Monthly Archives: April 2015

March 2015 League Results

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We are happy to finally publish the results for the National Dog Agility League competition for March 2015.

Top Dog

Anne O’Neill, Wynd, Border Collie, F, 20, 16.71

Top 20

Anne O’Neill, Wynd, Border Collie, F, 20, 16.71

Anne O’Neill, Snow Devyl, Border Collie, F, 26, 17.10

Teri O’Neill, Tylt, Border Collie, F, 20, 17.29

Kirstin O’Neill, Beckham, Parson Russell, M, 16, 18.29

Tracy Hanna, Jiro!, Belgian Malinois, F, 20, 19.60

Steve Schwarz, Flyer, Border Collie, M, 22, 22.18

Tony Sulita, Merlin, Border Collie, M, 22, 22.77

Carly Treinen, Moses, All American, M, 16, 23.00

Lori Rossi, Fysti, Sheltie, F, 12, 23.79

Laura Fearn, Sofia, Sheltie, F, 14, 24.45

Keith Staub, Scout, Chessie, M, 12, 26.85

Bud Houston, Kory, Border Collie, M, 20, 27.31

Tracey Lind, Paint, Kelpie, F, 26, 27.51

Bonnie Allen, Fame, Border Collie, F, 16, 29.00

Marsha Houston, Phoenix, Border Collie, M, 20, 29.93

Darryl Pubillones, Rosie, Border Collie, F, 20, 29.96

Susan Weber, Target, DSFD, M, 12, 30.22

Andrea Atkinson, Max, All-American, M, 20, 31.53

Jack Withrow, Zipp, Border collie, m, 20, 31.89

Kirstin O’Neill, Radical Rabbit, Malinois, F, 26, 31.96

030115A45x90 ~ Numbered Course

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Download Event Workbook

Download Results

Continued League Play in April 2015

April is a month in which we are treading water, as we build the founders coalition for the organization. Today and tomorrow invitations will be going out to our league clubs to join a discussion list on Yahoo. We have quite a bit of work to do to define the constitution of the organization.

In any case, we have two games scheduled for the month of April. These are described below, with links to download the scorekeeping workbooks.

04081560×60 The Box Game

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Download Event Workbook ~ The workbook has the score sheet, the course map, and a briefing for this game.

The Box game is a sequencing game that provides for bonuses for the dog working at a distance. The Box Game is scored Time, Plus Faults, Less Bonuses.

This course is designed for Novice dogs to be successful and test basic skills. However, the game invites handlers of very advanced dogs who want to shoot for the high score on a ripper race track of a course.


111612B60x90 Dare to DoubleBLOG999_02

Download Event Workbook ~ The workbook has the scoresheet, the course map, and a briefing for this game.

Download Results ~ This game was originally played in November, 2012. You can download existing results here.

Dare to Double is a dog’s-choice game. The objective is to score as many points as possible, repeating a doubling obstacle on course (traditionally the A-frame) as often as time allows. The dog risks losing half his points if the A-frame is faulted! The dog must get to the finish obstacle before course time elapses or be penalized. Dare to Double is score Points, Then Time.

Blog1001 NDAL

Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston Houston.Bud@gmail.com. The web store is up and running. www.dogagility.org/newstore. You’ll find in the web store The Book of Agility Games, an invaluable reference to clubs engaged in league play.

April 2015 League Courses

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The Secretary’s Pick for the month of April 2015 will include two games, shown and described below. Please note that we’re still working on scores from our March competition. Those results will be posted soon.

04081560×60 The Box Game

BLOG999_01

Download Event Workbook ~ The workbook has the score sheet, the course map, and a briefing for this game. The Box game is a sequencing game that provides for bonuses for the dog working at a distance. The Box Game is scored Time, Plus Faults, Less Bonuses. This course is designed for Novice dogs to be successful and test basic skills. However, the game invites handlers of very advanced dogs who want to shoot for the high score on a ripper race track of a course.

111612B60x90 Dare to Double

BLOG999_02

Download Event Workbook ~ The workbook has the scoresheet, the course map, and a briefing for this game.

