Champs info video

[Chris Nelson]

Hey folks,
Made a video to go over a few details at Champs.    Didn't cover every little thing, but hopefully it'll answer a few things before we actually get to the site

If you don't want to watch the whole thing you can skip to certain sections, here are the relevant times:
0:00 - 1:25 = Introduction
1:26 - 10:10 = RV Parking, Car Parking, Stalls, Crating Area
10:11 - 16:38 = Pre-Trial Info
16:39 - End = Champs Info

[dogrsqr]

Will we know ahead of time where our RV spot is?  We don't anticipate getting there until 7:00 or 8:00 PM on Tuesday so all y'all might not be around.

Thanks,

[Jean Sather (McCreight)]

Chris (or anyone else who has watched this) -- is there NEW information in this video?  Or is it pretty much a summary of all previous information which has been put out?  I've been keeping up pretty well with the ongoing string of Championships information through the summer on the forum, but getting ready to leave town tomorrow morning early and really don't have an extra half hour today to watch this .....  but if there is really important stuff in here I'll make time to watch it somewhere along the road in the next 10 days or so ..... 

[Jeannie Biggers]

Jean you have been to enough really nothing new.  He does go over a map and where everything is etc but I am sure you can figure it all out when you get there.  If you do find the time it is very informative and Chris does a great job explaining everything.  It is fun to see how it is all going to lay out

[Rosemary]

As a first timer I found this to be a very helpful video.  Thanks Chris!

[Jean Sather (McCreight)]

Thanks Jeannie! (and Chris)  Will try to get a look at it somewhere along the way before we get there! 

[Chris Nelson]

Thanks Jeannie! (and Chris)  Will try to get a look at it somewhere along the way before we get there! 

I would say you're pretty safe.   There isn't anything earth shattering in comparison to past years

[Chris Nelson]

Will we know ahead of time where our RV spot is?  We don't anticipate getting there until 7:00 or 8:00 PM on Tuesday so all y'all might not be around.

Thanks,

We'll definitely be around!

Best bet would be to email Jimmy as he is handling the RV parking this year:
jcsdiesel90@gmail.com

[Carole & Pat Daggett]

Hi Chris,

I know that awhile ago Vicki had asked a question about veteran handlers, but now I can't find the thread or your answer.  As in past Champs, will veteran handlers have the opportunity to walk with another group if they feel they need a little more time with the walkthrus?

Carole Daggett

[Foomin Z]

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?

[Marcy Matties]

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.

[KarissaKS]

Rarely does the change from Pre-Elite/DD to the Regular division require an actual course change where obstacles move. For cases where courses were renumbered it was renumbered for the Pre-Elite/DD walk-through and then changed back.

In 2015:

Round 1: Removed a serpentine of hoops -- 4 obstacles shorter -- Simple renumbering
Round 2: No changes
Round 3: Took out a loop mid-course -- 5 obstacles shorter -- Renumbering
Round 4: Took out the last loop -- 4 obstacles shorter -- Renumbering
Round 5: No changes
Round 6: Fairly significant change to the start of the course -- Required a brief re-build
Round 7: Assume no changes, but my Pre-Elite dog was pulled by that round so I honestly couldn't tell you.

Chris said that check-in for the main event would be Wednesday following the last run. Check-in is done in alphabetical groups and you pretty much just go in and find the goody bag with your/your dog's name on it. If you can't be there for check-in on Wednesday you can have a friend grab your bag for you.

[Chris Nelson]

I think Karissa and Marcy have covered most of your answers, Thank you both by the way!

For check in it will start Wednesday after the last Pre-Trial run finishes.   This will most likely be around 5-6PM.
There will be a long row of goody bags, you find the one with your name on it and voila you're checked in.

Any bags that are left over are people we assume are not present.    So we start making preparations to remove them from the run order.
You can pick up your bag early on Thursday morning, but we definitely appreciate having them picked up on Wednesday.

The courses are Championships are set at 21'.   Every once in awhile you'll find a single sequence set longer, but not many.   The courses are also longer, which is where most of the ring size gets used.

[Foomin Z]

It just seemed like the video said: the judge says "good luck," you take off your leash, and then you walk into the ring.

So will there be a separate course map posted for pre-elite? I won't have to look at the elite one and guess the changes?

[Marcy Matties]

It just seemed like the video said: the judge says "good luck," you take off your leash, and then you walk into the ring.

So will there be a separate course map posted for pre-elite? I won't have to look at the elite one and guess the changes?

Not sure how he worded it on the video without going back and listening.  But at any rate - you ARE already in the ring when you hear good luck - just like any other trial.  You're at the startline.  Actually you have been at the startline for a few seconds because there is a side curtain barrier that protects your dog from seeing anything except what's right in front of him - and it is also protecting the dog that is running from seeing any upcoming dog.  And that dog running also finishes by running past a protective curtain.  So neither the dog running nor the dog waiting can see each other at all.  So once the dog before you is finished and on leash you are given the standard "good luck", leash off, drop it and go.

Course maps aren't posted.  But you don't have to "guess" any changes.  They will have already happened - or the course will have been renumbered - before you walk.  Some people do like to make a game of sitting in the stands and watching the course being built and guessing what it's going to be    But whenever anyone is walking, they are walking the course that THEY will be running.