Friday November 11th is an Open qualifying day in Scottsdale, Arizona
A handler may enter up to two dogs for the event, but due to animal welfare only one dog will be able to compete with one handler.
Register NOW for the AWI Qualifier on Friday November 11th
We will begin at 9:00 am with the opening round of freestyle for all registered competitors. A cut to the top 36 teams will follow this round. These 36 teams will compete in one 60 second round of Catch and Fetch.

A total of 36 teams (plus ties, including the 12 qualifiers from the Alabama event attending the Championships) will
compete in the Championships starting on Saturday.

Saturday November 12th and Sunday November 13th
2005 Ashley Whippet Invitational Canine Flying Disc World Championships
- Tentative Competition Schedule 

The first competitor will take the field at 9:00 am for the first round of freestyle.  A cut to the top 24 will be made after this round.  These 24 participants will then compete in a 60 second round of Catch and Fetch followed by a second round of freestyle for these lucky 24 teams.  A cut to 18 will happen on Saturday evening based on the combined totals of both rounds of freestyle and the one round of Catch and Fetch.  

Sunday will begin at 9:00 am with one 60 second round of Catch and Fetch followed by the final round of freestyle for the top 18 teams.

The competitor that has the highest cumulative total for all 3 rounds of freestyle and the 2 rounds of Catch and Fetch will be crowned the 2005 Ashley Whippet Invitational Canine Flying disc World Champion.  They will have their names etched onto the Lander Cup and forever be a part of the great history of the sport we love.

* We will do our best to hold to these schedules and numbers of teams advancing but changes may need to be made to accommodate time or weather conditions

FREESTYLE RULES:

The freestyle round is a timed freeform competition that is judged on a 40 point scale using the following categories - Drive and Athleticism, Ingenuity, Sequences & Flow, and Comprehensive. Only moves that begin with the disc in flight and end with a catch are scored. Takes, moves in which the disc is handed off to the dog, will not be scored. Rollers, which are intentionally rolled along the ground to the dog, will be scored provided the dog makes a clean catch. Moves such as taps and double throws in which one or more discs are intentionally missed by the dog and caught by the thrower will be scored provided they are cleanly executed. Scores for each category can be assigned to the tenth (1/10) of a point.

Time Limit
Freestyle routines have a time limit of 120 seconds. Official time begins with the first throw, and countdown of time remaining will be given at 60 seconds, 30 seconds, 10 seconds, and time. In the interest of time, we strongly encourage competitors to limit their preroutines to 15 seconds or less.

Discs
Competitors may use up to 7 discs during their freestyle routine. Hero type 235, Wham-O Fastback and Hyperflight K-10 are approved for competition. The two exceptions to this rule are the Hyperflite Jawz disc and the Wham-O Eurablend which are not included because they are significantly heavier than the other approved discs. Any disc not provided by AWI must be in new condition, and must not bear any competing event or sponsor logos. If a competitor has any questions as to whether a disc is acceptable for use, they are strongly encouraged to seek out the event coordinator for guidance. AWI reserves the right to deny the use of any disc it deems to be outside of these guidelines, and will provide competition discs as a replacement.

Costumes and Props
Currently there are no clothing restrictions in the freestyle round. (If we aquire a sponsor, we may issue all competitors a t-shirt that must be worn at all times while competing). The use of a costume will not increase the likelihood of a higher score if it does not add to the overall entertainment value and crowd appeal of the freestyle routine. Competitors should be aware that the use of a costume could actually contribute to a lower overall score if it hinders the successful execution of moves or disrupts the overall flow of the routine. The use of any type of prop, an item not worn on the body as clothing, is not permitted while the competing team is on the field. This rule applies regardless of whether the prop is used as part of a pre-routine (before time starts) or otherwise. If there should be any question regarding this matter, it is highly recommended that competitors consult with the judges in advance.

Infractions of any or any combination of the above guidelines during a competitor's round will result in a 1 (one) point deduction from the freestyle score for that round.

