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Winfree's Exported Champagne AgN, SADC, NF "Sailor"
BIS Ch. Ashbrook Cruise Control, WD x
Winfree's She's a Keeper
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Sailor's First Year Slide Show Hit the Enter key to start the slide show |
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News from Canada and John Platts, Sailor's
dad--
On Saturday, January 26, 2008, Sailor earned his first CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) title. He got his third leg in Novice B to earn his Novice Agility Title (AgN). He came third in this qualifying run after coming first in his two earlier Q runs last summer. But to redeem himself, he came first on Sunday (January 27) in his first run in the Intermediate class (comparable to AKC Open). He also earned a Q in one Novice JWW class and so needs one more for his Novice JWW title. He has more trouble in JWW events as they are so open he races and consequently either knocks a bar or takes a wrong obstacle as I can't always keep up to direct him. The one consistent thing is that he always has a ball and it is contagious. I love handling him and the other handlers enjoy watching him. John |
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 Sailor
entered his first agility trial June 9 & 10, 2007. It was a CKC (Canadian
Kennel Club) trial with Standard and Jump with Weaves courses, much like AKC
agility trials. He ran fast and enthusiastically and managed to get a Q
in two of his runs, one in Novice B Standard and one in Novice Jump with
Weaves. In both runs, he scored 100 points, earning no faults and
finishing well under the allowed time.
Sailor was in his second CKC agility trial
on June 30 and earned his second Q in Novice B Standard where he ran quick
and clean. He came first with a score of 100 and did the course in 49.8
seconds, well under the 70 seconds allowed.
On the weekend of August 3 & 4, Sailor was
in his first AAC (Agility Association of Canada) trial which has similar
events to the USDAA. On Saturday, he was flying high, but at times not
quite high enough, because he knocked one bar in each of his three runs.
On Sunday's runs, though still running energetically, he knocked no bars
and subsequently earned his first AAC Q in Team Relay where he was
partnered with a 4-year old beagle. The beagle's owner said her dog often
had trouble making the course time, but partnered with Sailor they
finished 45 seconds under the 104 seconds allowed.
On August 25th Sailor competed in his first
CPE (Canine Performance Event) trial. He had four runs and earned a first
in three of them, including a qualifying score in Jumpers and Colors. He
should have earned a Q in Jackpot, too, but I delayed too long in sending
him to the table to finish our run. In these four runs he missed no down
contacts and only knocked one bar off.
Each time I run Sailor I appreciate how much
potential he has and I am so thankful to Lisa for selecting him for me
with agility in mind. The minor problems he has at this time, knocking
the odd bar and missing a down contact sometimes, are because of his speed
and enthusiasm both of which surpass anything I could have hoped for.
Thanks, Lisa-- John |
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| Sept. 12, 2006 - Tonight,
Sailor had his 8th and final house league session for the season. The
club where John and Sailor train divided house league this year, with
Starters (young dogs and dogs competing at the Starters level) one week and
Advanced/Masters dogs the next. There were 3 young dogs in the
Starters groups--Sailor and two others, both 2 months younger than he).
Points are given to the top 3 finishers in each run. Sailor has
improved each week. By week 6, he came in third in his Gamblers run;
in week 7, he came in second in his Snooker run; and tonight, he came in
FIRST in his Standard run, 15 seconds ahead of the second-place dog!!!!!
John said that after the dogs ran, they all had champagne to wrap up the
season. How ironic that Winfree's Exported Champagne came through with
flying colors!!!!! For the season, Sailor finished 7th out of the 25 dogs in this group. He and John never missed a training night and their hard work has paid off. I am so proud of this team. Sailor's "brother", Echo, is also having a good season. He is currently in 3rd place out of the 33 dogs in the Advanced/Masters group and he has one week left in his training season. Great job, John. I'm looking forward to next year. NOTE: Starters, Advanced and Masters are the three levels that dogs compete at in the Agility Association of Canada (AAC). At each level, dogs compete in five classes--Standard runs, and the four games: Gamblers, Snooker, Jumpers and Team Relay. Follow this link to read more about AAC and these class/title descriptions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agility_Association_of_Canada |
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John's agility club occasionally puts on demonstrations to raise money for the club and increase interest in agility. The weekend of August 26, 2006, the club put on such a demonstration at the Straffordville Watermelon Festival. John decided it was time to show off Sailor's skills. Their club photographer, Harvey MacKenzie, was there to capture these wonderful pictures of Sailor. The close up was captured as Sailor was running over to investigate the "man on the ground with the camera"!!! |
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Photos published by
permission from Harvey MacKenzie |
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Sailor, The Puppy Graduate, dreaming of qualifying ribbons like his brother, Echo!! | |
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February 2006 |
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Hi Lisa,
Sailor finished puppy class and I am sending
you a picture of "The Graduate". We are signed up for
Beginners Obedience starting the 15th of March. He is easy to teach.
