Carolina Piedmont Agility

22/04/2022

today's fun judging in Sacramento :D

( and if you're getting ready for Carolina Piedmont Agility's AKC in Raleigh NC two weeks from now, here's a little scouting of your judge ;) )

04/02/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY EVENTS

Timeline & Volunteer Signup are now available for our February 11-13 AKC event inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh

https://docs.google.com/.../1bw1I1QF8evPI7tKRqVamyVIKwy1v...

Arena opens Friday 3pm FOR SETUP CREW
(PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP)
(more hands make much lighter work for all)

Arena opens for general access Friday 4pm
First briefing/walkthru M/E JWW Friday 5pm
(arrive by 6pm to guarantee chance to walk/run)
Arena opens Saturday & Sunday 7am

04/02/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY EVENTS

those fun ears aren't just for tree bunnies (squirrels)

thanks to your support participating together at our winter events
WE HAVE OUR NEW TUNNELS!!!

(including a 10 ft. tunnel allowing for more tunnel passes in akc classes)

more updates (timeline, volunteer scheduling, running order, final confirmation) for our February AKC coming very soon

and

we're excited about our new uki event inside quicksilver arena march 4-6!!!

for more info, visit www. carolinapiedmontagility.com

27/01/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
TWO QUICK REMINDERS

FEBRUARY 11-13 AKC RALEIGH NC (HUNT ARENA)

Entries close Wednesday February 2 for our AKC agility event inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh February 11-13.

In addition to multiple opportunities to run all levels of STD and JWW, including Premier, as well as FAST and T2B, we are also offering rounds of ISC (international style) STD and JWW on Saturday mid-morning. The courses will be designed by 2021 European Open Team Tryout and Invitationals judge Linda Kipp and run within a larger 120? x 130? ring (the remaining classes will run using a more customary 80? x 120? ring).

Dogs can enter ISC at their usual AKC regular or preferred jump heights.

Dogs can enter ISC as FEO (for exhibition only).

For more information and entry forms visit: www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

MARCH 4-6 UKI JULIAN NC (QUICKSILVER CANINE ARENA)

Entries are open for our new THREE DAY UKI event inside Quicksilver Canine Arena in Julian March 4-6.

We are offering lots and lots and lots of qualifying opportunities including:

FIVE rounds of Speedstakes
FOUR rounds of Games (two Gamblers / two Snookers)
FIVE rounds of Agility (including one Masters Series Agility)
FIVE rounds of Jumping (including one Masters Series Jumping)

Arrival by 6pm Friday night guarantees an opportunity to walk and run in the Masters Series.

For more information and entry forms visit: www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

16/01/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

WEATHER UPDATE (11am 1/16)

ARENA OPENS: 7am Monday
WALKTHROUGHS BEGIN: 8:30am Monday

Monday’s UKI will go ahead as planned, starting at 8:30am.
We can offer a last chance opportunity
to walk/run ANY level Speedstakes
for anyone arriving by 9:30am.

For those we had to cancel on due to weather for Sunday's AKC,
please email Shannon ([email protected]) before 6pm Sunday
if you would like to enter Monday’s UKI.
(If you do not enter Monday’s UKI, no email necessary, we will automatically refund, or destroy check if for Sunday only.)

16/01/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

as we "hunker down" (in my best larry munson voice, national champion dawgs peeps, y'all know) for sunday morning, i just wanted to thank everyone at our events this weekend. our entrants for participating as BOTH competitors and volunteers. as well as our team of leaders. and our arena staff.

today was BOTH a normal day AND a very busy day.

in a way, i had less than usual to do. i arrived this morning to see the first class of the day already half built on perfectly groomed dirt inside a warmed arena. throughout the day, i occasionally timed/scribed, moved these few obstacles, ordered lunch (twice, ha).

behind the scenes, ok, we were in conversations with akc, with our arena management.

special thanks to Shannon secretarying, Susan judging, Gretel and Jose tending to the arena, AND to all our entrant volunteers and team members (Baptist, Laurence, Don, Nadeen, Amanda, Chris, Maria, Monica, Karen) who helped us manage today's details as we addressed tomorrow's potential details.

we'll miss everyone Sunday.

but we also KNOW it's the smart odds. nothing is certain. but the forecast has been for wintry sleety freezy icy mix for days now. the question has only been whether the forecast might concentrate that nastiness between a bit of early snow and late afternoon rain. clearly trends have been accentuating the sleety freezy icy mix between thinner and thinner slices of snow and rain bread.

we look forward to seeing any and all who want to join us Monday morning for our UKI. Coursebuilding at 7:45am. Briefing & walkthroughs at 8:30am. will be a great full day of agility fun!!!

until then, stay safe.

