# Triathlon



## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Didn't want to highjack Barb's thread, so...

Would it be considered "cheap" or cheating for a dog to get a Triathlon award qualifying in something they already have and should be able to do in their sleep? For instance, Ruby has her WCX. She could pass the WC without breaking a sweat. But surely people would look poorly upon a WCX doing the "safe" test just to try for the triathlon, right??? What about a UD/UDX dog doing rally, too, just to make sure that you get the qualifying score for the performance section?

I'm thinking for Ruby I'd try the CCA, do the WCX again (that's not a sure qualification!), and obedience, agility, and rally. Not sure which National I'll go to though...definitely not 2011-way too far, probably not 2010, but I don't know. Decisions, decisions.


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

My opinion is it shouldn't matter. The point is to show a well-rounded dog, not the most challenged dog. Why shouldn't the dog be able to win an award that shows versatility just because they have a higher skill level?


----------



## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

I know it *shouldn't* matter, but I'd hate to be all excited about this award and have it looked upon as gotten cheaply or by "cheating" (even though it truly wouldn't be cheating).


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Hey I say go for it! If I do get to Atlanta maybe I'll even give it a try with one of the dogs.


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

I can't imagine that many dogs get that award or that anyone would think less of a dog that qualified with a WC instead of a WCX!


----------



## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

I don't think it matters...I entered Teller in the WC, Novice O, Novice rally, Novice agility, the CCA and Am-bred at the 2008 national specialty - it was a lot for an 18 month old baby at his trial debut ;-) He Q'ed in all the performance events, got his CCA (was 5th in am-bred). I'm reasonably sure he'd have passed his WC had his handler (me) not fallen and broken her wrist two weeks before we left for Rhode Island. WC was the one event I felt like I couldn't do one handed...(that and no practice for the two weeks before the national)...

I think it's an achievement regardless of how you get there. How many dogs do you know that can pull together all of the requirements over the course of one week?

Not many.


----------



## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

It's an awesome accomplishment! Go for it!


----------



## luvgld7 (Jan 23, 2008)

I say "go for it", too. I went to my first National last year with the goal of qualifying for the Triathlon and we did it and had a lot of fun.

Three of us in our Dallas GR club set this as our goal and trained together for it. I'm happy to say all of us qualified. We have our 15 min. of fame - we're in the recent GR News : )

I do think it's a special accomplishment and found people at the National very encouraging when they found out what we were doing.

Ann


----------



## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

Do they usually have CCA events at the regional specialties? It would be much more doable to head to the Twin Cities this year, but I don't see a CCA listed on the schedule yet (granted there's not a whole lot to the current website!). And being a regional, it's not nearly so spread out time wise. Ruby is the kind of dog who *could* show in field, obedience, and agility all in one day if I could work the timing right, so 2 or 3 days would be just as good for her as a whole week at a national.

Now I'm going to have to start a new thread about whether or not you all think Ruby could feasibly pass a CCA! I'll take some pics and post soon.


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

If I try for a triathalon with Tito, it would be in non-regular classes, mostly because I don't want to deal with the huge numbers that will be entered in the regular classes! I don't see that as a cheap win, I see it as a great way to showcase his talents!


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

This I can speak of from experience. At the Eastern Regional in 2006 in Western New York I had Lucy entered in hope of qualifying for the Triathlon Award. She came in to season a week before and was not able to go. I also had her mother Keeper entered and decided to go with her alone. She was entered in Veteran Bitch 10 -12 (regular and sweeps), Veteran Obedience (only offered the novice class) and then the WC. She was basically retired at this time and only came out for special events at that time. She won her sweeps class, took first in obedience with a 197 and then passed the WC. As the judges shook my hand after she returned with the last bird a few of the people came over to me and said congratulations that qualifies your dog for the Triathlon. I sheepishly replied that we were in the non-regular classes and it did not but thanked them anyway. I was then told it did not matter and she DID qualify. At first I felt embarrassed as if we had sneaked in a back window or something. But then realized it was a silly reaction and have never looked back as it was not I who set the standards for the award. It was one of those VERY special moments that I will always treasure. 
I say go for it.


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Getting a triathlon would be so cool. We should get a GRF group together for those who want to do it!  I am tentatively planning for Denver--I would just have to figure out this field stuff so we can go for the WC (in two weeks we go to our first field training day--yay!)


----------

