I've had handlers fuss at me for going for a Super Q when I don't need one. Sometimes I go for them because the current leaders huff and puff over my shoulder at the score table. Sometimes I get them on accident. In any case, I told just about everyone in this class what my course was going to be.
This is the Masters Snooker course by Jim Hibbard, at Agility Club of San Diego in June 2009.
What is most noticeable is that two of the reds are also part of a numbered combo. This requires the handler to have to remember to get that jump twice. Trust me, I forgot this when Bug back-jumped one of these.
Anyhow, when I looked at this course map, I liked the flow into the closing from either the #4 or #5 tunnel/jump combo. The other thing I noticed was how vertical the course was. In order the get all four reds with minimum running, the key was to ping-pong the course. For example, an opening of 7 to 6 means you are running without taking obstacles about the width of the ring. That's wasted time. However, a 7 to 5 looks pretty nice, that is, if you want to weave.
I ran both of my dog: the veteran and the baby. I don't want the baby to find back-jumping acceptable. (I'll back-to-back jump the tire in gamblers with the veteran). My course was a simple ping-pong.
The reds are in the corners of the map. I'll address them by their location:
BR - Bottom Right
BL - Bottom Left
TR - Top Right
TL - Top Left
I chose two 5's and two 4's. I knew I had to be careful with the #5 straight tunnel (puppy cannon) because it may lead to an off-course. My alternative course was three 5's and a four. I know that this course is not a whole passel of points. I usually try to stick with fives, sixes, and sevens. However, in this snooker, the dog would have to do a lot of running without the reward of an obstacle.
| | Points | Magic Points |
| BR + 5 | 6 | 3 |
| TR + 5 | 6 | 4 |
| BL + 4 | 5 | 3 |
| TL + 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Opening | 22 | 13 |
| Closing | 27 | 13 |
| Total | 49 | 26 |
Scout's time: 52.5s, almost double the magic point value. When I estimate what I can get done in the allotted time, I multiply the magic point value by two. My estimate was 52s.
Handling
- I led out, making a front cross half way between the BR and 5a. Dog is on left.
- I pulled the dog through the two off-course sixes, and over TR red. Dog turned right toward. Front Cross and dog is on right.
- Completed 5b and 5a. Had dog extend past 5a to get BR red.
- Front cross at 4b tunnel. Dog still on right.
- Called dog out of 4b tunnel, over 4a and TR.
- Left wrap and front cross at TR, and straight shot to 4a and 4b. Dog on Left.
- Allowed dog to extend out of 4b tunnel and then turn to #2 in the closing. Dog on Left.
- #3 and #4a were easy. I put in a front cross at 4b so my dog would come out of the tunnel, look for me on the left, and see 5a better. This front cross was KEY. If the handler was on the other side of the tunnel, the dog got a refusal at 5a.
- In hindsight, I should have front crossed at 5b. I front crossed between 6a and 6b.
- 6c to 7a to 7b was a straight shot.
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