Wishful thinking
 How
can we make agility better? If you have an idea for making our sport even better - whether
it be serious or light-hearted - what would you wish for? Electronic contacts? A National
Agility Centre? Mandatory ring parties? Nothing is too trivial. This is not meant to be
criticism. Just positive suggestions for improving our favourite pastime please. Email your
suggestions to
Agilitynet
Foam contacts
Everyone whinges about contacts and judges 'not seeing the running contact' or 'he got a toe on
it' etc. I heard an idea re: contacts at Shuttleworth. Now we would all love a bright light or
buzz to say we'd done it okay, but considering the amount of timing failures etc. we don't want
any more electronics. I heard someone say what about memory foam? Now I know this would
require close scrutiny, but I know that when I have been ring party and asked to do poles I
would be more than happy to watch a contact as well. Just a thought... Nicky Huelin
(07/11/07)
Entertainment at week long agility
shows
As not everyone wants to use entertainment on
offer - and I know a lot of people prefer to get together with friends in the evening - I
think it would be a good idea to be able to book camping without entertainment at a specific
fee. Then those who wish to do so could book an 'entertainment pass' for an extra fee, which
would then have to be shown before entry to any entertainment. Marion McAfee (21/06/07)
Training in the ring
FCI rules have a solution for this - and many other problems debated at length on
here for that matter! There are two course times: SCT (Standard Course Time) after which you
start accumulating time faults, and a MCT (Maximum Course Time - usually double the SCT) after
which you are eliminated and you must leave the ring immediately - regardless of whether you
are continuing after an earlier elimination, or still competing with a very slow dog! This
solves the problem of endless attempts at the weaves without further faults, or repeated
attempts at contacts etc after an elimination. The judge usually blows a whistle and then you
must leave the ring directly. They have a button to reset the timing everywhere I've competed
abroad, so no need to do the last jump. Ian Watts
(12/06/07)
I would just like to point out that the BAA have SCT and MCT in their rules, and all BAA
timing equipment has a reset button so you do not have to take the last jump.
June Bass
Too many numbers!
Can we just give the grades names, as when you are looking at your running order it is very
confusing with ring numbers, running numbers, grade numbers! Sue Hunt
(18/04/97)
Sue Hunt gets confused
by the list of numbers on ring card etc. She isn't the only one. I even heard a judge at
Golden Valley say we should go back to the class names. It is confusing, and especially so
when straining your hearing to catch that tannoy announcement. You know the scene, not enough
tannoys, the wind is in the wrong direction and your neighbours dogs decide now would be a
good time for choir practice. So yes, I agree please can we have class names instead of
number. It won't be a problem to go back as the pads have the old classes on them anyway.
Mick Chambers (21/04/97)
Young dogs at shows
Having only just come into agility - and
yes, I am addicted already - I am amazed that all dogs have to start at Grade 3 if the handler
has won out of Starters. Having come from horses from grass root level up to Horse of the Year,
we all start our horses at Novice level and build up, giving the horse time to take in the
sights, smells and gain the all important confidence.
Why do we not do the same with dogs? I do not feel it would make
it harder for the more novice handlers to win out, as the more experienced handler who are
bringing their young dogs through will win out quickly anyway. But what it would do is allow
young dogs to gain experience and confidence around a simple course.
We won out of Starters at our third show great I hear you say, but
we did not gain enough experience running simpler courses especially as it was my first season
with my first dog. Now I have another pup to bring on, it would be good to bring him on slowly
rather than have to over face him with Grade 3 courses. Of course, he may be great but if not
will the more difficult courses build or destroy his self confidence!? Just a thought!
Zoë Fillery - Hammond (11/06/97)
Surely that was the whole point
of adding grade 3? This issue was discussed at great length and the final decision was
(rightly in my opinion) that it would be detrimental to new handlers to have experienced
handlers competing at grades 1 and 2 as it would make it very difficult for a large number of
people to progress. Novice was split into 3 so young dogs didn't have to compete
against experienced ones. Personally I don't think that grades 1 and 2 should have to
progress through grade 3 - they should run in parallel. However, grade 3 does give
young dogs a chance to compete against other youngsters (as well as more experienced dogs
progressing from grade 2) rather than against senior and advanced dogs (as in the old
intermediate). Many clubs put 1-3 grades together, so the courses are the same for 3 as
for 1 and 3. However they're also put with 4, 5 and above, giving them the opportunity
to perhaps try a harder course (if graded against their peers) before having to compete
against the higher graded dogs. This is also good, otherwise harder courses may come as
a shock!
