This was my 2014
Wow, some hours left of 2014 and I’m very proud I’d have bybass Facebook doing my year review. Instead, I’ll doing it by myself, sry Facebook 🙂
This past year was covered – like every other year – amazing ups and sore downs with the weight this time on the downside. After a very successful 2013 – from a sportive and private perspective – I was aware it would be tough to tie on where we stopped.
Thereby, 2014 started really good for me and my dogs. Cute forge ahead at the qualifications for EO in Hungary. And I was very pleased, that also Ayla made the qualifications. So I was able to run with both of my dogs for the first time (knowing it would be the last time) on such an important international competition.
There I was… I reached the deepest rock bottom ever in my agility career so far. Therefore, I’ve reached a point when I needed to make a decision on how it goes on for the rest of the season and how do I want to prepare for the next. Kept in my mind that some important competitions are still ahead of us. And I found help on a coaching bases which extends my other trainings. It was obvious to me that this transition would take time and wouldn’t take effect during the actual season. Nevertheless, I regain new motivation and put me on the theme of
work hard, play hard
At the training camp I received the next setback. On the second day of training, Ayla sustained a muscle strain on her hindleg. Of course this happened just days before EO started. What a pain! Immediately I started with medical check-up and physiotherapy. With an unpleasant feeling in the stomach I went to Hungary – Kapsovár. Unprepared and very nervous I tried to do some jumps at the training at EO. It took a load of my mind when I realized Ayla could to her job way better than expected. Regardless, I took her out from the individual runs to get her as most time to recover as possible in between the runs. And yes, it showed its impact 🙂 She placed 1st in team qualification! Ayla did such a good job doing all runs clean, including the final! I was very pleased. (see the full report of the EO)
The rest of the summer was Cute’s time. This wasn’t bad at all. Therefore I had the chance to set the focus on me and Cute to find back together as a team and let Ayla rest to rehabilitate.
BCC was packed with full of artistic courses, a pool party and the celebration of our Swiss national day. After a speedy run, Cute admitted to the final, where we missed accidentally the slalom entry… (see the post “Border Collie Classic” for more)
Our summer trip ended with the journey to the legendary KC International Agility Festival in England. I was blown away about the dimension of this tournament. With no expectations in mind I got surprised about the performance Cute showed off. She won twice a combined grade 6/7 class run, won a qualification run with the team on the team nations cup and showed some other very cool runs with some minor failures which I don’t care about 🙂 Read the full blog “The outstanding KC International Agility Festival” for more details on that event.
After spending something like a month on competitions without training I came back home for the Swiss Championship. We’ve been there and that’s it. Nothing to add. It looked like I couldn’t compete in my own country anymore… An icy mood lingered and I reset my focus on several trainings instead of competing – training Agility, my physical condition and my mental strength.
And I started again to train with Ayla since she was back on track. Her training didn’t last long. It was mid autumn as she had to undergo a surgery to get out her blocked oil glands. This meant Ayla got sidelined for another few weeks. With her almost 9.5 years I decided to completely take her out of the sport by the end of this year. Read more about her last training and her surgery at “Emotionale Woche” including a video of that training. For me I’d prefer to have a healthy dog also after agility. And this was the point when I thought it’s best to stop with practicing Agility with her. She did so well for years, achieved so much, was always faithful to me, so she deserved a retirement and enjoying life. Looking forward to many more years with her company.
And speaking of company. The year wasn’t all about Agility. It was also the year of making new experiences, new friendships were born and having during the whole season good company. And this matters for me more than success.
The last big thing this past year was the Amadeus Agility Worldcup at Salzburg (Austria). As I wrote in Game changing weekend @Amadeus Agility Worldcup this was where I thought for the first time since March Cute and I found together as a team. It’s too early to boast it – I’d like to confirm it on some other competition – but I realized that all the trainings are starting to show some effects. It was definitely our best competition since a long time. And btw, we reached the semi-final 😉
After doing the planning for 2015 it makes clear the next year will be another ambitious one. I’m looking so much forward to it. And sometimes hard work gets rewarded. Back in September I got awarded at the honoring of sportsman of the community “Köniz” (see Sportehrung Gemeinde Köniz for report and photos) for winning the gold medal at the FCI Agility World Champs in Team.
Things got slowly into place by the end of this year. So, I say bye bye 2014 it was not always a pleasure but i had my fun with you. And I have this feeling 2015 will be the year of change. In which perspective? This I’ll keep my secret but I’m excited about it! But one thing will remain the same. I’m surrounded with amazing, crazy people. Thank you for putting up with me. You all made my year! So let’s celebrate tonight with lot of drinks, food, company and please let the hangover be as small as possible tomorrow 🙂
In this sense
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Your Simon.
