Field Trials - An Introduction

A field trial that is held under the auspices of the Kennel Club, the UK's governing body in respect of working gundogs, can be described as a competition to assess the work of gundogs in the field. By definition this means that all field trials are held on live, unhandled game that is shot for the purpose of that field trial. Game that has been handled in any way, whether it be live or dead game, may not be used for testing dogs in any part of a field trial. The only exception to this rule is where dead game may be used in the conduct of a water test at a field trial. The reason this exception exists it to acknowledge the fact that game will not necessarily be shot over water, although for dogs to qualify for titles in field trials will be required to demonstrate their ability to retrieve from water.

Gundog clubs and societies that are registered with the Kennel Club and which have been authorised to organise and run field trials may do so, provided that a licence is issued to that club or society for every field trial. Field trials not licensed by the Kennel Club are liable to be deemed as unrecognised canine events.

Stakes

Field trials can consist of one or more stakes which can be considered as separate competitions within a field trial. Such stakes can be run for any of the four sub-groups of gundogs recognised by the Kennel Club. The four sub-groups are;

1 Retrievers and Irish Water Spaniels

2 Sporting Spaniels other than Irish Water Spaniels

3 Pointers and Setters

4 Breeds that Hunt, Point and Retrieve

Open Stake

This is a stake in which the dogs have the opportunity of gaining a qualification towards the title of Field Trial Champion (FTCh) or towards entry in the British Championships of Champion Stake for its breed.

All Aged Stake

This is open to all dogs of a specified breed or breeds without restriction as to the age of the dog, but which may be restricted by other conditions that are deemed necessary by the organising club or society.

Novice Stake

This stake is confined to dogs that not have gained the following awards:

Retrievers; First, second, third or fourth award in a 24 dog Open Stake; or first, second or third award in a 12 dog Open Stake; or first award in a All Aged or Novice Stake

Spaniels; First, second or third in Open Stakes; or first in an All Age or Novice Stake

Puppy Stake

Confined to dogs whelped not earlier than 1 January in the year preceding the date of the field trial. If a Puppy Stake is run in January then a dog that was a puppy in the previous year is deemed to still be a puppy.

Judges

The judges at field trials are appointed by the Field Trial Secretary of the organising club or society after having been instructed to do so by the committee of the club or society. It is considered and honour to be asked to judge at a field trial and the highest standard of judging is expected from appointed judges. The club or society running the trial must satisfy itself that the persons being invited to judge at a trial have practical experience of both field trials and sporting shooting. Judges may not shoot at a stake at which they are judging nor may they enter a dog for competition at that trial.

Judges are classified as either A or B "Panel Judges." That is not to say that all judges must have achieved the status of a "Panel Judge." However, a Panel Judge must be present at all field trials, with seniority being placed upon A Panel Judges. Judges are appointed to panels after recommendation from a Field Trial Secretary of a club or society which is approved to hold Open Stakes for the appropriate sub-group of gundogs for which he or she has judged within the past three years. The opinion of all previous A Panel judges with whom he or she has judged field trials over the previous three years will be sought by the Kennel Club's Field Trial Sub-Committee. The experience of the perspective Panel Judge over the last number of years is taken into account but this must include having judged at trials for at least two different clubs or societies and with at least five different A Panel co-judges.

In addition, judges appointed to the B Panel must have a minimum of three years judging experience and six stakes, with at least five A Panel Judges. For appointment to the A Panel, judges must have served at least three years as a B Panel Judge, judging at a minimum of six stakes of which three must have been Open Stakes and with at least five different A Panel Judges.

Compulsory Judges at Stakes

Retrievers; Three or Four Judges

Championship All A Panel Judges

Open Stakes All Panel Judges with at least two A

Other Stakes At least two panel judges, one of whom must be an A

Spaniels; Two Judges

Championship Both A

Open Stakes Both Panel Judges, one of whom must be an A

Other Stakes At least one A

Pointers & Setters; Two Judges

Championship Both A

Other Stakes At least one A

Hunt, Point & Retrieve Breeds; Two Judges

Championship Both A

Open Stakes Both Panel Judges, one of whom must be an A

Other Stakes At least one A

In HPR trials, judges who are from continental countries and who are A Panel recognised by the F.C.I. (Federation Cynologique Internationale) may officiate as the second judge.

