The Show

I have this concept that I’ve been working with all year to produce a schmaltzy Dog Agility television program. Well, it’s not actually television because it would be internet-based. The program content I’ve had in mind is basically a reality show, a bit tongue-in-cheek; but based on a serious agility competition.

I’ve talked to different folks all over the country about participating in the start-up. I’ve resolved that there are certain resources that need to be in place to get it going. These include:

* Video Pro (and possibly a producer/writer/editor in the deal).

* Venue. Ideally the site would be capable of putting up a world class agility course.

* Players. Ideally 20 players interested in competing for a place on The Show. It would be more interesting with twice that number.

* Local champion. This is the key mover/shaker that manages the assets and resources for the competition.

Queen City

Right now it’s looking like we have all of the required resources ready to rock ‘n Roll at Queen City Dog Training Club in Cincinnati. I need to arrange for a meeting with their brain trust to answer their questions about the program. We’ll see if I have good answers for them. The bit I’m most concerned with, on their behalf, is that the competition is a positive and fun draw and helps them pay their bills. [Not to be egotistic or anything, but I think it’ll be their biggest night of the week, ever; I’ll have them saying “there hasn’t been so much excitement around here since the pigs ate my baby brother!”]

Top Dog Agility Players

The aforementioned Show is intended as a focus for Top Dog. The competitions featured on The Show might be twice monthly (maybe weekly??) About ten days before the program airs we would publish the course so that anybody out there can set it up and report their scores to see how they rank against the players on The Show. Sounds like fun eh?

Now, I’ve barely scraped the surface of the diabolical machinations that have been rocking my brain… I want to build from the competition of The Show the premier team of an agility league that will ultimately inspire and launch other agility teams around the world.

How big should an agility team be? Heck, I don’t even know. I’m thinking initially that it will be eight players.

Just for a second let me digress to my vision of the competition on with The Show is based. We begin the evening with two “advancement” rounds. All dogs will be ranked by competition against the field. And the top eight, at the end of the night will advance to the final round (though all dogs get to run that round). Those eight dogs will be the team that is the focus of The Show.

When Opportunity Knocks

My momma used to tell me “Opportunity knocks all the time. The question is… do you answer the door?”

I said above that “I’ve talked to folks all over the country” about The Show and Top Dog. Frankly, I’m trying to build a team of partners/co-owners. The effort really requires talented and energetic people with diverse skills. What I find is that everybody likes the idea of a payday, but very few care to take any risk. I understand that completely.

In the meantime, I seek those special few whose brains catch fire at the concept. We’ll seek the services of vendors at some later date.

Walt

I sing the body electric, The armies of those I love engirth me and I engirth them, They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them, And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the soul.

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Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston Houston.Bud@gmail.com. Visit the web store at: www.dogagility.org/newstore. Please note that the web store carries The Book of Agility Games. This is an important reference for any club who plays the variety of games that we’ll play in Top Dog Agility Players.