On our walks, I can put him in a stay and walk 25 paces, turn around, and
he stays until I say, "OK, Come!" I am also training him to run
beside me when I run - he and Echo love this game. I don't do any
agility obstacles with him yet (next summer) but he goes through the
tunnel exploring, when it is out.
Echo was in a three-day trial (8 runs) last
weekend in London. He performed very well, probably his best runs to
date. However, because we are at the Advanced level in most classes
now, he only got one Q. In Advanced level, time limits are shorter,
courses are more complex and any wandering is faulted. They are like
a challenging crossword puzzle; they take longer, but the satisfaction is
greater. He is entered in a trial in March and two in April. My goal
is to get a Q in Starters Gamblers so he has his Games Agility Dog of
Canada title and will be at the Advanced level in everything. I am
sending you a picture of Echo with his 8 Qualifying ribbons.
I took Sailor into the trial as well, now
that his vaccinations are finished. He behaved well. I kept
him in his crate and he was quite relaxed - no barking or whining.
He slept most of the time, but his favorite part was when I took him out
to walk through the building. I was pleased with how well he handled
this, so I could enjoy the trial without worrying about him.
I am off to a Level 3 class with Echo this
pm. We have a Fun Run scheduled for next Saturday, so Sailor will
get to be a spectator and check out his future training facility.
John and the Boys! |
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January 2006 |
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January 2006 |
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January 2006 Hi Lisa,
Echo had three runs on Saturday but was
more interested in trying to sniff out woodcocks than doing agility
obstacles. He had one fault free run but was 14 seconds over the
allowed time. Needless to say, no Q's on Saturday. On Sunday
he got back in the groove and earned 2 Q's out of his three runs.
One of these was his third Q in a Standard run (all obstacles and the
pause table) which gave him his ADC title (Agility Dog of Canada), now
we are in the Advanced level but this title will be tougher to earn -
more twists and turns, decoy obstacles and less time to complete (no
time at all to hunt for woodcocks or even grass that has been marinated
in a horse.) He missed getting a Q in his Starters Gamblers run on
Saturday. Once he earns a Q in that he will have a Q in all 4
games (snooker, jumpers, team relay and gamblers) which will give him
his GDC (Games Dog of Canada).
I took Sailor but kept him in the car
because I didn't want to expose him to other dogs until his shots are
complete. We are scheduled to go to the vet on Wednesday, which
will complete his vaccinations. We have had three weeks of puppy
classes and he has learned come, sit, down, stay and is learning to
heel. I am not too concerned about the heeling because in agility
I want him to be able to work on either side of me, so I don't want him
to automatically always be on my left. Echo had to unlearn this, a
mistake I won't repeat. I don't intend to compete in obedience
just use it to improve my control so if he doesn't automatically heel on
my left it isn't a problem. I have shared this with the
instructors so they know my expectations. I have also tentatively
scheduled two levels of obedience instruction (spring and fall) and
puppy agility (in the summer). He actually learned come and sit before
we ever went to class. He has learned to sit before I put down his food
and before getting a treat and before going out the door when we are
going for a walk. (This was easy to teach because he just copied Echo).
The two dogs are playing very well together and are both enjoying each other. As Sailor grows, he is more able to keep up to Echo on our walks (I walk). They have started to play tag in the backyard. Echo is starting to let Sailor share his bed (in the daytime) rather than leave when Sailor tries to join him.
Echo is in another trial in three weeks.
We are in Team Relay with Shadow, an ECS from Windsor. The owner
of this dog was the person who told me about the good agility dogs in
Sailor's pedigree. He is also a blue roan. I'll let you know
how he does.
John |
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Sailor at 8 weeks |
DOB: 10/3/05 |
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Click here to view
earlier puppy pictures and
Sailor's litter mates. |
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Sad-face Sailor |
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Sailor is living in Canada with his new dad, John Platts, and brother, Echo (see below). |
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