Awards & Prizes

It is the judges at field trials who decide whether or not awards are to be made. In some instances it has been adjudged that none of the dogs reached the required standard and awards have been withheld. This is, however, an unusual occurrence. It is more common for awards to be limited to one or two places than not to be awarded. An award is a placing in first, second, third or fourth position. The following can also be conferred at the discretion of judges.

At a Championship Stake Diploma of Merit

In Other Stakes Certificates of Merit

Regulations for Retriever & Spaniel Breeds

General

Dogs competing in retriever or spaniel field trials must not wear a collar of any kind when under the order of the judges. Leads can be used when dogs are not under the order of the judges, but these must be removed prior to the dogs entering the competition line. Any dog that, in the opinion of the judges, does not reach the required standard for the breed will not receive an award. Judges will eliminate dogs from the trial if they have committed and "eliminating fault." Where the judges eliminate a dog for hard mouth, the handler must be given the opportunity of examining the game in the presence of the judges. Their decision, however, is final and binding.

In general, all dogs must be steady to the shot and the fall of game and should have the ability to retrieve on command. Handlers at field trials must not send their dog on a retrieve until they have been instructed to do so by a judge. Because all field trials in the UK are conducted in live shooting environments, judges will have instructed their guns not to shoot directly over a dog when it is already out working on a retrieve. All wounded game is gathered and dispatched at the earliest possible opportunity and is normally retrieved before dead game. It is possible that game cannot be gathered by the dogs in competition and in such cases the judges would assign this task to picker-up appointed for this purpose.

As good marking is essential in a retrieving breed to avoid the disturbance of game in the vicinity, judges will give full credit to a dog that goes directly to the fall of the game and gets on with the job of locating and retrieving. A clean pick up is preferred but judges will normally not penalise too heavily dogs that set game down to get a better grip. They will, of course, make a distinction between this and dogs that are guilty of sloppy retrieving or that deliver short of the handler.

Whilst dogs are required to be obedient and respond to its handler's signals, good game finding dogs will be scored higher than those dogs that need handled to the game. Usually the better dogs require less handling, appear to have an instinctive knowledge of direction and make a difficult find look simple. Judges will call up dogs that are performing indifferently on a runner and another dog will be tried on it. The work of subsequent dogs on the runner will be assessed in the order in which they are tried. Missed game that is picked by the second or subsequent dog constitutes an "eye wipe." All "eye wipes" will be treated on their merits but dogs that have had their "eye wiped" during the body of the stake will be discarded by the judges. Where a dog shows ability by acknowledging the fall of game and making a workmanlike job of the line to the fall, it should not be barred from the awards by failing to retrieve the game if that game is not collected by another dog, tried by the judges on the same game.

All retrieved game is examined by the judges for signs of "hard mouth." Because hard mouthed dogs seldom give a visible sign of hardness by damaging the skin of game, the retrieved game should be placed in the palm of the hand, breast upwards and head forwards. Judges will examine the rib gage of the game, looking for any signs of the ribs being crushed by running the index finger and thumb along each side of the rib cage. If a judges suspects hard mouth, he or she would normally consult with their co-judge who will also examine the game. Where judges are in agreement that the damage has been caused by the dog crushing and not by the fall or the shot, the handler will be given the opportunity of inspecting the game in the presence of the judges. The decision of the judges is final and the dog will be eliminated from the trial.

Judging Retrievers at Field Trials

When competing at field trials, retrievers are required walk steadily at heel and sit quietly at drives. They should have natural game finding ability, a good nose, marking ability, drive and stamina, quickness in gathering game, be good retrievers, deliver game cleanly and demonstrate quietness both when in line and when being handled. These attributes are referred to as credit points and it is on these that judges base their scoring.

