Where is exhibitor check-in? When is it each day? If someone comes in the afternoon on Tuesday or Wednesday can they still check in? What about early Thursday before briefing?
We have to walk our dogs into the ring without a leash? I am not comfortable with that with either of my dogs. If I have to hand off my leash before going into the ring, can I carry my dogs in?
It looks like the champs ring is enormous. Are the obstacles spread out in that whole space? So the spacing between obstacles is much greater than in a normal trial?
Is it everyone walk (in groups) and then everyone runs? I thought the pre-elite courses are different from the normal courses. Is it built into the normal course? Does the numbering just stop ten obstacles short of the normal runs or something? Are the obstacles moved closer together in order to create the shorter, more-like-a-normal-trial course?
I'll answer a few of these questions ...
You do not take your leash off until you get the "good luck" just like at other trials. You do hand off any treats/toys a station or two before the startline. But the leash stays on until you are at the startline. Then the treat/leash walker walks those things across the area to the finish line.
The obstacles are still 21' apart. And yes, the arena is much bigger than most normal trials, so the obstacles may sometimes be more spread out over the arena, but they are still the same distance apart.
All groups walk and then all groups run. Each group is walking "their" course. So typically the numbering is changed for the pre-elite groups before they walk, or any "differences" between the regular and pre-elite courses are explained. It might sound confusing, but it is not. The obstacles are not moved closer together. They are all still 21' apart.