# Chi Town Ringers French Ring Trial



## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Couple vids from this weekends ring trial in Bourbonais. Had a great weekend in my first trial actually competing. Big thanks goes out to Mike, Ann, Craige, Nikki, Karen, and Jose from Chi Town Ringers and to Richie, Wade, Frank, and Keith for judging and decoying. Going to add the FRI routine once it is done uploading.

Brevet - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25HAu3kaHeE&feature=plcp
It's the full routine so if you just want to see the biting it starts at 8:00


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Way to go, Jake! Super nice performance! =D>


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Very nice!


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks guys. Here is his Ring I from Saturday. Forgot to have someone film Sundays routine but it was much better. Took home a 191.2 on Sunday. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygNAQpWYAXk&feature=youtu.be


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Youtube says it's too long to post?


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Great glad I just waited 2 hrs for it to upload. I will try something else. Sorry about that.


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## Doug Zaga (Mar 28, 2010)

Jake,

You can set your You Tube account up to upload longer videos.

http://support.google.com/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=71673


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## Gerald Guay (Jun 15, 2010)

Very nice Brevet. Congrats.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Way to go, Jake! Super nice performance! =D>


Yup I agree with Maren great job dude on your Brevet! I guess the judge can't ding you GA points for the shorts if he is wearing them too!  I love the deep breath at 0:03 that about sums up the stress of walking through those gates for the first time. Congratulations for getting it done!


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks again for the kind words. Geoff to be honest I had no idea that was a rule but now that you mention it, I do remember another competitor asking if shorts were ok and the judge said yes. The deep breath is an old performance trick from when I gigged and soloed a lot. Helps clear the mind, get rid of the crap, and just do what you have done a thousand times in training. I know not all can do this but it makes it much easier. Finally got the youtube figured out so here is his 1 routine from Sat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGn5N-RcH04&feature=plcp


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Thanks for posting the points break down. Very interesting. Congrats again!


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Jake Brandyberry said:


> Geoff to be honest I had no idea that was a rule but now that you mention it, I do remember another competitor asking if shorts were ok and the judge said yes. The deep breath is an old performance trick from when I gigged and soloed a lot. Helps clear the mind, get rid of the crap, and just do what you have done a thousand times in training. I know not all can do this but it makes it much easier.


My Brevet on Saturday I was pretty nervous and had to suck it up a few times, as my dog is always on the edge of being out of control. He's fun but I gotta run him 20-30minutes before to expend some energy and he was probably not run enough before. I used to play guitar professionally I had those little pre-gig rituals as well. The nervous pee 5 mins before showtime and then the controlled breathing. It all helps when you are on center stage. Plus Ritchie is an awesome judge he has a great Ringside manner and is a serious competitor as well, it makes all the competitors feel confident. 

Yeah there has always been an unwritten rule about a dress code. Any of the French Judge's I wouldn't dare wear shorts and always remove my hat when checking in and out. Must've been hot as hades in Chi-Town on the weekend. In Edmonton it was 50-55f for our trial, our was quite comfortable outside of the rolling rainstorms and the mud.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Looks like a nice routine Jake, congrats.



Geoff Empey said:


> Yeah there has always been an unwritten rule about a dress code. Any of the French Judge's I wouldn't dare wear shorts and always remove my hat when checking in and out. Must've been hot as hades in Chi-Town on the weekend. In Edmonton it was 50-55f for our trial, our was quite comfortable outside of the rolling rainstorms and the mud.


It's not completely unwritten

1.1.12 The judge may at any time terminate an exercise if the dog is unable to achieve it or
terminate the program for a dog due to a health condition if the dog shows obvious signs
of fatigue or injury. *The judge is authorized to expel a handler who* does not respect the
rules, *dresses improperly* or behaves in an undesirable way (ignores rules, uses
vulgarity, reprimands or brutality) (Chapitre 1, p. 2, Conditions de participation aux
concours and Chapitre 1, p. 13, Allure Générale).

Exactly what "dresses improperly" is, is the grey area. 

I look at it this way, a handler is on the field for anywhere from 15-60 minutes, depending on what level they are competing at, and how long they take. The judge and many of the field helpers are out there all day long, they don't get to leave after 1 routine and go hang out in the shade with a cooler. If a judge is in shorts that's one thing, but if they aren't, as a handler I wouldn't even ask them about wearing shorts (I wouldn't wear them anyway, but that's another point).


