WAG decides the dates and site of the show. The Show Chair decides on which classes to offer.

The Show Chair is the main point of contact for working with USDAA to set the trial date and any other matters concerning USDAA. Make certain that the club has the requisite insurance. He or she will complete the USDAA show application and the final report.

He or she is responsible for engaging judges,

• Coordinating/purchasing their transportation to the show city,
• Providing the judge with a site plan,
• Providing a list of classes he or she will judge,
• Providing a list of equipment
• Keeping them apprised of entries.

It is the Show Chair’s job to coordinate the various Organizing Committee members’ efforts to make certain that "no ball is dropped." The Committee members have volunteered in advance. The Committee consists of the following persons:

• Chair,
• Secretary,
• Chief Ring Steward,
• Equipment Manager,
• Awards,
• Site Manager,
• Hospitality,
• Chief Scorekeeper
• Chief Course Builder.

The Show Chair will coordinate with the Site Manager to contract for the event site. If renting porta-loos, call the company a day or two ahead and remind them of your event and when you need the potties delivered. See that necessary deposits are paid.

The Chair will work with the Trial Secretary who is responsible for developing the Trial Premium containing all the necessary information for the show.

• Set the closing date for the show.
• Set the class sequence and running order.

The Chair will also coordinate with the Equipment Manager to inspect and repair all agility obstacles and equipment, and to get the obstacles and equipment to and from the show site.

The Chair will Develop a checklist of "Things to Have on Hand" (like duct tape and tools) and make certain that all of it gets there along with the agility equipment (see list below as an example!).

During the show, he or she will need to be observant and available to make things run smoothly.

Exhibitor complaints are directed to the Show Chair. Any unusual events, such as dog aggression or other problems, are reported immediately to the Show Chair, who will convene the show committee if needed to resolve any such issues. Refer to the USDAA Rules and Regulations booklet for procedures in handling complaints.

Make sure your show is adequately staffed. A minimum crew of 1 gate steward, 3 ring stewards, 2 scorekeepers, one runner, one timer, one scribe and one scribe assistant is required at all times. NOTE – this is absolute minimum – in addition to this, you will need course builders (3 to 5) perhaps 1 or 2 more ring stewards, another scorekeeper and a leash runner.

Have a table, chair and water and shelter available for the judge at ringside. Have someone fetch the lunches for the judge and all other essential ring crew. It’s a waste of time for these people to go standing in some line when their services are required on the field.

Be efficient and fast, but try not to pressure the exhibitors – they are stressed out enough already. An exception to this is a recalcitrant exhibitor who won’t get themselves or their dog into the ring and holds up the whole trial. They may be shot, if necessary.

Duct tape – the universal repair kit for everything!

Clean up supplies, including water, sawdust, disinfectant.

If your trial is outdoors on grass, have a bag of potting soil or sand on hand to fill in holes as needed.

Stakes and spikes to stake down equipment like weave poles, tunnels, chute, etc.

Hammer, pliers, screwdriver, rake (possibly a lawn mower?)

First-aid kit – doggie and human

Folding carpenter’s tape and retractable tape measure.

Lots of bungies

Yellow tape for marking sides of contact zones.

Golf tees for marking position of broad jump.

Poster board and markers for making signs – there is always a need for a sign of some type!

If trial is indoors (or outdoors under cover) on dirt, bring rakes, shovels and hose to smooth out and wet down as needed.

Whisk broom to brush off contact zones.

In warm weather, wading pool and hose to cool off dogs.

Have good-quality stopwatches. Buying cheap stopwatches is poor economy, as they will poop out at the most inopportune moment. You should have at least two stopwatches.

Whistle for timer; clip board(s) for scribe sheets.

Fixed wickets for measuring dogs (10", 14", 18", 22") These can be constructed out of ½ inch i/d PVC.

Lots of pens, pencils, marking pens, etc.

Most of the Trial Secretary’s work is done before and after the show.

You will maintain the group’s database of exhibitors and dogs for mailing premiums and processing entries. WAG will be using Jonathan Brown’s Jumping Bean Agility software and Access 97 for the database.

Four months before the trial, you will work with the Show Chair to develop the Trial Premium. Have it duplicated or printed. Send it to USDAA for review.

Ten to 12 weeks before the Trial, create mailing labels, prepare, stamp and mail Premiums.