15/01/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

WEATHER UPDATE (12noon 1/15)

We do think it is best to cancel Sunday’s AKC due to weather.

We can offer:
FULL REFUNDS
AND/OR ENTRY INTO MONDAY’S UKI.

Please email Shannon ([email protected]) before 6pm Sunday if you would like to enter Monday’s UKI.

(If you do not enter Monday’s UKI, no email necessary, we will automatically refund, or destroy check if for Sunday only.)

Monday’s UKI will go ahead as planned, starting at 8:30am.

14/01/2022

WEATHER UPDATE (8am 1/14)

We are monitoring forecasts.
Friday and Saturday are looking good.
We are also very confident about Monday’s UKI,
perhaps with a slightly delayed start if necessary.

SUNDAY MORNING may pose greater challenges.
WE ANTICIPATE THE POSSIBILITY OF
DELAYED START AND/OR SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS.

Please stay tuned to www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

13/01/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JANUARY 14-16, 2022 AKC
(MLK, Jr. Holiday) MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 UKI

ARENA OPENS: 4pm Friday, 7am Saturday, Sunday & Monday
WALKTHROUGHS BEGIN: 5pm Friday, 8:30am Saturday, Sunday & Monday

(arrival before 6pm Friday guarantees opportunity to walk/run M/E JWW)

All WEATHER UPDATES to the schedule will be posted to our website: www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

We are monitoring forecasts. At this point, we anticipate going forward with events throughout the weekend. If necessary, we may delay start times and/or adjust class schedules. Please stay tuned.

12/01/2022

2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JANUARY 14-16, 2022 AKC
ARENA OPENS: 4pm Friday, 7am Saturday & Sunday
WALKTHROUGHS BEGIN: 5pm Friday, 8:30am Saturday & Sunday
(arrival by 6pm Friday guarantees chance to walk/run M/E JWW)

(MLK, Jr. Holiday) MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 UKI
ENTRIES CLOSE TODAY !!! (Wednesday January 12th)

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11-13, 2022 AKC/ISC
ENTRIES OPEN TODAY !!! (Wednesday January 12th)

For more information, visit: www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

07/01/2022

Carolina Piedmont Agility
January 7 - 9, 2022 UKI & AKC
Inside Hunt Arena, Raleigh, NC

UKI FRIDAY NIGHT MASTERS SERIES COURSES
AKC SATURDAY RUNNING ORDER
TIMELINE & VOLUNTEER SIGNUPS
CONFIRMATION (including COVID precautions)

are now linked to our website:
www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

04/01/2022

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY EVENTS:

Just a handful of quick reminders:

(1) Entries close Wednesday night for our Friday night UKI Masters Series (OPEN TO ALL LEVELS) inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

You can enter online via UKI!!!

https://entries.ukagilityinternational.com/ShowUploads/3940/Carolina%20Piedmont%20january7uki.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2x3q40FMeenOtkC8jD###2jt99BHENH9r5U-N1itDC3-GGiSrYlri6N1A

https://carolinapiedmontagility.com/january7uki.pdf

(2) Entries also close this Wednesday night for our January 14-16 AKC. If you're entering last minute, please email Shannon ([email protected]):

https://carolinapiedmontagility.com/january141516akc.pdf

(3) We are also taking entries by mail and online for our full day of UKI Monday (MLK, Jr. Holiday) January 17th. We're excited to be offering multiple rounds of Agility, Jumping, and Gamblers as well as a Masters Series and Speedstakes.

https://carolinapiedmontagility.com/january17uki.pdf

(4) Confirmations, COVID protocols, timelines, and volunteer signups for the upcoming weekend including our Saturday & Sunday AKC events are linked to our website:

https://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/

(5) And we are excited to be able to offer a NEW opportunity to come together for dog agility fun inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, February 11-13!!! Entries open NEXT Wednesday, January 12th. In addition to several days of STD & JWW at all levels including Premier, and FAST, and T2B, on Saturday we will also be offering International style STD & JWW courses set within a larger 130’x120’ ring, designed by 2021 European Open Team Tryouts AND Invitationals judge Linda Kipp. With her background as a multiple time world team member AS WELL AS a trainer, teacher, event host, judge for over two decades in this country, having owned and trained her Brittany, Golden Retriever, Sheltie, and Border Collies, she has a demonstrated commitment to ensuring courses are appropriate to level and accessible across dogs and their handlers.

https://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/februaryakc.pdf

Looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend, next weekend, AND next month!!!

