Report of the New Zealand Kennel Club Agility Committee Meeting
Wellington
August 17th 2009
Present: Lyn Sayers, Susan Tansey, Paul Taylor, Dyson Beasley, Ron Frater, Vickie Byford, Steve Chester, Brian Priest
Apologies: Paul Remon
1. Matters Arising from previous minutes:
1. Clean Run units –There are 5 left currently. All judges will be contacted asking if they wish to purchase the remaining items. After one month they will be advertised for sale to any other interested people.
2. Unmeasured dogs competing –Records have also been updated regarding dogs that have since ceased competing.
3. Rates of Travel – New regulations regarding how courses should be measured have been approved. It will be sent to all clubs and judges to be used as a procedure, until adoption into the regulations on January 1st 2010.
4. Height Issues– It was agreed that there are two issues – the health and safety of the dog and the element of fairness of competition. It was agreed that they are interlinked. It was agreed that people should be able to compete for a long time with any fit dog regardless of height. It was also agreed that the people who are interested in moving their dog up the levels should be able to in a way that gives equal opportunity for all heights. The newly formed subcommittee will work on a proposal with these issues in mind. This will then be distributed to the agility community for comment.
5. New AD Courses – It was agreed to change the AD and ADX courses, so that all courses have a minimum of three types of contact equipment in each course, 20 obstacles to allow for better course design with these obstacles, and deletion of the table.
6. Deletion of the Table as a standard obstacle – It was agreed to delete the table from standard obstacles from January 1st 2010. The table has become an obsolete obstacle due to rising numbers in classes, time constraints, and inconsistency in timing, now that electronic timing is being used.
3. Financial report
1. AD/ADX Levies – An email had been received identifying an inconsistency in the NZKC website in relation to the AD ADX levies. This will be rectified.
4. Correspondence
The report was presented. This included all correspondence received through the official channels
1. Official Measurers – Additional measurers for Zone 1 will be approached, as there is a lack of measurers for such a heavily populated area. Paul Taylor will replace Fiona Hodgson in Zone 3, who has shifted to Rotorua, so she will be a measurer for Zone 2.
2. Champions running at ribbon trials – A letter had been received requesting consideration that Champions not be allowed to compete in Intermediate at Ribbon Trial level. It was felt that since Champions are still needing to collect CRCs for milestones and AD and ADX classes can be held at ribbon trials, it would be unfair to exclude the opportunity of competing in Intermediate.
3. Closing dates for AD/ADX - An email was received by a club concerning the practise of some members entering ADX trials before they had qualified AD. It was agreed that handlers can not enter ADX before they have qualified AD, as stated in the Agility Regulations.
4. ADX Course 9 – An email was received identifying a missing measurement in Course 9. This will be corrected and distributed to clubs and judges.
5. Regulations
1. Rewrite of Agility Regs – This is progressing.
2. Elementary Weaving – An email was received identifying that there is no regulation on how to judge weaves in Elementary. It was agreed that it should be judged as per Starters. This will be included with the next regulation change and until then it is the expectation of judges to judge Elementary as per the Starters regulations.
3. Announcement of Prize winners – It was agreed to change the regulation to state that prize winners can be announced in either ascending or descending order.
4. Changes to Regulations – It was agreed that major changes will continue to be made only twice a year, but minor changes can be made as needed. Clubs and judges will be informed as each change occurs.
5. Minor Changes – A report will be presented to the Executive after any minor changes to regulations have been made.
6. Judges
1. Treatment of judges' by clubs – This is progressing. Clubs will be asked for suggestions, before turning this into a booklet.
2. NZKC Website – Judges’ details - This is continuing to be updated.
3. Len Parker– It was agreed to allow reinstatement to the Senior Panel effective immediately.
4. Promotion of Judges’ proposal – New procedures regarding the Agility Judges’ Panel and the promotion of judges within it, were approved. The procedures will be distributed to all judges for comment, before coming into effect as regulations on January 1st 2010.
5. Jumpers Senior Panel – An email was received in regards to non Senior Judges, judging Jumpers A at Championship level. It was agreed that the regulations state that only Senior Agility Judges can judge Jumpers A.
