April 2025 IDAL League Courses
- Melissa Wallace, PhD, CPDT-KA
- Mar 29
- 6 min read
International Dog Agility League
We are running new courses this month using some fun games from "Houston's Book of Agility Games," 5th Edition. Each league is running a different game, so the briefings have been moved to the the league drop downs.
Course Maps
60x90
Briefing for Penny Arcade
Performing any contact in an unsafe manner or poorly shaped approach, as determined by the judge, incurs a 50-point fault.
Objective: Score as many points as possible in the allotted time by taking individual obstacles for base point values or by playing the arcade games to activate bonus point values.
Scoring: Points then time.
Points are awarded as follows:
• Jumps = 1 point (including game jumps)
• Tunnels, Tire = 3 points
• Contacts = 5 points
Times: 55 seconds. When time is called, go to a pause box.
Briefing:
The game begins on either side of the start line and ends when the dog enters either of the pause boxes. Collect as many points as possible by either taking obstacles for their base point value and/or by activating an arcade to double or triple the next 3 obstacles.
When an arcade game has been successfully performed the judge will announce “bonus times two” or “bonus times three.” The dog earns base point values for all obstacles taken while completing an arcade game (1 point for each jump).
When a bonus multiplier is active, the next three obstacles for that bonus period must be different. If a dog repeats an obstacle only the simple value of the obstacle can be earned (no multiplier).
If a dog faults an obstacle when the bonus multiplier is active:
· No points are earned for the obstacle;
· The performance does count as one of the three;
· That obstacle may be performed again immediately.
· A dropped bar takes a jump out of play (and takes an arcade game out of play).
Once three different bonus obstacles have been attempted, point values return to their regular values. Each arcade game can only be used twice to activate bonus point values. You can continue to collect simple point values
Arcade Game 1 Double point bonus - Dog takes the three jumps in a 1-2-3 pattern in either direction. Jumps are bidirectional.
Arcade Game 2 Triple point bonus - Dog takes each of the three jumps in any order and any direction (to include not in flow) while handler stays behind the line. The dog may cross the line. If the judge yells fault while you are working on the X3 bonus, you crossed the line. You may immediately try again to activate the game but must do all 3 jumps. You keep the base value of the game obstacles you had done correctly. Yes, you can run around the outside if you really want to.
Maps (Imperial)
Maps (Metric)
50x70
Briefing for Group Choice - Again Variation (New)
Group Choice is a game of strategy. The key to winning is to define the shortest path to perform all the obstacles, one group at a time. The choice of which group to begin with can be as important as which obstacles to begin with within the group.
*The objective is to perform all obstacles on the course, as quickly and accurately as possible, according to the following groups:
Jumps (group 1)
Tire and tunnels (group 2)
Contacts and weaves (group 3)
In the Again Variation, each group will be performed twice, but the groups cannot be taken back-to-back even if the order within the group is different. For example, you cannot do group 1, group 1, group 2, group 2…. You cannot do group 1, 2, 2, 3, 1, 3…etc. You can do 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 1. You could also do 3 ,2, 1, 3, 2, 1. Etc.
*The handler must negotiate his dog through all the obstacles in a particular group before continuing to the next group. The order in which each group is completed is up to the handler. The order within the group is up to the handler. All obstacles are bidirectional. All three groups must be completed twice in this variation. You can change the obstacle order and direction within each group the second time around, but remember you cannot do groups back to back.
*Each group must be completed before moving on to the next.
*The team can start anywhere on course. Time starts when any part of the dog’s body goes over the plane of their first obstacle and ends when any part of the dog’s body touches the table. The table is live once time starts.
Faults:
Faults will result in a deduction of points.
• 5-point deduction
knocked bar,
missed contact,
failing to do an individual obstacle within a group
• 20-point deduction
performing an obstacle outside the group,
repeating an obstacle within the group,
taking any obstacle a third time on the way to the table,
• If a dog does an obstacle outside of a group and does not go back to complete all the obstacles in the unfinished group, the dog gets a 5-point fault for each of the missed obstacles and the 20-point fault for performing an obstacle outside of the group.
• 35-point deduction
failing to collect an entire group (when the dog gets on the table and they did not take all the groups twice, applied for each group missed)
• 100-point deduction
Performing any contact in an unsafe manner or poorly shaped approach as determined by the judge, may continue on course.
Time: Maximum course time is 70 seconds. When time elapses, the handler must direct the dog to the table.
Scoring:
Group Choice is scored on a 100-point basis.
*Time is used as a tiebreaker only.
Judge Note: The judge may wish to number the obstacles to help with scoring.
Maps (Imperial)
Maps (Metric)
40x85
Briefing for Jackpot - 4 Corners Variation
Objective: Score as many points as possible while also completing the four gamble obstacles in the allotted time.
Scoring: Points then time.
Brief: Maximum course time is 50 seconds.
Scoring begins at the designated start line and ends at the table which is not counted as an obstacle. Jackpot 4 Corners is a combined two-part course. One part consists of the handler and dog attempting to accumulate points. The other part consists of a “gamble” in which there is no gamble distance line or separate gamble period. The gamble obstacles (indicated by the C’s) are completed as the team accumulates points. All four “C” obstacles must be taken.
Back-to-back performances of obstacles are allowed at any time as long as the handler provides the dog with a safe approach. If the judge deems the back-to-back performance or any contact approach unsafe, no points will be awarded for the performance. One obstacle on the course is given a 7-point designation as noted on the map. The higher point value can be awarded only once for that obstacle; additional performances will receive points at the normal value. Refusals will not be called. Jumps with a dropped bar are no longer in play. For faulted obstacles, the judge will call out zero. Training and lure faults are not applied; they are penalized only by the time taken to train.
Any missed “C” obstacle will result in a 20 point fault .
Points are awarded as follows:
• Jumps (including “C” obstacles) – 1 point
• Tunnels, Tire – 3 points
• Contacts, Weaves – 5 points
• Weaves first time – 7 points
Scribe: The judge will call out numbers and “C” followed by a number. Write down each number called separated by a dash. If the judge calls “C#,” write down C and the correct number followed by a dash (C1, C2, C3, C4). Record the full time in seconds from the timer on the scribe sheet.
Maps (Imperial)
Maps (Metric)
An Open Invitation to New Players
New clubs and individuals are always welcome to join us and play these courses. Download the scorekeeping worksheets below. Contact the League Secretary to help with the details at pagc.live@gmail.com.
60x90
50x70
40x85
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BLOG2025C4_IDAL
Questions, comments, snide remarks, and feedback go to Melissa Wallace, IDAL Secretary, at pagc.live@gmail.com.
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