03/01/2022

Carolina Piedmont Agility
January 7 - 9, 2022 UKI & AKC
Inside Hunt Arena, Raleigh, NC

TIMELINE & VOLUNTEER SIGNUPS
CONFIRMATION (including COVID precautions)
are now linked to our website:

www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

29/12/2021

We are excited to announce another opportunity to come together and play AKC (&ISC) dog agility inside Hunt Arena on the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

February 11-13, 2022

Friday night: Master/Excellent Standard & Jumpers With Weaves as well as All Levels FAST.

Saturday: All levels of Standard & Jumpers With Weaves, as well as Premier AND ALSO ISC!!!

Saturday's ISC Jumpers With Weaves & Standard classes will be run back to back inside an extra large 130' x 120' ring on courses designed by 2021 European Open Team Tryout and Invitationals Judge (as well as former World Team Member) Linda Kipp.

Sunday: All levels of Standard & Jumpers With Weaves as well as Premier, Time 2 Beat, and FAST.

Blair Kelly will be judging (with Linda Kipp designing the ISC classes).

FOR MORE INFORMATION, including premium list and entry form, visit our web page: www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Entries open Wednesday January 12th.

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

21/12/2021

Can't begin to say thank you enough...

To Brian Brane for being a most wonderfully patient judge!

To Shannon for secretarying and scorekeeping.

To our team throughout the event: Nadeen, Maria, Susan, Karen, Laurence, Baptist, Heather and Chris.

To our entrants, nearly all of whom volunteered at one point or another. Creating an enjoyable event takes everyone coming together!

(Also to everyone for helping us most responsibly honor the county's indoor mask policy, allowing everyone to compete without masks, while otherwise requiring masks for walkthroughs and while on the arena floor beyond the ring.)

To Jose Silva for providing our dogs PERFECT dirt to run on and Gretel Kloempken for everything she handles managing the arena.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REST OF OUR WINTER EVENTS:
January 7-9
January 14-17
and... stay tuned... for... maybe... more 🙂

17/12/2021

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2021-2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

Thank you and congratulations Martha Ruskai!!!

Your name was randomly drawn (you can thank Lauren) for choosing the numbers that came closest to one of your spots on the online volunteer sign up chart).

Ultimately, having an enjoyable event depends on everyone coming together.

If you haven't already, please take a moment to sign up for volunteering assignments.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bw1I1QF8evPI7tKRqVamyVIKwy1vbkOR/

We are looking forward to the weekend.

Setup commences at 3pm Friday. Please join us.

WE WILL BE DRAWING RAFFLE PRIZES (gift cards worth between $5 & $100) for those pitching in.

Additionally, those able to help throughout setup, who are not already entered in Friday night’s UKI masters series tournament, will be given the opportunity to run NFC (Not For Competition) free of charge during the first of the two rounds. This will be a chance to get on all the equipment before this weekend’s events!

Access to general crating (for those NOT helping with setup) does NOT open until 5pm Friday, 7am Saturday & Sunday.

Look forward to seeing everyone.

Sheet1 Timeline and Volunteer Sign Up Friday 3:00,trailer unload,Setup Help:,Blair Cobb 3:30,ring building & equipment setup 5:00,coursebuilding,Builders: 6:00,walk masters series agility 6:15,run masters series agility,Gate:,Scriber:,Timer:,Leash:,Ring Crew: 7:15,build masters series jumping,Bu...

16/12/2021

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2021-2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

EVENT UPDATES (AS OF 12/16/21)

We are looking forward to the weekend.

Setup commences at 3pm Friday. Please join us. Ultimately, having an enjoyable event depends on everyone coming together.

