Jumpers

The title requirement was increased from 20 to 30 points on 8/1/2005; dogs were given 10 “grandfather” points if they had already begun working on a title—the points were added at the last level in which they had earned a Jumpers qualifier. Be sure to add this to your records!

This increase has no effect on the points needed for the Outstanding and Superior titles, but the NATCH points requirement increased from 120 to 130 in Jumpers.  Higher level NATCH point requirements increased similarly.

No changes for Jumpers in 2006.

Gamblers

In 2005, Gamblers was performed as an embedded distance challenge in Regular. In 2006 it was replaced by Chances, which is run as a separate course. All prior Gamblers points come forward as Chances points; there is no need to begin your titling progress all over again in Chances.

Like Jumpers, the title requirement for Gamblers (Chances) was increased to 30 points (and the NATCH requirement increased to 130) on 8/1/2005. Dogs were given 10 points if they had already begun working on a Gamblers title. Again, be sure to update your records!

Regular Agility

In 2005, each Regular Agility course contained an embedded distance challenge separately scored for Gamblers qualifying points. In 2006 the embedded distance challenge in Regular Agility was simplified to a lateral distance challenge, and it is now an element of the class: failure to complete the challenge results in 5 course faults.

Regular Agility can be offered as Double Shot.

Chances

Replaces Gamblers. A short (10-15 obstacle) course featuring as many as three Distance, Direction, and Discrimination (DD&D) challenges that must be accomplished in order to qualify.  All three types of DD&D challenges are required in Elite; Open dogs are presented with two of the challenges, and Novice dogs will face only one. The judge selects which challenges to present to the Open and Novice teams.

Chances is currently judged pass/fail with a max course time of 40 sec, and there are no placements. Starting in 2007, Chances will be judged and timed just like any other NADAC course, and placements will be offered.

Chances was briefly named “Wild Card” before the class achieved its final form in early 2006. The name was changed to distinguish it from a dissimilar class of the same name offered by another agility venue. The name “Chances” was chosen by NADAC exhibitors in posthumous honor of Amacris Outside Chance, a much beloved member of the NADAC family.

Tunnelers

Can be offered as Double Shot; otherwise, no changes!

Touch N Go

Can be offered as Double Shot; otherwise, no changes!

Weavers

In 2005, Weavers was one single course for all levels (Novice, Open, and Elite). In 2006 it was changed to different course design for different levels, with fewer sets of weaves at the lower levels: two sets (one long, one short) for the Novice dogs, three sets (two long/one short or vice versa) for the Open dogs, and four sets (two long, two short) for the Elite dogs. A great improvement for dogs and handlers just beginning to master this class!

Wild Card

Renamed “Chances”.  The term “Wild Card” is no longer used in NADAC.

Double Shot

A Double Shot course is a normal course run twice in succession, without stopping, with a tunnel or two connecting the last obstacle with the first. Each pass counts as a separate chance to qualify.

Double Shot can be offered in Tunnelers, Touch N Go, and Regular Agility, but ONLY by clubs with the demonstrated ability to run them. Double Shot allows a club to add another round to the premium without the schedule penalty of a separately built and walked course.

Exhibitors do not have to enter Double Shot to enter the class; it is optional, and must be selected on the entry form. Exhibitors running only one round of the class simply stop after the last obstacle; they do not need to attempt the second pass.

If Double Shot is offered for a class, a second round of the class cannot be offered that day (Regular Agility) or that weekend (Tunnelers or Touch N Go). Furthermore, only one Double Shot of ANY type can be offered per day. Double Shot is not offered in Jumpers, Weavers, or Chances.

Remember that Double Shot is intended as an expedient means of adding additional rounds to a premium for large trials with many runs. Clubs that do not need Double Shot to make their trial run successfully are encouraged by NADAC to offer two conventional rounds of the class instead.

Bonus Boxes

From time to time, a judge may choose to a Bonus Box to a course. A Bonus Box is a longer and more difficult DD&D challenge than what is found in Regular and Chances. The Bonus Box challenge is ALWAYS optional, but if successfully completed – NO course or time faults – the qualifier is worth 15 points instead of 10. Bonus Boxes are rare, so don’t expect to see them every weekend. When they do appear, we invite you to step up to the challenge!

Dog’s Run Index (DRI)

This is a statistical measure which compares your dog’s performance with that of all other dogs in the same jump height group that qualified in that class over the last year in Canada, Australia, and the US. The DRI is computed for each qualifying run. A DRI above 90 is better than the world-wide average; a DRI above 100 is truly impressive!

DRI is used in the calculation of the annual Top Ten awards. DRI may also be used in the future to help teams in remote areas with limited trialing opportunities to qualify for NADAC Championships.  For EVERY team it is a powerful tool for handlers to explore their weaknesses, and brag about their strengths!

Skilled and Proficient

The NEW categories of the 2006 NADAC titling program. All teams now compete in either the Skilled or the Proficient Category, and the two Categories are separately placed at each trial. See each entry below for more details.

Proficient Category

The rules in the Proficient Category are essentially the same as the pre-2006 NADAC titling program, except that all runs must now be “clean” to qualify – 5-point qualifiers are no longer possible in Regular Agility.

Proficient is also the only category that can earn a NATCH. However, this applies only at the Elite level; dogs may complete their Novice and Open level titles in Skilled and then move to Elite Proficient to earn their NATCH points.

All points earned prior to 2006 are automatically considered to be in the Proficient Category. If you wish to transfer them to the Skilled category, contact NADAC.

Skilled Category

A new Category for NADAC dogs and handlers!

In the Skilled Category, owners may choose to enter their dogs one jump height lower than they would normally jump (but no dog may jump lower than 4”). These dogs will run against that lower jump height’s SCT and will be placed with the other dogs in that jump height.