Sometimes judges of 1-7 classes
(old open) set the course at far too high a level (old senior) giving lower grades less
chance of getting round and that is a shame, but fortunately perhaps it is rarer than setting
it at the old 'novice' level to give everyone a chance.
Personally I think the grading is an improvement - however I
would still wish to see grades 2 and 3 at the same level with grade 2 and 3 dogs progressing
to 4. Also, there's room for a range of difficulty levels at each grade, to ensure that
it's not only the very fast dogs who can progress.
Penny Garner-Carpenter
Floppy tunnels and wee petite dogs
Most dogs love them and mine do if it is dry but the times
I have seen dogs get tangled up and stuck in them when they are wet I wonder if they really are
safe. On occasions I have asked the judge if they are leaving the floppy tunnel in as it has
been soooo wet, often the reply is yes because it was in the class for the bigger dogs, exactly
bigger dogs have bigger bodies and can push harder and faster through the tunnel, little dogs
can find it harder, maybe we need a shorter tunnel! Donna Johnson
(11/06/97)
Small dogs; small classes
Why at some shows to the Small dogs have to run in Combined
classes 1-7. Would it not be possible to run the same classes as Large dogs Grade 1-2 or 3.
Jenny Collinge
(11/06/97)
Points systems?
How about competing against a set number of points like working trials instead of against each
other. I am never going to win in agility as it stands because my dog is too slow. Don't ask me
to try another discipline because I do love agility.
Angela Matthews
(11/06/97)
Queuing at shows
How about formalising pre-queueing by putting up a sign/line for each course to mark where
queues should form and in what direction? That way you won't end up with multiple groups all
jostling for position round the caller. If judges/ring managers don't want pre-queuers or
callers still want to stick to the first X dogs then fair enough. Also, if a line is used, what
about asking only the handler or their groom to stand on the line so that people can better
gauge how many people are in the queue. Of course, friends and family can still stand near to
the handler, but at least they won't be thought to be in the queue themselves. Simon
Westings
Helping at shows
With shows getting bigger and having more rings and not having enough help, wouldn't it be an
idea to put the order of judging on the schedule so you could see if you would have most of
your runs in the morning or afternoon. That way you would know when you would be free to offer
help as ring party. Would this help shows get more offers of help or not? I know I would prefer
to help when I know I haven't got to go off and still run my dog. Angie Brooks
I
loved Angie Brooks’ idea about putting the order of judging on the schedule. I
definitely would offer to help more often if I
could help when I knew there wasn’t a class for me. I tend to help mostly when my Clubs are
manning a ring – which makes everything more flexible. Mary
Kinnaird
Ring
Letters
Now we have the new grading system, could I suggest we use letters instead of more
numbers for the rings as we now have so many numbers to cope with? Ring cards could then look
like this Ring A G1 (L) R/O 7 - 127 Ring B G2 (S) ______ Ring C________ and so on.
Please equipment suppliers can we have very large, very visual, four sided boards. Lisa
Jordan
A post code plea
Could all show secretaries please please put their postcode in very
small
letters on their schedules and the postcode for the venue in very
large
letters. My ex-husband took our daughter Charlotte to Lewes today. Being a good person, I did
the directions for him on the route planner. And yes... I did it again. They ended up at you
know where. Jane Dee
I loved the electronic/digital
screen timing
I saw it used up at Myerscough last year. Can't remember which show
but it was much easier to see your own time after a run and very exciting seeing whether there
was a new leader. I'm sure it could be adapted to have another big screen above/below to show
the ring number, class, grade and perhaps, number being called to? As it was quite high
up, it would be easier to keep track of the rings rather than squeezing through the queue and
then wonder if the calling board has been updated. Just a thought... Emma Conlisk
(21/04/97)
Too many numbers!
