National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW)

Official NACSW™

K9 Nose Work® NW1, NW2 and NW3 Trials

May 20, 21, 22, 2011

TRIAL LOCATION:
Livermore Valley Charter Preparatory

2451 Portola Ave

Livermore, CA 

Important: Remember that the trial location is NOT open for practice

Trial Host:
National Association of Canine Scent Work, LLC^®

NW3: Friday, May 20, 2011 – Dogs will start competing around 5pm

NW2: Saturday, May 21, 2011 – Dogs will start competing around 9:30am

NW1: Saturday, May 21, 2011 – Dogs will start competing around 2:15pm

NW1: Sunday, May 22, 2011 – Dogs will start competing around 9:30am

Certifying Officials:
Amy Herot & Ron Gaunt

Spectators:
Family members and friends are welcome to watch certain elements if there is appropriate viewing space for a gallery that will not interfere with the dog working or the judging. Limits may be put on the number of spectators depending on the turn out. Children under 18 must be directly supervised at all times. Spectators MUST check-in at registration, sign a waiver, and get a name badge. No dogs will be allowed in the spectator area. No unentered dogs are allowed at the trial. Spectators are reminded that the hide placements must not be discussed nor should they speak with any competitors about what they saw until after the trial is complete. Competitors are not allowed to watch the trial at anytime.

Registration Entry and Closing:

·         Trial entry will open on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 9:00 AM Pacific Time.

·         Trial entry will close when entries fill or 9am Pacific Time on May 17, 2011.

Registration Method:
All registration will be on-line via the link provided to the NACSW™ trial registration form. Paper and phone entries will not be accepted. Completing the form and/or payment is not a guarantee of entry. You will receive an auto-response email confirming that we received your trial entry after registration - this email does not confirm your space in the trial. There will be a separate confirmation from trialEntry@nacsw.net to let you know if your entry has been given a space in the trial.

Entry Method:
Trial spaces will be awarded in the following manner:

·         Spaces will be awarded by a random draw of all qualified entries received between 9-10AM Pacific Time on March 29, 2011.  In the event that you are having technical difficulties with the entry system, please email trialEntry@nacsw.net prior to 10AM on March 29, 2011. 

·         If a trial level is not full after the draw, then entries will be accepted first come first serve of qualified entries after that. 

·         If you do not have your appropriate ORT completed by March 29, 2011, you may still submit your entry when the trial opens.  However, your entry will not be processed and given a space in the trial until 9AM Pacific Time on April 1^st if space permits.  These entries will be processed in a first come first served order and will be pending your successful ORT.  In the event you do not pass the applicable ORT, a full refund will be issued.

Trial entries will be entered in the draw only if ALL the following apply:

1.  Register on-line only between 9AM-10AM Pacific Time on March 29, 2011

·         The Handler has a NACSW™ Membership ID#

·         The Dog has a NACSW™ Dog ID#

·         The Dog has passed the appropriate ORT for the level entered

·         The Dog has earned the required title level at least 14 days prior to the trial date.  (i.e. NW1 title required to enter NW2, NW2 title required to enter NW3)

2.  Payment received by 10AM Pacific Time on March 29, 2011.

You will be notified via e-mail of the results of the random draw by 5:00PM (pacific time) March 30, 2011.

If entries do not fill in the random draw, we will accept additional entries on a first come basis until the entry limit has been met or until closing date.

A waiting list for alternates will be started as soon as entries fill. Refunds for waitlisted alternates will be issued within two weeks following the trial date for competitors that do not gain entry. Alternates will be contacted when a space opens up or just before the trial if we are requesting your attendance in case of no-shows.

Competitors that do not get selected for the trial or waitlist, or entries received after the trial closes, will be notified and trial entry fee refunded.

Be sure you read and understand the guidelines for this trial before entering. By submitting a registration for this NACSW™ Trial, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and accept the policies and liability information of NACSW™.

Cancellation Policy:
Refunds

The following cancellation policy applies:

·    For cancellation of entries on or before May 10, 2011 – Full refund.

·    For cancellation of entries after May 10, 2011 – no refunds will be issued unless an alternate is available to fill your trial spot.

·    For entries that are accepted and are taking the ORT after March 29, 2011.  Full refunds will be issued if you do not pass the required ORT. 

All cancellations must be emailed to trialEntry@nacsw.net

Entry fees shall not be refunded in the event that a dog is absent, disqualified, or excused by the NACSW™ official or judge.

