agility on the rise and rise

[Michael Romanos]

Had a good talk with the new CEO of the New Zealand Kennel Club and he eagerly agreed with me that agility was the future of the NZKC. And he was certain that national television of international agility test contests between Australia and NZ would be a huge crowd puller. He was very supportive of the Wellington Welsh Corgi Walking Club and agreed that with the NZKC wanting to represent everything dog in NZ, clubs of this nature (we are a NZ-first) are important for the evolvement of the NZKC.
At last we have a CEO who is not of the old school of thought. He is a breath of fresh air and will combine realism with commercialisation of the NZKC and at the same time ensure that the NZKC represents the well being of dogs and take strong measures for any members who transgress and be outspoken aboit issues that are in the public arena. He realises that the current national headquarters and show/competition facilities of the NZKC wuil never be adequate and is looking for alternatives - of which I have some knowledge of.
I meet with the CEO next week on a more official basis. He was very enthused at witnessing Taylor in agility and said he never would have believed that a short legged Corgi could jump, weave etc as well as any other breed.

[Clogs]

I still find the jumping thing hard, but not the weave. When the two other big dogs here were very much younger, they used to race around with Rosie. Naturally, they beat her on the straight sections, but man, did she ever clean them up on turns!

[Michael Romanos]

Your observations are interesting Clogs, because I would think that very fast weaving (which is the object) puts more pressure on a Corgi's back ( a Corgi doesn't have a normal centre of gravity) than any other obstacle in agility and is therefore more potentially damaging than are the jumps etc. Having said that I still look forward to the change in the near future of the height of the hurdle rail in NZ from 380cm for mini dogs (including Corgis) to 350cm. In the USA they are at 300cm.

[Clogs]

Have to disagree with you there, Michael. Any critter's back, humans included, has more sideways and forwards bend than backwards. Just do some forwads and backwards and sideways bending for yourself and you'll soon see. We all know that corgis tend to do more damage to their backs jumping down from things eg beds etc, that from jumping up. But they can bend around sideways and lick their boy/girl bits without too much trouble, unless overweight.
And the low centre of gravity has to be of help when weaving. There's not the same inertia to overcome that dogs with long legs have.

[Michael Romanos]

I wish yoir theories were correct. Pem Corgis are reasonably quick at agility - judging from the world records for 60 pole weaves - but no where near the top breeds at weaving including a lot of the leggy larger normal size breeds including the Border Collie.

[SARATARA]

Well MIKE,
I have personally seen my Pem with an Aussie and a Lab and she cam bob and weave and cut faster then they do, but on a dead sprint she doesn't stand a chance. Also, I is widely known in the medical field that bending from side to side does nowhere the damage to the joints and cartilage that pounding (i.e. jumping and landing) does.

[Clogs]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

I wish yoir theories were correct. Pem Corgis are reasonably quick at agility - judging from the world records for 60 pole weaves - but no where near the top breeds at weaving including a lot of the leggy larger normal size breeds including the Border Collie.

If I remember correctly, border collies etc tend to do the weave at a bit of a crouch ie to lower their centre of gravity. But corgi's weave while in a normal running stance. This would suggest that weaving is more natural to corgis than it is to taller dogs.

Makes sense really - if a corgi can't weave damned fast, she's gonna get massively kicked upside the head by all those nasty, big steers she's herding.

[SARATARA]

Originally Posted by Clogs

If I remember correctly, border collies etc tend to do the weave at a bit of a crouch ie to lower their centre of gravity. But corgi's weave while in a normal running stance. This would suggest that weaving is more natural to corgis than it is to taller dogs.

Makes sense really - if a corgi can't weave damned fast, she's gonna get massively kicked upside the head by all those nasty, big steers she's herding.

Clogs- You hit it right on the money!!!!