Clean Run Magazine - February 2008 - 7

Everything you always wanted to know about agility but were to ask afraid By Brenna Fender ? How do I become an agility judge? Becoming a judge in one of the three largest agility organizations isn’t a speedy process. Each requires competition experience, attendance at a seminar, passing a test, and a provisional or “supervision required” status at the start. The AKC requires applicants to have a minimum of five years experience competing in AKC agility, earning an AX or AXP title and an AXJ or AJP title in the process. Prospective judges should have worked as a timer, scribe, trial secretary/scorer, and course builder at a licensed AKC agility trial. They must be in good standing with the AKC and be at least 21 years old. Potential judges must also attend an AKC agility three-day judges’ seminar, during which they must pass written exams, take a twopart test on course analysis, successfully design all levels of courses, and complete “practical judging.” For approval, applicants must also judge a minimum of one Sanctioned A agility match successfully. More information can be found at www.akc.org/events/agility/ judging_requirements.cfm. The USDAA’s requirements are similar. “To be a judge, USDAA regulations specify that a person must have satisfactory attendance, participation, and completion of an approved USDAA judging clinic and examination, demonstrating sufficient knowledge, self-confidence, creativity, and understanding of course design principles, physical mobility, and effectiveness while judging.” (From the USDAA Policies & Procedures Statement of Policy on Qualification & Advancement of Judges, derived from USDAA Rules & Regulations, Appendix B) To fulfill these requirements, the USDAA hosts periodic three-day judging clinics followed by a test. The five-part examination includes written portions, course building, and judging in a match setting. If passing, the score on the test determines whether the applicant is qualified to judge Starters, Advanced, or Masters. Visit http://usdaa. com/binary/files/policyqualifyingJudges.pdf for more information. To become a NADAC judge, applicants should have been competing successfully at the Elite level for several years. They should have experience setting courses at classes or fun matches, and should have served as a chief course builder at several sanctioned trials. People interested in judging must become a NADAC Associate and should have computer access and adequate software knowledge to be able to send and receive courses and messages over the Internet. Potential NADAC judges must complete an application available at www.nadac.com or through the NADAC office. Applicants must name a sponsor who can vouch for the applicant’s course-building skills and knowledge of NADAC philosophy, and must attend a course design clinic and an evaluation trial where their knowledge Do you have a question about agility rules or anything else agility related? Mail your questions to Brenna Fender: brennafender@gmail.com Brenna collects the questions and forwards them to us so we never see the names. of every aspect of a trial is demonstrated. Applicants are encouraged to attend more than one evaluation trial. See NADAC’s website for more details. I’m confused. In AKC do I need to do Novice A and Novice B before getting the NA and NAJ? When competing in AKC agility, a dog obtains the Novice Agility and Novice Agility Jumper titles after earning three qualifying scores under two different judges in the Novice class. If a handler has never shown in agility before, and neither has the dog, they can enter Novice A. Anyone who has earned an agility title on a dog, and dogs that have earned a Novice title, must run in Novice B. A Novice A dog and handler team that earns the NA or NAJ titles may choose to move up to Open Standard or Jumpers to begin competing for the OA or OAJ. But if handlers don’t feel ready for Open, they can make a lateral move to Novice B and continue competing at the Novice level. No additional titles can be earned until the dog moves up to Open. A handler can only title in Novice A once. When starting over with a new dog, the handler must begin in Novice B. The complete AKC rules can be found at www.akc.org/pdfs/rulebooks/REAGIL.pdf. I’ve heard a rumor that the AKC might allow mixed breeds and nonAKC breeds to compete in companion events; is it true? An AKC representative says, “The program remains under consideration and staff is writing the business plan. At the direction of the Board of Directors, we continue to look at various scenarios that address the possibility of creating a listing service for mixedbreed dogs and the additional possibility of allowing spayed and neutered enrolled dogs to compete in Companion Events classes.” There are many more steps in this process. AKC employees plan to seek additional feedback from member clubs, owners of mixed-breed dogs in general, and owners of mixed-breed dogs that participate in non-AKC companion events. “Delegates and clubs will be kept abreast of developments relating to a mixed-breed program and there will continue to be opportunities to provide feedback,” the representative says. Questions regarding the mixed-breed concept may be directed to Mixedbreed_survey@akc.org. D NOTE: While it is not permissible to make copies of Clean Run magazine, we wish to give readers permission to make copies of this particular column for personal use. This means you are free to share copies of this column with students, friends, or club members. The information may also be included in not-for-proﬁt newsletters as long as credit is given to Clean Run. February 08 | Clean Run 7

http://www.akc.org/events/agility/judging_requirements.cfm http://www.akc.org/events/agility/judging_requirements.cfm http://www.akc.org/pdfs/rulebooks/REAGIL.pdf http://www.nadac.com

Clean Run Magazine - February 2008

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