WE WILL BE DRAWING RAFFLE PRIZES (gift cards worth between $5 & $100) for those pitching in.

Additionally, those able to help throughout setup, who are not already entered in Friday night’s UKI masters series tournament, will be given the opportunity to run NFC (Not For Competition) free of
charge during the first of the two rounds. This will be a chance to get on all the equipment before this weekend’s events!

Access to general crating (for those NOT helping with setup) does NOT open until 5pm Friday, 7am Saturday & Sunday.

Look forward to seeing everyone.

15/12/2021

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2021-2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

EVENT UPDATES (AS OF 12/15/21)
Timeline and volunteer sign up are now available.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bw1I1QF8evPI7tKRqVamyVIKwy1vbkOR/

We will be raffling gift cards ranging from $5 to $100 to volunteers after each class.

Set up starts Friday at 3:00pm. Please come help! The crating area will be open at that time for setup help only. General access to crating opens at 5:00pm Friday, 7:00am Saturday & Sunday.

Entries close tonight, Wednesday the 15th, for Friday night’s UKI Masters Series Tournament. Email Shannon ([email protected]) if you are entering and your mailed entry might not arrive in time.

Confirmations have gone out for the Saturday & Sunday AKC events. A generic copy is linked at:
www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

14/12/2021

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY
2021-2022 WINTER EVENTS
INSIDE HUNT HORSE ARENA
NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS
RALEIGH NC

EVENT UPDATES (AS OF 12/14/21)

Entries close Wednesday the 15th for Friday night’s UKI Masters Series Tournament. Email Shannon ([email protected]) if you are entering and your mailed entry might not arrive in time.

Confirmations are going out late Monday night the 13th for the Saturday & Sunday AKC events. A generic copy is included below.

www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

01/12/2021

JUST A QUICK HEADS UP...

ENTRIES FOR CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY'S AKC EVENT
DECEMBER 18-19, 2021, RALEIGH NC
INSIDE HUNT ARENA ON THE NC STATE FAIRGROUNDS

CLOSE WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 8 !!!

Friday, December 17, 2021 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility

Saturday-Sunday, December 18-19, 2021 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturdays, T2B on Sundays

PREMIUM LIST AND ENTRY FORMS AVAILABLE at:
www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

17/11/2021

ENTRIES ARE OPEN !!!
For ALL of Carolina Piedmont Agility's
December & January UKI & AKC Events
Inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh

https://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

11/11/2021

ENTRIES ARE OPEN !!!
Carolina Piedmont Agility's January 7-9 UKI & AKC Events
Inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh

Friday, January 7, 2022 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility
Karen Warda Judging

Saturday-Sunday, January 8-9, 2022 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturdays, T2B on Sundays
Karen Warda Judging

For more info: www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

ALSO NOTE THAT ENTRY FORMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR
Carolina Piedmont Agility's January 14-17 AKC & UKI Events
Inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh

Friday, January 14, 2022 AKC
Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
Premier Standard & Jumpers w Weaves
Susan Bankauf Judging

Saturday-Sunday, January 15-16, 2022 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturdays, T2B on Sundays
Susan Bankauf Judging

Monday (MLK, Jr. Holiday) January 17, 2022 UKI
Masters Series Agility & Jumping (open to all levels)
All Levels Speedstakes
All levels two rounds of Gamblers
All levels Agility & Jumping
Susan Bankauf Judging

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

03/11/2021

ENTRY FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
for Carolina Piedmont Agility's UKI & AKC events
Inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh:

Friday, January 7, 2022 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility
Karen Warda judging

Saturday-Sunday, January 8-9, 2022 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturdays, T2B on Sundays
Karen Warda judging

ENTRIES OPEN WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 10

www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

AND A REMINDER...
ENTRIES ARE ALREADY OPEN FOR DECEMBER !!!
(WITH OVER HALF OF AVAILABLE RUNS FILLED FROM THE FIRST DAY OF RECEIVED MAIL-IN ENTRIES)

Friday, December 17, 2021 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility
Meagan Skelton Judging
Saturday-Sunday, December 18-19, 2021 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturdays, T2B on Sundays
Brian Brane Judging

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

27/10/2021

ENTRIES ARE OPEN !!!
Carolina Piedmont Agility's December UKI & AKC Events
Inside Hunt Arena on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh

Friday, December 17, 2021 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility
Meagan Skelton Judging

Saturday-Sunday, December 18-19, 2021 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturdays, T2B on Sundays
Brian Brane Judging

For more info: www.carolinapiedmontagility.com

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

13/10/2021

Premium list and entry forms now available for Carolina Piedmont Agility's December 18-19 AKC agility event inside Hunt Arena in Raleigh NC.

