Clean Run - June 2011 - 43

AKC’s New Kid on the Block

TIME 2 BEAT
By Ann Croft

AKC unleashes its new independent titling class Time 2 Beat (T2B) on July 1, 2011.The class has been in development for over two years with demos available at many trials around the country.The intent of T2B is to emphasize setting a clean line for the dog that is both fast and accurate. T2B will be offered as a one-level class open to all, rather than broken down into Novice, Open, and Excellent levels. The course difficulty level is intermediate in scope, more difficult than a Novice course, but typically less than the challenge level of an AKC Excellent course.
A dog must have a clear round to earn a qualifying score and must earn 15 Qs and 100 points to earn the T2B title (Regular or Preferred). The fastest dog with a clear round within a jump height earns 10 points and sets the mark for the point distribution for the remaining qualifying dogs. Dogs within 10% of the fastest clear time earn 9 points; dogs within 20%, 8 points; dogs within 30%, 7 points; and so on, down to dogs within 90+% (but still within maximum course time) that earn 1 point. Maximum course time is preset at 50 seconds for 20", 24", and 26"dogs; 55 seconds for 16" dogs; and 60 seconds for 4", 8", and 12" dogs. A numerical designation is added each time the dog completes the requirements for the T2B title (T2B2,T2B3, and so on).The points and Qs are reset to zero each time a title is earned. Course design, emphasizing speed and flow, requires a minimum of three side changes and five AKC challenges, currently defined as off-course options and/or handler restrictions. No turns greater than 180° are allowed. Required obstacles are a set of 12 weave poles and either the A-frame or seesaw. Both A-frame and seesaw are allowed; however, if just one of the contacts is used, then either the weaves or the contact must
June 11 | Clean Run

be taken twice. Also allowed are the open tunnel, bar jumps, one-bar jumps, the triple, the double, and the tire.The dogwalk, table, collapsed tunnel, broad jump, and panel jump cannot be used in T2B. The courses included here were previously used in T2B demos and show some of the possible variations in course design. Figures 1 and 2 have the weaves taken twice, Figure 3 has the seesaw taken twice, Figure 4 has weaves, seesaw, and A-frame on course, and Figures 5 and 6 have the A-frame taken twice. Judging is similar to the regular AKC classes with knocked bars, off-courses, and missed contacts all being scored as course faults. However, no run-outs or refusals are called. Although refusals and run-outs are not called at the weave poles, handlers have a maximum of three attempts to complete the poles. T2B looks like a fast and fun class. I am looking forward to trying it with my dogs, and I hope you are too. Visit the AKC T2B page at www.akc.org/events/agility/time2beat.cfm to learn more specifics about the rules and find out which trials in your area will offer it. D
43
http://www.akc.org/events/agility/time2beat.cfm
Clean Run - June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - June 2011
