No reason why those without contacts can’t just compete in the Jumpers! Just do it! Wish you could come to my place for the contacts. I live in LA. Lower Alabama!
*waves to the south* so that means i'm n/a ... 
north alabama!
eta (totally forgot to ask my question! ha)
I am super new to how champs is scored - and it was said that clean runs would get a Q for the elite level - but with it being time+faults, is there a course time limit still like usual?
jump heights - so this is different too, I was reading the 2020 info sheet and it isn't 100% clear. We run 16" (skilled). wither height 19". So this means she is large, does that mean she has to jump the 22"? Which is confusing as I thought max was 20" in nadac now.
Hopefully I can make this simple... Think of the VT Challenge and VT runs as two different hats - but only one run. With your VT run hat on, the run is no different than any other VT run. Just like all of the other VTs you run and submit. There is a standard course time you have to meet or beat (as well as be clean) to get a Q.
Now think about the VT Challenge Hat. Even though it's the exact same run you just ran with your VT hat on, it is scored differently than a standard VT run. Throw out a required standard course time. It doesn't apply. So your dog still jumped at the same height as he always does. But there's no different time requirement by height like there is for normal runs. Time is time - no matter how tall or small the dog.
So here's how it's scored ... All dogs start with a score of 150 points. Then their time is deducted from that. Then their faults are deducted from that and - voila - you have a finished "score." It's not a Q - it's just a # that represents their score. So if your dog ran clean and ran the course in 45 seconds, then your score would be 105. If some other dog runs the course in 35 seconds, but has a 10 point fault, then their score is also 105.
So all dogs are judged by their final score. And they are GROUPED for placement by their size. Not their jump height - but their measured proficient height. So a 21" dog that jumps 12 inches is still grouped with all other dogs that are in that Large Height category. (I think those heights and categories are listed in another forum post.). And a dog that measures 19" and jumps 16" is STILL grouped with all other dogs in the Large Height category. And the winners of those categories get the prize/bragging rights. So even though your 21" dog jumps 12", he is not competing against the dog who's standard proficient jump height is ACTUALLY 12". That dog is competing against other dogs that have the same proficient height as he does.
What it comes down to strategy-wise is this: you have to figure out if it's better to run "steady" and minimize faults, or go pedal to the metal and risk having faults deduced from your faster time. You will see all combinations at Champs. Winners are usually a mix of really fast dogs who might (or might not) have a fault or two here and there - versus dogs who are not quite as fast - but make few if any mistakes.
Hope this helps.
