Last year we went to Crufts on the Saturday to watch our agility teacher compete in the agility team competition ... we had a whale of a time. They didn’t qualify for Crufts this year, so we stayed in Edinburgh and watched the TV coverage. The BBC coverage was a big improvement on 2007, with a full 30 minutes from the agility ring on Friday night’s extended coverage (press the red button). The camera work feels most unusual when you’re used to watching agility runs on YouTube home videos – the BBC had lots of cutting to different cameras to follow the dog round the course, so you see how the dog takes the obstacles very clearly, but you can’t really get a feel for the overall course or how the handler is working. Imagine what it would be like to have more informed coverage – they could start by showing you a graphic of the course layout, complete with the obstacle numbers. And much as I like Peter Purves (I grew up with him presenting Blue Peter), really the commentary should be from an experienced agility handler or judge. They take that approach for the conformation classes, where breed and group experts are allowed to do the commentary.
Still, Crufts took up 7 hours on BBC2 over four days plus an additional 4 hours of extended coverage via the red button. And on Sunday, there was a whole three hours! Take that, football, rugby, athletics, and every other tedious sport in which I have no interest but which fills my TV schedules.
And Jake? Jake doesn’t really watch telly. He gives the impression it’s beneath him.
Still, Crufts took up 7 hours on BBC2 over four days plus an additional 4 hours of extended coverage via the red button. And on Sunday, there was a whole three hours! Take that, football, rugby, athletics, and every other tedious sport in which I have no interest but which fills my TV schedules.
And Jake? Jake doesn’t really watch telly. He gives the impression it’s beneath him.
Labels: Agility shows
Oh wow, you got to see the agility coverage! So cool! And we are so envious...we get BBC here in Indiana, but not BBC2...thanks for talking about it. Did you see Carrie Jones and Jive from the US - how did they look?
Woofs, Johann
Of course, we wanted MORE agility coverage, we're never satisfied. :-) We saw the Championship Finals (small, medium, large) in full and then some edited highlights but none of the internationals. I see Carrie Jones and Jive won the 2nd round of the International Agility - must check YouTube ... You'll be pleased to know one of the O'Bay shelties won the small championship final! Full results.
Ha woo! Agility is a blast!