In USDAA agility there is a kind of competition called Dog Agility Masters (or for those of us running our dogs at a lower jump height, Performance Versatility Pairs – PVP) where two handlers form a team. Each handler/dog team runs courses of Gamblers, Snooker, Jumpers, and Standard. The two handlers that make the team, their scores for each class are combined, and the top five teams run a Pairs course to determine the winners. My impression is that the courses are hard ones, because there’s no levels, it’s where people go when the regular stuff isn’t challenging enough. Or that’s my understanding of it all from reading the rules.
And since it’s hard, I can go out there with no expectations for us, and that’s often when we have the most fun. So, I’ve kind of wanted to try it but didn’t have a partner.
Then, this morning, I got an email from the trial secretary of a trial we’re entered in on May 9. The email asked if I would like to do PVP because someone without a partner signed up, and there is an odd number of dogs entered, so they need to fill the “draw” spot. Well, gee … heck yes. So, I don’t have to wait until the trial in June I was thinking of. And if we like it, I don’t need to find a partner in advance, I can sign up without one and the trial secretary has the ability to find me one.
So cool.
Chico’s eye lid healed beautifully, we’re keeping busy planning things for the house, we’re taking an on-line dog training course that I haven’t even had time to talk about at all, the flying bugs haven’t come out yet so outdoors is pretty wonderful, if starting to be plentiful with ticks. Nothing’s perfect, right?
Can I Bring the Dog? 
Glad to hear you will be at ARFF and participating in PVP. Actually you have the right idea about Team but let me fill you in. PVP is just two handler/dog teams and Dog Agility Masters is three handler/dog teams. We used to call it the DAM but I guess we are getting sophisticated and call it Team now!! Depending on how many teams there are sometimes they let all of them run in the relay; only in the huge trials like the regionals and Cynosport do you have to make the cutoff to run in the relay round. The courses are masters courses so they will be more challenging then the Advanced or Starters courses. Also some of the rules are a bit different and the judges can be a bit more creative. They could throw some weaves in jumpers and snooker and gamblers might be a tad different that what you’re used to. A gamble could be inside the opening and you might be given a time to beat. You can always enter as a draw and the trial secretary will pair you with another person that entered as a draw. Hope you’re still planning to enter the NOMAD trial in June, that is the most beautiful site!!
Wow, thank you so much Julie-I-have-never-met for being so helpful and supportive. I’ve never asked my question to someone who was able to give me such a good overview of how DAM and PVP work. And for all I know, I might be the only one calling it team – I make stuff up sometimes. Yes, I’m signed up for NOMAD in June. Will you be stopping by?
riverdogfarm is me, Sandy! Will you be at ACE this weekend?
Oh. Duh.Somehow I thought you were someone else. Silly me. No, taking the weekend off. Which allowed me to step up at last minute to help Julie with workshop lunch on Sunday.
Have Fun!