AKC Hunt Field Trials $ Hunt Tests

THE STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE

JUNIOR HUNTER

A Junior Hunting Dog must show a keen desire to hunt, be bold and independent, have a fast, yet attractive, manner of hunting, and demonstrate not only intelligence in seeking objectives, but also the ability to find game. A Junior Hunting Dog must establish point on at least fifty (50) percent of the birds it encounters, but no additional credit shall be given for steadiness to wing and shot. If the handler is within reasonable gun range of a bird which has been flushed after a point, a blank cartridge must be fired by the handler. Junior hunting dogs must hold point until the handler gets within normal gunshot range. This requirement should be tempered by practical considerations such as the dog’s distance from the handler when it finds a bird. Junior Hunting Dogs must also show reasonable obedience to their handler’s commands.

SENIOR HUNTER

A Senior Hunting Dog must show all of the attributes of a Junior Hunting Dog. In addition, the Senior Hunting dog must be steady to wing on all pointed birds and must remain in position until the shot or they are released. A Senior Hunting Dog must retrieve. All birds that are pointed by the Senior dog in a bird field must be shot where safety allows. If gunning is being done on course, all birds pointed on course must be shot where safety allows. A legitimate attempt to retrieve all downed birds must be made. Conditions such as the type of cover where the bird landed, the terrain, and the condition of the downed bird, sometimes make a retrieve impossible and this should not reflect negatively on the score of the Senior dog. Whenever it encounters its brace mate on point, it must honor. A dog that steals its brace mate’s point cannot receive a Qualifying score.

MASTER HUNTER

A Master Hunting Dog must positively demonstrate its steadiness to wing and shot. All birds that are pointed by the Master dog in a bird field must be shot where safety allows. If gunning is being done on course, all birds pointed on course must be shot where safety allows. Gunning must be done by Official Guns only. A legitimate attempt to retrieve all downed birds must be made. Conditions such as the type of cover, where the birds landed, the terrain, and the condition of the downed bird, sometimes make a retrieve impossible and this should not reflect negatively on the score of the Master dog. All killed birds must be retrieved promptly, tenderly and absolutely to hand.

 

Background on Field Trials and Hunting Tests

A Field Trial is an event at which championship points may be awarded to dogs in competition in various stakes with specific requirements. A Field Trial may be a horseback handling or walking event or a combination of the two. Local clubs are limited to a maximum of three licensed field trials within a calendar year. No more than two of those trials may be "horseback" trials. Holding "horseback" trials is not mandatory; a club may hold up to three "all walking" trials per calendar year. Dogs can be awarded the titles of Field Champion and/or Amateur Field Champion after meeting the criteria set forth in the Field Trial Rules for Pointing Breeds.

The American Kennel Club Hunting Tests enable owners to have the hunting abilities of their dogs evaluated and graded against written hunting standards, without competition, under simulated but near-natural hunting conditions. Local clubs are permitted to hold four hunting tests per calendar year.

The hunting test program is a program of certification; it seeks to identify and officially recognize those dogs that possess the abilities that enable them to serve effectively as personal hunting companions. Certification is provided on three levels in the form of the official AKC suffix titles Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter and Master Hunter.