Go, Phoenix, GO!

Phoenix went 2 for 2 and finished his GO (Graduate Open) title over the weekend. This title has been a bit of an adventure. To say judges do not understand the Graduate Open class would be the understatement of the year.

I'm not trying to be a smart-ass but seriously, on two of our three legs, I had to coach the judge through our entire run. We did have one judge who understood how things worked but between the two of us, we still screwed up the article exercise. The dog is to be sent while facing the pile. I had Phoenix do the whole formal Utility turn, sit and send. (Hmm, maybe I should have read the regs a little closer, too!) His turns were awful but otherwise he was fine so no harm done.

The judge on our final leg was the clear winner of the “I’m oblivious” award. I knew we were in trouble when he called me into the ring before the class started (I was the only exhibitor who had checked in) and asked, “Now, how does this class work?” Oh dear, the inmate is running the asylum!

I’m not sure why this class is such a mystery to judges. The exhibitors all seemed to have it figured out but it’s hard to move smoothly between exercises when the judge is unsure what the next exercise is, then asks you how to do it. Granted, the current incarnation of Grad Open is relatively new to the scene but it’s not THAT new. If I were on a judging panel that included Grad Open, I could find a few minutes to read through the regulations the night before.

But no. Yesterday’s judge and I had a little mini judging seminar before the class started. Then we had little refresher workshops after each exercise while I explained what happened next. At one point, I was afraid he was going to ask me how to SCORE the exercises!

It’s good to know I am somewhat capable of thinking on my feet, since on the last exercise, a single directed jump, the judge looked at me and said, “Send him over a jump.” Not “Bar” or “High,” just “Send him.” Well, okay. This inmate likes being in charge, although lots of us obedience folks are not used to being allowed to make our own choices in the ring. Since we’d done the bar on Saturday I chose the high, which Phoenix sailed over happily.

In spite of all that, I really did enjoy showing in the class and it showed me what Phoenix understands — and what he doesn’t — about the Utility exercises. He walked away with 3 legs in a row, so the consistency was admirable even though we’re a long way from the finished product I want to take into Utility. Besides, we still have to get a CDX first!

I would recommend showing in Grad Open as a nice transitory step between Open and Utility but make sure you read the regs first. Somebody has to know what’s going on and there’s no guarantee it will be the judge.