I spent last weekend in Columbus, OH, attending the USDAA judges’ continuing education clinic. The clinic focused on such things as understanding the USDAA rules for performance; differentiating challenges for each level of play; and rules changes. The clinic was expertly led by Tim Laubach a long time USDAA judge out of San Antonio, TX.

These clinics are of great value to me as they allow me to stay current with the sport of agility and the standard of performance as defined by the USDAA. I am completely conscious that as a judge for the USDAA it is not my job to superimpose my own ideals of performance but to be faithful to the standard envisioned by the organization.

Frankly the USDAA continuing educations clinics should be attended by agility instructors just as avidly as they are attended by judges. How can you teach skills and performance if you don’t understand how these are defined and will be judged?

I’ll use my web log to sort through some of those things that are upper-most in my mind for the next several days. If I’ve misapprehended the teaching on the weekend, I’m sure somebody will let me know.

The Premise Sequence

Often when I design courses I’ll begin with a proposition of a challenging set of obstacles. In this opening I introduce flow into a Hobday Box with an attending three‑jump pinwheel. What are the challenges presented by this sequence? And, what level would you say are the challenges?

Certainly everyone will see the wrong course presentation of jump #5 in the dog’s path after jump #2. The wrong-course jump is spaced precisely 19′ from the #2 jump.

The consequence of the three-jump pinwheel and reintroduction of the dog’s path into the box is that at least three jumps are presented to the dog on an angled approach. Already the angled approach jumps might be over-done for Advanced dogs; though I can’t imagine that many course reviewers would argue that it is too Advanced for the class.

Note that an angled approach jump will typically present potential for a run-out which is scored as a refusal. But for the purpose of this discussion I want to differentiate early between run-out and refusal because of the implications of those challenges on the judge’s path.

Be mindful too that refusals are called on jumps in the USDAA only at the Masters level. The consequence or penalty for any type of refusal for Starters or Advanced players will be the time required to get the dog back on path.

Presentation for Advanced

If I wanted to back off on the challenges I could give a little rotation of jumps #5 and #6. Note that the shape of the dog’s path is essentially undisturbed. But the squarer presentations soften the challenge.

Presentation for Starters

I’d reckon that I’ve nearly backed the sequence down to a Starters flow. To be completely faithful to Starters I need to take away the wrong course option after jump #2 and give jump #4 a bit of rotation (counter-clockwise) to be presented more squarely to the dog coming off of jump #3.

Presentation for Masters

Now, thinking of creating appropriate challenges for Masters… what if I really wanted to make things interesting? You’ll note that in this set of equipment the centers of each jump are precisely as they were in the originally drawn sequence, with the exception of jump #4. The jumps have been rotated at about 45º. Jump #4 has been presented squarely to the dog’s path and drawn back just a bit to set up the turn to jump #5.

Note that jump #5 still presents a wrong course opportunity to the dog. And frankly in this sequence jump #2 must certainly be considered as a wrong course option after jump #5.

Judging Position for Critical Challenge

Because I’ve presented so many jumps at an oblique angle to the dog’s path the judging position must allow me to see whether the dog commits a run-out. You’ll note in this drawing that I begin with a view of the aperture of the tire to ensure that I can see that the dog has passed through it, rather than between the frame and tire.

So the judge has a good sight-line on the run-out planes for jumps #2 and #3 and a leisurely step or two to get into position for a site-line through jumps #5 and #6.

Not Critical Challenge

It might seem as though I’ve omitted a good judging position for jump #4. But I took pains early to distinguish between a refusal (turning back) and a run-out (running by). The run-out challenge establishes the critical judging position. But for the refusal I can see that the dog has turned away from the approach without having the perpendicular sight‑line.

You’ll note in the drawing that the handler has pulled away from the performance prematurely and so has convinced the dog to do the same.

Rules Change

Note that the USDAA has redefined the criteria for a balking refusal to allow the dog to come to a complete stop for up to two seconds on the approach to an obstacle before a refusal can be called. And so, the judge should be able to say to himself “Significant Hesitation” before calling the fault… rather than “Sig..”.

Questions comments & impassioned speeches to Bud Houston: dogwoodbud1@earthlink.net. And Checkout my new publication the Idea Book – Agility Training for a Small Universe available at www.dogagility.org/store.