As entries are received, date each entry, check that the entry is complete, that the General Agreement is signed, and that the correct amount of money is included. Enter the information into the database. Send checks to the club Treasurer in batches. Be sure to mark or separate entries with pending USDAA numbers. Alphabetize the entries by handlers’ last names and keep them in a 3-ring binder notebook or file box, whichever method you prefer.

E-mail or fax data from any registration forms to USDAA. Forward registration checks with the final show report. Two weeks before the show e-mail USDAA for the pending numbers.

Develop the confirmation form, which includes the handler, dog names, jump height, and classes entered. Clearly indicate the check-in times and what the briefings times and start times for the first class each day are. These should be mailed to exhibitors 2 weeks before the Trial.

One week before the show, assign pairs numbers to all pairs. Consult the show chair for pair draw assignments. If possible, they should contain the dog’s call name as well as the armband number.

Talk to Show Chair about order of running heights for each day of the show. Create the printed running order, also known as the catalog. Don’t forget that Masters Snooker running order has to be drawn randomly and can now be listed in the printed running order. Check for running order conflicts for handlers with multiple dogs and try to resolve as many of these as possible now. In the catalog, clearly separate or define the jump heights and classes. Include the number of dogs in each class and each height within the class. Cross check the catalog with the entries. Duplicate the finished catalog.

Create the scribe sheet labels, if using labels, or computer generated scribe sheets, if using these. If possible, these should include the class name, armband number, USDAA#, dog’s call name, breed, and handler name. Stick ‘em on the appropriate sheets (which can be purchased from USDAA) and put them in small labeled baggies. The appropriate accumulator sheet(s) and scribe sheets should go in the file box hanging file labeled for each class.

USDAA Record Book pages should by placed in a 3 ring binder and should never leave that binder. Make 2 Record Book binders if the show will have 2 rings running simultaneously.

Create check-in sheets, printed in alpha order by handler and including the dog’s USDAA numbers. You will need 2 copies of this – one for check-in and one for measuring.

About 4 days before the trial, create running order sheets from the catalog. If possible these may be enlarged for posting. Excel can be used to generate random numbers.

Early Check-in may be held on the evening before the trial, while others are setting up the first courses. Check-in on the day of the trial usually begins one hour before the trial starts.

Be certain to bring with you

• check-in sheets,
• printed running orders,
• supplies,
• original entry forms
• File box with scribe sheets, accumulator sheets, etc.
• Don’t forget the scoretable supplies.

Recruit a couple of people to assist with check-in. One will assist the judge at measure-in station.

• Check USDAA cards for numbers and required signatures on temporary cards. If there are errors in numbers, correct them on the check-in sheets, entry forms, and in the data base as necessary.

• Give the corrections of numbers and/or heights for measure-ups to the scoretable.

• All dogs without 3 signatures on back of their USDAA temporary card must measure-in before they can be checked in.

• Dogs jumping 26" do not need to be measured-in.

Work with the Gate Bitch to resolve catalog and ring conflicts in the running order, etc.

After the trial, assemble the USDAA packet. This includes all scoretable materials (official reports, accumulator sheets, scribe sheets), catalogs, check-in sheets, summary reports, and USDAA payment. Give packet to Show Chair to check and mail to USDAA.

The Gate Steward needs to be a combination of a drill sergeant and a diplomat – not an easy job, but there is probably no job that contributes so much to a smooth running trial. You need to assure a fast, smooth flow of dogs into and out of the gate.

It is not a job for a shy person. You will need a strong voice to call out dogs’ names. Dogs should be listed in running order on the dry erase board on the tripod at the gate.

At the beginning of each class, check to make sure that all dogs have checked in. If there is a dog that has not, try to find out if that dog is really absent or just hasn’t checked in.

• Make sure that there are at least three dogs ready at the line at all times.

• Find out from the judge at what point you can send in the next dog, and make sure the dog does go in at this point. For example, the judge may say she wants the next dog to move to the start when the previous dog enters the weaves on the other side of the course.

• Make sure all dogs run in catalog order. In the case of a conflict or running out of order, make sure the scribe is aware of it.

• Inform the ring stewards when it’s time to change jump heights and what they’re being changed to. When the last dog of a certain height goes in the ring, call out, "Last dog at 12" (or whatever) When that dog finishes running, say, "Jumps to 16" (or whatever)

• Make sure the dog exiting the ring gets off the field and out of the way

• Be firm and assertive, but polite and helpful.

Remember that exhibitors are nervous and tense. Get them in the ring, but try not to make anybody upset or angry.

This is a very easy job often filled by children. However, the leash runner should be as invisible as possible to the handler at the start; don’t demand the leash or crowd the dog in anticipation of the removal of the leash.