In Skilled, the 20+ and 20 height groups are combined for placements.

Skilled dogs may earn 5-point qualifiers in Regular Agility if the run has five or fewer faults; this is no different than the 5-point qualifier rule from prior years. Thus Skilled dogs may earn Regular Agility qualifiers without completing the distance challenge.

Skilled and Proficient points combine at the Novice and Open levels for titles and Special Awards. However, points at the Elite level are separated by Category – Proficient points count towards Proficient titles, Proficient Award plaques, and the NATCH, while Skilled points at the Elite level count toward Skilled titles, Skilled Award certificates, and the new NADAC Medals: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Purple!

Owners MUST enter a dog in either ALL Skilled or ALL Proficient for the entire trial. Unlike Vets and JH, you cannot mix and match. However, you are free to enter either Category from one weekend to the next.

Veterans and JH Points and Titles

The divisions (Standard, Veterans, and Junior handler) are still with us, and the dogs in the different divisions continue to be placed separately for ribbons. However, their distinction in the titling program has been eliminated; as of December 2005, points in all divisions are combined for titles at each level. “V” and “JH” no longer appear on titles or awards. Thus there is no longer any reason or need to transfer points from one division to another.

The rule against moving Veteran dogs back to lower levels in the Standard division still apply. And Vets and JH dogs must jump their Vets/JH jump height, and no higher.

Veteran or Disabled Handlers

Handlers 60 or older, or who are disabled, may enter in this division and receive additional 10% of course time in the non-jumping classes (Tunnelers, Weavers, and Touch N Go). To do so, the handlers must enter all their dogs in the Veterans division in all classes at that entire trial.

Qualifying Results and NADAC Registration Numbers

Beginning in 2006, NADAC began making the qualifying results from each trial available to exhibitors via the FILES section of the NADACagility list website. Here exhibitors can check their results and verify their NADAC Registration numbers before those results are merged into the NADAC database. IMPORTANT!  After June 1, 2006, this will become the final process for reviewing and correcting the results. Each trial’s results will be posted in the Files section for at least 30 days; after that, the results will be considered final. NADAC strongly encourages exhibitors to review the results as they are posted to the website.

To join the NADACagility list website, simply send a blank email message to nadacagility-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Once you’ve joined, you can go to the website and change your settings to “no mail” if you do not wish to receive list mail. At the website you can read list messages, post brags and razzberries, keep current on upcoming NADAC events and changes, and most importantly, check the posted trial results in the Files section.

Another thing you can do to ensure your dog’s records are correct is to make sure the club has your correct registration number and trial results before they submit them to NADAC! Check your confirmation information before you arrive at the trial, or at trial check-in, and check the run results as they are posted during the trial. Inform the Trial Secretary ASAP when you find a discrepancy.

We want you to receive every qualifier your dog has earned, but NADAC has GROWN – we are much too big now to manually check each show’s results for every dog and exhibitor. Help us to help you!

Levels

Still Novice, Open, and Elite – no change!

Move-downs

Dogs may enter and compete in classes at levels lower than their currently-titled level, and may earn advanced Titles (Outstanding, Superior) by doing so, but they may not earn the Special Awards this way. The Special Awards here include the Triple Superior, the Superior Versatility, the Triple Triple Superior, and the Triple Superior Versatility. Once a dog has moved up and is competing successfully at a higher level, that dog is no longer eligible to move back down and receive these Awards.

Points Earned Above Your Titling Level

Beginning June 1, 2006, NADAC will no longer bank points earned at higher levels if the dog does not have the lower level title in that class. In other words, Elite and Open points will not be banked for a dog without a Novice title, and Elite points will not be banked for a dog without an Open title.

NATCH and Versatility NATCH

On 8/1/05 the NATCH and Versatility NATCH requirements were increased by 10 points each in Jumpers and Gamblers.

In 2006, Chances replaced Gamblers but otherwise the points requirements remained the same.  However, we have changed the title nomenclature: from now on, the higher level NATCH’s will receive a numeric designation: NATCH-2, NATCH-3, NATCH-4, etc. Likewise, higher level Versatility NATCH’s will be denoted as: Vers-NATCH-2, Vers-NATCH-3, Vers-NATCH-4, and so on.

In 2008, the NATCH requirements will be expanded to include an Elite level title (30 points each) in Tunnelers, Weavers, and Touch N Go.

Annual Top Ten Awards

The Top Ten Awards handed out annually at the Awards Banquet at the NADAC Championships have been updated to offer the following awards in both the Proficient and Skilled categories:

• Dog of the Year – Highest scoring dog, all points in all classes

For each of the jump heights we will also honor:

• Regular Agility Dog of the Year – Highest scoring dog in regular
• Chances Dog of the Year
• Jumpers Dog of the Year
• Tunnelers Dog of the Year
• Weavers Dog of the Year
• Touch N Go Dog of the Year

There will be Top Ten awards for each of the above categories.  Also, the Top Ten dogs in each breed and class will be named and honored.

In addition, lifetime achievement in each jump height will be honored:

• Highest Scoring Lifetime Earnings
• Highest Scoring Lifetime Regular Agility Dog
• Highest Scoring Lifetime Chances Dog
• Highest Scoring Lifetime Jumpers Dog
• Highest Scoring Lifetime Tunnelers Dog
• Highest Scoring Lifetime Weavers Dog
• Highest Scoring Lifetime Touch N Go Dog

There are no Top Ten Lifetime Awards.

Note: Top Ten points are earned ONLY from the Elite level. 10-point qualifiers count as 15 points if the run earned a DRI of 100 or more. 5-point qualifiers (Skilled Regular only) are five points regardless of the DRI.  Bonus Box qualifiers are always 15 points.  Points are accumulated over the NADAC year, which goes from August 1 to July 31.