Curiosity killed the....no, wait...good thing I'm a dog person and good thing it doesn't actually 'kill' anything!

Before beginning this post I did a little research and analysis on the subjects of my recent curiosity; dual-region tournaments and Regional Champions.  I looked at the NAFA Database for 2012 racing year before it got wiped clean a few days ago and I checked the website with reference to past and present Regional Champions.  

At first, I was curious whether or not all regions have champions in both Regular and Multibreed.  My analysis revealed some interesting tidbits.  The most interesting was the variety and difference in how regions actually make a Regional Champion.  Based on a few of the regions I looked at in more depth, my curiosity also made me wonder about the meaning behind the word champion, does it still hold the same level of respect and desire, has anything changed among flyballers, and if so, why has it changed.

I used to think that becoming Regional Champ would more or less happen spontaneously because a club happens to have a really fast team who wins a lot of races and enters a lot of tournaments.  But, three of the examples I looked at were very different than this expectation.  Something has changed.        

Examples

1) In a small area with 2 clubs in the region, their tournaments always lumped all teams into Division 1 regardless of team times.  For obvious reasons this makes sense in order to be able to even have tournaments in a small area.  Most of the time tournaments had less than 4 teams; sometimes they even split up between Regular and Open.  This racing year, they ended up needing 1 more tournament to qualify so they could 'cement' their championship.  They went after it and did.  In a previous racing year, the same thing happened where they needed 1 more tourney.  Both clubs at that time chose not to pursue the additional tournament to get their Regional Champ.  One club said they were tired of hosting and the other club said it was not worth the financial burden given the regional points both clubs had already earned and how the Regional Standings were.

Knowing what I do about the clubs in this region, nothing has changed for the host club always being the host club, so why were they no longer tired of hosting this year?
  
2) In a fairly large region, this year's Regional Champion in Regular was not a close competition.  The region has many clubs and teams, but in 2012 barely enough tournaments to qualify.  They managed to have 7 tournaments but less than half the region's clubs attended all 7 and even less than that raced in the minimum of 4 required for a champion.  One club hosted a year-end tournament in a different region.  I think it was intended as additional 'insurance' but I don't believe the outcome was as they expected.  It seems the majority of clubs in the region were simply not interested in having a champion.

I don't know their exact reasons although I know there is political tension in the region.  Did this play a factor or are there other reasons for some clubs' backing away?

3) In a tri-region area of the country, there have been a number of dual-region tourneys being held throughout the year in 2012.  One of the regions does not appear to have changed strategies and they will have their champion(s) as in the past years.  Another region was unsuccessful in qualifying for Regional Champions this year even though they have many clubs and have had champions in the past.  The third region in this area also used to have lots of tournaments and has qualified for champions before, but this year one of their clubs was only able to attend 3 in-region tourneys for Multibreed.  In order to qualify, one club in the region chose to host a tournament outside their own region.  2012 is the first year this strategy was allowable in the Rules.  It is different than the well-known 'preferred region' rule and can be used one tournament at a time,  whenever desired and as often as desired in a racing year.

Similar to the first example, the club was able to cement  their regional champ by hosting the tournament themselves.

And, similar to the second example, their region did not fully participate in the regional champ program and it appears some clubs are choosing to back away.

Summary

To me, none of the three examples are bad things; they are just different and they indicate a change.  The examples cause me to wonder why the one club is no longer tired of hosting tournaments.  Why are some clubs in previously popular areas backing away.  Why are some clubs choosing to host a tournament out of region to get a champion.  And I wonder if the regional champ program is as popular and as respected as it used to be.    

I am curious by nature and I am analytical.  Always have been; always will be.  Sharing is also in my nature; and there you have it.  I hope it has enlightened you, or, at least entertained you.  To me, either and both of which are good things in flyball! 

Sincerely,
I Like Flyball!