1st in ring = heavy pencil?

Good luck!

I've never done ob so I don't know. For my RN title, the first dog in the ring that day got 100. But when I did gymnastics, it's common knowledge you put the best up last...however you are picking your own line-up.

Hi. Novice A is very exciting and of course nerve-wracking. Everyone else will be just as nervous as you.

Do not worry at all about the judging. The judges make every effort to be fair and objective, and they don't have to "save room at the top" like some other sports. They are free to judge teams as tied and have run-offs if necessary.

The great thing about going in the ring is that your training is done (for that point in time) and the judge wants you to do well, so all you have to do is your part. You want to behave normally toward the dog and remember the basics - commands, footwork - and listen to the judge.

Good luck and have fun!!

Ava

I always found the judges fair. I never went first but the eldest and I found almost every way there was to blow Novice A! The youngest helped out, too. The only time I did any good was when I figured that the trial was shot because so much of the setting was screwed up. Then I was relaxed and the dogs did fine.

I haven't noticed any difference in the judging either. I will say that I don't like being first as I prefer to watch a couple of runs so I know where to move to for the start of each exercise and what the heeling pattern looks like. The judge will tell the first handler all of those things, but, for me, it's not the same as watching and I don't get the smooth performance I want.

I've never found that the judges tend to be more strict in judging on the first one in the ring - since the dogs aren't truly competing against each other, there's no reason for a judge to consider what may come later. All the dogs can qualify or all can flunk and it doesn't really matter in the long run to the judge. So I wouldn't worry on that regard.

Personally I like being first because I don't like waiting. And you never know if someone is going to get excused from the ring, or fail to show up, and then you'll have to pop in before you're ready. At least if you're first, you know when you'll be going in! And with the size of classes you've got, you also know that you'll be in the first group of stays which means you'll be all done when others are still waiting for their individual exercises.

Good luck and I hope you have a great time!

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

Ditto Melanie! Better to be first.. The only downside is not being able to see the heeling pattern run by another team. But the judge has to post it and will demonstrate it for you. If Novice B is ahead of you the heeling pattern should be the same and if it is not the Open heeling pattern will be pretty close to it. Don't forget you get your Novice A walk through too.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone! Kathy, Novice A starts the morning at 8am so I won't be able to see the heeling pattern before we go. But that doesn't bother me too much - like you said we get a walk through.

Whew....this is gonna be fun! (I hope!)