An open letter to the AKC Advisory Committee: To the Agility Advisory Committee (or to whom it may concern), I would like to propose the following for your approval: Rename the current ISC class to be Masters Choice (agility and jww). The name ISC is inappropriate at this time, in my opinion, for a couple of reasons. First, it is not a sweepstakes class, since, to my knowledge, winning money is not something that is regularly a part of holding the class in the first place. Second, the term international may prevent those who are seeking more challenging courses but who do NOT have interest in travelling internationally to compete from entering in and enjoying full benefits of participation in these types of courses Make Masters Choice a REGULAR class. This means that whether or not there are any entries in the class, it MUST be offered on any day that Excellent and Masters level agility and jww classes are offered. Require that dogs have an AX and/or AXJ to compete in Masters Choice. Successful completion of a Masters level title should not be a requirement for entry into Masters Choice classes. Offer the following titles in the Masters Choice classes: MCA (masters choice agility - 10 legs) MCJ (masters choice jww - 10 legs) MCCH (masters choice champion - 20 qqs and 2250 speed points) Due to the more challenging nature of Masters Choice classes, offer 3x speed points for seconds under time. Note that the MCCH speed points above are calculated based on 3x the speed points required for a MACH Offer the option of getting qs for the AKC NAC from Masters OR Masters Choice. Speed points may come from either. Legs may come from any combination of the four classes (agility and/or jww in masters/masters choice). Competitors may only enter Masters or Masters Choice on any given day. They may not enter both, or a combination of both. Either Masters in both agility and jww, or Masters choice in agility and jww. This way QQs for NAC are not a combination of Masters/Masters Choice. Additionally, trial entry limits need not be adjusted if competitors can only enter one or the other division. Offer Masters Choice at all the regular jump heights AND Preferred Jump heights Accordingly, offer the following titles: PMCA PMCJ PMCCH See above for requirements International Team Tryouts scores must come from Masters Choice but can come from ANY height that the dog would regularly be able to jump in competition. We do not need to be jumping our large dogs at 26 all year long, creating unnecessary risk for injury. If a handler can handle a dog through a Masters Choice class at the regular jump height, and is motivated to be successful at ITT, let them use their best judgement with regard to the height their dog jumps at. At shows interested in doing so, offer MASTERS CHOICE SWEEPSTAKES classes. These would be Masters Choice classes, as usual, with the added benefit of the current big ISC courses, where handlers can win a spot at the ITT automatically. Offer these sweepstakes classes at ALL heights, however, and make them a real SWEEPSTAKES - meaning, a % of the fees collected should go back to the competitors at these Masters Choice Sweepstakes events. Make sure that the Masters Choice courses contain challenges that are reflective of the highest standards of agility handling and training around the world. We devalue the talent possessed within the ranks of AKC agility competitors by constantly referring to international courses and challenges as something in some way superior to the agility we can find at home. Give judges the leeway to design Masters Choice courses that test handlers handling skills. By the time handlers get to Masters Choice they should be prepared for ANY challenge, and so regular course design restrictions should NOT apply. Strongly suggest nesting courses from Masters so as to minimize the burden on clubs and fellow competitors, but purposefully keep design choices unrestricted except to state something similar to that found on page three here: fci.be/circulaires/64-2012-annex-en.pdf An agility judge should always take into account that agility should be fun for the dog, the handler and the spectators. An agility judge should be able to design a course with the correct level of difficulty. An agility judge should have worked a dog her/himself so he can appreciate what it is like being an agility competitor. An agility judge should always be fair and just. Personal feelings should not interfere with her/his decisions. An agility judge should be unwavering, confident and courteous. An agility judge should be able to make quick and reliable decisions. An agility judge must be capable of adjusting her/his course design at a moment’s notice, for example due to the weather conditions or the condition of the floor surface. ALSO course design can be adapted from the same document, see page 7-forward OF NOTE: Page 11 of this document states: The course should have the right degree of difficulty. A course should be fluent and traps are to be avoided. Accordingly, more challenging need not be equal to more traps Use regular equipment for Masters Choice courses - keep contact zones and jump heights the same so as to minimize the financial and time impact on clubs. It is the HANDLING challenges that should be emphasized here. Those that want to go to international team tryouts know the contact zones are smaller and can be expected to do their homework. This need not be a burden placed on clubs or other competitors who are just seeking a higher level of challenge without ITT aspirations. Im sure that there are things that I have left out here. However, I believe that the AKC Agility Program possesses a body of competitors with talent as yet untapped, and that the institution of a Masters Choice program will allow competitors to explore what they and their dogs are truly capable of in a challenging, sportsmanlike, and fun fashion. Thanks you for your consideration, -- Daisy Daisy Peel daisy@daisypeel daisypeel
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 22:31:22 +0000
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