Download Results ~ This game was originally played in November, 2012. You can download existing results here. Dare to Double is a dog’s-choice game. The objective is to score as many points as possible, repeating a doubling obstacle on course (traditionally the A-frame) as often as time allows. The dog risks losing half his points if the A-frame is faulted! The dog must get to the finish obstacle before course time elapses or be penalized. Dare to Double is score Points, Then Time. Blog999 NDAL

Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston Houston.Bud@gmail.com. The web store is up and running. www.dogagility.org/newstore. You’ll find in the web store The Book of Agility Games, an invaluable reference to clubs engaged in league play.

NDAL Judges’ Education

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As results come in for our March league, it occurs that we have a prodigious task in training our judges to understand rules for performance. I’m seeing a lot of “E” scores in the reporting. Under our rules about the only way to earn a score of Elimination is for the dog to poop in the ring or for the handler to pick up his or her dog in the middle of a run and quit the course.

I’m not discouraged, mind you. Recognize that our rules for performance were deviously hidden in the pages of our Rules and Regulations. It is natural for an experienced agility person, in lieu of actually reading the rules, to rely on that experience to extrapolate the rational standard for performance.

Can You Say “Granularity?”

The problem with a score of “E” is that it cuts off any hope of measuring performance or, for that matter, comparing scores. As the National Dog Agility League (NDAL) is not primarily a titling agility registry we require a system that allows a comparison of scores. Purists in the sport will spit and sputter in objection to a dog earning only 5 faults for a wrong course. But if you think about it, those 5 faults will move the dog down in the standings without actually removing the performance score as though it never existed.

Standard Fault

The standard fault is signaled by the judge: Raised hand, open palm. The scribe will write an “S” on the scribe sheet. The scorekeeper will assign 5 fault points for each standard fault. Performance errors that earn a standard fault include:

  • Missed contacts ~ Only the down contact is judged except in the case of a side-mount.
  • Wrong-course ~ Only one wrong course fault until the dog is back on course, no matter how many obstacles the dog takes on his detour. Commitment with four paws is required to earn a wrong course.
  • Fly-off of the teeter ~ This fault is called only when the down plank doesn’t hit the ground, or if the dog comes off the plank without physical control.
  • Missed weave poles ~ One occurrence only, aggregated with missed entry
  • Displacing hurdle poles
  • Leaving the table before completion of the count ~ One occurrence only

Refusal

The refusal is signaled by the judge: Raised hand, closed fist. The scribe will write an “R” on the scribe sheet. The scorekeeper will assign 5 fault points for each refusal.

The refusal is called on contact obstacles only.

Failure to Perform

The failure is signaled by the judge: Both hands raised, open palm. The scribe will write an “F” on the scribe sheet. The scorekeeper will assign 20 fault points for each failure to perform. Performance errors that earn a failure, or may earn a failure, include:

  • Excessive Delay at Start: ~ 5 faults to Elimination
  • Outside assistance ~ 5 faults to Elimination
  • 3 occurrences of leaving the table early ~ Failure to Perform
  • 3 occurrences of missed weave poles ~ Failure to Perform
  • Failure to perform ~ 20 faults
  • Excessive handler assistance ~ 5 faults to Elimination

Elimination

The elimination is signaled by the judge: Crossed arms. The scribe will write an “E” on the scribe sheet. The scorekeeper will “E” the dog’s score, and no time is recorded. Performance errors that earn elimination include:

  • Unsportsmanlike behavior ~ Elimination and Excused
  • Aggression to humans or other dogs ~ Elimination and Excused
  • Dog ceasing to work or leaving the test area ~ Elimination and Excused
  • Fouling the course ~ Elimination and Excused

Rules and Regulations

You can download your very own copy of the Rules and Regulations here:

http://www.dogagility.org/documents/FilesForms/TopDogRules3.5.pdf

Blog996 NDAL

Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston Houston.Bud@gmail.com. The web store is up and running. www.dogagility.org/newstore. You’ll find in the web store The Book of Agility Games, an invaluable reference to clubs engaged in league play.