Entries open Wednesday, October 27th.

Stay tuned for Friday night UKI Masters Series entry forms, coming soon.

https://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/

01/10/2021

CAROLINA PIEDMONT AGILITY is THRILLED to confirm our plans for winter dog agility events inside Hunt Horse Arena on the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh NC: December 17-19, January 7-9, and January 14-17!!!

Friday, December 17, 2021 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility

Saturday-Sunday, December 18-19, 2021 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturday, T2B on Sunday

Friday, January 7, 2021 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility

Saturday-Sunday, January 8-9, 2022 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
(All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice)
FAST on Saturday, T2B on Sunday

Friday January 14, 2022 AKC
Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers

Saturday-Sunday, January 15-16, 2022 AKC
Standard & Jumpers w/ Weaves
All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice
FAST on Saturday, T2B on Sunday

(MLK, Jr. Holiday) Monday, January 17, 2022 UKI
Masters Series Jumping & Agility
All levels Jumping, Agility, Gamblers, Speedstakes

STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO & ENTRY FORMS

https://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/

Premier & Master / Excellent Standard & Jumpers on Friday All levels: Premier, Master / Excellent, Open, Novice on Saturday & Sunday

09/01/2021

Carolina Piedmont Agility
January 16-17, 2021 AKC Event

Within our community, the need to follow the guidance of our state’s leaders remains clear. While vaccines provide hope for the summer, metrics in our state and nation have continued to deteriorate this winter. With 96 of 100 counties suffering critical (“red”) or substantial (“orange”) levels of community spread of coronavirus, virtually all North Carolina citizens have been instructed to limit going out to “essential activities” and “avoid people you don’t live with”.

North Carolina Health & Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen has stressed, ***“If you are in a “red” or “orange” county, you should limit going out to essential activities; you should avoid people you don’t live with.”***

http://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/mandycohen.mp4

Even as our club consists of founders, leaders, and enthusiasts sharing a longstanding devoted passion for dog agility, our attention is not drawn to individual notions of liberty and assessments of risk tolerance (about how it might be possible to make a somewhat safe attempt at hosting a dog agility competition focusing on universal masking including while competing, hand sanitizing, social distancing, minimizing shared time indoors, eliminating indoor crating or spectating).

That is simply not our most relevant question to answer.

Gathering in large numbers to host dog agility competitions is a wonderful experience we continue to miss dearly.
However, for us, given these conditions and instructions, it does not constitute essential activity within our framework of community responsibilities.

Further, we support fellow North Carolina clubs like Blue Ridge Agility Club cancelling their large indoor event in late January and Greater Monroe Kennel Club cancelling their large indoor event in early April.

Again, I would like to thank our team leaders for your efforts, and our entrants for your patience. We regret the disappointment and inconvenience that may result from this announcement. All entry fees will be 100% refunded. (None of the checks have been deposited; so they will simply be destroyed.)

In any case, we very much look forward to moving forward together with events as soon as possible.

03/01/2021

Carolina Piedmont Agility
January 9-10, 2021 AKC Event

The overwhelming majority of our participants are citizens of North Carolina.

Over the past two months since opening entries for our winter dog agility competitions, we have closely monitored increasing community spread of coronavirus and followed the guidance of our state’s governor and coronavirus task force.

Essentially the entire state is now experiencing elevated levels of community spread, with 92 of 100 counties suffering critical (“red” status) or substantial (“orange” status) community spread.

North Carolina Health & Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen has stressed, ***“If you are in a “red” or “orange” county, you should limit going out to essential activities; you should avoid people you don’t live with.”***

http://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/mandycohen.mp4

While vaccines provide hope for the summer, metrics in our state and nation have continued to deteriorate this winter:
daily new cases have more than doubled since early November; test positivity rates in North Carolina have climbed from just above 5% to over 15%; current hospitalizations locally and nationally continue to set and then break records; and nationally, daily deaths have climbed from just over 1,000 per day to as high as almost 4,000 per day.

