Agility Games

[Sayreovi]

Can someone please explain all the agility games too me, i get snooker and gamblers mixed up and not 100% sure of what too do anyway......and strategic pairs is still a little hazy. :rolleyes:

Is there anyone who could explain it so that its easy to understand and i wont get confused during the run?

[J...]

In a nutshell for Novice

Snooker:

Need to complete a red obstacle (jumps) followed by a normal one, and repeat that twice more to be able to start the closing sequence (so 3 red jumps and 3 plain obstacles). Also need to gain 10 points while doing this. If you stuff up, as long as you get your 10 points in the opening sequence you're still fine for a pass - the opening sequence is merely an opportunity to gain maximum points! Each obstabcle in the closing sequence is numbered 1 to 7, the number on each one dictates its points. I.e if the D/W is the no 5 then its worth 5 points to you. So you do a red jump (1 point) run to the D/W and complete that (5 points) back to a different red jump (another point) and back to the d/w (another 5 points). You can't repeat a red obstacle but you can do a numbered one as many times as you like. Judged on max points then time.

Gamblers:

Make up your own course, jumps are worth 1 point, tyre/tunnel and broad/spread are worth 2 points and D/W a-frame and weaves are worth 3 points. You need to accumulate at least 20 points to gain a pass. You have 45 seconds to do this bit, whistle blows and you commence the "gamble" which is the distance component with 4 obstacles (3 metres in Novice). You can do obstacles in the gamble during the first part but only one at a time - you can't do two in a row. Plus if a jump is part of the gamble and you drop the bar, you've stuffed your gamble and you've just missed your pass. Also judged on max points then time.

Strategic Pairs:

Need to do at least two strategic switches so each dog will at least run two legs each. You decide where the switches will be. If you stuff up (i.e miss a contact or drop a bar) then your pair needs to come in and do that contact/jump again for you - they can either take over your decided leg, or you can go back to the original plan and its only cost you a little time. There is plenty of time in SP, there's no refusals or obstacle out of order, so if your dog runs in the tunnel the wrong way you just go and do it the right way, or they do the wrong jump, just go back to where you stuffed it and keep going!! You can get DQ'd for dangerous handling (i.e risking collision b/w your dog and the other handlers dog) and you can't travel holding your dog while you're not "active". Some judges will allow hand on the chest to restrain, others will allow hand on the collar but you CANNOT move while you have hold of your dog! The non-active dog can do pretty much anything so some people run them repeatedly over a jump/through a tunnel to keep them under control. Judged purely on fastest time.

Great fun!!! Good luck! I'm sure others will add stuff to this that I've missed

[Sayreovi]

Thanks FP!!

Ok i get Gamblers and Snooker but still confused on SP, what do you mean by legs?

[helen]

If you walk a strategic pairs course you will see obvious breaks in parts of the couse, ie no 5 might be on one side of the couse and no 6 might be on the opposite side of the course, so that is the leg where the dogs will change. There has to be I think at least 2 dog changes in the course. The judge simply watches the next obstacle so if somone misses an obstacle the judge will just keep watching the next obstacle, not where the active dog is going.

If a weave pole is missed, a bar is knocked down or a contact is missed the whistle blows and the other dog has to come and complete that obstacle. Once a mistake is made time does start running out quickly, although there is plenty of time in novice.

I find pairs much easier if you can heel you dog between legs and get them to sit and wait (if there is time) as you can see as soon as the other dog has finished and start quickly