THE WELFARE OF THE DOG IS OF PARAMOUNT CONCERN TO THE JUDGES AND SPONSORS. THEREFORE, THE USE OF VAULTS, WHILE HIGHLY ENTERTAINING, SHOULD BE TEMPERED WITH CONSIDERATION FOR THE ANIMAL'S WELFARE. EXCESSIVE HEIGHTS, OR FREQUENT REPETITIONS OF VAULTS, WHICH EMPLOY THE THROWER'S BODY AS A LAUNCHING PAD, ARE NOT ENCOURAGED, WILL NOT INCREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF A HIGHER SCORE AND MAY RESULT IN POINT DEDUCTIONS AND/OR DISQUALIFICATION.

Music
Competitors are asked to bring their own music and should present it to AWI officials when they are called to the on-deck area. Contestants are encouraged to avoid music that is not suited for a family audience. Music should be marked clearly on the case with the name of the competitor and the track number, and must be presented as a compact disc or a cassette tape. Cassette tapes must be cued to the correct location.

Judging
Three judges (scheduled are: Mark Molnar, Gary Suzuki, Eldon McIntire and Tom Wehrli) will award competitors points for the Freestyle Round of the competition. Each of the three judges will be responsible for judging one of three categories in the Freestyle Scoring System: Drive & Athleticism, Ingenuity, or Sequences & Flow. Each judge will also give a score for the Comprehensive category. The high and low scores will be dropped, and the remaining score will be the offiicial Comprehensive category score. Judges will have the option of writing a few short notes or suggestions on their worksheet for the benefit of the competitor.

The Catch Ratio score will not be added to the other scores. It is reference score only, and will be used as a tie-breaker.

Freestyle Scoring System

Drive & Athleticism - Judges look at the athletic ability of the canine competitor with special consideration for the dog's level of prey drive, speed, stamina, tracking skills, leaping ability, and control while in the air and during landings. Canines should show consistency while catching discs with varying spins and orientations over a range of distances.

Ingenuity - Judges look at the creativity, athleticism and throwing ability of the human half of the team with special consideration for the consistent placement of discs, and ability to deliver a variety of difficult throws. Successful completions are an important part of this category, but emphasis is placed on innovation and variety, not execution and repetition.

Sequences & Flow - Judges look at how the team works together to present a routine that flows naturally from trick to trick and transitions smoothly between sequences. Individual sequences should be composed of tricks that logically flow together, and competitors should pay close attention to proper disc management when linking sequences to form a routine. Solitary tricks that are not part of an obvious sequence are given consideration for their contribution to the flow of the routine as a whole. Teams are not penalized for taking time to set up tricks properly provided the overall momentum of the routine is not compromised.

Comprehensive - Judges score the general impression of the routine as a whole with special consideration for showmanship, presentation, energy, and overall crowd appeal.

Catch Ratio - A mathematically determined number that is obtained by dividing the number of completions by the number of attempts, multiplying by 10, and then rounding to the nearest tenth of a point. For example, (22 catches) / (30 attempts) * 10 = 7.3333, or 7.3 by rounding to the nearest tenth of a point. A competing team must catch 100% of their throws in order to receive a Catch Ratio score of 10. No raw scores can be rounded to 10.

Catch and Fetch Rules and Guidelines
In the Catch and Fetch Round, competitors are given 60 seconds in which to complete as many throws as possible with one disc. The canine and the thrower must be behind the line before time starts. When the thrower indicates that he or she is ready, the line judge signals to the announcer that the competitor is ready. At this time, the announcer says "go" and simultaneously starts the clock. Throwers must be behind the line for all throws, but they may move around the field freely between throws. If the thrower steps on or across the throwing line at the time of the release of the disc, the throw will not be scored. If, during a round, the competitor believes the disc has become unsafe for the dog to catch because of a broken rim or a large tear, it may be handed to the judge for replacement. The damaged disc must be handed to the line judge before a replacement is given, and time will not be suspended during a disc change. Countdown of time remaining will be given at 30 seconds, 10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and time. Completions are scored as long as the disc leaves the thrower's hand on or before time is called.