Even as our club consists of founders, leaders, and enthusiasts sharing a longstanding devoted passion for dog agility, our attention is not drawn to individual notions of liberty and assessments of risk tolerance (about how it might be possible to make a somewhat safe attempt at hosting a dog agility competition focusing on universal masking including while competing, hand sanitizing, social distancing, minimizing shared time indoors, eliminating indoor crating or spectating). That is simply not our most relevant question to answer.

What remains so much clearer, within our community, is the need to follow the guidance our state has provided. Essentially all North Carolinians are citizens of counties currently experiencing critical (“red”) or substantial (“orange”) levels of community spread of coronavirus and have been instructed to limit going out to “essential activities” and “avoid people you don’t live with”.

Gathering in large numbers to host dog agility competitions is a wonderful experience we continue to miss dearly. However, for us, given these conditions and instructions, it does not constitute essential activity within our framework of community responsibilities.

Again, I would like to thank our team leaders for your efforts, and our entrants for your patience. We regret the disappointment and inconvenience that may result from this announcement. All entry fees will be 100% refunded. (None of the checks have been deposited; so they will simply be destroyed.)

We continue to hold out at least the slimmest of hopes that conditions may improve in time for the possibility of our later January event (we anticipate making that decision after this Tuesday’s update to the county covid alert system).

In any case, we very much look forward to moving forward together with events as soon as possible.

14/12/2020

Carolina Piedmont Agility
December 19-20, 2020 AKC Event

First, I would like to thank our team leaders for your efforts, and our entrants for your patience, as we have responded to the state’s reclassification of our county, along with the rest of the triangle region, due to current increased community spread of coronavirus.

Since last Tuesday’s announcement, our club has moved forward simultaneously to answer two questions: (1) how we could best host the event; and (2) whether we should host the event.

Our team leaders these past five days, in addition to meeting at the arena, have spent countless hours working together to agree upon best mitigation practices for the possibility of hosting the event. Clearly, it has been, and can be, possible to host a reasonably safe dog agility competition focusing on universal masking, hand sanitizing, social distancing, and minimizing shared time indoors.

What was much harder for our team leaders to agree upon was the more direct question, in a time and location experiencing substantially increased community spread, whether we should host the event, regardless the extent mitigation measures were carefully planned and faithfully respected.

To move forward, we’re asked to neither avoid, nor be mired within, the challenges of these times. I am truly thankful to our team leaders and our entrants for facing and working through these questions respectfully, even within disagreement. In times that can be contentious, it has been refreshing and reaffirming that everyone has been simply so good. In particular, I am so thankful to our entrants who stepped up and volunteered to help, promptly filling nearly half of the signup spots already. Our events depend on all of us eagerly coming together, to both compete and to help, in shared pursuit of a community of interest.

Even since our county was reclassified to a higher (“orange” status) threat level, coronavirus metrics, nationally and here within North Carolina, have only further continued to deteriorate. Friday we set record highs for: cases nationally (231,775), hospitalizations nationally (108,044), deaths nationally (3,309), cases statewide (7,540), hospitalizations statewide (2,514). While statewide daily testing has not appreciably increased in the last week, in that same time, daily cases have risen 42%. Statewide daily hospitalizations set new records for each and every of the first eleven days of December, with 35% of those hospitalized being workforce aged (20-59 years old).

We are also reminded, as North Carolina Department of Heath & Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen stressed, “If you are in a “red” or “orange” [status] county, you should limit going out to essential activities; you should avoid people you don’t live with.”
http://www.carolinapiedmontagility.com/mandycohen.mp4
https://files.nc.gov/covid/documents/dashboard/COVID-19-County-Alert-System-Report.pdf

Ultimately, our team leaders could not unite together in favor of hosting the event, given these conditions and instructions. We regret the disappointment and inconvenience that result from this announcement. All entry fees will be 100% refunded. (No checks have been deposited; so they will simply be destroyed.) Additionally, in appreciation of our entrants who signed up to volunteer, each of you will be receiving credit for one free run at future Carolina Piedmont Agility events.

We will continue to hope conditions in the area improve in time for the possibility of a January event. In any case, we very much look forward to moving forward together with events as soon as possible.