I think the *idea* is to disqualify more dogs from Pre-Elite and encourage more people to enter in Elite, so as to keep the Pre-Eite division from 'taking over' champs, as opposed to serving as a way for inexperienced young dogs to get experience in the environment, and to narrow how 'big' the space between Elite and Pre-Elite.
I'm not saying that you're wrong for not liking it, just that it serves that function.
Personally, I'm pretty okay with it. It doesn't personally impact me (right now), but I understand the reasoning and am okay with that reasoning. For me, Champs is a thing you *earn* with a dog, Elite is the point and goal and pre-elite is a test run for dogs who are going to get there in a year or so, but not necessarily a thing you are going to get. Elite-Champs is filling up further and faster recently, making Pre-Elite even less a priority. This is me. I understand this is me.
I also completely, COMPLETELY, understand why some people would be upset by it.
I also understand NADAC wanting to put dogs at Champs in the correct entry. The issue I feel is that Elite requires the 100 Regular points AND 40 Jumpers AND 40 Chances during the qualification period.
So there is no jumper or chances criteria for Pre-Elite, just 100 Open or Novice Regular points.
The "NO Mans" land occurs because you may have a Dog that can blow Elite Regular away, which is generally what Champs is, and be lacking in Chances or Jumpers. This is the dog that can go to Champs in Pre-Elite and then suddenly no longer can attend.
Belle's case in point. At the 2017 Champs she came in 2nd to last in the whole trial including Pre-Elite. I'm sure she was one of the dogs some people did not think should be at Champs at all. However it was a great experience for her and 2 years later she will likely do much better in 2019, if her handler can get time off to attend Champs in the Pre-Elite division.
Who knows what may happen in 2019 to 2020, if she develops Chances skills but as it is now in 2021 when Champs may be Eastern location. She may not be able to qualify for Elite because she may not get 40 Chances points. She will likely have more than 100 Elite Regular lifetime by then. Her only way to attend as currently defined would be a 2nd chance entry for the Elite division, which makes future planning difficult.
If I were "King" of NADAC, I would have Elite based on just the 100 Elite Regular points during qualification period, and must have some lifetime points in any other Elite Class. I would drop the rule that if you have 100 Elite lifetime Regular you need to enter Elite and then not have the other criteria to do so.
Obviously if you go to Champs without Elite Chances skills then you will not get any distance tests and loose points but your dog still can put up a decent show of it and most importantly have a FUN time for that team.