I have attended about three or four U-FLI tournaments since I started racing in flyball with Chase… back in October 2007. Also, I’ve run in many agility venues… AKC, NADAC, USDAA, DOCNA, and ASCA. So I have a bit of experience in getting titles and certificates in the mail, how long it takes, etc.

So I thought I’d post my thoughts about the two flyball venues and a brief review of what I think about them.

What I like about the U-FLI tournaments I’ve been to is, mainly, the professionalism. Granted I’ve only been to local tournaments, thrown by Touch n Go (the creators of U-FLI) and local southern Utah teams. I like how the judges wear uniforms and were very nice and informative to talk to.

I also absolutely love how U-FLI provides a points sheet at the end of each day during the tournament. With starting points for each dog, points accumulated during the day, and ending points for the day. And they provide pins for the titles. That very day. Having done a lot of agility, I get really frustrated when the venues take months and months to get title certificates sent out. And I have so many title certificates that they are in a book… I really like the pins I can have and hold in my hands that day. Yes, I’m one of those instant gratification types!

And at the NAFA tournament… they have the best three of five heats. So if you win three heats, the race is done. If you win two and the opposing team wins one, you go on to a fourth. Then if it’s two and two, you go to a fifth to see who wins three first. Well, I didn’t like this much. I kept wondering how many teams might throw races just to get the points? That’s not supposed to happen, but I bet it does. And I guess I don’t like not knowing how many heats we’ll race. Is NAFA always like this or does it depend on the team who is hosting the tournament?

I prefer, in U-FLI, how you know how many heats are in a race. You race them, and I’m good with that.

The Laramie Wyoming Hole In The Wall tournament was run very well, went smoothly, we were out by 4pm, and we got some nice toys and I did love the medallions we had for placements! So I’m not saying that the trial itself was bad in any way. Far from it. I had a great time and we enjoyed ourselves. I am just saying that, so far, I think I prefer U-FLI to NAFA. The fact that U-FLI gives title pins and point sheets at the end of each day amazed and thrilled me. That doesn’t happen anywhere in the agility world! I wish it did.