2019 Pre Elite Qualifications and Other Questions Regarding Divisions

[Deb Maicach]

I think I had seen something to the effect that Intro would no longer count towards Pre-Elite qualifications. That being said, is it still just 100 points in any Novice or Open Standard class?

Also, I have a dog that will qualify for Pre-Elite. She's also a Double Digit.  Will I still be able to enter her in the Pre-Elite level? Or must I enter her (and have her qualify) for the Elite Double Digit?

Thanks.

[Marcy Matties]

I think I had seen something to the effect that Intro would no longer count towards Pre-Elite qualifications. That being said, is it still just 100 points in any Novice or Open Standard class?

Also, I have a dog that will qualify for Pre-Elite. She's also a Double Digit.  Will I still be able to enter her in the Pre-Elite level? Or must I enter her (and have her qualify) for the Elite Double Digit?

Thanks.

Below is the pre-elite requirements for this year.  My understanding (and Chris will correct if I'm wrong I hope) is that they are the same for next year EXCEPT that Intro won't count.  So take what's below and just delete out Intro and you should be good to go. And all points are from the regular class - nothing from chances, jumpers, etc.   As for Double Digit - this year the pre-elite dogs were ONLY divided by size.  There was no pre-elite double digit category.  So you should be able to enter her in the pre-elite category if she meets the requirements, and she would then just be competing against other dogs her size but not (necessarily) her age.

From this years info:
"At least 100 points must have been earned in the current qualifying year from the Regular Agility class in Intro, Novice, Open or Elite, with the exception that a dog entered in Pre-Elite cannot have earned more than 100 points in Elite Regular in their lifetime up to September 15, 2018. If a dog earns more than 100 points in Elite Regular, then their entry will be switched to the Elite level."

[Deb Maicach]

Thanks Marcy - I got confused about "dogs 10 years or older must run in Double Digit division". Now I see that it only applies to the Elite entries. If all goes as planned, Dylan will be the oldest Pre-Elite there.

[mephalon]

Thanks Marcy - I got confused about "dogs 10 years or older must run in Double Digit division". Now I see that it only applies to the Elite entries. If all goes as planned, Dylan will be the oldest Pre-Elite there.

I ran my 12 year old in pre-elite last year and we even placed in one round!     AND we qualified for Champs in Intro (she hates to weave) so we were the exception to all the rules!  She is mostly retired now so will only be there cheering her brother on next year.  You and Dylan will show the young'uns how it is done! 

[Audri, Cee Cee, Lily, Toto, and Calypso]

Thanks Marcy - I got confused about "dogs 10 years or older must run in Double Digit division". Now I see that it only applies to the Elite entries. If all goes as planned, Dylan will be the oldest Pre-Elite there.

I chose to run my DD dog in the DD category even though she had never qualified on an elite level regular course.  She wasn't going to win, but she did get a placement last year!  I guess I just figured that she was DD so I put her there.  It is the same course, the only difference is that you don't do the distance challenge in pre-elite.

[Marcy Matties]

Thanks Marcy - I got confused about "dogs 10 years or older must run in Double Digit division". Now I see that it only applies to the Elite entries. If all goes as planned, Dylan will be the oldest Pre-Elite there.

I chose to run my DD dog in the DD category even though she had never qualified on an elite level regular course.  She wasn't going to win, but she did get a placement last year!  I guess I just figured that she was DD so I put her there.  It is the same course, the only difference is that you don't do the distance challenge in pre-elite.

Actually this year it was a little bit different.  The courses were very similar but not exactly the same.  And the distance challenge was more of a "bonus" in that you didn't lose points for not attempting or doing it, you earned points for completing it successfully.

[David Tharle]

The courses were very similar but not exactly the same.

Yes, the Elite ring courses had a little something extra.  My understanding is this could be done because NADAC were able to have two rings going simultaneously, something that is not likely next year or until such time as it's again held on a surface large enough to do that.

[Chris Nelson]

We're currently reviewing our options in regards to the DD division.

It quite honestly caused a LOT of headaches this year with the world competition.     And in some other ways.

You are correct that all qualifications will remain the same, with the exception that Into will no longer count towards Champs.

[Linda]

I can't seem to find the requirements for the Elite division. Some are saying 40 points in Jumpers and Chances and some are saying 20 points in each of them. Can someone please clarify that for me so I can figure out what we need to get if we want to qualify starting in January 2019? Thanks!

[MoabDiane]

Chris, re DD - I'm sure you had plenty of your own headaches for sure! (though you certainly managed to work through it all amazingly well!). 

But I gotta say....running a dog in each of the DD and Elite rings was a bit of headache for me too!  Especially given the (understandable) similarity of starts.  One loop one way in one ring, that loop the other way in the other ring...sigh.   I guess that's why I get a VH category, for my slower brain!  It was pretty darned confusing a few times.  Just leaving out a loop or pinwheel was no biggie; it was the "tunnel/serp" once and then "serp/tunnel" kind of thing.  But other than one super-my-fault-off-course, we did manage to work through it.  Good to think that maybe this wouldn't be the case in the future!!

Onward,
diane

[Kim_S]

I heard 2018 Championships was different than past Championships that had thematic game courses vs all standard courses.  Have you decided if 2019 Championships will return to game courses or be all standard courses?  For those of us on the fence it would be good to know early on if we need to train for games classes or not.

[Chris Nelson]

I heard 2018 Championships was different than past Championships that had thematic game courses vs all standard courses.  Have you decided if 2019 Championships will return to game courses or be all standard courses?  For those of us on the fence it would be good to know early on if we need to train for games classes or not.

I wouldn't really call them games classes.

In past years there were focus rounds.    They still had all the regular obstacles.  So contacts, weave poles, jumps, etc etc.

But what you would get is a course where you might have 14 jump performances and very few hoops, hence a jumpers focus.

Or a course with 2 a frame performances and 2 dog walks, hence a contact focus. 

But all of those courses would still have the rest of the equipment as well.

This year we didn't do any focus rounds because we had the world competition.    Since the world competitors would be running these courses at a regular weekend trial for them, we didn't want to have a focus round being ran.     It would be like someone going to a trial this weekend and running a regular course with 3 weave pole performances, wouldn't make for happy folks

We're working on the plan for 2019.   Most likely we will drop the world competition down to 3 rounds instead of 4, that way we have a little more freedom with our courses and could do a couple focus rounds

[Audri, Cee Cee, Lily, Toto, and Calypso]

I really hope you don't do away with the DD category.  I know it might be a pain, but it is really nice for the older dogs..... 

[Kim_S]

I heard 2018 Championships was different than past Championships that had thematic game courses vs all standard courses.  Have you decided if 2019 Championships will return to game courses or be all standard courses?  For those of us on the fence it would be good to know early on if we need to train for games classes or not.

I wouldn't really call them games classes.

In past years there were focus rounds.    They still had all the regular obstacles.  So contacts, weave poles, jumps, etc etc.

But what you would get is a course where you might have 14 jump performances and very few hoops, hence a jumpers focus.

Or a course with 2 a frame performances and 2 dog walks, hence a contact focus. 

But all of those courses would still have the rest of the equipment as well.

This year we didn't do any focus rounds because we had the world competition.    Since the world competitors would be running these courses at a regular weekend trial for them, we didn't want to have a focus round being ran.     It would be like someone going to a trial this weekend and running a regular course with 3 weave pole performances, wouldn't make for happy folks

We're working on the plan for 2019.   Most likely we will drop the world competition down to 3 rounds instead of 4, that way we have a little more freedom with our courses and could do a couple focus rounds

Thanks for the explanation!