Scoring
The field is measured in YARD increments from 0 to 50 YARDS, and points are awarded for successful completions as follows

Distance	English Conversion	Points
0 - 20 Yards	0 feet to 60 feet	0
20 - 30 Yards	60 feet to 90 feet	1
30 - 40 Yards	90 feet to 120 feet	2
40 - 50 Yards	120 feet to 150 feet	3

A one-half point Anti-Gravity Bonus is awarded for each completion in which the dog clearly has all four paws off the ground in a distinct jumping motion. Completions will be spotted where the trailing paw of the dog is located at the time of the catch. If the dog is in the air at the time of the catch, the completion will be spotted where the trailing paw of the dog is located when the dog lands. The trailing paw must be completely on or across the line to score in the higher score zone.

Field Layout
The field is marked in 10 YARD increments starting with the throwing line and ending with the 50 YARD line. The field is set up so that competitors have a choice to throw from either end of the field; however, the throwing direction cannot be changed once time has started. There is no out-of-bounds along the sides of the field.

Ties for first, second, or third place in the Open Division are broken using the following criteria: 1) highest score in both Throw and Catch Rounds, 2) highest combined catch ratio score for the three Freestyle Rounds. If these criteria are not sufficient to break the tie, then the competitors will break the tie in a Throw and Catch Shootout. A coin will be tossed to determine which team goes first, and each team will be allowed one throw in each round of the Shootout. A team will be awarded a point any time they outscore their competitor in a given round, and the Shootout will continue until one team wins by two. Competitors will be allowed to rest their dogs as necessary.

GENERAL RULES FOR COMPETITION
All contestants must sign the injury / illness liability waiver and full publicity release.

Only the competing dog, thrower and officials are allowed on the field during competition.
An official competition T-shirt will be issued to all competitors upon sign in.  All competitors must wear this official shirt during the entire competition event.  No substitution or modification to the shirt will be allowed.  Failure to do so will result in the disqualification of the offending competitive team.

No substitutions of either dog or thrower will be allowed at the Ashley Whippet Invitational, once the injury/illness liability waiver has been signed. If an eligible dog or thrower should become ill or suffer an injury that would, in the judgment of the AWI Officials, adversely affect the caliber of competition expected of an Ashley Whippet Invitational competitor, or which could further injure a team member, that team will be declared ineligible. In that event, the next Division runner-up team, will be allowed to compete in the ineligible team place.


BOISTEROUS CHALLENGES OF CONTEST OFFICIALS, ABUSIVE LANGUAGE OR OTHER INAPPROPRIATE OR UNSPORTSMANLIKE BEHAVIOR COULD RESULT IN THE CONTESTANT'S DISQUALIFICATION FROM COMPETITIONS.

All participating dogs must have proof of rabies inoculation and license. Vaccinations for Parvo and Kennel Cough are strongly recommended.

AT ALL LEVELS OF COMPETITION, OFFICIALS OF ASHLEY WHIPPET INVITATIONAL RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE FORMAT, COMPETITION RULES, TIME ALLOTMENTS, ETC., AT THEIR DISCRETION BASED ON NEEDS.

Contestants must walk dogs ON LEASH to the on deck area and field.

Dogs must be KEPT ON LEASH at all times, except when competing. Any activity that could be considered distracting should be out of range of competition so competitors are not distracted.

Dog owners are required to clean up if their dog takes a nature break. In consideration of other competitors, the health and welfare of all competing animals, all competitors MUST take their competing dog for a nature break before they are called to go on deck. If a nature break occurs on the playing field during competition, time will continue and any clean-up necessary must be done by the human half of the team upon completion of the round.

COMPETITORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THEIR DOGS AT ASHLEY WHIPPET INVITATIONAL EVENTS. COMPETING CANINES SHOULD BE PROPERLY SUPERVISED AND MUST BE UNDER THE CARE AND CONTROL OF THEIR OWNERS AND/OR TRAINERS AT ALL TIMES.

MANDATORY DISQUALIFICATION:
ABUSE AND ENDANGERMENT OF AN ANIMAL
FEMALE DOGS IN ANY STAGE OF HEAT
OVERLY AGGRESSIVE CANINE BEHAVIOR