new Bonus program

[Lisa Schmit In The Zone Agility]

Great explanation of the EP and the reasoning behind it !!   I hope that the 20 point bonus will be more like champs that have more lines (at least in Starter Stakes) across the course or BIG boxes .      I loved the lines in starter stakes this year !  It definitely was within my 'comfort zone' while Silver stakes (at least in some courses) looked way beyond my skill level.    I am sure my comfort zone with distance will increase with more practice and the 20 point in regular is a way to do push myself and my dogs.   Good practice for the champs if I qualify/ enter stakes again.   

Makes me more excited to try the 20 point bonus' in regular when I think about it like that

Personally, I have tried more regular  bonus' than any other class.  Only have a few bonus Qs....but I do try regular when I think I have the skills tested in that course. 

[AndreaL]

One more question:  last I heard, one small bobble was allowed in Regular bonus runs.  Is this still the case?

Just bumping this question so it doesn't get lost!

Andrea

[Sharon Nelson]

Great explanation of the EP and the reasoning behind it !!   I hope that the 20 point bonus will be more like champs that have more lines (at least in Starter Stakes) across the course or BIG boxes .      I loved the lines in starter stakes this year !  It definitely was within my 'comfort zone' while Silver stakes (at least in some courses) looked way beyond my skill level.    I am sure my comfort zone with distance will increase with more practice and the 20 point in regular is a way to do push myself and my dogs.   Good practice for the champs if I qualify/ enter stakes again.   

Makes me more excited to try the 20 point bonus' in regular when I think about it like that

Personally, I have tried more regular  bonus' than any other class.  Only have a few bonus Qs....but I do try regular when I think I have the skills tested in that course.

Thanks, Lisa, good input!  Hopefully with the bigger 20 point areas, you will greatly increase your number of Regular Q's and then stepping into that 30 point area will be so much more comfortable with the foundation built upon working those 20's!

The more this is discussed, I do think that the 20's should count as EP for Starter/Silver at champs!

Sharon

[Sharon Nelson]

One more question:  last I heard, one small bobble was allowed in Regular bonus runs.  Is this still the case?

Just bumping this question so it doesn't get lost!

Andrea

The five fault penalty could be a knocked bar, since that fault is also allowed in normal Regular runs.  A bonus run could possibly have a slight halt above a contact or a SLIGHT out of flow fault.

Sharon

[Sharon Nelson]

When considering bonus runs, handlers should always keep in mind that while doing bonuses and submitting videos, the dog must CLEARLY hit the contact area.  While a judge has to give the benefit of the doubt to the dog in regards to a "Q", the bonus criteria must be clear.  If the video does not clearly show a dog hitting a contact (without any doubt) then extra bonus points are not awarded.

The handlers of bonus dogs generally know how to train a contact or path flow or any other pieces of bonus criteria so it doesn't raise much of an issue.

With many more handlers that will be attempting Regular bonus with the increased bonus area, they need to be clear that a dog could earn a Q and a clean round and still not earn a bonus because of a "close" or unclear contact performance.

Remember the adage that bonus handlers have no weaknesses!!  Step into that bonus area and be proud of your training!!

Sharon

[Lisa Schmit In The Zone Agility]

"The more this is discussed, I do think that the 20's should count as EP for Starter/Silver at champs!"

YES PLEASE !!!!!!  more incentive to try them 

What are the qualifications for stakes classes? How many 20 point regular Qs do we need??

Thanks !!
lisa

[Jeannie Biggers]

Couple things.....

1.  We usually have 3 Pines at our trials to video.... he doesnt move so if the contact is away from him are we not allowed to use those videos?
2.  I still dont get a warm and fuzzy feeling with the EP's.  I do not see how this can be fair across the board.  Someone who can attend 20+ trials a year is bound to have way more opportunity than someone that only trials 10 or so times a year.  Just because someone has the money or the trial opportunity to go to many should not put them above someone that can only go to a few throughout the year at a Championship event.... jmho

[Sharon Nelson]

Couple things.....

1.  We usually have 3 Pines at our trials to video.... he doesnt move so if the contact is away from him are we not allowed to use those videos?
2.  I still dont get a warm and fuzzy feeling with the EP's.  I do not see how this can be fair across the board.  Someone who can attend 20+ trials a year is bound to have way more opportunity than someone that only trials 10 or so times a year.  Just because someone has the money or the trial opportunity to go to many should not put them above someone that can only go to a few throughout the year at a Championship event.... jmho

1.  We haven't had any issues with 3 pines videos.  Maybe they just haven't had that dog attempting a bonus with the contacts going away.

