The weekend of 27/28/29th of May the FRC celebrated her 50th birthday with a flatcoated event in Werkendam at the Selevia Hoeve. Of course we were there to celebrate with other flatcoated retriever fans.
Friday fun day
After a late evening arrival on Thursday we had to get up early in order to be on time for the first workshop: First Aid for dogs. We learned how to perform CPR among others. Thereafter we joined the Balance and Coordination workshop where Rumi and Kaspar had a blast. The instructor was amazed as Kaspar’s skills at such a young age – I explained that we had used a lot of coordination enrichment during the puppy period. It was nice to notice that our efforts have made a difference in the dogs coordination skills.
After the morning sessions we decided to leave Kaspar to rest with half sister Ragne at the campsite as he was rather tired after his morning gym. Rumi however had a serious schedule with agility ahead. But before that we had lunch with the rest of the Flatastic family who came to join us: Marja & Shelby, Hans/Marloes & Spyke, Frans & Jason/Déroy.
I decided to bring Jason to the agility as he loves action like his mother. Let’s say I am glad I brought some arnica gel too because running him in the horse arena throughout the agility course was a rather physical endeavor. Rumi had a time of her life – luckily the jumps were very small so she would not hurt herself considering her chronic ligament injury.
Saturday show time
Saturday Ragne and Rumi were entered to the Club Show nicely held outside (great that the club had arranged that last minute “weather” decision option as stated in the subscription papers) where there was a lot of space for the dogs to relax.
Ragne came in 4th in the youngest puppy class bitches with very promising and Rumi won the open class bitches out of 17 very nice open class entries.
I was very surprised and of course exhilarated. Also on behalf of Rumi’s breeder this is a great accomplishment and me & Dennis celebrated with champagne back home.
Unfortunately Rumi jumped a high fence when running off the campsite to find me as I was showing a college breeder’s dog in the youth class. Her shoulder ligament cannot take such jumps and she was not running fully stretched in the best of bitches class. But I was still very happy with the whole day and that I can maintain her shape even with the handicap of the damaged ligament up to a degree that she wins her class and is still able to go hunting.
Rumi has now won the open class bitches twice and she has twice been placed second, one time in Denmark at the flatcoated club show. She holds the SJP A gun dog exam and Map B both with high points. She is for sure a fantastic dual purposed flatcoated retriever.
Sunday gundogging
Sunday the FRC had at water workshop and both Rumi and Kaspar joined. Rumi who is not used to sharing her handler with her kiddos was rather uptight that she had to wait her turn and she became her young self – rather uncontrollable and wild, but nevertheless she did some nice blind casts and resisted temptations. Kaspar had his first fake large goose on the water and a little (rubber) duck that was diving repeatedly. He became very eager and it looked like he had extra boat motors when chasing the duck in the water. Unfortunately Lotte could not join this great weekend because she was in heat – but she spend the weekend with Dennis bicycling and visiting the parents in law. Great to have a replacement girl😚.
Big thanks to the team of volunteers of the FRC Dutch Flatcoated Retriever Club and great instructors throughout the weekend – also thanks to all Flatastic people visiting and spending the weekend with us. We had a lovely flattie time together.
Flatastic flatcoated retrievers 