Hi all

Spent a lovely day at the CLA Game Fair last Sunday and watched some of the field trials competition - first time I have seen this type of competition though have seen lots of demonstrations and "fun" events. I was wondering if someone can enlighten me on the judging procedure. I got as far as each dog being marked out of 100 - 20 each for 5 retrieves (is that standard or does that vary?) - but how does the marking work? Do they start with 20 and lose marks for problems or start with 0 and gain marks? What is the judge looking for? Do they lose marks if the handler has to help the dog (at a distance with further commands - not by finding the dummy! ;) ) What about the time taken?

And how do all the qualifications work? What does the dog have to win to become a FT champion, to qualify as a full champion (if already a show champion) etc.?

Any pointers much appreciated - couldn't find a "dummy's guide" (scuse the pun!) on the web but if anyone knows one please let me know and I will look there - I found the whole thing fascinating, the dogs delightful - there seemed to be something interesting for dogs of all levels - and they were all having a ball! We are already very smitten by Welsh Springers - I can feel a second breed joining us one day! Thanks
Janet

Actually what you saw were Gundog Working Tests not Field Trials. Field Trials are held on birds rather than dummies.

Strange to tell but there are no "National" regulations covering Gundog Working Tests and even in the case of the United Retriever Club not all of the individual clubs abide by the same rules!

Usually there are something like 6 seperate tests making up a working test. The retrieves may be single dummy retrieves, they could be doubles or even triples (two or three dummies to be retrieved). They could be "Marks" (Dummies which the dog has seen thrown) or "Blinds" (Dummies which the dog has not seen thrown) or combinations of maybe a mark and a blind. The judge may want them in a particular order, often wanting the blind before the mark! Some heel work may also be involved.

There are normally 20 marks allocated to each retrieve. A failour to find a dummy will result in a zero and in retrievers no dog with a zero can win an award. Marks will be lost for dropping a dummy, (It should be retrieved to hand). Hunting out of the area will be penalised as will using too many commands. Taking too long could loose mark.

Working tests are great fun!

There are usually other events taking place at a Game Fair. Scurries (timed retrieves of marks) and Pickup's (Timed retrieves of blinds) These are the fun events.

Regards, John

Thanks John that is really helpful. So a field trial involves actual shooting but in a test situation?
You are right - the only birds present on Sunday were some tame pigeons that they released overhead before they shot the guns - I suppose trying for some authenticity! The dogs worked with dummies. There were also the fun events you mentioned - and something called a scramble - which from the ringside seemed to involve the dog being sent to retrieve, not going and the owner going over to do it instead!! :) But it may just have been the ones we watched weren't very "advanced" in their training - it was a "have a go" event!

It all looked great fun and the noticeable thing was how happy all the dogs were - clearly really wanting to work - from the ones people had just brought along to have a go to the international competitors. I will have to find out more about it. Is there a good book on gundog training you could recommend? Thanks

Where would be the best place to find out where gamefairs are being held, I did a search on google but seemed to only find write ups about fairs that had already happened.

Robert searching in vain

There is a web site Robert but for the life of me I can't remember what it's addy is! Sorry! in the mean time, amoungst the bigger fairs, Chatsworth Country Fair at Bakewell is on the 30th and 31st of August, Shropshire Game and Country Fair is near Telford and is on the 24th and 25th of August and the Midland Game Fair is at Weston Park, Weston Under Lizard on 20th and 21st of September. The Sussex Game and Country fair is near Pulborough on the 9th and 10th of August and the Warwickshire and west Midlands Game and country fair is at Ragley Hall on the 16th and 17th of august.

This is not a full list but is the ones I have dates for. If you want more info on them just post and I'll pick it up.

As for books on working tests Becketts, I can't think of any! They are really the fun side of gundog training and on that front there are plenty. Some aimed at beginners others aimed at the expert.

I'm not going to get into an argument about whether show dogs get bored standing around at shows. I believe that depends on the owner rather than the fact that it is at a show! But the fact remains, We spend so long hours training our dogs, working with our dogs and just generally being around our dogs that they get to be a part of us. Just because we work them does not mean that we are hard on them in the training and they are in fact doing the thing they were bred for all those generations ago! They love to work and it shows!

Best wishes, John

Won't get an argument from me on that one. I think you are right that it depends on the owner and the dog! But it was obvious that the dogs at the fair loved what they were doing and their handlers!
Janet

There's a country fair at Pulborough, Sussex this weekend. Bank holiday weekend there is a country fair at Lingfield Surrey. We did have links to game fairs on the UKgundogs site but unfortunately it's not online at present.
Lorna

The next big show to look out for will be the Midland Game Fair on 20th and 21st September at Weston Park in Shropshire http://www.midlandgamefair.co.uk/.

You could try looking in this weeks Shooting Times, there are loads of game fairs in the coming weeks all over the country.

We always have a wonderful time at which ever game fair we go to and tend to coincide the CLA with our summer holiday. My son had well earned success with our ESS on the Friday at Harewood House and won the Scramble!

Well done to your son! He obviously didn't retrieve the dummy himself !! ;)
Janet