This months D³ Training Article is a continuation from last month when we asked three of our top competitors their insights to several questions.  Enjoy.

D³ - Judging in this sport is very subjective. Other than experience and documented guidelines, how can one become more aware of the subtleties to the art of judging and being judged ?  Please explain how you specifically judge the four categories:  Leaping Agility, Difficulty, Showmanship, and Execution.

BOB - All categories are interrelated with Difficulty, Showmanship and Execution being the most interrelated.  Each competition is judged by comparing the performance that would reasonably be expected for a particular breed and/or size of dog and by comparing the performance of the competitors in that particular competition.  For example, windy or windy with gusts, raining or wet, poor field conditions, etc. are considered in determining scores.  Assume thrower "A" makes 20 simple backhand throws with 20 catches and thrower "B" makes 20 difficult throws with a wide variety of spins, releases, angles, etc. with only 15 catches.  Thrower "B" would probably receive a higher execution score as well as a higher score in the other categories.

Chuck -  Subjective is the key word here. Having competed for the past 10 years and having judged numerous events, I still do not feel comfortable with my ability to judge, or my ability to put together a routine that will be scored highly by regional judges. The very best way to learn the subtleties involved in judging Freeflight is to volunteer to judge. We are in a unique situation in the Dallas Dog & Disc Club in that we have several Fun Matches each year and these are perfect opportunities to get some hands-on experience as a judge. If you anticipate competing as a regional finalist, you owe it to yourself (and your dog) to volunteer as a judge (your help will be welcomed). Until you've judged, words can't properly explain how

difficult judging can be and how intertwined each category is with the next. There are times when I'm disappointed in my score and times that I may not agree with the score I received, but since I've experienced judging first hand, you will never hear me criticize the judges or their efforts.

Ron - Judging Freeflight IS very subjective, and the general guidelines are printed for all to behold.  The basic idea in judging those criteria is being able to interpret what the criteria mean and then applying one's understanding of them to a given event.  When I judge Freeflight, I determine how well each contestant satisfies my understanding of the criteria.  Then I rank each team based on how I think they did in comparison to the next.  I assign a number value to the initial competitor and then slot each one that follows.  The following is my interpretation of each criterion: EXECUTION is more than a throw-to-catch ratio, it is timing, smoothness and teamwork; DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY is sophistication (difficulty) of tricks, variety and skillful throwing; LEAPING AGILITY is not only leaping height but also agility and overall athleticism of the dog - this includes gracefulness in leaping and the mobility with which the dog accomplishes the trick (a non-leaping dog can outscore the greatest of leapers); SHOWMANSHIP is entertainment value, flair and an air of confidence with which the routine is executed.  In all criteria the foremost element is CONSISTENCY; without it your criteria cannot be generously scored.

D³ - I am in the process of teaching my dog to vault.  Which of the vaults would be easiest to begin with and why?  What are the critical steps in teaching your dog to vault?  My dog continues to jump over my body instead of using it as a platform.  What tips can I implement to get her to use my body to jump off of?

Bob - I think the easiest is a leg vault (sometimes

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