Agility Height Cards

[Sayreovi]

OK so i didnt read the rules properly and have sent away the entries for a trail , apparantly i need a height card?

Where do i get one from and how do i get judges to measure him in time for the trial in 2 weeks?

[hopenfox]

Your dog needs to be measured by two different Agility judges, a form is filled out (I think most/all judges have them) and signed, and you should get the card in the mail in about a week...I believe there are 2 judges that attend the Ballarat Dog Obedience Club...If you can contact them and get to Ballarat with your dog, you may have a chance of getting the hight card in time.

Also when the cards first came in, I know you were allowed to arrive at a trial, get two judges to measure and sign, and that was enough to allow you to trial, but I'm not sure if that is still allowed.

Few people are ever asked to show their cards at trials...(just if your dog looks way too big or small for the height group he's entered in).

[shoemonster]

When I was asking about it at southern last year they said that Berwick can do the height cards?

[helen]

Best thing to do is to phone the secretary and ask them if the dog can be measured on the day, they should let the judges know if they are required to measure so they can take the appropriate equipment and forms. The May Vicdog states which judges are qualified to measure and one of them is judging at Ballarat. They normally accept measurements on the day, so easy if you are certain what height you will need to jump. The height cards are actually taking quite a long time to be returned apparently.

Edited May 6, 2007 by helen

[J...]

Certainly are Helen, I got Darcy measured back in mid-March and haven't received anything at all

[Sayreovi]

Few people are ever asked to show their cards at trials...(just if your dog looks way too big or small for the height group he's entered in).

Thats going to be a problem now, I went out to measure him just before on he is about 45-46cm. Do they take into account the fur? I took a measurement just on top of his shoulder blade and he is about 47cm, but when i measured to the actual skin he is close to 45.

So he is big enough to be asked to be shown the height card.

Best thing to do is to phone the secretary and ask them if the dog can be measured on the day, they should let the judges know if they are required to measure so they can take the appropriate equipment and forms. The May Vicdog states which judges are qualified to measure and one of them is judging at Ballarat. They normally accept measurements on the day, so easy if you are certain what height you will need to jump. The height cards are actually taking quite a long time to be returned apparently.

Its going to be a big problem if i turn up and they measure him to be in the 500 heights as we have always trained at 400.

I will be at Geelong all day Saturday and its the Saturday after that Southerns comp is on.

Geez i am about to just ring the secretary and ask them to not enter us.

[helen]

I would run him anyway, I think he will adjust heights easily if need be. The measurements are taken from the top of the withers. Tilly ran her first trial at 400, was measured at the end of the trial at 500. luckily she didn't qualify, she knocked a bar. She has never knocked a bar at 500 though, in training or trial LOL.

Ballarat probably won't be able to withdraw your entry now. I tried to put Bella up a class after gaining titles at Geelong 2 days after the closing date but they had already started on the catalogue so I was too late.

Ballarat is usually a fun trial to attend so I would go along anyway

This photo was at Geelong and Tilly had not done much work on 500 at all and you can see how easily she has adjusted to the different height, so I think your guys would probably be similar in that respect.

[helen]

Certainly are Helen, I got Darcy measured back in mid-March and haven't received anything at all

I got Tilly measured in March or April, haven't got mine back yet either, I think there is a big back log. I got Bella done as soon as the heights changed and got hers back very quickly. I have taken it to trials but no one has ever asked to see it.

[Sayreovi]

Thanks Helen, it is actually Southern that we are entered so have 2 weeks, but i dont have any equipment to train between now and then.

I may just change the height and see how we go, ive entered in both agility and jumping for both trials with Nova only.

[piper]

Thanks Helen, it is actually Southern that we are entered so have 2 weeks, but i dont have any equipment to train between now and then.

I may just change the height and see how we go, ive entered in both agility and jumping for both trials with Nova only.

