The end of an era...
This blog is dedicated to Kodi (Ag Champion Bekkis Carbon Copy) who I had to say goodbye to a few days ago following an unexpected illness.
Every dog is special to someone. Every now and then a dog comes along with something a bit different about them and a bit extra. Kodi was one of these dogs. He had a huge character, a cheeky personality and was a little power house. He was incredibly strong, fit and well muscled. He never went lame or had any physical weakness throughout his life.
I still vividly remember the day I went to see his litter. I had decided that I was looking for a traditionally marked border collie (we had Flint who had a half-white face). Kodi had different ideas. After playing for a short while, all the pups retuned to their whelping box except Kodi who was led down under my chair, he picked me!
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| Kodi Pup |
He grew up close to Flint doing everything together and helping us take our agility training and competition to the national level. They were the two dogs that inspired us to start UpAndOver Agility School.
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| Young Kodi |
I worked away quite a lot back then. I was often able to take Kodi with me. I’d fit in a few competitions at the weekend wherever I was, and gradually our partnership grew.
One weekend which sticks firmly in my mind was in early 2009. I left home on the Saturday morning to attend the try-outs for the team going to the European Open (EO) and then I was to travel on to Scotland for a championship show before a weeks work in Perth. We qualified for the EO team on Saturday and then won the championship the following day; Kodi was on fire.
I never forget that feeling of being told ‘you’ve qualified for the team’. We went on to finish 4th in the EO final in The Netherlands that year. This made us the highest placed large dog from Team GB. A record only broken recently.
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| EO 2009 |
The following year (2010) Kodi won the championship class at Crufts, another amazing experience I’ll never forget. Kodi’s dad was a World Champion show dog. Kodi certainly carried his dads presence about him. He was at his best in situations like Crufts, Olympia and other big events. He loved to show off, push his luck and generally make his presence known.
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| Crufts 2010 |
Kodi went on to win another ticket in 2010 and take the reserve CC at Crufts 2011. He continued to qualify for all the major finals around the country with top places at Olympia, the British Open, Crufts singles etc.
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| Feeling proud with his ticket |
Later in 2011 Kodi’s agility career came to an abrupt end. After eating something that didn't agree with him. He had three days in the vets and a op which really hit his agility fitness; He retired from top level agility early.
At home Kodi was a great pet. He loved everyone who came to visit often showing off his tricks; always in a bid to get treats. He was the sort of pet who was equally happy with a long walk or a day resting. He was very cheeky too...
His vice was chocolate (same as his owner). He once managed to find and eat a wrapped chocolate present, shut in a cupboard, in a completely different room in the house. Then there was the time my parents were house sitting for us. They came home one day to find Kodi stuck on our glass dinning room table after eating a whole box of chocolates they’d left thinking they were safe there.
He was taken from us far too soon. He’s resting with Flint now under a young oak tree in a quiet place in the field.
We miss him terribly.
Kodi's legacy lives on. He sired a litter of pups and one or two of them went on to have pups themselves.
At the World Championships last year we noticed his picture being used by a trade stand, there was certainly something striking about him and his cheeky character.
Kodi (Agility Champion Bekkis Carbon Copy)
26.10.0.02 - 02.04.16
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