SOUTH/ SOUTH WEST OBEDIENCE LIAISON COUNCIL QUESTIONAIRE FOR MEETING TO BE HELD 6th JULY 2016
Proposals from the Five Year Strategy Working Party
(i)Catalogues
The Working Party wishes to recommend that the necessity for the publication of catalogues should be removed, and be replaced with a marked running order (for Championship Class C only) to be sent to the Kennel Club, detailing the name of each dog, and its owner/s and handler.
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COMMENT
(ii)Capped Classes
The Working Party had discussed the possible introduction of capped classes whereby organisers of Open and Limited shows would be able to set a capping level on the entries to be accepted in any standard or special class, and to decline entries received after the capping level has been reached. Capped classes had proved to be effective in Agility, and the Working Party was of the view that provision for capped classes would be equally effective in Obedience. Show societies would find shows with capped classes easier to plan as they would be aware beforehand of how many rings would be necessary. Other logistical arrangements could also be made in well in advance of the show as the maximum number of competitors would be known.
It was anticipated that Open shows with capped classes would be highly attractive to competitors as the results would count towards progression and would therefore be meaningful.
The Council is requested to consider the following proposal for an amendment to G Regulations to permit the introduction of capped classes:
Insertion of new Regulation G (A) 13
TO:
Regulation G (A) 13 Capped Classes.
a. Organisers of Open Obedience shows and Limited Obedience shows may set a capping level on the entries to be accepted in any standard or special class, and may decline entries received after the capping level has been reached.
b. Wins and places in standard classes capped in accordance with this Regulation will count towards progression and Obedience Warrant points.
c. The capping level must be set at a minimum of 35 entries received. There is no maximum level at which a cap may be set. Capped classes may be split into two or more divisions in accordance with Regulation G30.b.
d. The capping level for each capped class must be clearly specified in the show schedule.
e. The capping level applied may be adjusted upwards by a maximum of 10% after the closing date of a show at the discretion of the show organisers. Capping levels may not be adjusted downwards after publication of the schedule except with the prior permission of the General Committee of the Kennel Club.
f. Where total entries received exceed a capping level, entries must be processed in the order received. Processing of entry forms, and of online entries where applicable, must be managed so that the date of receipt of each entry is recorded. (It is permissible to set different opening and closing dates for online entries from those applying to postal entries.)
g. Entry fees for entries which are received after the capping level has been exceeded must be refunded in full.
h. Entry forms must allow competitors to specify, if their entry for any capped class is declined because the capping level has been reached:-
(i) that they wish the dog to remain entered in all other classes, or
(ii) that they wish their entire entry for the dog in question to be cancelled, or
(iii) that they wish their entire entry for all dogs they have entered at the show to be cancelled.
In such cases the relevant entry fees must be refunded in full.
- Notifications under Regulation G24.g(dogs which have progressed to the next class) must be processed in order of the date of receipt of the notification.
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COMMENT
Running orders
The Working Party acknowledged that conducting draws was very time consuming for show secretaries and agreed that it would be beneficial to reduce running orders to 5 dogs as it would reduce the administrative burden on show secretaries, and it was not considered that it would have any adverse effect on delays in judging. Accordingly it wishes to recommend a proposed amendment to Regulation G30.f.(3) as follows:
Regulation G30.f.(3)
TO:
Where a draw for the complete running order of Classes other than Championship Class C is not made, Show Managements must conduct a ballot to determine a running order for at least the first 105 competitors/dogs in these classes: this may be reduced to 6 at shows with less than 200 dogs entered or where there are less than 25 dogs entered in a specific class.
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COMMENT
Discussion item
Bonus Wins
At its meeting in January, the Council highlighted an issue whereby, due to entries closing well in advance of shows, handlers having qualified out of a class were obliged to continue to compete in that class for some time, and as a result, in some cases, blocked wins by other handlers. The Council had supported in principle the introduction of a system similar to that used in Agility whereby dogs qualifying out of a class within a set period prior to a show would be required to contact the show secretary and would be moved into the next class. The Obedience Strategy Working Party had discussed the suggestion further and requests that it be given further consideration by the Council. If supported, it is suggested that a formal proposal, including relevant amendments to Regulations, be submitted to the Council at its meeting in January 2017.