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Kadi Thingvall said:


> I look at it this way, a handler is on the field for anywhere from 15-60 minutes, depending on what level they are competing at, and how long they take. The judge and many of the field helpers are out there all day long, they don't get to leave after 1 routine and go hang out in the shade with a cooler. If a judge is in shorts that's one thing, but if they aren't, as a handler I wouldn't even ask them about wearing shorts (I wouldn't wear them anyway, but that's another point).


Exactly Kadi, I totally agree!


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## Tim Lynam (Jun 12, 2009)

Congrats Jake!! Nice job.

Not to mention the dog and decoy Kadi... A judge showing up in and allowing competitors to wear shorts during trial is wrong on so many levels it's pathetic. Poor classless babies are hot. WOW!


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

As I said I really had no idea shorts were frowned upon. The hay I did know and if you notice in the brevet I even took my sunglasses off. On Saturday we were on the field three times, CSAU, brevet and ring 1 in 90 degree heat so there is that. Good to know for the next one though.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Jake Brandyberry said:


> As I said I really had no idea shorts were frowned upon. The hay I did know and if you notice in the brevet I even took my sunglasses off. On Saturday we were on the field three times, CSAU, brevet and ring 1 in 90 degree heat so there is that. Good to know for the next one though.


a jacket and tie next time.....

congrats on your successes, and thanks for sharing the videos


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Last year I had to trial my darn dog in 104 F heat while the Schutzhund judge literally had someone holding an umbrella for her and opening bottles of water for her. If she would have said no shorts, I am pretty sure there would have been a riot. :lol: As long as your butt cheeks or other anatomy aren't hanging out and you look relatively professional...why does it matter? 

(goes quietly back to braiding her cornrows and purchasing her next pair of booty shorts and stripper heels for the next PSA trial...) ;-)


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## Jesus Alvarez (Feb 6, 2009)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> As long as your butt cheeks or other anatomy aren't hanging out and you look relatively professional...why does it matter?


I was taught that appropriate attire for a competitor at a FR trial is a matter of respect for the sport and the judge. Then again, I've seen American judges wearing shorts & tank tops on the trial field. :???:


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Guess you should just be happy then that those American Judges allow you to compete with your bulldog since they are not on the list of breeds allowed to bite in France.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Last year I had to trial my darn dog in 104 F heat while the Schutzhund judge literally had someone holding an umbrella for her and opening bottles of water for her. If she would have said no shorts, I am pretty sure there would have been a riot. :lol: As long as your butt cheeks or other anatomy aren't hanging out and you look relatively professional...why does it matter? ;-)


I'm not sure shorts and relatively professional go together  IMO wearing shorts, especially if the person is judging an event, is extremely unprofessional. 

If the weather is so hot that a competitor feels they can't walk around the field for awhile in pants, perhaps they should reconsider asking their dog to walk, trot, run, jump, bite, fight, etc for that same period of time.



Jesus Alvarez said:


> I was taught that appropriate attire for a competitor at a FR trial is a matter of respect for the sport and the judge.


I agree with Jesus, it's about respect for the sport, the "players", the judge, etc. I've trialed in 100+ heat, and I always wore pants. That's just how I learned the sport.



> Then again, I've seen American judges wearing shorts & tank tops on the trial field. :???:


I have also, and agree with your











Jake Brandyberry said:


> Guess you should just be happy then that those American Judges allow you to compete with your bulldog since they are not on the list of breeds allowed to bite in France.


Actually it's NARA, not the American judges, who allows bulldogs to compete. French and Mexican judges who come judge in the US will judge a bulldog, even though they wouldn't in their own country, because NARA's rules allow it.


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Kadi obviously it is NARA who allows what dogs compete, just like it is NARA who authorizes who is a judge. Really didn't think I would need to clarify that point, pretty much common sense.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

does the NARA dictate the judges dress code?


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

no cornrows? That was what was missing and the reason for the fail...


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Alright since this is my thread lets put an end to the attire discussion. It was allowed and if you have a problem with it, contact your rep or start a new thread. I have said my peace.

