Columbia Agility Team

General Trial Guidelines

 

 

Trial Committee:  The following is a list or required committee members as well as optional committee members.  Required positions are indicated with an *. 

 

Trial Chair*

Trial Secretary*

Chief Course Builder*

Chief Ring Steward*

Chief Score Keeper*

Hospitality*

Equipment Manager

Awards*

Raffle

Judges Liaison

 

Brief Job Definitions: 

 

Trial Chair(s) – prepares budget for Board approval, plans and coordinates functions of the trial committee and responsible for seeing that all tasks are preformed as necessary (See detailed position description).

 

Trial Secretary – prepares and distributes the trial premium, receipt and acceptance of entries, catalog preparation; final review and completion of results for reporting to sanctioning organization (See detailed position description).

 

Chief Course Builder – Assist with and oversee the initial setup of rings.  Assist with and oversee the layout of each new course throughout the trial with the assistance of course builder volunteers.

 

Chief Ring Steward – recruits and schedules volunteers to serve as individual ring stewards, gate stewards, timers, scribes, assistant scribes, scribe runners, lease runners and bar setters.  Also responsible for passing on volunteer info to Chief Score Keeper and Chief Course Builder that was received from the trial secretary.

 

Chief Scorekeeper – organizes ring boxes and scoring paperwork, train and oversee ring scorekeepers to ensure proper use and full completion of scribe sheets and other paper or computer created event results as required by each sanctioning venue (See detailed position description).

 

Hospitality – responsible for providing snack food and beverages for the hospitality table, scoring tables & judges areas throughout the trial (See detailed position description)

 

Equipment Manager – provides equipment list for judges or sanctioning organization, inspection and repairs of equipment; responsible for ensuring that equipment meets specifications and getting equipment to and from the site and on-site repair.

 

Awards – responsible for transporting and setup of ribbons and other awards necessary for the event.  Keeps inventory of ribbons on-hand and provides clubs purchasing agent with requests for new purchases as necessary.  Provides club treasurer with an accounting of the cost of ribbons used after each event.

 

Raffle – gathers items for raffle (worker or general), labels ticket boxes, mans table during the trial and oversees the random drawings to award the items.

 

Judges Liaison – responsible for the care and feeding of judges including local travel.

 

Non-Trial Committee Workers:

 

Full Day CAT Workers – experienced CAT volunteers who are not running a dog and volunteer to work a full day at one of the following jobs: Scorer, Gate Steward, Timer, or Scribe.

 

Volunteer Workers – people who volunteer intermittently during a trial.

 

 

Guidelines for Trial Compensation – Trial Chair should refer to the “Trial Compensation” section of the Club’s current “Finance Policies” (Policies) to determine the maximum allowed CAT Bucks compensation for the various committee and volunteer jobs.  Trial Chairs should use common sense in forming a Trial Committee and in choosing the positions needed for that particular event. 

(CAT Policies are available for review at www.ColumbiaAgility.org under the Members section, then Bylaws & Policies.

 

Budgets – The Trial Chair must submit a trial budget to the Board for approval.  The “Agility Trial Budget Worksheet” is available as a basic template.  There is a separate template for each venue to assist in identifying the costs specific to that venue.  More detailed receipts and expenses can be broken out as necessary.

 

Cost per run – Effective 05-14-08 guidelines for cost per run start as follows:  CPE - $10 per individual run or full weekend package-same dog which equates to $9 per run,

NADAC - $10 per run or full weekend package-same dog which equates to $9 per run, USDAA - $10 per regular run, $18 per non-regional Steeplechase or Grandprix , $50 per DAM team, $35 per regional Grandprix, $18 per regional Steeplechase (performance versions are priced the same as championship category).  Trial Chair may suggest higher prices in their budget if necessary to breakeven.

 

Dog related charitable contribution – The Board authorizes the Trial Chair to designate a dog related charity, who will receive 10% of the net profits (refer to “Charitable Contributions for Trials” section of the Club’s current “Finance Policies” to confirm currently approved amount) after all the expenses of the trial have been processed.  The Trial Chair must complete a “Trial Donation Request Form” designating the recipient, which can be found under the Forms section of the website.

 

Position Description - Trial Chair

 

Qualifications –

Venue Specific –

Duties

 

12 – 6 months prior to event

 

5 – 3 months prior to event

 

2-1 month prior to event (or as soon as entries close)

 

Week of event

 

Actual Event

 

Following event

Top

Position Description – Trial Secretary

 

Desirable Characteristics/Capabilities

 

Duties

6 months before the trial            Create the trial premium with the template provided.

The closing date for the trial should be 3-4 weeks before the trial.  The opening date at least 2 weeks before that.

                                                Check the information for the Motels listed.

                                                Check with the trial chair for classes to be offered.

Provide draft premium to Trial Chair, the Board & the Awards person to proof read.

Send the premium to the sanctioning organization for approval (at least 12 weeks prior to the event date for CPE, at least 6 weeks in advance of the trial date for NADAC)

 

1 month before opening            Send out announcement of upcoming trial (Agilecat etc)

 

2 Weeks before opening           Send premium to WebHandler (.doc, .pub or .pdf)

 

6 weeks before the trial Obtain one of the club laptops

                                                Obtain the handbook for Trial Genie

                                                Create the trial in Trial Genie program or CPE program

                                                Begin entering entries as soon as they begin arriving

 

3 weeks before the trial Send out confirmation letters

                                                Give the volunteer forms/data to the chief ring steward

 

5 Days before the trial               Create running order and have posted to CAT website

 

3 Days before the trial               Create the scribe sheets

                                                Use four to a page template–different color paper per level

Obtain ring boxes from the storage area, or coordinate this activity with the scorekeeper.

