Clean Run - June 2017 - 30

petitions themselves. Where organizations in the US typically have a range of
three to four different levels (e.g., Novice/
Open/Excellent/Masters; Starters/Advanced/Masters), the main organization
in the UK, The Kennel Club, operates on
a grade system. Seven different grades
exist: grades 1-3 are novice equivalents,
grades 4 and 5 correlate to an advanced
or open level, and grades 6 and 7 are the
top competitors. Unlike US level progression though, to move from one grade to
the next a dog must first win a certain
number of classes within the lower grade.
Within the lower grades competitors may
also move up based on points acquired
via clean runs, but this can only be done
up to grade 4.
The UK has a win-out system that plays
a vital role in creating and supporting a
more sport-like and less exhibition-based
atmosphere in agility. Having competed
within the system in my time living in

Wales, I believe it is set up to suit UK
agility culture well. While this isn't a system of competition that could be copied
and pasted into US agility culture, it's
an approach that could be modified to
benefit dog agility in the US. Encouraging competition within competition
(i.e., transitioning our focus away from
qualifying ribbons and onto actual ring
performance) could give US agility more
edge, better sportsmanship, and motivation and desire to keep improving communication between dogs and handlers.

Great, What Now?
Okay, great, so I've laid out some pros of
UK agility for you. Does that mean we
should start campaigning to break up the
US into smaller countries to better our
development of dog agility as a sport? No,
that would be ridiculous. Should we start
taking an afternoon tea break halfway
through a trial? Yes that happens, and yes

it is wonderful, but no, it is not necessary.
But we can look at why things are working for UK agility and start to brainstorm
new ideas for our own agility culture.
Our large geographical presence is not
something we can change, but we can use
our advantage of diversity to help better competitors throughout the country.
When we speak of financial issues within
the sport, remember that junior handlers
(and young handlers) are at a disadvantage. As the future of the sport, it is imperative that we invest in this population
of competitors, so among other ideas,
consider lower entry fees for juniors for
trials and seminars alike. And of course,
re-examining the competition systems
we currently have in the US, with an aim
to evolve and grow the sport rather than
let it stagnate, is going to make all the difference over the next 10 to 20 years of US
agility's progression. D

Tori Self is an avid dog lover, writer, agility coach, wannabe chef, and explorer. She started competing in agility at 12 years of age and has since earned national and
international success alongside her Border Collie, Revolution. Tori currently trains and ventures with Rev and her young Border Collie, Brave, narrating their journeys
on her blog at www.toriself.com.

Learning is fun, and people and pups can genuinely enjoy
the training process!
Learn key training concepts in a fun, easy, and engaging way
as you sit in on real training sessions while Dudley teaches
her mixed breed puppy Tasty Kake how to learn, how to
focus, proprioception, recalls, stays, cue discrimination, and
more. You'll also see how Dudley introduces agility handling
through toy play.
This DVD includes 22 training sessions with Tasty as well as
Dudley's commentary on what she liked and didn't like
about the sessions.

cleanrun.com

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - June 2017