Westminster Agility

[Jess041]

Well I was at a flyball tournament all day Saturday, so I set it to record in case I didn't get back in time to watch. Well go figure, the first 30+ minutes of the recording was a basketball game, which meant it cut off the end of the agility competition. I think it ended in the middle of the 16" dogs. Missy didn't pay any attention to it. She was passed out from the tournament.

I did enjoy watching it. We've been taking classes since November, and while I have never competed in agility, I do have a general understanding of what's going on. I found Greg Louganis to be completely annoying. His "good puppy!" and "good doggy!" drove me nuts. I wasn't super impressed with the overall competition. Seemed a little too flashy where I'm more of a less frills, more thrills kinda person. But hey, it's Westminster. I'm going to try recording a re-airing of it and see if I can watch the whole thing this time lol.

My boss sent me an email yesterday afternoon with a link to an article talking about the winner. I was kinda like, yes, thank you, I watched some of it. Stupid recording *grumble grumble*...

 

[Silaria]

I would vehemently disagree here. Many "top dogs" don't compete in AKC enough to bother with a MACH, or the dogs are older by the time they get around to it. The "top dogs" are doing USDAA every weekend, and wouldn't have blinked at a backside challenge.

I can't, and won't, argue that statement. Having been to both AKC and USDAA trials there is a definite difference in the technical handling, and therefore skills required, to navigate a USDAA course. (I have run the Master Standard and Master Jumpers challenges in USDAA. Those are some challenging, but fun, courses.) This is why I also stated:

Not everyone with a MACH or PACH is a top dog since, if you throw enough money at it, eventually you'll get lucky enough to get the qualifications BUT you have a better chance of presenting a better representation of Performance sport.

If you are going to, and want to, represent AKC agility at it's "best" then the MACH and PACH dogs will at least [hopefully] provide handlers who know what they are doing.

I think if they just let people enter, do a real random draw, let the competition go as usual, and added a for-real finals round, the cream would rise to the top. It's the manipulating the finals that did this trial in. And FWIW, the finals criteria was clearly spelled out in the premium list, so everybody knew or should have known there were going to be shenanigans.

Again, agreed. If you are going to run a trial, run a trial. The methods used, including those for random draw, work. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you want a specific mix of dogs there, then do it as an Invitational and don't bother with opening it up for entries.

 

[take4roll10]

I have similar feelings to what Hopeshelties and Siliaria wrote. It came off as just a way for AKC to promote agility, promote that they have All-American dogs participating in their events and try to get people who don't do agility interested in it. While that is great, when I think of Westminster, I think of a prestigious show with high-standards and that is not how they came across with this agility event.

Since it is an AKC event, I like the idea requiring the dogs have a MACH or at least MXJ & MX titles. And I think it should be the top 10 dogs for each jump height. Yes, it was nice seeing a variety of dogs. It looked better on TV, but if you're going to advertise it as the top 50 dogs from the qualifying rounds then actually do that.

When I watch the Westminster conformation shows (which requires a championship title), I'm amazed at their beauty and know that my dog wouldn't qualify. I feel like I should've felt the same way about the agility event. It is Westminster after all...

 

[Sealtainn]

Hmm, we are looking for agility sport to get divided, I am sure within next few years as most sports end up doing professional elite will emerge as separate class and rest of us will join amateur level competitions.

I've been calling for this for a long time, just drop the word "elite" & leave the split as Professional and Amateur.
The time & resources available to even part-time professionals in agility, never mind those training dogs full-time as a profession, far exceeds those of us who don't. Unless you are retired or a student or teacher of some sorts with plenty of time on your hands the time available to train and practice is much reduced.

The dividing lines are clear at USDAA Regionals or higher, so why not recognize the top performing teams from the majority pool that maintains these events through entry fees?

I have seen the "elite" at trials, they tend to make their presence obvious.

These are the same professionals that take out of the sport more than they put in: they only trial the minimum necessary to qualify for the top events in AKC/USDAA/UKI/WTTO/Team USA or whatever. They have the luxury of training facilities & make their income from the rest of us. They are due recognition for what they do & what they can achieve but if fair is fair then let us also recognize & celebrate when a team who is lucky to have the resources to attend maybe 1 class a week, and doesn't have unlimited access to equipment or backyards large enough to train in.

There may be a few pros that could be argued that genuinely give as much as they take (perhaps measured in ways other than $'s), and a small number of amateurs that for some stroke of fortune can consistently compete with the pros but I think in general it is obvious when aspiring to be the best that such a divide exists.

 

[HopeShelties]

Another way to do it would be to have qualifiers throughout the year (similar to USDAA's regionals). It would be another way of ensuring higher quality competition is there. They could invite the top however many from each qualifier to compete.
By holding qualifiers at various trials throughout the year, they could really raise the standard and get some of the best there to compete. I think there would still be a number of breeds well represented outside of Shelties and Border Collies. I could easily see Poodles, Mini Shnauzers, Pyr Sheps, Weims, Goldens, Labs, Corgis, Pumis, Papillons, Rat Terriers, Parson Russel Terriers, Aussies, Beardies, Tervs, Eskies, Cocker Spaniels, Dobermans, and mixed breeds all standing a chance at making it through. That would show plenty of diversity.

 

[k9kreationz]

Shenanigans. Love it.

I'm on my phone, so I won't get into my thoughts yet....but I was thinking it being Westminster and all.....I think show dogs with titles should run. Haha. Yes, I thought that as I watched it. It'd be such a beautiful thing to watch. Since overall, I felt it was a joke at who was running.

I also disliked that it looked like they were running on Astroturf on the concrete ground of the building.

 

[Mom2Melli]

I am voting for the division of the sport -- I thought it could be named with an initial like Rally.

Obedience and Rally-O

Agility and, wait for it, Agility-SLO (all walking and untimed). Get it, SLO?

There would be a subjective score given, as in form at each obstacle, in case of a tie.

Hee Hee. Sign me up!

 

[Jess041]

I am voting for the division of the sport -- I thought it could be named with an initial like Rally.

Obedience and Rally-O

Agility and, wait for it, Agility-SLO (all walking and untimed). Get it, SLO?

There would be a subjective score given, as in form at each obstacle, in case of a tie.

Hee Hee. Sign me up!

I'm all for Agility-SLO.. sign me up as well!

Ok maybe not because my dog would not handle me walking around the course. She's gotta go go go!

 

[HopeShelties]

No slo agility for me but seriously, if you want a venue that scores differently based more on how the lines are set and that isn't judged on speed there is UKC agility. They judge each individual obstacle and you have to set a straight line.. no ugly slices or anything. Speed I think only comes into play when dealing with multiple dogs with the same score.

 

[Hurtseverywhere]

Hmm, we are looking for agility sport to get divided, I am sure within next few years as most sports end up doing professional elite will emerge as separate class and rest of us will join amateur level competitions.

Hope Not, I enjoy being able to compete with some of the best compeditors in the country when they are at a trial, even if we do get our butts whipped most of the time. It gives you something to aspire too.