You are responsible for starting the dogs. Check with the judge and find out from him/her what the signal will be that he/she is ready to begin judging. Use a phrase like "Please go now" rather than "Go when you are ready." This makes a huge psychological difference in keeping the show moving.

Be sure to stand so you can see both sides of the start line and both sides of the finish line. You must be able to see when the dog crosses this line. This job requires full attention and no distractions, as focusing on the dog crossing the start line and finish line is critical. One person must time an entire jump height within a class to minimize timing differences.

Start the watch when any part of the dog’s anatomy crosses the start line. Watch the dog and the watch for the first three obstacles to make sure the watch is running. If it didn’t start for some reason, blow your whistle and have the dog start over. If you don’t catch this until after the third obstacle, do not blow your whistle – simply inform the judge that there was no time and the dog will be allowed to run again for time only.

As the dog approaches the finish line, move to position where you can see the dog cross (if necessary). Stop the watch when any part of the dog’s anatomy crosses the finish line. Show the scribe the watch while reading off the time exactly as shown on the watch i.e., 1:08:04 is read as "One, oh eight, oh four". Do not worry about converting the time to seconds – that’s the job of the scorekeeper.

As soon as the scribe has the time down, clear the watch and be ready for the next dog.

Get a pen and clipboard with scribe sheets from the score table.

Check the scribe sheet against the catalog number/name of the dog as given by the gate steward to make sure that you’ve got the right sheet for the right dog.

It is critical that you watch only the judge at all times during the run, never the dog or the handler. Have your pencil poised at the proper spot on the scribe sheet so you don’t have to look down at the scribe sheet. When the judge raises his/her hand for a fault, note it accordingly on the scribe sheet. Signals are as follows: (See also chart.)

• Two hands – Failure to perform – indicated as "F" on scribe sheet

• Raised fist – Refusal – Noted as "R" on scribe sheet

• Both hands down and wagging – elimination – noted as "E" on scribe sheet.

• Whistle – Elimination and excused (indicated as "E" on scribe sheet).

If you are ever unclear about a judge’s signal, wait until after that run and clarify before the next dog starts.

Do not stop writing faults down even though the dog N.Q.s. Continue to mark faults as the judge indicates them.

When the dog finishes his run, move close to the timer to get the time from the timer and write it down on the top left of the scribe sheet, just as the timer indicates, e.g. "One oh eight oh four" is written as 1:08:04. Do not worry about converting the time to seconds – that’s the job of the scorekeeper. Repeat the time to the timer to double-check the accuracy.

Make sure you have adequate staffing for each part of the trial. If you don’t, be assertive about asking for help. Most people will help if you just ask.

Ring crew should be instructed to run out onto the course between jump heights and make jump height changes. It is usually best to have teams that will attend to the obstacles most difficult to change first, like the table, long jump and some spread hurdles. When those are changed, the crew can fan out and take care of the rest of the jumps.

Ring stewards should "run, don’t walk" when performing their functions (straightening the chute, raising or lowering bars or changing out the table). Quick performance of these functions can do a lot toward an efficient running trial.

The judge will instruct you before each class as to where you should sit and whether the bars are to be reset during a run; for example, if a jump is taken twice in the same run. If the course includes a collapsed tunnel, you may need to straighten the chute after each run. This is a great job for watching each dog run as you have a ringside seat and must be attentive to the happenings in the ring at all times.

Make sure that you have all the judge’s courses for the day. While classes are running you can make a strategy for efficient and fast equipment changes. Brief your crew in advance as to who will move what. Have them ready to go when a new course must be built.

NOTE – If the judge has not done so ahead of time, while the classes are running, mark off the course plan to show where each piece of equipment goes off the base line. Be sure to note where the center of the bars go, as jump wing width varies greatly as do bar lengths, so to assure accurate course building, you need to have the center of the jump in the proper place.

If possible, shoo the judge away so that you can build the course. This will allow the judge to get a quick break and attend to other business that will keep the trial moving.

The Chief Course Builder’s job is to direct the work of the course-building staff. Don’t waste time moving equipment yourself. Tell your people to come to you (don’t allow them to stand around in idle knots and clusters.) You should quickly instruct them what you want and where you want it. You should drop bars for the position of jumps.

Assign someone to pick up the numbers and lay them back down between classes. (Keep them in order). If you’re really good this is a measure of how long it should take you to do a course transition.

When a course has initially been laid, keep your crew with you and tweak the obstacles.

