NDAL October 2015 Competition Course
05 Oct 2015
As promised here’s the Steeplechase course I designed for the October 2015 National Dog Agility League. I ran it with Flyer to “debug” it and really liked how fast it ran.
Here are my handling thoughts. I started the course with a Two Jump 360 to give room to set up the dog and also to allow the handler to get moving down course to jump 4 (I’d try to have the dog on my left after jump 3). Jumps 3-4-5 are just an elongated Serpentine Serpentine Handling TechniquesSerpentine Sequence. The weave entry is a little challenging but the kind of thing I have my students work on. Obstacles 7-12 could be handled from either side of the A Frame; I preferred dog on left 7-9 and Rear Cross Learning the Rear CrossRear Cross on the approach to 9. Then it is easy-peasy through the weaves.
The handler with lateral distance on the weave poles or who is speedier than their dog after the weaves can get themselves ahead and Blind Cross over jump 15 to put the dog on their left. Then cue a collected turn at 16. Alternately a Rear Cross on the flat on the approach to 16 works beautifully.
A send to 17 and Lateral Motion toward the tunnel gives a tight turn with dog on left into the tunnel. Speedy handlers could Spin or Jaakko. For most dogs some deceleration on the approach to the tunnel will guarantee they turn right and tight on the way out of the tunnel. Then it is just running and a Shoulder Pull Learning the Post TurnPost Turn/Shoulder Pull/Pivot Turn through to the end. I was far enough ahead that I used Front Cross Learning the Front Cross - VideoFront Cross 20-21 to keep moving and tight the line to the final jump.
I hope you give this course a try and join or start a local NDAL group. If you set up this course I have also designed Starters, Advanced, and Masters(Challenge) sequences you can work on. Enjoy!
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