I'm writing this out here because I need to get things straight with myself.
For Kim
The new Grades will mean Kim is limited to Elementary only.
Rarely do shows have Elementary.
I will get 2 runs at each show only, and will never win a rosette again because I will be against dogs of a far higher standard.
I will not be able to win out.
For Everyone Else
Dogs will never win out.
Every class will be Open or equivilent.
Courses will no longer be suited to the dog or the handler's level of experience.
New people will have to start in a far more confusing system with no apparent chance of getting anywhere unless on a points basis which takes ages to get.
Positives
- the huge Novice classes get split more in lines with the dog's ability.
- shows will be able to gear their shows much more precisely towards their target audience. (ok, so I think this one is bollocks. Shows can do this anyway)
- an end to the ridiculous system where Elementary and Advanced dogs were eligible for three distinct levels, while other dogs were eligible for only two (Open excepted).
- an upwards route to Senior restored for those 'Jumping wins only' dogs.
- an optional points-based progression system.
As FH goes on to say though, "The last three points above could, of course, have been addressed without introducing the new system." So, um, why are they doing this again? Oh yeah, to stop the bottleneck in Novice. Which could, I believe, actually be solved just by introducing the points-based progression system, since dogs that are consistently getting results would gain points faster and therefore move up without the currently required 1st place. Or even just be introducing Novice Graduate as a proper grade. Starters people would not be able to enter Novice, new dogs with Novice handlers would have somewhere to go, and so the pressure on Novice classes would be less. Has nobody else thought of this?
Unfortunately, the people voting on these changes are either non-agility competitors (I think?) or have progressed into Novice and beyond already. The people who are dedicated enough to attend the regional meetings or know the regional rep are the ones who have progressed into Novice and beyond already. The amount of E/S people who even know this stuff is happening is appallingly low. So by next year, we'll have a progression system that no new people (including me) know how to use, and yet everyone seems relatively happy to let this happen on a trial and error basis. So y'know, it completely fucks up everybodies results for the next few years and then the dogs are retired, but hey! Across the board implementation of a trial and error system is absolutely the way to go.
So, no KC shows for me next year. EMDAC/UKA/Agility Addicts, you're going to have to stop being limited shows.