Stats-a-skew

So the interesting thing about Statistics is you can make them look how you want, depending on the information you want to release with the final result.

The 2009 Stats from AAC are pretty much final now and ...

Gyp ended her year with 46 Qs. Gyp only ran 64 runs at trials in 2009, for a Q rate of 71% - pretty good in my mind. Those 64 runs are made up of 7 full trials, and three one day trials. In the whole scheme of things, that is not alot of trialing. Would it seem like a lot if I said she had 300 runs to get those 46 Qs, that would be a pretty low Q rate wouldn't it.

What the AAC site does not show is the actual Q rate of a dog. There are dogs on the AAC site that have over 200 Q's in one year - we only ran 64!!!! Sort of hard to get 100 Qs when you only have entered in 64 classes. Gyp is around the 23rd Border Collie in AAC based on the "Q" stat, again is that good or not? There are more than 200 Border Collies listed on the page.

Kaleb had a wonderful year too!! He ran 69 runs, and ended with 49 Qs!!!! His Q rate is 73%. With that he is also the #1 Flat-coated Retriever in Canada for the 3rd year in a row!!! Go K-man!! There are 5 FCR's listed on the page, but again, if you earn fewer than 9 Q's AAC doesn't list you on the Stats page, so I do more there are a few more than 5 FCRs competing!

What I was most proud of in '09 was both dogs winning their Regional Divisions and placing so well at Nationals too, again the stats don't show that :)

To me, this confirms, while the all-mighty Q is important as a measure of sort of success as it shows on the stats page, and you need Qs to move up and get titles. I think setting your own personal best, and individual goals are still more important - Q or no Q ... and that is what statistics don't show.