Agility Stewards Online -- Job Descriptions

Gate Steward

Job Requitements:

Strong Voice
Confident nature
Some idea of what is going on

Synopsis

The Gate Steward is responsible for getting the dog and handler teams into the ring in an orderly fashion as quickly as possible and making sure the scoring table (Scribe, Assistant Scribe, Timer) all know who is coming into the ring and in what order.

Detail

Before the runs start

Typically while the walk throughs for a particular class and range of jump heights are going on the Assistant Scribe and the Gate Steward figure out what order the teams are going into the ring. This is done in part based on who has checked in (all the while the Gate Steward is calling out to the exhibitors that are doing their walk through to check in) and noting any known absentees.

Once you are confident that everybody has checked in, any conflicts have been resolved the Gate Steward and Assistant Scribe order the scribe sheets in the order the teams are going to run.

Another piece of information you need to get is from the Judge. Find out when the Judge wants the next dog on the line during the run of the dog in the ring. Usually an easy to spot obstacle half way through the run or more is the "marker" where you are going to tell the dog "on deck" to take the line. More on this later.

Some notes, so far:

Check ins
It is to be encouraged that exhibitors check in their dogs either before they walk the course or as they walk their course. The sooner this step is done the easier it is for the Gate Steward, Scribe and Assistant Scribe to keep things flowing. This can be done a few different ways:
1. Self Checkin where you let exhibitors find their dog on the Gate Sheet and check themselves off as being there and are planning on running. This is best done prior to the walk through.
2. Calling Role Call While exhibitors are doing their walk through, go down the list on the Gate Sheet and call out names. "Is Fluffy here? English Sheepdog? Is Bonker here? Irish Wolfhound?" This can be done during walk through
Conflicts Hey.. it happens... some folks are running 10 dogs in 3 rings all at the same time. Good for them.. they're in better shape than me. This is where some negotiating skills are needed. You can run them at the end of their height class, beginning of their height class or if the judge is OK with it during some other jump height (preferably first or last dog).

First Dog On The Line!

Now here is where things get fun and the pace picks up a bit. You start lining up your teams that are going into the ring. Let's say the first three dogs go by the call names

Fluffy
Buffy
Clyde

You are going to call out:

At this point the first team is going to take the line and once the Timer tells them to go they are going to start their run.

While this is taking place it's a good idea to figure out where the dog after Clyde is and get them alert to the fact that their turn is coming. Runs happen pretty quick these days especially in the upper skill classes.

Once Fluffy has passed the obstacle where the judge has asked next competitors to be in the ring, tell Buffy's handler to take the line. Buffy and Buffy's handler are going to wait near or on the start line util Fluffy has crossed the finish line and the timer tells them to go.

Once Fluffy has crossed the finish line your call is now going to be:

and so the cycle continues.

If there are multiple heights running, then when the last dog of a given height steps to the line the gate steward should alert everyone "Last dog this height, next dog XX inches" so ring crew can be ready to change jump heights.

Once the last dog of a class has taken the line and the dog before it crosses the finish line you are going to call out "last dog this class!" to the great relief and cheer of the Judge and the scoring table who are proably pretty tired by now if this has been a 80 dog class!