Checking In...

[Karin Bell]

As some parts of life are returning to a small degree of 'normal', I wondered how everyone is doing.  What are your plans for offering trials?  How soon?  I know each area has their own guidelines for trials but just wondering what is working and what is not.  Our Club is looking to have its first trial at the end of July depending on several factors.  Have any clubs changed what you had been doing before?  Like your pricing?  Going up or down or neither?  Have you changed the number of classes offered?  We sent out a survey to our membership and got lots of feedback with a variety of answers.  Every person has their own comfort level and we are trying to blend those levels so that we can come together and have some agility fun... 

Looking forward to your Feedback

Karin Bell
Ready 2 Run Agility Club

[Linda W. Anderson]

We are planning to hold our fall trial in September and will be using the NADAC guidelines.  We will not offer snacks, only water.  Prices will remain the same and so will the classes we offer.  of course, all of this depends on how the summer goes.
Linda Anderson
Star City K 9 Roanoke, VA

[dogrsqr]

We are not sure if we are going to hold our end of August trial.  The city is not taking reservations for anything yet.  If we can’t get the soccer field I don’t think it’s worth trying to find another outdoor site.  I doubt we will hold our New Years trial (inside) unless things have gotten really good and they find you can’t get the virus more than once or there is a widely available vaccine.  So far almost all agility trials in Minnesota have been canceled thru the end of July.

Gina Pizzo
Minnesota Mixed Breed Club

[Billie Rosen]

In Arizona, agility is still an outdoor sport, so we can hold trials with social distancing.  I have been to NADAC trials the past 2 weekends, and I think everything went fine.  Both Jumping Chollas and Turns N Wraps are planning on more trials.

[dogrsqr]

The other issue is judges. We are lucky to have 2 local judges and one other that could drive here.  I'm not going to ask a judge to get on a plane as long as I myself would not be willing to get on a plane..  I think we need to be proactive with judges that accepted assignments before COVID and offer them the opportunity to bow out gracefully.

Gina Pizzo

[Cheryl Gilbert]

I'm a family doctor in Northwest Arkansas.  I'm 62 and my husband is 72 with high blood pressure.  We are having a significant surge in cases in NWA at present and I would be exceedingly uncomfortable with any indoor event at this time and it is too warm and humid to do an outdoor trial here.  I am not seeing any patients in clinic with respiratory symptoms (I see them via video visits).  I wear a N95 mask at work all day long and if I have to go into a store.  I am meticulous with hand sanitation.  I can't see myself going to an indoor trial for the forseeable future.  If I get sick it is a huge burden to my family and patients.  I want to play agility but I also want to stay safe.  Praying for a vaccine or an effective treatment.  Patience...this is going to pass but not very soon....
One think about human nature is that if we really want to do something we may discount how we feel to be able do it.  I am worried that someone attending a trial may be coming down with covid but not really want to stay home and may blow off their early or minimal symptoms in order to come and have fun.  I understand...I'm quite stoic in general.  I just don't want to risk it at this point.

[Edraith]

One think about human nature is that if we really want to do something we may discount how we feel to be able do it.  I am worried that someone attending a trial may be coming down with covid but not really want to stay home and may blow off their early or minimal symptoms in order to come and have fun.  I understand...I'm quite stoic in general.  I just don't want to risk it at this point.

THIS

I wouldn't want to go to a trial, too crowded. And people are always overestimating how good they feel, or feel ok but then something starts up in the day, or that slight headache gets worse and you realise you have a fever by the afternoon.

Alabama is opening up like crazy...and today was our largest burst yet in cases (over 1000) which is the *MOST* since covid testing started here! But we 'dont have a problem' (insert rolled eyes).

The US - heck the world - didn't shut down enough as a unit, for long enough. I really wish everyone would have just sucked it up for 4-5 weeks, let it actually burn out. But with uncoordinated peasly half-bummed responses, meant a longer time with part restrictions, which made people antsy, so everything was open by memorial day weekend here - even beaches. It...shows. Whatdaya know. Two weeks later and we are skyrocketing. In our own neighborhood there were three block parties!