This cancellation and refund policy applies to competitors that must withdraw for any reason including but not limited to injury, illness, emergency, and personal or work-related reasons.

No part of the fee will be refunded if the trial cannot take place or be completed by reason of fire, civil disturbances, an Act of God, public emergency, or any other cause beyond the control of the trial organizers.

Liability:
By registering for the trial, the competitor hereby assumes all risks of, and responsibility for, accidents and/or damage to her/himself or to her/his property or to others, resulting from the actions of her/his dog. The competitor expressly agree that the NACSW™ and its assignees or any other person, or persons, of said groups, shall not be held liable personally, or collectively, under any circumstances, for injury, and/or damage to her/himself, for loss or injury to property, whether due to uncontrolled dogs or negligence of any member of said groups, or any other cause, or causes.

Dog Policies:

·         All dogs must be on a 6’ leash at all times when not being tested. NO flexi-leashes.

·         Reactive and/or spatially challenged dogs must wear a red bandana to help signal others that the dog needs extra space.

·         Dogs will be toileted in designated areas and handlers must pick-up and dispose of waste.

·         Dogs and handlers must stay in designated areas to avoid contaminating testing space, interrupting a test, or from viewing any part of the testing.

·         Please leave unentered dogs at home.

Females in Season:
Will be allowed to run wearing “pants” at the very end of the running orders after all other dogs have been judged. Females in season must be contained in the handler’s car in an alternate parking location and toileted in a separate area from the other dogs while at the trial. Handlers must contact trialEntry@nacsw.net so plans can be made for the dog.

Rules:
Complete rules are available at www.NACSW.net.  It is the responsibility of each competitor to read and understand the current NACSW™ Rule book prior to participating in a NACSW™ event. 

Sportsmanship:
All competitors/handlers and spectators are expected to follow the rules of the NACSW™ and demonstrate good sportsmanship. This includes making sure the hide placements are unknown to the handler prior to testing and kept secret from other competitors. Please do not discuss hide placement or any details of a dog's performance that may provide information or clues to other handlers or may be overheard.

Harry Award:
The Harry award is given at the NW1 level to the most outstanding rescue dog that demonstrates extraordinary ability and spirit in nose work. A rescue dog may be defined as a dog that was not purchased from a breeder, private party or store. The dog may have been adopted from a shelter, rescued from the street, fostered with a rescue organization, etc.

The three highest scoring rescue dogs will be considered for the Harry Award when available. A dog may only receive this award one time. Rescue designation is taken from your NACSW™ dog registration information. If you are unclear if your dog is a rescue, please email: membership@nacsw.net.

Team Event (NW1 only):
Trial competitors have a chance to compete for a team ribbon in addition to their title or individual ribbon. Teams are randomly selected and consist of three handler/dog teams. The team members confer and each team member selects one of the elements (Interior, Exterior or Vehicle) to put towards a team score in advance of the trial start. Their combined score of the three elements (one chosen per team member) determines their team placement(1st – 4th). The combined container search score of the three-team members serves as a tiebreaker. If a team member misses an element that day towards their title, they are still eligible for the team event. The team ribbon will look at the combined overall score regardless of passage of the element.

NACSW™ Scorebook:
Remember to bring your NACSW™ Scorebook to the trial. Your trial results information will be recorded in your book.

Spectators: 
Family members and friends are welcome to watch certain elements if there is appropriate viewing space for a gallery that will not interfere with the dog working or the judging. Limits may be put on the number of spectators depending on the turn out. Children under 18 must be directly supervised at all times. Spectators MUST check-in at registration, sign a waiver, and get a name badge. No dogs will be allowed in the spectator area. No unentered dogs are allowed at the trial. Spectators are reminded that the hide placements must not be discussed nor should they speak with any competitors about what they saw until after the trial is complete. Competitors are not allowed to watch the trial at anytime.

Video Taping and Photography:

Video and photography of the competition or competition areas is not allowed at this time except by NACSW approved photographers/videographers.

All competitors, through entry at any NACSW™ event waive any and all rights relative to video broadcast or photography of such event. No portion of any event may be videotaped or photographed for commercial or other purpose. All photographic, video, broadcast and telecast rights for NACSW™ events are the exclusive property of NACSW™.

Hotels and Directions:
A list of area hotels and directions will be provided with the confirmation information.

Questions:
All trial related questions, contact Wendy at: trialEntry@nacsw.net