First Cairn Excellent FAST title!

[Karen]

I am happy to report that Mac is the first cairn to earn the Excellent FAST title in AKC. This is similar to Gamblers in other organizations. Since he began competing in FAST when it started, he has only missed the Send/Gamble part once. Every single dog (35 of them) in the Excellent class also missed it that time so I know it was a tough one. On top of the XF title, he earned DQ #15 for his PAX title (need 20) and he managed to do all of this on his 8th birthday!!! I felt like it was my birthday with what he did.

I got the photographer to take some nice pix of him with his haul of ribbons and toys for the day so those will get here in a couple of weeks. I am so proud of my boy and he continues to amaze me with what he can do.

Karen

[bradl]

Whoa ... go Mac and Karen! (He said, redundantly!)

[Greg P]

Nice job! Congratulations to Mac and Karen.

Please post your pics when you get them!

[tlwtheq]

Congratulations! I know that I've been a denizen of this forum

long enough to know what the FAST competition is...but um... I forget.

Please enlighten those of us who don't know.

[cairnsby3]

Congratulations Karen and Mac.

[hallswel]

Wonderful great job Mac and Karen

It is great to see a Cairn represented!

[Karen]

FAST is a class with no pre-determined course except the Send items. Points are assigned to different obstacles. You need to accumulate a certain amount of points for each level which includes the items in the Send and the 20 pt Bonus if you do it correctly. There is also a pre-set amount of time you have in which to do this. As you advance thru the levels, you need more points but get less time to do it. After you accumulate enough points and get the Bonus you can either try for more points or head for the finish line. When you've reached the maximum amount of time a horn sounds. Now you lose 1 point for each second it takes you to cross the finish line so you run the risk of losing too many points and you might not qualify. Extra points only matter if you're going for a placement so I usually get enough and head for the finish.

AKC is different from other org's in that usually you can perform the obstacle in only one direction, it's not optional. You cannot do the same thing back to back, but do something else in between. This is where I have the most trouble in remembering what I can and can't do because I've played Gamblers elsewhere for years. My other dog NQ'd in Open FAST the same day because I sent him the wrong way thru the tire and never realized it til the Exc briefing afterwards. The judge emphasized the correct direction (probably because of me! LOL!) to take the tire.

Karen

[tlwtheq]

Thanks! Sounds like it would be a ball of fun for Cairns, and congratulations again.

[hallswel]

to answer a question from an earllier post it is an Agility title, here is the description from the AKC site

Agility is so very difficult and not for the dog for the owner because you must remember what you need to do and the correct order. I have tried with my Cairns and for bait the love jumps, tunnels, boards, etc but the weave is a little more difficult because my kids just want to run off and do something else more fun Hats off to anyone that can do it with any breed but with a Cairn it is really quiet a feat!!

"Excellent FAST

For a title, dog must earn 3 qualifying scores in Excellent A FAST agility class under at least 2 different judges.

[ Agility Trial ]"