NADAC Awards/Ribbons at Trials

[Kathy Upton]

Is it reasonable that a NADAC competitor at a trial who earns a major award such as a NATCH or V-NATCH assume that the hosting organization would provide a ribbon or pole for that major achievement? Or is providing title ribbons and NATCH ribbons an option for organizations hosting NADAC trials? Does anyone else feel that if the no title ribbons are going to be handed out, that it should be clearly stated in the trial premium so competitors would know in advance?

[dogrsqr]

Kathy,

Most clubs do have ribbons and/or bars for a NATCH or VersNATCH, but they are not required.  Typically fundraisers do not have them because they are fundraisers.

I personally don't believe it should state that in the premium, there's enough stuff there already that people don't read.  If you're expecting to earn a NATCH or VersNATCH you can always ask the club before entering.  If a club does hand out bars and/or ribbons it's nice to let them know ahead of time that you might be earning one so that they have enough in stock.

Gina Pizzo

Is it reasonable that a NADAC competitor at a trial who earns a major award such as a NATCH or V-NATCH assume that the hosting organization would provide a ribbon or pole for that major achievement? Or is providing title ribbons and NATCH ribbons an option for organizations hosting NADAC trials? Does anyone else feel that if the no title ribbons are going to be handed out, that it should be clearly stated in the trial premium so competitors would know in advance?

[Linda W. Anderson]

As Gina said, although it is not required, I think it pretty much expected by most competitors.  I have only been disappointed once having earned a NATCH at a trial and there was no ribbon or bar.  Our club always has ribbons on hand!
Linda

[knittingdog]

I know some people who have made their own bars when one wasn't handed out.  Kinda fun since you can tailor it to be however you want and bring it to the next trial for signatures!  I have seen some really nice ones!

Robin & Surge

[Rosemary]

I do think it should be in the premium.  I do make the effort to read the premium - especially if I am competing with a club that is new to me.  I know that ribbons are not the goal, but for all the effort it takes to earn a NATCH I would be pretty disappointed to not get the big ribbon.  Having said that, as I get closer to that holy grail I do check with host clubs to see if the ribbon and/or bar is awarded.

[Rena Bonem]

Waco Agility Group has always done bars and ribbons, but it is REALLY helpful if you can let the trial secretary know ahead of time if you may earn a NATCH.  It used to be rare for people to earn NATCH's at our trials.  Now with virtual trials, we have had 4-6 a trial or perhaps one.  To help us prepare, I always appreciate knowing that someone might be up for a NATCH, otherwise we might not have enough bars or ribbons because bars can be damaged when stored.

[KathieT]

I made my NATCH bar from a jump bar.  I had people sign it and then I decorated it when I got home.  It means every bit as much to me as the V-NATCH bar that was made ahead of time and presented at a trial. 

Kathie

[agilityjunkie]

One should never assume. Large ribbons can cost anywhere from $15 to $50 dollars or more. Bars can be the equivalent. As trials struggle for entries that expense can be out of reach. Most clubs try to have special awards for these awards but to expect a GIFT is pretentious. Attending an Agility trial is a privilege. Most clubs are non-profit and the majority of work is done by volunteers, not customers. There are no customers in our game, somewhere along the line, people have forgotten that.

[Lorrie Stelz]

I appreciate knowing they are offered in the premium as well, and I always let the trial secretary know in advance. When I provided the NATCH bars and ribbons for the FunRaisers, of course money is limited on my end, so I always appreciated knowing in advance of a few months if people might be up for one, so I could order enough.  One trial we had 8 or 9 NATCHs and I was getting very nervous because I've never seen that many at a trial and didn't plan on that many.  I know it's not required of trials to offer them, but given how big a championship is, people should be able to celebrate with some swag.  If I knew a trial didn't offer one (Calera, Des Moines), I would buy one for my dog ahead of time and a bar.  I would have rather had the stuff and not been successful, than been successful and not had anything to celebrate that achievement.  If I missed it, I'd save it for another trial that might not offer it if we were up again.  I know not everyone can afford them given some low entries. So, having that mentioned in the premium always helped me, but I still contacted the trial secretary to find out for sure.

