NATCh Pole Question

[Karin Bell]

We are having a discussion about NATCh Poles.  Do clubs offer poles to teams for every NATCh they earn or only for specific ones?  If only for specific ones, how do you determine which ones are the 'right' ones?  If you do not offer for every NATCh earned, do you offer the option for the exhibitor to be able to pay for it instead?  And if so, at what price? 

How do you compensate the person who makes the Poles?  Are they a volunteer?  Do they get a free entry for the work?  Are they paid a wage instead?  Are they paid by the pole? 

Thanks in advance for this discussion.

[Marj Vincent]

We give the exhibitor the option of either a ribbon or pole, or both. If they earn a NATCH and a V-NATCH, we only give one bar with both Titles on them. 
The pole maker is voluntary for our local clubs ...no compensation for making them.

[Sarah Fix]

We always have them available.  Generally people will take one for the 1st NATCH, 1st VNATCH and 1st All Around - but none after that.  If they get 2 at one trial, I'll add the lettering to make it work for both. 

I make the bar (for our NADAC and AKC Trials).  I charge $10 per bar so I probably make a little on each bar but if you add in all the waste in lettering, ribbons, driving around to find all the stuff, cutting the bars, acetone to clean the bars, etc. - it's probably not more than a dollar or two per pole if that.  For AKC, they order about 10 at a time.  For NADAC, I just charge whenever someone takes one.  And for Toys for Tots, I donate the finished bars.

[Lindsey Cooper]

I always have NATCH bars on hand. I usually assume people who get NATCH 1-3 may want one, but I always ask just to make sure. If a competitor wants a bar, no matter what number the NATCH is, I will give them one.

Recently I started making mini-NATCH bars that are 2 ft long and not as fancy. These were a big hit at my last trial where we had 9 teams earn a NATCH! Many of them were #3 or above.

Photos attached.

Lindsey
www.mountaindogsports.com

[Amy McGovern]

Speaking as mom to someone who just got his first NATCH's (he got all 3 AA, V and regular at once), he for sure wanted bars and a ribbon.  After all the thousands of dollars we have spent on agility, it seems pretty cheap for a club to ask us to pay for bars or a ribbon.  I'm extremely grateful that Dogs on Q had lovely ribbons AND bars and that you get them for free for earning your NATCH!

[KarissaKS]

When I moved to TN (from WI) I was utterly dismayed when I saw that the tradition at all of the AKC trials here is to take the bar from the last jump on course. No fancy decorated bar? A dirty old bar? After I spent all that money?  lol  Thankfully I know people who can cut decals for me so I can decorate them properly.

I really appreciate that the NADAC clubs here offer beautifully decorated bars and fantastic ribbons. Kaiser just did back to back weekends to get NATCH 4 followed by V-NATCH 3 and went out of my way to attend those trials because of their bling.    If you want nice NATCH and AA-NATCH gear, come to TN!

I know it's an expense to clubs, but competitors do appreciate it.

[mstomel]

Our club only does a pole for the first Regular natch but you can have a ribbon for every one. There is a club in Cali that does these adorable short polls, like 1' ones. I think those are awesome. I want 2 and I want them to be nunchucks! It would make more sense to me to do that than a ribbon since those silly ribbons are like $40/each but I guess the consensus is that people want ribbons no matter what. A volunteer makes ours and is compensated for the supplies. I think people can pay her $30-$50 to make them one for any additional natch's. I think the origin of the poll was AKC and that you did take the last pole that your dog went over, which is a very pretty sentiment but I guess doesn't translate to Nadac well. The last jump we went over was a hoop! Some people love the polls. If I had Natch 35 and a pole for each you better believe most of my barn plumbing would be signed and decorated. 

[David Tharle]

We only have one trial a year and rarely have someone complete a NATCh (that said, last year we had a NATCh & a V-NATCh).  The idea of keeping a pole &/or ribbon looking "fresh/new" year to year didn't seem that feasible, so we give fancier engraved 1/2 gallon jars:  Club logo, handler/dog names, date and type of award (NATCh, V-NATCh,etc) filled with dog treats. We've done about 8 and they have been very well received. The one draw back is the team doesn't get it that day.

Dave
PAWSitive Dog Sports
Cold Lake, AB

[knittingdog]

We only have one trial a year and rarely have someone complete a NATCh (that said, last year we had a NATCh & a V-NATCh).  The idea of keeping a pole &/or ribbon looking "fresh/new" year to year didn't seem that feasible, so we give fancier engraved 1/2 gallon jars:  Club logo, handler/dog names, date and type of award (NATCh, V-NATCh,etc) filled with dog treats. We've done about 8 and they have been very well received. The one draw back is the team doesn't get it that day.

Dave
PAWSitive Dog Sports
Cold Lake, AB

I would love to see a picture of one of those.  Sounds really nice!

Robin

[Rosemary]

I always have NATCH bars on hand. I usually assume people who get NATCH 1-3 may want one, but I always ask just to make sure. If a competitor wants a bar, no matter what number the NATCH is, I will give them one.

Recently I started making mini-NATCH bars that are 2 ft long and not as fancy. These were a big hit at my last trial where we had 9 teams earn a NATCH! Many of them were #3 or above.

Photos attached.

Lindsey
www.mountaindogsports.com

I really like those shorter poles.  What a great idea!  Nice group shot too!

[Maureen deHaan]

I always have NATCH bars on hand at trials I host - It's a nice wasy to commerorate a NATCH whether it be 1st or 100th

 I know I was happy to have one when my first 2 dogs earned their NATCHes - I don't take them for subsequent NATCH after #1 bc I just don't have room for more than 1

Zoe just earned her first NATCH and no pole was offered - it was kind of a bummer - thankfully my BFF had made me a special one that she gave me at class the week following the big event so I have that and it is very special!

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

Most clubs by us don't do NATCH bars anymore.  I made my own for Toto when he FINALLY earned his NATCH/V-NATCH.  I made one bar for both awards.   I have been thinking I am going to make some of the short bars that others have made for my more recent NATCH's so I can hang them underneath.  I also had a friend who got me a bar made for Lily's Triple/Triple and I had someone make me one for her Triple Superior Versatility, but haven't done that for Toto yet.  That being said, most clubs do have nice NATCH ribbons so I am good with those after NATCH 1. 

I really like the bars because people can sign them, etc. and they are fun to display, but I understand the expense of them as well.  And I can make my own. 

[Foomin Z]

One club I went to does picture frames with a huge matting area under the glass for people to sign. They also take your picture, print it on site and put it in the frame same day. The photo was around 4x6". The club paid for all the supplies to make it ahead of time.

[Liane B]

When Bounce and I earned our NATCH there weren't any fancy poles or ribbons. I took the paper copy of the course we ran to earn the NATCH and had all our fellow competitors sign it. Once home I picked up a shadow box frame from Michaels and framed the course map along with our Q ribbon for that run.  I think it looks great and is a reminder of the actual run that completed the title.

[Brianne Bellwood]

One club I went to does picture frames with a huge matting area under the glass for people to sign. They also take your picture, print it on site and put it in the frame same day. The photo was around 4x6". The club paid for all the supplies to make it ahead of time.

I have something like that. It's a great keepsake!