Note: The information contained in these pages should not be considered authoritative. It is meant to provide a basic feel for the sport, and hopefully contains enough information to get you started training. A detailed rule booklet is available.
American Working Trials are based on the well established British sport of the same name. Changes have been made only where it was felt that they would help the sport to succeed in these first few critical years here in the States.
Our definitive reference for the British rules and regs is their Kennel Club Year Book, Part III, "Kennel Club Working Trial Regulations", dated 1st July, 1994. Note that we are not (and cannot be) officially recognized by their organization in any way.
Differences from the British rules are described below (the following assumes familiarity with the British rules). Bracketed indexes refer to the page and item number in the British rules & regs (eg: [3.115 5a] refers to page 3.115, item 5a).
Structural and organizational details are considerably different, and are outlined in the rules & regulations booklet.
Due to title naming conflicts with existing U.S. titles, the following stake and title changes will be made: CD -> WCD (Working Companion Dog), UD -> WUD, TD -> WTD, and PD -> WPD. WD will continue to be WD.
U.K. judges may judge our trials at the same level that they can judge in the U.K, but must follow our rules where they are different (as outlined below). U.S. judges must generally have met the qualification requirements the same as the U.K. judges, but do not have to meet the Open Working Trial prerequisite (since we do not have Open Trials). It will generally be required that, as a substitute, they gain comparable experience by studying under or apprenticing (as a helper) with a U.K. judge (or other qualified judge) for the equivalent number of trials (eg: instead of judging two Open Working Trials, practice judging two U.S. trials under a qualified judge). [3.112 19b]
The maximum dog height for the lower jump heights will be 12in and 18in instead of 10in and 15in. That is, where the British rules refer to a "Dog not exceeding 15in at the shoulder", we will say a "Dog not to exceed 18in at the shoulder" . And similarly replace 10in with 12in. [3.121 10g]
The jump height limits as a function of dog height will be the same at the higher stakes as they are at WCD and WUD (eg: if your dog jumps a 2ft jump at WCD and WUD, it will continue to jump the same height at higher stakes). In England, ALL dogs jump the full height jumps at WD and above.
We are currently (and temporarily) allowing some latitude in the structure of the long jump sections in order to allow the use of existing obedience or agility long jumps. Exact details are at the judge's discretion, although 5-6 elements of existing jumps should be adequate. [3.121 10c]
Finally, the stake sequence (through WD) will proceed as follows:
Conceptually, the changes are that we have required WCD in the stake sequence, and we will eliminate the Open and Championship trials and instead require the equivalent number of qualifying scores at our Championship stakes (this is patterned after the Irish sequence, and is meant to eliminate the need for twice as many independent trials). [3.114 6]
As an example, a typical excellent sequence will start with WCDex (earned with one WCD qualifying score of 80 or greater), followed by WUDex (earned with two WUD qualifying scores of 80 or greater), then WDex, etc. A typical non-excellent sequence would be WCD (earned with one WCD qualifying score of 70 or greater), followed by WUD (earned with two WUD qualifying scores of 70 or greater), then WD, etc.
Note that if a dog proceeds through the non-excellent sequence, and then the handler desires to earn an excellent title at a higher stake, the dog must first go back and 'fill in' the lower stakes by earning the remaining excellent scores necessary to gain excellent titles at all of the lower stakes.
Note the details of eligibility to compete in lower stakes once titles have been gained in higher stakes, as given in [3.114 6]. Until we have significant numbers of trials available, and to allow all possible opportunities for experience, dogs can continue to participate & qualify in trials in which they already hold titles, but are not eligible for placements at those trials if they would not be eligible to participate under British rules, or if they have earned an excellent title at that stake or have earned a title at a higher stake (eg: once your dog has earned a WCDex title or a WUD title, he/she can continue to compete at WCD trials, but cannot take a placement (1st, 2nd, etc)).