In our 2015 AKC National Agility Championship Preview podcast, we emphasized that you do not have to be at the top of the rankings to have a legitimate chance of making the Finals. Finishing with three clean runs is critical, as the vast majority of finalists will have accomplished this–emphasizing consistency over absolute speed.
The graphics below support this viewpoint. These charts show the speed distribution of the dogs entered in the 2015 AKC National Agility Championship (blue dots). The red dots show the speed of the dogs that made last year’s Finals.
All charts use the same axis ranges, allowing you to visually compare the yard per second distribution between heights. (Note: the charts may take a few moments to load)
We have competed at and enjoyed this event over many years, with all of our dogs, whether they were Finals contenders or not. Your goal may be to make the Finals or to showcase your breed or your dog. You’ve earned the right to be in Reno and compete, so enjoy the experience and let it fill you with excitement, enthusiasm, and motivation for the future!
what a fun analysis! thaks for taking the time to do the work and post it….
Interesting stuff!
Love the graphs! One addition could be making the winner’s dot green.
Will gold do? 😉
Gold Dot is great! Thanks.