Navesink River Hunting Retriever Club Gun Dog Test

Eligibility: Open to NRHRC members and non-members. Non-members are not eligible for a placement. Non-members can join the NRHRC the day of event, but must join prior to the start of the event in order to be eligible for a placement. All dogs entered in this event must be an owner/handler team.

Awards: The four dogs in each stake with the lowest number of cumulative points off at the conclusion of both series will be placed as follows: first place, second place, third place, fourth place. First place shall receive a blue ribbon, second place shall receive a red ribbon, third place shall receive a yellow ribbon, fourth place shall receive a white ribbon. Judges may award, at their discretion, a Judge’s Award of Merit to any dog in each stake. There will be no ties for placements. Tie-breaker procedures are explained in the information for each stake.

Mary Alice Hembree Award: All breeds other than Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are eligible for this award and must be owned and handled by a club member. A special commemorative rosette will be awarded in each stake to the eligible dog with the lowest number of cumulative points off at the conclusion of both series.

NRHRC Gun Dog Of the Year Trophy: The first place dog in each stake will receive the trophy. The trophy remains the property of the NRHRC and must be returned in the same condition it was awarded in on or before the club’s annual mid-year meeting in July. Handlers will be required to sign a letter of agreement to insure the return of the trophy.

Birds: Ducks and/or pheasants will be used in all series.

General:  Handlers (judges and workers) must wear camouflage or dark clothing and handle a gun in a safe manner.  In “keeping with simulated realistic hunting situations,” the use of numerous decoys, mojos, lay-out blinds, dog blinds, huts, and shots from the line are encouraged. Wind direction, islands, points of land, rolling terrain, cover, and ditches are important factors when designing tests.  Collars and any other training equipment are allowed only for those handlers who do not wish to run for placement

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The decisions of the judges are final. Page

There are two stakes in The Navesink River Hunting Retriever Club Gun Dog Competition:

Upper Stake - Dogs that have qualified in a NAHRA Senior/Intermediate stake, AKC Master/Senior stake and/or HRC Hunting Retriever Champion/Hunting Retriever stake.

Upper Stake Judges: Fred Bodine, Tom Moore, Paul Zurka

This stake will test retriever gun dogs with simulated hunting situations on land and water. Both marked retrieves and blind retrieves will be required. Marked retrieves and blind retrieves shall not exceed 100 yards. Both series will include three marked retrieves; at least two of which must be a multiple, and a blind retrieve. Scenarios and situations will be presented to the handlers with instructions for completing the test. An honor may be included. Judges may also include a walkup, shots from or near the line, and/or diversion shot/ bird in this stake.

Upper stake dogs must come to the line off-lead.

Scoring: All dogs start the test with zero points. Points are assessed for faults demonstrated by the dog as each test is run. Points are carried from one series to the next. The dog with the lowest number of points at the end of the last series wins. There will be no ties for placements. An additional blind retrieve will be set up if needed, to break any ties.

After the first series is completed 20 dogs or half the field (whichever is less) with the lowest score will be called back. At the end of the second series, the 10 lowest scoring dogs, or half the field (whichever is less), will be invited to run the third series. From these 10 (or fewer dogs) the winner will be the dog with the lowest score

The following is a list of the points assessed per fault in the Upper Stake:

Automatic Elimination: Uncontrolled break Failure to deliver the bird to hand Rendering the bird unfit for table consumption as determined by all judges for this stake. Unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of the handler Switching

Returning to and hunting the area of an old fall

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10 Points: Each controlled break Handling on a Mark No-Go

5 Points: Each Whistle Refusal Each Recast Creeping (dog moves forward from heel position but not far enough for the judges to ask the handler to re-heel the dog) Popping Excessive noise (Vocalization) Wandering Leaving area of the fall after establishing a hunt. In the event shot flyers are used and a cripple runs off, there will be no deduction for a dog who clearly demonstrates he/she is following the trail of the cripple. Unnecessary Disturbance of Cover Unsafe gun handling

2 Point: Each whistle blown on marked or blind retrieves in order to handle dog to the bird Each Cast Refusal Poor Line Manners Trainability - (Heel, Here, Sit, etc. – coming to line, line manners, returning with bird).

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Lower Stake - Dogs that have not qualified in a NAHRA Senior/Intermediate stake, AKC Master/Senior stake, and/or HRC Hunting Retriever Champion/Hunting Retriever event.

Lower Stake Judges: Joe Vander Weide, Rodger Parkhurst, Jenn McGill

This stake will test gun dogs in their beginning stage of retrieving with simulated hunting situations . Land marks will not exceed 75 yards. Water marks will not exceed 50 yards. There will be a minimum 45 degree separation between marks. Dogs will be tested on four single marks, two land and two water.

All dogs can run both the first and second series, providing they did not fail the first series. (If they fail the first series, judges will notify the handler). If the judges feel they need to run a third test, only the dogs with the lowest 4 scores will be called back to that test. All points are totaled and carried forward to the next series. Placement will be selected from those dogs. In the event of a tie, a third test will be set up and run to break the tie.

Lower stake dogs do not have to be steady. English slip leads are allowed. Handler can use a slip cord loop and gently hold until sent to retrieve. Prong, choke, and pinch-type collars are prohibited.

There are no walkups, shots from or near the line, diversion shot/ bird, or honor in the Lower Stake test.

The following is a list of the points assessed per fault in the Lower Stake Test:

Automatic Elimination: Uncontrolled break Failure to deliver bird to hand Rendering the bird unfit for table consumption as determined by all judges for this stake. Unsportsmanlike conduct Handling on more than 1 mark throughout the test

10 Points:

Each controlled break

Handling on a Mark 4

Returning to area of previous fall (a bird the dog has already retrieved. Page

5 Points: Dog pulls the handler to the line Excessive noise (on line and in holding blind) Unsafe gun handling Each recast Whistle Refusal

2 Point: Each whistle blown on a mark in order to handle the dog to the bird Poor line Unnecessary disturbance of cover Trainability - (Heel, Here, Sit, etc. – Coming to Line, Line manners, returning with bird).

Each cast refusal

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