7. Publicity
1. Dog Event research – A link to the website that advertises dog events, will go onto the dog agility website.
2. Payment to Clubs for promoting Agility – It was agreed that a $100 grant would be paid to clubs who do displays at large public venues. A condition of receiving this grant will be that the club distribute a pamphlet will that contains contact details regarding the dog agility website, the NZKC and information about agility. It will also have a space for the club to attach personalised labels for the club’s details on the pamphlet. A grant application form will be made available and only clubs may apply for grants.. It was agreed that grants would need to be approved by the committee, and that grants would only go to significant displays. The committee regards this new initiative as a significant support to clubs, both financially, as well as through possible new members, and is an effective method of advertising our sport. Clubs receiving payment for displays from event organisers, will still be eligible for a grant.
8. Communications
1. NZKC websites inaccuracies – The Agility Committee will help NZKC with inaccuracies on their website, in regards to agility.
9. Clubs
1.“How to Run a Show” booklet. – This is progressing, and help outside the Agility Committee is being sought.
10. Calendar
1. 2010 South Island calendar – The final calendar for 2010 has been published, and all dates approved.
2. 2010 North Island calendar – The final calendar for 2010 has been published, and all dates approved.
3. Allocation of future Calendar Dates procedure – A procedure for allocating dates for future calendars, was agreed to. Clubs will now be sent the procedure and also be asked if they have outside influences that could effect future dates.
4. Allocation of AD and ADX – It was discovered that the North Island clubs had been issued too many AD and ADX dates for the 2010 year, during initial drafting. This issue has been rectified. A rotation policy to allow all clubs that want to, to have an AD or ADX date, may be written in the future. This would only apply to the North Island, where there are more clubs than allocated AD or ADX trials.
11. Disputes
1. Happenings at shows -It was agreed that the committee would only discuss issues that come through official channels.
12. Health and Safety
1. Accident form – This is still being developed.
2. Excluded Dogs regulations –The proposal presented to the Agility Committee was approved, and will enter the Agility Regulations on January 1st 2010.
13. Equipment
1. Hurdle Lug data – Data received by clubs will be given to the Heights subcommittee.
2. COF progress – Almost all clubs have competed a COF check. Clubs will be sent a certificate shortly as proof of this as well as a reminder of what gear still needs to be fixed before use at a competition. Judges will be responsible for checking any fixed gear, prior to use, as well as any new gear. They will also be responsible for reporting any gear that no longer complies due to future deterioration.
3. A Frame regulation – An email was received regarding the slats regulations, and construction of the A Frame. The regulations will be amended to state that slats need to be horizontal. In regards to the A Frame top it was agreed that the top does not necessarily have to be flat, however it should be filled where it hinges. This will also be included in the regulations and will be enforced from January 1st 2010 on all A Frames.
5. Illinois skid test – This is ongoing.
6. PVC Moulding of Jumps Grants – There was some discussion that the likelihood of getting a grant of $20000 in the current economic climate was poor. It was agreed to leave this proposal at the moment until further research into alternative methods for safety and future proofing can be achieved.
7. New equipment standards guideline – This is still progressing.
8. Certified manufacturers of gear – it was agreed to approach New Zealand manufacturers of agility gear and ask if they would like to become certified manufacturers. Doing so will allow clubs to purchase gear from these suppliers, knowing that the new gear does not need to be inspected for the club’s COF. Each prototype will be $30 to be certified. In return the website would advertise the manufacturers and list the gear that can be bought from these suppliers. Any certified gear would need to be branded.
14. National Events
1. 2009 NDTA –A report was submitted via email. Some of the AC will be attending this year’s NDTA .
2. 2009 Nationals – Entries have been record numbers.
3. 2010 NDTA – The Taupo Council have declined permission for the use of Hickling Park, so this is no longer an option. Other options within Taupo, close to the indoor arena, are being explored. An agility subcommittee will be formed shortly.
4. Placement of future NDTAs – The NZKC advised that the 2011 National Dog Show at Easter. It was agreed that in 2011 the NDTA will be held on Labour Weekend in Zone 4. Suitable venues will need to be booked as soon as possible, as arrangements may be difficult due to the Rugby World Cup.
5. Poll on Future NDTAs –A poll asking the agility community whether from 2012 we stay with the status quo or change to the obedience rotation to keep the disciplines together, will be placed on the NZKC website shortly. This opinion poll will be used to help with future decisions.
15. Obedience Matters
1. A member of the Agility Committee was invited, and has since attended, a meeting with a discussion group in the Southern Obedience Region. The Agility Committee’s position on the future of the NDTA was outlined at this meeting.
16. General Business
1. Competitions Subcommittee – This has now been established.
Meeting Closed at 5.00pm