Anna Burton & Wiccaweys Magic Mindy - Wiccaweys winner & L G3-5 3rd
I had been looking on Wiccaweys’ website at the dogs needing rehoming, as I tend to do most days! I noticed that they had a young tri bitch in, but no photo yet. The next day I was looking on Agilitynet and saw Mindy’s photo and that was it – love at first sight. I had to have her. After some tense discussions with my hubby he finally agreed and I went to collect Mindy two days later, in early February 2004.
From the start I loved her attitude, but unfortunately, due to my prolapsed disc injury two weeks after getting her, she was rather disadvantaged with a handler who couldn’t run. Due to that we did things all the wrong way round, doing complicated things first and then doing the speed stuff months later once my back was improving. Luckily it didn’t seem to cause any problems and at her first KC show in Easter 2005 she came 4th in a Novice Agility on a nice run but that had one huge wide turn. The rest of 2005 saw consistent results but due to nerves, both hers and mine, we didn’t seem to reach our full potential as a team.
I was hopeful that 2006 would be a good season for us after some Winter training but in the New Year Mindy somehow suffered severe soft tissue damage to her front left leg which I think must have happened whilst playing with my other collie. An investigative operation also gave us the diagnosis that she had coronoid disease in that elbow, a degenerative bone disease which seemed likely to end her agility career. Months of slow rehabilitation, and lots of sobbing from me, followed. With the help of Tace Allen, Mindy started a massage and exercise program in about August 2006 with an aim to get her being able to do Anysize by the end of 2006. Things were going well but we had to take it very slowly .
In early 2007 I was introduced to Eileen Smith and Bowen Therapy. Mindy absolutely loved it and I thought that anything was worth a try! She has since gone from strength to strength and remained sound despite no medication. At the start of this season she was on only two runs per day and I took it very steady with her, often taking the longer way on a course if I felt that it was better for her bad leg. Despite this we had a good season, with Mindy winning many trophies including 3rd in the Novice Supadog Final, winning into Grade 6 in August at Dashin Dogs and also qualifying for the Genesis Jumping Final in her last weekend at Grade 5.
We have started competing at UKA shows this Winter which, after an initial disastrous few days competing where Mindy loved the slightly lower jumps but I had no control whatsoever, have since proved successful. She is now competing at Championship level and having a whale of a time. I have finally relaxed enough about her weakness, knowing that she is as strong as she can be, and we are now both attacking the courses at last. Roll on 2008 …. but please let it be injury free.
Anna