Comments | agilepawz: USDAA Weave Spacing

agilepawz

USDAA Weave Spacing

Aug 18, 2009 10:17

I’ve been following the 24” weave spacing discussion on the USDAA list, its very reminiscent of the A-frame discussion from a couple of years ago. Since it is a subscription list, I’m not going to post any of the emails here, if you want to follow it, go subscribe to the yahoogroups list.

As for me, I’m in favor of 24”. I like them, my dogs like ( Read more... )

Comments 20

nosemovie August 18 2009, 17:33:42 UTC

How old would you say Ken is?

agilepawz August 18 2009, 17:43:55 UTC

Dunno...in his 50s as a guess. Why?

sclmarm August 18 2009, 17:37:00 UTC

While I think that 24" spacing would be better, I'm fine with 22" and will be contacting at least my club to please get the bigger weaves. I have way more concerns about the teeny tiny tire that we've all see dogs have horrible crashes on, mine included. Right now, for me, that is a much larger concern than the smaller weave spacing. I would also like to see mandatory rubber pellet surface on contacts so that we can count on a decent surface for our dogs. To me the contact surface and tire concerns far out weigh the weave spacing.

agilepawz August 18 2009, 17:43:28 UTC

Yes, they are all issues that come to light as this sport evolves. Why do we have to prioritize them? Its possible to make more than one change at a time. They are all safety concerns and are further examples of how USDAA could lead the way in safety rather than being reactionary.

sclmarm August 18 2009, 19:10:21 UTC

But how many of us have complained about all the changes NADAC made/makes? I remember when USDAA changed the a frame height and some other things about the same time, people were upset about that. To many changes they said.

I would like to see people take responsibility and if they are still seeing 20" weaves, to take it up with the clubs and get them replaced with 22" weaves.

agilepawz August 18 2009, 20:21:20 UTC

I never complained about NADAC making changes. I didn't like how their changes were being managed and communicated. And in some situations the justification given for the change made no sense at all. From a overall perspective, this situation is not all that much different except that NADAC took one extreme and Ken is taking another. There is nothing wrong with change, as long as there is a benefit to the change (ie., a safety increase). Change for no reason makes no sense. And not changing when there is reason to also makes no sense. Neither of those are in the best interest of the sport (or any business for that matter). Its also important to recognize when change is necessary, which in my opinion is something both Ken and NADAC are lacking. The weave pole spacing is just one example ( ... )

Thread 10

nosemovie August 18 2009, 17:52:45 UTC

Just wondered about how long he'd be "in charge" of this organization. Hmmm, only in his 50s eh? Might be a long while.

agilepawz August 18 2009, 18:01:01 UTC

Ah ok. Well, he is the founder of USDAA and was instrumental in bringing dog agility to this country. So I dont see him leaving any time soon. Personally I'd hate to see him leave, he's very much a part of the sport's history. I just wish he would change his way of thinking.

cedarfield August 18 2009, 20:26:42 UTC

Does Ken even run a dog in agility? When is the last time he competed?
I'm not saying that he couldn't do a good job running USDAA although he doesn't even train or run agility himself, but I am saying that since he doesn't, he really should listen to the people who do.

cflyrun August 18 2009, 21:27:56 UTC

Way back when, I started a petition regarding lowering the a-frame. That was the last time I'll do something like that. I *love* USDAA, and naively thought that creating the petition would be an objective way to see what the general consensus was. It turned in to something really nasty, with people sending me private emails saying it was a rigged survey, that I should just leave it alone, and then somebody DID take the survey multiple times, signing themselves as 'big name' competitors. There were about 15 names out of over a thousand that were signed in this fashion, but the whole thing was discarded as worthless by people who naysayed it because of those 15 or so names. Needless to say, my love of USDAA was somewhat tempered and is only now starting to come back. Other than taking the survey and this comment, I'm staying out of it ( ... )