Any wins gained up to 2-3 weeks prior to a show to be counted for thepurposes of class eligibility
Any handler achieving a class win within this time frame to advise the show secretary who would move them into the appropriate class
This would allow show secretaries adequate time to prepare running orders,especially as these were now published online rather than being sent outindividually
No necessity for any amendment to closing dates which could still be 6-8 weeks prior to the show
Similar system already operates in Agility
Use of ‘ghost entries’ in order to allow for freshly-qualified dogs to beallocated spaces within running orders
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COMMENT
ITEM 9. PROPOSALS
- Newbury and District Dog Training Society
Mrs. J Holness
Proposed additional wording to Regulation G5.
Newbury and District Dog Training Society wishes to propose an amendment to the above Regulation in order to address the issue of clashing shows.
Regulation G5. Permission to Hold Shows
TO:
c.Registered Clubs and Societies when applying for an Obedience Show License must follow a Code of Good Practice as follows:
(i)The Society is to establish the date required for its show.
(ii)It must check with the Kennel Club that there are no other shows already booked, or which are historically booked by any other Club or Society, on that date.
(iii) If the proposed date clashes with any other show the Society must:
a) Check the status of the other show (Championship, Open or Limited)
b) Check the distance by road between the two venues.
(iv) A booked Championship show will take precedence over a show of any other status show.
(v) If the proposed show clashes with any other Open or Limited show and the distance between the two is under 100 miles, the new show must contact and discuss the situation with the other show society before applying for a license. If the management of the show already booked is not in agreement for the new show to take place on that date, then the new show must seek an alternative date.
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COMMENT
b.Ms Clare WilliamsMiss Fran Godfrey
Proposal for a new scheduled class
Ms Williams, an individual, requests the Council to consider the addition of a new class between Beginners and Novice. (Addition to Annex A to G Regulations G (A)) The class could be called Pre-Novice (like Pre-Beginner) or Intermediate. The term ‘Pre-Novice’ has been used for the purposes of this proposal.
Rationale:
The jump from Beginners to Novice is huge in terms of the standard of competition. Handlers who have won out of Beginners immediately find themselves competing against Ticket Handlers with their young dogs, as well as handlers with many years’ experience with many different dogs.
Once they have won out of Pre-Beginners some handlers find it a daunting prospect to work in Novice so only enter Beginners but can find that travelling to shows for one class doesn’t justify the cost.
Competitors who have won out of Beginners tend not to enter A, but would be able to enter Pre-Novice and Novice thus having two classes to work and giving shows additional income.
Whereas in Beginners they may be regularly placed before they win out, competitors find that in Novice, except in exceptional circumstances, they will be nowhere near the top of the class week in, week out. This can be very demotivating and can ultimately lead to competitors leaving the sport as they feel there is no further chance of progression.
Concern has often been expressed at the lack of competitors entering and remaining in the sport. Pre-Novice will help competitors build confidence and keep them engaged and retained within the sport, whilst providing another progression stage for those new to Obedience.
Assuming there are no plans to change the Beginners and Novice tests, the test would be the same as Novice but the qualifying criteria would differ. It is proposed that a new Regulation G (A) 8. would be introduced as follows:
Regulation G (A) 8. Pre-Novice
a. To compete in Pre-Novice a dog must not have won two First Prizes in Pre-Novice or one First Prize in any other Obedience Class (Introductory, Pre-Beginners and Beginners excepted). A handler must not have won two First Prizes in Novice nor gained third place or above in Class A, B or Open C.
b. The detailed tests will be:
(1) Heel on lead 20 points
(2) Heel free 25 points
(3) Recall 10 points
(4) Retrieve a dumbbell 15 points
(5) Sit one minute, handler in sight 10 points
(6) Down two minutes, handler in sight 20 points
(7) TOTAL 100 points
This means that:
A dog wins out of Pre-Novice if the dog wins two Pre-Novice classes
A handler remains eligible for Pre-Novice until they have won two Novice classes or gained third place or above in Class A,B or Open C. Therefore they can start their next dog in Pre-Novice.
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COMMENT
The whole agenda may be found under news in OBUK,please comment on any other items on the agenda.