2.  In human logic, that could be true.  It sure hasn't worked that way in reality.  I see dogs that go to 20-30 trials a year and earn 1-2 EP and a different dog that goes to 10-12 trials a year and have 8 EP.  It is based on the skill of the team, not on the number of trials.  True, a team may have many more opportunities, but it is also true that they have the opportunity to fail way more times than others!  The number of trials and the number of EP have had no bearing whatsoever so far.  The skill of the teams has been the factor that determines the number of EP earned.

Sharon

[Bernie Doyle]

The blue pups & I are looking forward to this! Perhaps I can work "outside of my comfort box" with Driven & Rumor!! Guess I better start working on some extra "contact proofing" from all sort of areas!

Bernie, Kruzer, Driven & Rumor

[Sharon Nelson]

Couple things.....

1.  We usually have 3 Pines at our trials to video.... he doesnt move so if the contact is away from him are we not allowed to use those videos?
2.  I still dont get a warm and fuzzy feeling with the EP's.  I do not see how this can be fair across the board.  Someone who can attend 20+ trials a year is bound to have way more opportunity than someone that only trials 10 or so times a year.  Just because someone has the money or the trial opportunity to go to many should not put them above someone that can only go to a few throughout the year at a Championship event.... jmho

On a different note, there are no prizes for EP and for Stakes, nothing puts one team "above' the other teams, since their score has nothing to do with another teams score.......  it is a personal plus only....... maybe an ego boost if that is what boosts an ego........ but it has nothing to do with a different team.

Sharon

[Jeannie Biggers]

Couple things.....

1.  We usually have 3 Pines at our trials to video.... he doesnt move so if the contact is away from him are we not allowed to use those videos?
2.  I still dont get a warm and fuzzy feeling with the EP's.  I do not see how this can be fair across the board.  Someone who can attend 20+ trials a year is bound to have way more opportunity than someone that only trials 10 or so times a year.  Just because someone has the money or the trial opportunity to go to many should not put them above someone that can only go to a few throughout the year at a Championship event.... jmho

On a different note, there are no prizes for EP and for Stakes, nothing puts one team "above' the other teams, since their score has nothing to do with another teams score.......  it is a personal plus only....... maybe an ego boost if that is what boosts an ego........ but it has nothing to do with a different team.

Sharon

Well I guess this is true if there is no "winner" in stakes anymore but the earning of a cup.  So if that is the case and there are no prizes for them why the EP?  They are only used at Champs so why do they even need to be something?  It is the handler and dog team against "that" course over the period of 8 courses.....

[Sharon Nelson]

Couple things.....

1.  We usually have 3 Pines at our trials to video.... he doesnt move so if the contact is away from him are we not allowed to use those videos?
2.  I still dont get a warm and fuzzy feeling with the EP's.  I do not see how this can be fair across the board.  Someone who can attend 20+ trials a year is bound to have way more opportunity than someone that only trials 10 or so times a year.  Just because someone has the money or the trial opportunity to go to many should not put them above someone that can only go to a few throughout the year at a Championship event.... jmho

On a different note, there are no prizes for EP and for Stakes, nothing puts one team "above' the other teams, since their score has nothing to do with another teams score.......  it is a personal plus only....... maybe an ego boost if that is what boosts an ego........ but it has nothing to do with a different team.

Sharon

Well I guess this is true if there is no "winner" in stakes anymore but the earning of a cup.  So if that is the case and there are no prizes for them why the EP?  They are only used at Champs so why do they even need to be something?  It is the handler and dog team against "that" course over the period of 8 courses.....

It is possible to help their score towards the final points needed for a cup.  If a person had 3 EP, then over 8 rounds, they have added 24 points to their score....... that can make a difference in their final score.

Last year it didn't make much of an impact, since Busi (23) and Gia ( were the only dogs to earn over 3 EP.  But maybe more people will up their points with the incentive of earning more EP. 

Everyone I have talked to has been very excited and are amped to start improving their scores in Regular Agility and earning more Regular bonuses!

Sharon