Hi, for those for you who don’t know me, my name is BEN and I’m a Labrador/Retriever cross. My mum christened me Master of Curry’s Turn after the place we live as I was the only dog there. I was born on the 1st July 1994 and yes I know I’m an old man otherwise I wouldn’t be telling my story.

I was born in a wee place called Kilkeel and came to be with my present owner Jackie Redmond when she came along with her aunt who was looking for a girl puppy.  I gave her those sad puppy dog eyes and she ended up taking me to my new home in Banbridge. Things where going fine until one day I noticed that my new mum wasn’t about for a couple of days. Then one day I was put in the car for what seemed like a very long ride; I had no idea where we were going. When we stopped I was carried into this big strange building with a funny smell only to find my mum in an odd looking chair with wheels on it. I couldn’t wait to rush up to my mum and give her lots of kisses and she gave me loving hugs, but then it was time to go and I was very unhappy that she didn’t come with us. I later found out that the place was called a hospital. Not soon after my mum was home with me again and things were well my mum started to play and teach me a lot of new tricks like sit, down and give paws. Then mum took me to this building where a strange man stood in the middle and told everyone what to do which I was told was obedience. Who did he think I was? I was obedient and I always did what was asked of me. One day my mum took me to this big field and there was lots of funny looking things in it which I heard them say was Agility equipment and I had to learn how to do it.  I didn’t mind as it was fun and it kept me fit jumping over those things called jumps and a dog walk and a thing called an A ramp as well as a tunnel and, oh yes, a seesaw; yes those were good times and we all had fun.

Then our neighbour asked my mum if she would like to try me at retrieving for him at the local shoot and my mum started to train me to pick things up which I had already been doing for her but this was different. We went along to see what it was all about and I soon got involved retrieving whatever he shot, from hedges or water.  But there was a problem - my mum didn’t like to take them from me and even wore gloves so she didn’t have to handle them as some were still alive. We did this for a couple of shooting seasons but mum never liked it so we never went back.

Suddenly it happened! One day my mum came home with a small black thing under her arm and told me it was my baby sister! Yes, a new black Labrador puppy called Tina. Well, things where a little hectic for a while but between us we soon got her sorted into shape and I was happy learning my agility. It wasn’t much later, September 1997 I think, that I had my first competition win in starters and I also had a 4th place in Novice that day as well. Things went from strength to strength for me in my agility and it kept me out of doing obedience which my new sister was now doing as she was always at mum’s side no matter where we went.

1999 was a good year for mum and me in Agility. At one show I even took three firsts at Castlereagh and all in all it was a good time. Then it happened again! Another black puppy (Sophie) arrived and I knew I had to do something special to keep mum wanting to spend time with me and not those girls. On 18th September 1999 I got lots of attention and praise when I won Northern Ireland Agility, Senior and Jumping Dog of the Year and my mum was very proud of me winning all three. It was the start of a run of major prizes for us and we kept getting into the top four or five which isn’t bad for a Labrador when there are so many collies in the sport.

Halloween 2001 was a bad time for me as I got really ill with some kind of poisoning and it was so bad my mum had to sleep on the floor with me at night to make sure I was O.K. But after a while I pulled through it and in late November  was given the chance to become the next “Lassie”. Well maybe not that famous, but I did play a major part in the “Annie” production of the local choral society Christmas play; don’t anyone say that I am a scruffy dog; I was just acting of course. 

Things went well for a couple of years until one day in May 2002 we were running a course when I got in my mum’s way and she fell and broke a weave pole and I knew I had to do something special to make it up to her. Well, it just so happened it was the day of the first ever standard dogs Championship Agility to be held in N. Ireland into which I had been entered along with some local dogs and a couple of Scottish one’s. We had to do a round of jumping and a round of Agility and the dog with the quickest and clearest round won, which to everyone’s surprise I did but I am not sure if I did the right thing as it only made my mum cry. That night we went to Scotland to compete in another championship show at the SKC only I was beaten into fourth place by three collies.

Mum told me later that I had to go to England and compete because of that win and I would be up against fourteen collies, so off we went to this big place called Crufts. It was full of people and I found it very hard to move around as the people kept trying to push past us. On the Saturday, the competition started and it was nice to get out and do something. We had to do two rounds again and all I am going to say is that I didn’t let my mum or myself down. We finished tenth which isn’t bad for a Labrador who was pushing nine.

Things were going well except that my sister Tina, who was trying to do Agility, had to give it up and become a lady of leisure as she was told she had a heart problem and couldn’t do it any more. My other sister Sophie was starting to get the hang of it but was a wee bit fussy on learning it; I on the other hand was still working away with my mum and still producing good results.

In May 2004 it happened again. My mum and dad came home with what I thought was a wee brown toy but it turned out it was another girl Labrador (Tara)  and she’s a chocolate one who has turned into an elephant  as she is bigger than me and keeps all hell going.

In September 2004 we were at the two day show in Lisburn and at the end of the first day’s fun at which I had won a rosette or two, my mum and dad were up the field playing and chasing the ball. When I went in to get it I got up but there was something wrong with one of my back legs so I went down again and when I tried to get up again I couldn’t, so my dad carried me which I don’t like anyone doing. The next thing I know I was on the back seat of the car with my mum and she was crying while dad drove. We arrived at a strange building which I later found out to be a vets and he looked me all over and stuck needles in me and put me into a cage where my mum left me. It turned out that I had dislocated a disc and had to have a big rest and take medication, but the worse thing was that the vet told my mum that I would not be able to do agility any more. After some rest and special treatment by mum, I am now fully recovered and am able to go on walks with all my sisters and even go swimming and running on the beach with them, although mum keeps a sharp eye on me.

The sad thing is I cannot do Agility anymore and have to watch my sister Sophie compete who I am very proud of as she is doing it quite well but oh how I wish it was me, still I suppose at  eleven I should sit back and enjoy my retirement like all old gentlemen.