Hi Melanie!
Nyah, times haven't changed for years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Folks at the confuser, may...............from time-to-time, input the wrong yardage..............................this I know well......................my wife is dyslexic and transpositions around our home are common.............................especially when it comes to balancing the checkbook!!!!! <LOL>
On the other paw, I've had some runs with my kids over the years that "felt to me" to be REALLY FAST and REALLY EFFICIENT...............................and yet we were still over time...........................little..................even miniscule......................bobbles add up seconds REALLY FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've also partnered with our late BC, Gael........................on occasion...........................and she was SOOOOOOOO NOT a fast agility BC...........................throw a frisbee or put her on stock......................she had a totally different "gear"! <LOL>
Q or NQ, I...............my wife and all of our kids, past and present, LOVE the smooth, FAST flow that encourage speed in NADAC..............................even so, not all of our dogs "got" the "speed component" of that "equation".........................
I'm an OLD FART that's played the agility game for over 25 years now...............................for me, ribbons, titles and awards don't hold any meaning for me anymore.............................and I'm NOT disparaging anyone that likes them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just saying that they really shouldn't be the "end all and be all" of your evaluation of the run that your and your dog(s) had.............................as long as your time in the ring with your bestest buddy FELT GOOD...............................your bestest buddy WAS HAPPY............................and you did THE BEST THAT YOU COULD DO AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME..........................really, in the final analysis, what else truly matters?
NADAC is CHALLENGING....................make NO mistake about that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But it does NOT put stress on our dogs' bodies to perform...................................NADAC is VERY KIND to their bodies.........................NADAC DOES CHALLENGE the concept of TEAM WORK..........................and, as such, it is very good at exposing those little flaws that exist in virtually everyone's team work........................
While I understand your frustration, as Ms. Sharon has oft times stated.........................a run isn't "perfect" if it has time faults!
NO.........................I'm NOT being sarcastic or a smart *ss.........................at least I'm trying my best not to be either...............................simply making a statement of fact.
OK.........................so let's assume, just for the sake of discussion, that you "unjustly lost a Q" and whatever else went along with it................................how many Qs have you...........................and will you earn because a scribe missed a judge's call of a fault........................the judge missed a fault.......................for those clubs that use a stopwatch and timer that you "got the benefit of the doubt" with the timer's reaction time.............................
Over time, at worst.....................you'll "break even"..............................and very likely "get more than you lost".................................
From the dog's perspective..........................the dog does NOT care about ribbons or titles in the least.......................unless the ribbon comes with a cookie....................the most important thing that your dog wants is your APPROVAL that s/he PLEASED YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To me, it sounds as though you had a couple of TOTALLY AWESOME runs that you should be CELEBRATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look........................please DON'T sweat the petty things..........................and, by the same token, don't pet the sweaty things!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best wishes.......................hugs & wags,
Al & Barb Ceranko, Pelli & Katie in Ohio......aka Castle Camelot
I have been doing NADAC for about three years now and have never had a problem making time. Currently I run a high drive boxer and an Australian Shepherd. In the last NADAC trial, they both had beautiful, clean, fast jumpers rounds. I came out thinking I had a new Elite title with the Aussie and a new Open title with the boxer. When I went to check the books, their times were just too slow. This has never happened before. They sometimes come in almost 10 seconds under time! I talked to many others who have fast dogs, i.e. Catahoula, who never have a problem with time and they didn't Q either with a perfect, fast round. I understand that NADAC times are faster than most other trials but dogs who are going 4.1-4.6 YPS are not cutting it? This is really disheartening as I love NADAC but if my dogs just aren't fast enough then we will need to look for trials elsewhere. Has anybody else had this problem? Are border collies they only dogs that will be competing in NADAC and have any chance at a championship?! Please give me your insight! There were a lot of very frustrated dog owners at this trial that were surprised that their dog didn't make time when they usually do.
Thank you!
Melanie Harris
Satine, Morgie, and Quigley