[Rosemary]

One should never assume. Large ribbons can cost anywhere from $15 to $50 dollars or more. Bars can be the equivalent. As trials struggle for entries that expense can be out of reach. Most clubs try to have special awards for these awards but to expect a GIFT is pretentious. Attending an Agility trial is a privilege. Most clubs are non-profit and the majority of work is done by volunteers, not customers. There are no customers in our game, somewhere along the line, people have forgotten that.

I think it is unfair to call someone pretentious for wanting something to show for a major accomplishment.  The ribbons and bars may cost some money, but so do all the entries required to get to a NATCH.  By the time a dog earns a NATCH, his team has spent a great deal of time not to mention well over $1000.00 in entry fees to get to that point.  That doesn't even take all the non qualifying runs into account.  That is a great deal of support for that club.  Perhaps your entries are low because you feel that you are bestowing a privilege to your entrants and not appreciating that they are helping to support your club.

[Edraith]

I would want ribbons. It's a sign of achievement together with my dog I dont think it's pretensious to think there are ribbons. You pay $12-$15 for an entry fee, so basically if you got a basic title at the show, that's three runs so that's $36-$45, multiply as needed for major accomplishments like NATCH!

I often compare things to rabbit shows since that's the world I am used to. Our club it is $3/rabbit entry fee. Judge's fee (beyond transport and lodging) is $1/rabbit judged. So we have $2 per rabbit to pay for their lodging, travel, supplies, building rental, and awards. Yet we always have awards. Youth get 1st-3rd ribbons, open (18+) doesn't always get placement ribbons but the major awards (equivalent to a title in the dog world) are usually rossettes, if not trophies and awards like totes or show aprons embroidered with the date and title, or a carry cage with a plaque. Ribbons and awards and ring rental isn't less for us than ya'all, so the only difference is perhaps what judge fee is. Yet we manage it...at every rabbit show I've ever been at in 20 years across eight states, with less income Money can be a funny subject I know, I just feel like if we can do it with so much less income then it oughta be possible!

[agilityjunkie]

Any club that holds a trial so that we can play Agility is bestowing a privilege to its entrants. Imagine if the people who worked so hard and were berated for not providing enough extras  and large enough ribbons for every personal goal just stopped holding them? The goal to NATCH is a personal one, spending the money is a choice we make. No one owes us the "big ribbon." Forgetting to be grateful is pretentious.

[A Jussero]

There will never be a NATCH for us, but I usually won't take any ribbons at all unless we get a Superior in something.  But I did get one very special ribbon at YDS that will always symbolize the NADAC experience for us.   As I cut back with my old man, Spike, a very special High in Trial fancy ribbon was awarded to him and it hangs proudly as a reminder of what we did accomplish and most importantly, the joy we had along the way.

[Rosemary]

Any club that holds a trial so that we can play Agility is bestowing a privilege to its entrants. Imagine if the people who worked so hard and were berated for not providing enough extras  and large enough ribbons for every personal goal just stopped holding them? The goal to NATCH is a personal one, spending the money is a choice we make. No one owes us the "big ribbon." Forgetting to be grateful is pretentious.

i
I am a club member and a volunteer who works hard to put on trials. I do it because I enjoy it. I do not ever feel as though I am bestowing a privilege upon anyone. The privilege is mine when I get to see teams improve and achieve goals. I know how hard they work to get there and it makes me so happy to see them get that big ribbon that has been hanging there waiting for them. And I am grateful that they continue to enter so we can have our trials and play with our dogs.   

[agilityjunkie]

But Rosemary, if you do all that you say, then you do bestow the privilege of playing a game with your hard work and you deserve to be respected for that. Some clubs can't afford to provide more than the fun.  NADAC only requires that they provide placement and qualifying ribbons. By suggesting that they post in the premium whether they give away special awards is to suggest that they notify exhibitors that they are not worth the trouble of attending. As a grateful, hardworking member you know that people should be grateful that a bunch of people got together to make agility available to us not just shower us with extra gifts. Not saying it isn't nice to have, just saying they aren't less and making it a need to have. We're privileged, just to be able to step to the line with our dogs,right?