How Do I Q?

How Do I Q?

Each of the various organizations has its own set of rules and how they apply to your run. While they appear different and even confusing at first, a closer examination demonstrates that they are actually quite similar, they just present their programs in a different way. A truly clean run is one that is free of all course faults and time faults regardless of how it is judged or scored. Each organization has its own way of addressing these issues as they relate to the level of ability of the teams in each of their classes.

They all offer a beginners level, intermediate and advanced levels, and a championship level. The oldest organization, USDAA, offers Starters/Novice, Advanced, Masters, and the Agility Dog Championship titles. In AKC you will find Novice A/B, Open, Excellent, and the Master Agility Champion. NADAC includes Novice A/B, Open, Elite, and the NADAC Agility Trial Champion.

A comparison of the USDAA and AKC scoring system will hopefully shed some light into their views, and how each is scored. The judging system in the USDAA classes differs from class to class while in AKC the judging system is the same for all classes, but the results are tallied differently on the scribe sheet. What this means is that the USDAA judge adjusts for what faults are assessed at each level, where the AKC judge judges all the classes the same. In the end each addresses issues relevant to the participants in the class they are entered.

The faults and the signals displayed by the judge.

USDAA faults:

Refusal/Run-out - closed fist held in the air.
Standard - a raised open hand.
Wrong Course - two arms up, hands open.
Elimination/Excusal - whistle.

AKC faults:

Refusal/Run out - closed fist held in the air.
Failure to Perform - two arms up, hands open.
Wrong Course - raised arm, open hand.
Elimination/Excusal - whistle.

Beginner level comparison:

In the USDAA Starters/Novice level refusals/run outs are not judged. Knocked bars, missed contacts, and on/off the table, which are standard faults are assessed 5 faults, and a wrong course eliminates a team. The judge determines what is allowed at the beginners level, and scores the run as the team works. Weave poles are used in this class, but if performed correctly, a team can receive a qualifying score. As long as the team performs each obstacle correctly, in the proper order, and under the standard course time (SCT) indicated, they will receive a qualifying score. 3 legs are required to earn the Agility Dog title. In USDAA placements are given whether the score is qualifying or not.

The non-standard classes, or games are not a qualifying class at the beginner level. It is intended as a primer for what they will experience later and it takes off the pressure a new team may feel.

The AKC Novice A/B level as with all levels, is judged the same. The difference is in what happens with the scribe sheet when it arrives at the scorekeepers table. A score of 85 out of 100 will allow a team to qualify, and 3 legs are needed to earn the Novice Agility title. At this level a team is allowed 2 refusal/run-out faults, and 2 wrong course faults. They are also allowed table faults at a 2 point deduction for each occurrence. Time faults are based upon 1 point for each second over the SCT. There are no weave poles in this class. In order to receive a placement a team must qualify.

AKC's Jumpers with Weaves class is a qualifying class at all levels. It is scored similarly to the Standard class. Weave poles are a required obstacle at the Novice level in this class, however refusal/run-outs are not judged in this one class alone. Wrong course is an elimination in all JWW classes. A score of 85 out of 100 is required to qualify, and 3 legs are required to earn the NAJ.

Intermediate level comparison:

Refusals/run-outs are added to the fault list in the Advanced USDAA class, at the contact obstacles only. Weave pole entries are not faulted, but if the dog misses a pole it will receive a standard fault. They must run under the SCT. 3 legs are required to earn the AAD.

The games classes are qualifying in that they allow one entrance into the Master Games after earning 2 legs each from the Advanced Games. They are not titles, just a key to the upper level door.

The AKC Open level as with all levels, is judged the same. Here the score keepers table applies only 1 Refusal/run-out for a qualifying score, 2 wrong courses, table faults are allowed, and each second over SCT is multiplied by 2 points each. The JWW class is judged the same, refusal/run-out faults are applied at the weave poles, and a wrong course is not allowed. 3 legs are required to earn the OA.

Advanced level comparison:

Here things get even muddier as each organization has it's upper class divided in different ways.

USDAA offers the Master Agility Dog title to those dogs who earn 3 qualifying legs in the Standard Class, and one leg each from the non-standard, or games, classes; Jumpers, Pairs Relay, Snooker, and Gamblers. In order to earn the Agility Dog Championship a dog must earn a total of 7 qualifying Standard legs, and a total of 5 legs each from the games classes. All faults will disqualify a team in the USDAA Master classes, however placements can be earned without qualifying.

AKC's Excellent class is divided into A and B. A is for dogs who have not yet earned their Agility Excellent title, and B is for dogs who are working on their Master Excellent, and Master Agility Championship titles. 3 legs are required to earn the AX, and 10 legs to earn the MX. In the A class, no refusals are allowed, and 1 wrong course is allowed. B allows no refusals, no wrong courses, and no table faults. In both, time faults are assessed by multiplying each second over the SCT by 3. An Ex. B performance between 85 and 99 will allow a team to earn an MX leg, but the score must be 100 in order to apply to the MACH title. JWW scoring is similar except that in Ex. B the minimum score to achieve a qualifying leg is 100.

To earn the AKC MACH a team must earn 20 2Qs, qualify in both Standard B and JWW B classes on the same day, and earn a total of 750 points. One point is earned for each full second the dog's time is under the SCT. If a team wins 1st place they double their point value, and if they earn 2nd place they get 1.5 times the point value. The MACH multiples - after earning 40 2Qs, and 1,500 points the team has earned the MACH2, and so on.