Can we just give the grades names, as when you are looking at your running order it is very
confusing with ring numbers, running numbers, grade numbers! Sue Hunt
(18/04/97)
Sue Hunt gets confused by the list
of numbers on ring card etc. She isn't the only one. I even heard a judge at Golden Valley
say we should go back to the class names. It is confusing, and especially so when straining
your hearing to catch that tannoy announcement. You know the scene, not enough tannoys, the
wind is in the wrong direction and your neighbours dogs decide now would be a good time for
choir practice. So yes, I agree please can we have class names instead of number. It won't be
a problem to go back as the pads have the old classes on them anyway.
Mick Chambers (21/04/97)
Recyclable Rosettes
I've been thinking that it's a pity
agility rosettes aren't recycled. If they were made with removable card centres, they could go
to a central pool and be re-used, even if only for charity events. Or they could go back to the
individual clubs.
I have been guilty of throwing rosettes away - not because me and
my dogs are spectacular winners but because I've been in the game for 20 years. There simply
isn't room to display them all). What do you think? Tessa Ventris
(17/04/97)
I think Tessa has a brilliant idea with the
rosettes. Don't know why it hasn't been taken up. Agility would be in the recycling
and environment good books both at the same time. I sincerely hope this comes about soon.
Well done Tessa. Lynn Pottage
(24/06/97)
GR8 to see so many people have ideas for the shows and I thought
hard about the rosette situation too, lovely that they are but where do you put them? I
remember RVA giving out a small cardboard certificate for a place alongside a rosette, great
idea as it is small and you could keep it as evidence/reminder for your agility warrant.
Donna Johnson (11/06/97)
Better exercise
areas
How about safe, fully fenced, terrier-proof, generously sized exercise areas? No fireworks
within a 20-mile radius? The fireworks at DIN were certainly de trop. And definitely no
thunderstorms, though I suspect God will be difficult to convince.
And I’ll go along with Penny’s suggestion of no discos after a set
time, but as I assume she is thinking of Letchworth, this is difficult when the noise is not
actually generated at the show! Christine Bailey
Co-ordinated Glass Trophies
I would like clubs to get together to get their glass trophies from the same supplier, so we
can collect sets at different shows. I managed a full set of six wine glasses at Norfolk
this year, but would like the whisky tumblers to match please. Lisa Adamson
Noisy Camp Sites
Pity us poor old fogies - and I include my 19
year old daughter - who loathe the thump thump thump of the disco late into the night - well,
after 11pm anyway! I can put up with Karaoke as the background noise is lower, but I do think
there should be a curfew on amplified noise at camping shows. Perhaps it sounds louder when you
are in a tent! Penny Cockerill
Camping with Generators
Please, please is it possible for camping to be
organised into two zones. One for noisy generators and a non-generator zone for those of us
who'd rather not be camped near them. Val Clark
(05/09/05)
Poles Apart
One of the latest crazes is apparently having a pole dancing party. What a great alternative
use for jump poles! Angela Lucas (25/08/05)
From Sandrine Farr
The best person to invite to your pole
dancing party is Linda Elliot from UpAndOver Agility School – at Golden Valley in June
Linda astonished us all with a very raunchy pole dance! Needless to say her fiancé Nigel
was well impressed! (26/08/05) |
Postcode Running Orders
Get a super duper, computer whiz kid to write an addition to the current random
numbers programme, sorting by address so that the people that live at the same address are in
the same part of each of the entered classes, thus avoiding delays which in our case means that
sometimes one of us can be finished by 10am, while the other is still waiting to run at 4pm in
the afternoon. Just a thought! Jo Chalmers (25/08/05)
Staggered Show Starts
Is there any practical method of staggering starts? Often we arrive at 08:00am, first run is
within the hour - but then we can face a wait of six hours until the next. Most people run
either the lower end (like us!) i.e. Elementary/Starters while the elite are at the other
end of the spectrum. Perhaps one group could start later? I don't know if this is an old
chestnut, but the idea did occur. Adrian Cumming
(24/08/05)
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