Finally, call for the judge to come tweak. You and maybe one other stay with the judge as he/she walks the course and does his/her own tweaking. Be patient and move anything that he directs, where he directs.

Familiarize yourself with the equipment before the trial begins. Find out if there are any idiosyncrasies with certain pieces of equipment. (The fewer the better!) Make sure the bar holders on the jumps are clearly marked so any idiot can figure out how to set the jump heights.

Check the teeter. Is it going to have to be sandbagged so it doesn’t rock?

Tunnel holders need to hold the tunnel in place. If they don’t do this, they’re worthless and might as well not be on there. Sandbags are not very effective. Milk jugs with sand or water in them are worthless. (Better than nothing, but not much.) Tunnels, especially if in an odd configuration, need to stay in place. A tunnel that has to be readjusted every time a dog runs is a huge time-waster and will make your trial go much longer than necessary. If you don’t have pre-made tunnel holders, the best thing to use is bungies over the tunnel end, held in place with tent stakes. Sandbags in the center of curved tunnels help hold them in shape as well.

Changing the table at jump height changes can be very time-consuming. Make sure you put at least two people on the table and that they are well schooled in how to change the height. If there are separate legs for each height, keep them right at hand so you don’t need to be fiddling for them. Recommendation – don’t keep them under the table – this can be a real distraction for some dogs. Keep them at ringside, separated out so you can grab the correct legs at the height change. Remember, there are three table heights:

• 8 & 12" jumpers use an 8" table
• 16 & 20" jumpers use a 20" table
• 24" jumpers use a 24" table

Double Jump – The two top bars are always set parallel – i.e both are set to the jump height of the dog. The lower bars should be crossed in an "X" pattern. This helps give the illusion of depth to the jump so he realizes he’s jumping something three-dimensional.

Triple Jump – The triple jump should have three bars on it – no more, no less. It is helpful to either color-code or mark the jump ahead of time so it’s obvious where the bars go for the different jump heights.

Broad Jump – This is set different ways depending on whether it’s an obedience-type jump or an agility "hogback" type. The judge will set the position of the front hurdle and this hurdle never moves. Change the jump by adjusting the other hurdles. To make it easier to set the jump, keep the folding tape under the jump at all times. Or, you can mark the different positions with golf tees ahead of time. (Probably the best idea.)

Generally, all jumps should have two bars on them. The top bar goes at the dog’s jump height, and the second bar goes approximately halfway between that height and the ground. The height of the second bar really is not critical. Since there are not very many dogs in agility who jump eight inches, clubs frequently forget about the "special needs" of these dogs. There must be a way to have two displaceable bars for dogs jumping eight inches – one at eight inches and one at around four inches.

In AKC Excellent Standard and Excellent and Open JWW, there will be one or more jumps designated as "One Bar" Jumps. That jump will be designated on the diagram with a line with a number "1" in the middle of it, or with the words "One Bar". The steward needs to be aware that this is a designated one-bar jump and to not inadvertently put two bars on it.

Panel or Solid Jump – Put the panels on beginning at the bottom and working up. Otherwise you’ll end up knocking off the panels you’ve already set. For an eight-inch dog, there must be two panels – each four inches tall. You cannot use a solid eight-inch panel, as this is too heavy for the little guys to displace. If there’s no pole bracket at four inches, you can simply lean a 4-inch panel against the uprights for the bottom panel.

Tire Jump -- Remember the tire is a jump, too, and needs to be changed with the jump heights! J Tires really vary on how easy they are to change. Most tires around here are pretty easy, but I’ve run into some real beasts! Be sure your ring crew is trained on how this particular tire works. Tires should not tip over if the dog hits it – sandbags may be needed to prevent this.

Knocked Bars – If a dog goes off course and knocks a bar on the off-course jump, try to reset the bar as quickly as possible. In all Standard classes except Excellent B a dog can qualify with an off-course, but if the jump bar doesn’t get reset in time for him to take the jump properly he will be faulted with a "Failure to Perform". However, any other instance of a knocked bar can be left until the dog has completed his run.

The key to happy exhibitors is quick scoring results. Scorekeeping can be a stressful job, however it’s important to remember that you are there for the benefit of the exhibitors – they are the customer base and it’s important to keep them happy. To that end, the quicker scores are tabulated and posted, the happier everyone is.

In the file box the scorer can find pre-labeled scribe sheets and the accumulator sheets. The Report book forms will be in the binder on the table.