                                                Place scribe sheets in appropriate folders in the ring boxes

 

Day before the trial                   Have evening check-in if necessary

 

 

Day of the trial              Arrive at the trial site by 6 am, stay all day

                                                Set-up check in tables if necessary

                                                Make any last minute changes

                                                Separate the trial into 2 or 3 laptops for NADAC

Start check in at 6:30am, end by 7:15am so you have a chance to walk the courses

 

End of last day of trial               Collect course maps from the Judges

                                                Collect data sheets from the Judges

Give stats to the Treasurer to compute Judge’s compensation

 

Post Trial                                  Send qualifiers to NADAC electronically within 1 WK

                                                Send fees & completed Catalogue to NADAC

                                                Send recording and fees to USDAA

                                                Send completed records to CPE

Top

 

Position Description – Chief Score Keeper

 

 

Desirable Characteristics/Capabilities

 

 

 

TASKS

6 weeks before trial                  For USDAA, make sure there are sufficient accumulator

                                                sheets.  Have Club purchasing agent place order if needed.

 

2 weeks before trial                  Obtain volunteer sheets from the trial secretary. 

Create a table listing rings, classes and approximate duration of classes.

                                                For NADAC – 1 person can enter scores per ring

                                                For USDAA – 2 people needed for each ring

                                                For CPE – 1 person is needed per ring.

                                                Contact score people personally so you know who is

                                                available

 

1 week before trial                    Get scoretable supplies and boxes from storage.

                                                With the secretary, assemble score boxes.

                                                For NADAC/CPE – put scribe sheets in ring boxes

                                                For USDAA – put scribe sheets, accumulator sheets

                                                and Q and placement sheets into appropriate boxes.

 

Day of trial                               Arrive at trial site by 6:30 am

                                                Set up score tables

                                                Make sure score tables are manned throughout the day.

                                                For USDAA, make sure the Q sheets are signed by the

                                                Judge and the person who scored the class.

 

Post trial                                   For NADAC & CPE – Give laptops and ring boxes back

                                                to the secretary.

                                                For USDAA – Give Q books and ring boxes back to the

                                                secretary.

 

Top

 

Position Description – Hospitality

 

 Requirements:

 

Duties:

The hospitality position is responsible for organizing and updating the food/drink items at the hospitality table, scoring & judges areas and check-in area.  Supplies must be picked up from the storage unit prior to the trial and any additional items needed (and there will be some) will need to be bought from Costco, Winco & possibly the local variety store (ice) prior to and the days of the trial.  Meet with Equipment Manager (or other club contact with access to storage unit – See Club Contacts list for additional names) 1 week before and 1 week after trial to obtain/return Hospitality Supplies (coolers, coffee makers, plates, etc) from/to the storage unit.

 

Hospitality is responsible for keeping track of the levels of coffee, water, snacks and replenishing as needed.  A donation jar should be put out on the table.  Breakdown of the hospitality areas will occur on the afternoon of the final day of the trial, but not before most of the exhibitors have completed their day.  All equipment and supplies will need to be cleaned and dried before returning to the storage unit.

 

Some trials will require that the Hospitality person arrange accommodations for the incoming judges.  This could include flight, hotel & transportation as well as the judges dinner, gifts for the judges and any other items requested by the trial chair.  This will require good communications with the judges re: special requests & needs.

 

In addition, some trials may require that the Hospitality person make arrangements for the volunteer lunches – this may only occur when onsite vendors are not available.

 

Hospitality person shall provide the Treasurer with an accounting of hospitality costs after the trial is completed.

 

Top

 

Club Contacts

(phone numbers available on website member list)

 

Equipment Manager – Kyle Watson         zootfish@aol.com

          Make sure Equipment Manager will be available for the trial dates.  If not, you will need to find someone else to transport the trailers to and from the event.  The Club relies heavily on our current equipment manager to get rings setup the day before the trial (measuring out rings, putting up fencing etc.).  Chief course builder should be available for this setup also, especially if our primary equipment manager will not be available. 

 

Site Liaisons –

Clark County Fairgrounds, Vanc. WA - Lisa Klien or Tanya Sacks

Clackamas County Fairground, Canby, OR – Jim Hibbard 

Wilsonville Park – Jim Hibbard                    jimhibb@aol.com

 

Purchasing Mngr & Awards Liaison – Tanya Sacks tssacks@msn.com

          Awards Liaison should be sent a copy of the draft premium to review the ribbons and awards outlined before the premium is finalized.  Awards Liaison can provide you estimates of ribbon costs for trial budgets.

            Purchasing Manager will need to know how many dogs are entered in the trial after the closing date to order entry toys if they are being given out.  Purchasing Manager can also order supplies such as USDAA accumulator sheets if necessary.

 

Treasurer – Judy Bluett                  jbluett1@comcast.net

            You will need to make arrangements for the Treasurer to be at the trial on Sunday to pay judges, reimburse food vendor for CAT Bucks, pay for site rental, cash awards for USDAA Steeplechase etc.

         

Computers –       

            Make arrangements for Trial Secretary to get computers from Storage Facility with the appropriate venue software loaded prior to opening date for entries.

 

Ring Boxes (holds scribe sheets & gate sheets) –

                   USDAA                Jeanne Rice         kylarice@ccwebster.net

                   NADAC               Storage Facility   see below

CPE                     Judy Bluett          jbluett1@comcast.net

          Make arrangements for Trial Secretary to get ring boxes from appropriate contact.

 

Access to Club Storage Facility – Pick up and return of hospitality supplies and equipment (coffee makers etc) should be arranged before and after a trial by contacting any of the following people:     

          Kyle Watson                 zootfish@aol.com

          Tanya Sacks                 tssacks@aol.com

          Pat Weinkauf                finishlineframes@aol.com     

Top