Learned a lot this weekend about my training. Some little things came up that I didn't every think about, like scenting the food refusal area before putting your dog in it. I am the only one in my club that trains ring so there is never anyone else going before me with the food. That was the closest he has ever gotten to the food and I knew I was in trouble when he was sniffing the ground like crazy as soon as I put him down. The whole getting crooked on the jump was something new as well but reviewing the vid I am pretty sure I caused that one by not taking my time on the set up. Biggest thing I need to work on OB wise is the set up for the bite exercises. He never broke the line but on the set up he was creeping up and it got close a few times. Glad that I was able to handle him well enough to get him through it. The ring 1 routine on sat was a little but of a struggle towards the end. Had to slow myself down and get him in place. 

Geoff mentioned the whole deep breath before the prep. That was purely so I didn't screw my dog. The way I look at it, when you step on the trial field, your dog either has it or he doesn't. At that point there isn't a damn thing you can do about it so why be freaked out and stress you dog by acting in a way that you never do during training. Once I stepped on the field it was like any other training session. 

Nobody has mentioned it yet but you don't see a retrieve in the ring 1 vid. I have had some issues with him blowing me off and I didn't want that to happen with out me being able to get in his ass about it so I decided to not do the exercise. Taking a 4 point loss is a better option for me than teaching him that he can be a dick. Plus, it was about the leg, not the score. For me, the lower levels are about building the dog to RIII, not the score. The goal is RIII and that is where the competition begins. Just my view.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

smart thinking taking the point loss I think,
again congratulations.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Jake Brandyberry said:


> Kadi obviously it is NARA who allows what dogs compete, just like it is NARA who authorizes who is a judge. Really didn't think I would need to clarify that point, pretty much common sense.


Since you specifically said it was the American judges that allowed his bulldog to compete, I thought there might be some confusion, that a French or Mexican judge in the US wouldn't, or that it was being implied (not neccessarily that you implied it, but someone might take it that way) that somehow the American judges were wrong to do so. Hence I pointed out that was NARA's decision, a judge in a NARA trial, regardless of their country of origin, or feeling on the matter, has no right to refuse to judge a bulldog.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Jake Brandyberry said:


> Plus, it was about the leg, not the score. For me, the lower levels are about building the dog to RIII, not the score. The goal is RIII and that is where the competition begins. Just my view.


I agree 100%, and IMO this is the attitude that will get a team to a III, while still having time left in the dogs career to actually compete at III.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Joby Becker said:


> does the NARA dictate the judges dress code?


They can, and IMO probably should. Then again, compare the way some judges dress to who is on the BOD, and I wouldn't hold my breath that this be addressed any time soon.


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## Wade Morrell (Jan 5, 2009)

Lol....it was pretty hot out there wish I could have worn shorts...Jake nice job this past weekend you are the only one in your club who trains ring and I watched you go from CSAU to ring 1 in one weekend. Awesome job..then you took the time to post the video and give an honest break down of all your exercises and point out your weakneses so others could learn...gee I think that's pretty cool even if you did have half pants on...oh by the way I slipped on a face attack and kinda jammed frisco this weekend..I have to say that was because of all the "man" leg that was on the field...so distracting.... can't wait to see you on the field in ring 2. Keep up the good work.


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## Jake Brandyberry (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks Wade. You organized the very first ring event I ever went to and was hooked from the start. Great job decoying this last weekend. Safe, appropriate work for each level, and you looked good doing it. I do have some sexy calves so I understand getting distracted.


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## Nikki M Williams (Jul 17, 2009)

Wow, a guy post his accomplishments and what a great job he did going from a Brevet ( with a very impressive score ) to getting his Ring 1 title in 1 weekend and the only thing we notice is he is wearing shorts ???? How about the performance of the Dog and the Handler ?!?!?! How about his accomplishments. So sad. 

Nice Job Jake and in such a short time of training. Very impressive and I love your boy. Also , thank you again for all your help all three days of the trial. Hopefully we will see you at the next one . 

Nikki


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## Sarah Koth (Mar 1, 2008)

Congrats on a great performance Jake! And congrats to all the other competitors and new decoys. It's great to see a young club throw a successful trial. Sad we missed it but hope to see everyone next time!

Keep calm and train on


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I complimented his dog and performance first. The fact that his legs are:










really really ridiculously good looking just goes without saying. \\/


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