Since the temporary suspension of sanctioning in March, your BOD has considered many issues related to balancing the concerns of our members during these unpredictable times. We all felt the loss of the cancellation of the 2020 Finals, and recognize many members expended considerable money, time, travel and effort earning points for a Finals that ultimately could not be held.
As you are all aware, the USBCHA spans two countries, a vast area with many regional variations. While we are happy to be back to sanctioned trialing, we must recognize that many areas of the US and Canada continue to be affected by the Covid situation to very different degrees. Currently, a significant number of our members are limited in their ability to attend trials because of travel restrictions levied either by their resident jurisdiction, by the location of the trial they would like to attend or by other Covid related concerns. It is likely many of these restrictions will remain in place for some time. Additionally, many trial events have been rescheduled, postponed or cancelled. We are grateful to trial hosts who are able to offer events. While we all hope the situation improves, we recognize the immediate future is uncertain.
After much debate and considerable membership input, the BOD has voted (15 yes, 6 no, 2 absent) to allow the “carry-over” of a member’s top two points totals from the 2019-2020 qualifying year to the present season. This will permit two of the five-point totals counting towards the current qualifying year 2020-2021 to be from last season. Once those top two scores are migrated into the current year tally, they will be numerically ordered with point totals earned in the current season.
The BOD discussed several variations of options for some kind of points carry over. Allowing the carry-over of just two of a member’s 2019-2020 points totals was offered as a compromise, giving partial credit for last year’s accomplishments, but not putting those dogs who had no points last season at an insurmountable disadvantage.
Below are a few examples of how the carry-over will work:
Example 1.
Handler A had five placings for the 2019-2020 season:
Points
Trial name 12
Trial name 10
Trial name 8.8
Trial name 6.8
Trial name 5.4
————————
Total 43
Handler A will carry over her top 2 points totals (12 and 10). If Handler A wins a 75 dog trial next weekend (15 points), her current season tally will be:
Trial name 15
Trial name 12 * carry over
Trial name 10 * carry over
————————
Total 37
Example 2
Handler B had 3 placings for the 2019-2020 season.
Points
Trial name 10.8
Trial name 7.6
Trial name 5.2
——————————
Total 23.6
Handler B will carry his top 2 points totals (10.8 and 7.6). Handler B earns 4 more points-earning placements this Fall, earning 9 points, 5 points, 4 points and 1 point.
His current tally will be:
Points
Trial name 10.8 * carry over
Trial name 9
Trial name 7.6 * carry over
Trial name 5
Trial name. 4
———————————
Total 36.4
Trial name 1 ( has become the 6th placement and fallen out of top five counted toward total.)
Example 3
Handler C had one point-earning placement last season. He will carry over the point value from that one placement. When he earns more points, that carry over score will be ordered numerically with his current year placements. If he earns five placements with points higher than his one carry over point value, the carry-over will fall to the sixth value and not be counted in the top five.
We realize that not everyone will agree with this approach. Our focus remains that the qualifiers for the next Finals represent the best of the breed. We hope that we will be able to meet next October at the 2021 Finals in Middletown, Virginia, with a field of competitors that well represents that goal.