Dog's seem to adjust to the change of height better than we give them credit for and some seem to jump better at the next height up from their official height. Piper is a bar knocking BC and yet she has less problems with knocking them at 600 than 500. I think because it is obviously higher than her, she puts more effort in

I would say ring and see if they can measure on the day and train at 500 in the meantime.

Good luck!

[Tim Fairchild]

Try to get as accurate a measure as you can at home. Stand the dog up straight against a wall, put a pencil flat on the top of the withers (shoulder bones), draw a mark, measure it.

This will get a rough measure. Work out your height on that. Sounds like the dog is a 500 anyway, but it could be borderline (455 is the cutoff for 400).

Then get an official measure when you can.

[ness]

Not sure if this helps much but from my observations and I am prepared to be corrected if I am wrong the male tollers all tend to be 500 dogs with the female tollers being either 400 or 500. That is just what I have observed from the dogs currently trialling here so my best guess would be that nova would be jumping 500.

[Sayreovi]

Not sure if this helps much but from my observations and I am prepared to be corrected if I am wrong the male tollers all tend to be 500 dogs with the female tollers being either 400 or 500. That is just what I have observed from the dogs currently trialling here so my best guess would be that nova would be jumping 500.

Nova is a very small male, he is about 45cms. Darcy my other Toller is on 50cms exactly.

The thing is Nova is of a very heavy build and being quite small is going to be greatly disadvantaged if he turns out to be 1mm over the height.

Tim - I will try that tomorrow, i measured him here and got close to 45, a little over but i actually lifted his fur to get closer to the shoulder blade, does anyone know if they do that?

I dont actually have any training between now and the trial and have no equipment so cant train at 500. I am fairly sure he will do it, but i will certainly stuff up, because my handling is for a smaller height and therefore take sharper turns.....something i will forget in the ring.

Thanks for all the posts, i will ring later on and see what happens

[Tim Fairchild]

Tim - I will try that tomorrow, i measured him here and got close to 45, a little over but i actually lifted his fur to get closer to the shoulder blade, does anyone know if they do that?

Well, I tend to push down a bit and reduce the fur influence when I measure, as do others I know. But others may do differently.

My personal opinion is a borderline dog is safer jumping at the lower height, so with a borderline 455 dog it pays to measure carefully. It's never exactly accurate, so I would measure a couple of times and go with a sub-455 if I was getting those results at least some of the time.

I'm assuming ankc heights here of course, so with the 5 height categories it's at least not quite so critical these days one way or another.

[Sayreovi]

Just got of the phone to the secretary and its all pretty much sorted out.

He will be measured before the trial and either stay in 400 or if he goes over go up to 500. She is going to do it so that he will be the last dog in 400 or the first in 500 so it doesnt stuff up the order.

Will be interesting seeing what he is finally measured at

[Tim Fairchild]

Just got of the phone to the secretary and its all pretty much sorted out.

He will be measured before the trial and either stay in 400 or if he goes over go up to 500. She is going to do it so that he will be the last dog in 400 or the first in 500 so it doesnt stuff up the order.

Will be interesting seeing what he is finally measured at

Let us know how it goes. Hope you squeeze into 400

Looks like you might have a chance. I have a 400 BC, but she is well under, the little midget.

[Sayreovi]

I am hoping so too, he is such a stocky little dog with little legs it will be so much easier for him at the 400 height. Plus then i wont have to run both dogs at the same height and same class as well

[helen]

Glad you are going, I have entered too and can't wait to see nova in action

[smisch]

Your cloub should have cards, I took my cards and and once I knew the dogs numbers on the register I got them mesured by two judges on the nite I took in my cards! It was funny! jock was exaclty 355mm and snoops was 350!

[Sayreovi]

Glad you are going, I have entered too and can't wait to see nova in action

Ohh Good a familiar face!

I am going to be a nervous wreck, if Nova does everything i say (even if i send him over the wrong jump ) its all i am asking for anything will be a bonus! You will know if he got a pass because i will be crying :p

Have you entered both trials? I am doing agility and jumping in both AM and PM.....yeah i know i am insane