The system for judging retrievers seeks to bring out all these attributes in dogs and judges will attempt to place the dog and handler in situations that will demonstrate this to them. Field trials in the UK must always have at least one A Panel Judge present in the line-up of three judges. Where there is only one A Panel judge, it is normal for this judge to take up position in the centre of the line with the other judges to the left and right. This allows the A Judge to keep in contact with the co-judges and offer them advice if requested. If there are two A Panel Judges present then they will take up positions on the right and left of the line with the less experienced judge in the centre position. In a trial with four judges present it is usual for two of these to be A Panel Judges. These judges will not judge together but will pair off with a less experienced judge. At trials, each judge would normally have two guns shooting for them and would place themselves and the dogs they are judging between the guns.

Where the game situation permits, dogs would have two retrieves under the first judge or pair of judges and one under the eye of the second judge or pair of judges. The judges will then confer and discard any dogs they feel have not made the grade in this round. If for some reason, a part of the line is starved of game and the dogs have been under a judge or pair of judges for a length of time without a retrieve, then it is not uncommon for a judge whose section of the shooting line has a lot of game to offer retrieves to the judge who is short of game.

It is quite common for judges to decide to run-off dogs they have placed high in their scoring to confirm the final placing at a field trial. In such cases, judges will place themselves in the centre of the line to ensure that they have a good view of all dogs working in the run-off. It is at this stage of a trial that one of the final group of dogs can be "eye wiped" by another of the other top dogs. When this happens, the dog that has been "eye wiped" will be penalised but could still figure in the awards.

Judging Spaniels at Field Trials

Spaniels are required to work within shotgun range at all times, hunt the ground well and must not pass over game on the beat it is working at the field trial. The primary job of a spaniel is to find game and to flush it within range of the gun. Naturally the wind will have a considerable influence on the way a spaniel will work the ground and judges will take account of the wind and the different ways dogs treat the ground in differing wind situations. With a head-on wind the dog should quarter the ground systematically, left and right of the handler. It must hunt out all likely game-holding cover within the beat but still keep within gunshot range. If the wind is a following wind, then the dog will likely pull out from the handler and work the beat back towards the handler. Judges will take account of this and regulate the pace of the line to accordingly. It is vital that the line is slowed down with a following wind because game may be flushed by advancing handlers, guns or judges that has not yet been reached by the spaniel quartering the beat back towards the line.

It is during the quartering of a beat by a spaniel in a field trial where the judge will make as assessment of the dog's general ability in terms of game finding, pace, drive and style. Spaniels are required to face cover bravely, be biddable and quarter the beat with minimal handling. Where dogs catch or "peg" game they should be eliminated from the trial, except where the judge is of the opinion that there were extenuating circumstances, for example, previously wounded game that did not flush. While all spaniels are required to stop to flushed game or to the shot, it is permissible for a dog to move slightly to mark the fall of the game, for example a dog flushing from cover is permitted to leave the cover provided it checks after having left. This shows intelligence on the part of the dog and is usually marked up by judges. However, dogs continuing to hunt after the flush or shot will be eliminated from the trial.

Like retrievers, spaniels are required to pick up cleanly, return quickly and deliver to hand. Where possible, spaniels should not be sent out on a long blind retrieve. Judges will generally take the handler and dog forward to within a reasonable distance of the fall rather than send a dog on a long blind. At spaniel trials it is not normal for a judge to test more than two dogs on one retrieve. If both dogs are tried and fail to complete the retrieve, the judges will search the fall area and when satisfied that the game is not there, they will continue the line forward. Should any subsequent dog find the game then this is not considered to be an "eye wipe." The emphasis at spaniel field trials is on the dogs' hunting and game finding abilities. They are required to retrieve and are scored accordingly but the emphasis is very much slanted towards hunting.

Where possible, dogs at a spaniel trial are run in pairs under a each judge. In the first round, odd numbers will run under the judge on the right and, unless discarded, will run their second round under the judge on the left of the line. After the second round is completed the judges will call up the dogs they want to further test and this can be in any order they choose. In situations where there are top dogs of equal ability it is usual for these dogs to be run under the two judges walking together. In this run-off situation, the main judging consideration should be style, pace and ground treatment.