yellow parts be touched
with one little toe, at least.

May the wind be always at your back,
May no bars fall on the ground.
May the A-frame have no stop sign on top,
May the judge's whistle never sound.

May your dog obey all correct commands
And ignore the ones that are wrong.
May your heart be light, your feet be sure
and the bond with your dog grow strong.

At the finish line, may great joy abound,
regardless of your score,
You have your dog, your dog has you,
and who could ask for more?

With thanks to Dan Shaw for calling our attention to this poem

Help!
By Iris Richards

Now I know that much has already been said
About when help is help
It’s something we all dread.

Show managers and judges all can confirm
That when writing a list
We always will learn.

That there’s never enough people to spare
Some do too much
And some may even share.

 But more often than not, it’s always the same
Tannoy's calling for help
Again and again.

Some competitors really don’t understand
How easy it is
To just lend a hand.

 Pop into the ring and pick up a pole
Pass on a scribe sheet
Or fill in a hole.

Pass the lead down to the jump numbered twenty
Calling for dogs
You know there'll be plenty.

But please do a little, a lot if you can
Judges do like some help
To set their ring plan

Remember that if this non help continues
There will not be any
Agility venues

Consider the thought of not running your dogs?
Why expect judges
To do all their own jobs?

Just a little offer of help
Can go a long way
To enjoying the event
And having a great day.

 Judge's Grovel
by Anni Telford

Oh Brenda, darling Brenda
Your courses are divine
Regardless of the standard
The dogs run them just fine

So when we're up at Scunnie
I'm sure we'll all agree
Your courses are just yummy -
Or so says Nick and me!

Judge's Reply
By Anni and Nick
Were taking the mick!
Now they've run the course
They might change their thoughts.
Brenda ~
(Sorry - rhyming was never my forte.)

 Limericks & Doggerel
By Martin Pollard (in high spirits - hic!)

Why, Oh why, can't I try World Agility?
I was told by the 'suits' in authority
'Your dog, we decree,
Has no pedigree,
So is therefore devoid of ability.'

A Wolfhound from Burnham on Crouch,
In the weaves would often cry 'Ouch!
These poles are too short
for a dog of my sort,
They tickle me right up my crutch'.*

I have a dog - Hillary by name,
He loves to climb to the peak of the frame,
and standing there takes in the view,
He says 'I'll Everest here, if it's the same to you!'

Ding dong merrily on high
The poles are falling over
Ding dong merrily below
The height's too much for Rover.
Glorororiaa, glorioria, glorioria, Gloria
Gloria's crying, Boo Hoo!
Glorororiaa, glorioria, glorioria, Gloria
Now she's stuck them on with UHU - HU.

* Once printed in Agility Eye

Pedigree Logic
From Martin Pollard

With biting dogs we’re all agreed
In every case we blame the deed,
It plainly cannot be the breed.
But if the deed is good and kind,
(Agility might come to mind),
Do we now all praise the deed?
Of course; it cannot be the breed!

Agility Assault Course
By Hilary Bates

She's taking me to agility.
She says I'll like it a lot.
Don't know who she's kidding -
I'm sure she's lost the plot.

Have you seen the height of those things!
A-frame, dogwalk and all.
If she thinks I'm going up there,
She's really up the wall.

She runs me to the A-frame
'Get up,' she shouts with glee.
By the time I've reached the top
I'm ready for a pee!

Why can't I have somebody older?
About 90, who sits in a chair -
I could sit on her lap and be happy
And never have a care.

But no, it's jumps, tunnel and A-frame.
She shouts 'Get up! Get over!'
If I could I have my way
I'd be on a ferry to Dover.

She rushes me round the course
Shouting do this and then that!
By the time we have finished
I feel worn out and flat.

Not that it bothers her
She thinks it's lots of fun.
I'd love to see her do it
And crash land on her bum!

Reprinted from The Poodle Training Club Newsletter (Summer 2000)

The author Lucy is a black Toy Poodle belonging to Hilary Bates. They train with Bob and Wendy Ratcliffe at Benbow AC and in the garden at home.

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Agility Addiction
From Sue White

You know you're well and truly hooked
When every weekend in the summer is booked
When even your annual holiday vacation
Has become another agility vocation.

You know when you've gone round the bend
When you get every schedule for which you can send
When you've spent every last penny and pound
On your not so good, but loveable hound.

You know when you've gone totally cuckoo
When the accommodation's a tent with an outside loo
When your feet are wet and your hands are cold
And your dog still will not do what it's told.

You know when you're out of your head
When at five in the morning you're out of your bed
When the odds of winning are 500 to 1
But you still carrying on doing it 'just for fun.'

You know it's finally taken over your life
When you've covered the distance from London to Fife
When nothing will make you miss your agility session
And you're booked up every type of course and lesson.

You know when it has affected your brain
When you're standing in a field in the pouring rain
When your heart is beating and you're gasping for air
And you're covered in mud, and still don't care.

You know you are certifiably insane
When you study a course again and again
When you are willing to travel mile after mile
For one small rosette that still makes you smile!

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Agility Anxiety
From Sue White

Here we go, another early start
Packing the car down to a fine art
Not light yet, but off we go
To another agility show. Down country lanes and dirty track
Hope we can find the way back.

Hundreds of people and even more dogs
Park the car and find the bogs.
Let the dogs go out for a run
Trying to remember I do this for fun
Praying and hoping for some clear rounds.

 Please dogs don't leave the show grounds
Walking the course again and again
The butterflies start, I must be insane
Working out the right place to switch.

Hope I can run this without a hitch.
The timekeeper says 'When you're ready'
I think, 'Will this dog, for once go steady?'
Off we go like a bolt from the blue.

I wish I had gone once more to the loo.
40 odd seconds go in a flash
 Over, in, through the dog and I dash
The judge's whistle we did not hear
If no time faults, we went clear.

Another day, another smile
That's what makes it all worth while
As long as my dogs are happy and content
Next week a different field, a new event.

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Updated 19/07/11