Have at least two or three small baskets for your scribe sheets. The scribe sheet runner should put the sheets in the designated basket.

Also, it is very helpful to have a sheet of paper with the SCTs (Standard Course Times) and the yardage right in front of you for easy reference.

There should be a MINIMUM of two people at the score table – three is better, but if they are good and not disturbed too much, two people can handle it.

The scorer removes the sheet from the basket to calculate the score. First, convert the time to seconds. For instance, 1:08:04 is converted to 68:04. Write it in the appropriate place on the scribe sheet.

Next, calculate the time faults by subtracting the dog’s time from the Standard Course Time. For instance, let’s assume that that dog’s time is 1:08:04 and the SCT is 63 seconds. To calculate the time faults, subtract 68.04 seconds from the SCT of 63 seconds. This would be 5.04 seconds over. Write the time faults in the appropriate place.

Then total up the course faults, if any. "S"s are 5 points each; "R"s are 5 points each "F"s are 20 points each. Write the total of the course faults in the appropriate place.

Total up the time faults, plus the course faults.

Pass the scribe sheet to the next person (or put it in the designated basket).

Accumulator Sheet Poster should check the scribe sheet carefully to make sure the scorer has done it correctly. Then he writes down the dog’s name, number, time and faults on the Accumulator Sheet. (See separate sheets on how to read the Accumulator.) The scribe sheet is returned to the scoretable. The scorekeeper should keep the scribe sheets in order of placement as the class continues. For example, a stack of clean runs with the fastest time on top, a stack of up to five faults, 10 faults, etc., and a stack of E’s. At the conclusion of the class, the scorekeeper and poster

should quickly calculate the placements.

At the end of each class, count up how many dogs actually competed and how many qualified. Note this on the Report Book Sheets and the Accumulator Sheet. (This is needed for the trial chairman’s report.)

As placements are determined for each jump height, the information should be transferred to the USDAA record book sheets. Be sure to indicate the start and end times for classes, as well as the SCTs and distances. Qualifying scores are indicated on these sheets.

The sheets are given to the Awards person at the end of the class. They must be returned to the scoretable after Awards are made. The judge is required to review and sign the report sheets.

Runners usually take the sheets from the Scribe to the Scoretable one at a time. Might require a bit of walking (probably not running).

Be sure you have enough people for check-in. Two at minimum if you have an entry of more than 75 dogs. Suggest you have two or three lines and divide them alphabetically by last name.

Check the Dog’s card to verify the USDAA number, and measurement signatures.

Make sure that somehow the check-in list gets transferred to the Gate Steward’s list. The Gate Steward and scribe need to know who is there and who isn’t.

It is recommended that the check-in person hands the exhibitor a copy of the day’s courses (rather than having them in a stack on a table for exhibitors to help themselves.) Some exhibitors are greedy and take several copies of the courses; leaving no copies for exhibitors who check in later.

The judge will need a flat surface (concrete or a sheet of plywood if you’re outdoors) to measure the dogs on. In a pinch he or she can measure them on the pause table, but that can be difficult for bigger dogs.

Have the handler kneel or squat down next to their dog and make sure the dog holds still. The head should be level, but not held up. Give the handler and dog a few seconds to settle down. Have them rub the dog’s ears or scratch him under the chin to help him relax.

When the dog has relaxed and is still, put your hand on the dog’s shoulder and locate the withers. Then, slide the wicket from the back to the front (so the dog never really even sees it) and position it over the withers.

The Scoretable and the Gate Steward will need to be notified of dogs that are measured up. This information will need to be recorded in the report to USDAA

Don’t stop the show to hand out awards. You can give awards for the previous class while the course for the next class is being built.

Present awards as soon as possible (immediately!) after a class has finished. If the score table has kept up with the Record Book Sheets, this should not be a problem.

The judge may or may not wish to present the awards. He doesn’t have to, but it’s nice and some judges enjoy doing it. Others wish to take this time for a short break or to help with the course building. There should be two other people to help with the awards – one to read off the dog’s name, number and placement and the other to present the ribbon. Ribbons should have been sorted out ahead of time.

If the judge presents the awards, let him hand the ribbon and prize to the exhibitor. The awards person hands the ribbon to the judge, who then hands it to the exhibitor.

When you read off the awards, read the dog’s call name as well as the catalog number – this makes it more personal.

The Hospitality person arranges for the on-site food vendors and fields requests for other vendors. She also buys food and drinks for the hospitality table for volunteers and makes sure the judges have food and drinks during the trial.