NAHRA Judge's Clinic President Frank Plewa & Tom Johnston

9/17/ AGENDA Introductions Purpose of Judges Clinics Becoming a NAHRA Judge Judge’s Responsibilities Accepting a Judging Assignment Field Test Planning Scoring NAHRA test levels in brief

9/17/ AGENDA Test Design Marking Tests Blind Retrieve Tests Upland Hunt Tests Trailing Tests Firearm Safety Code of Conduct

So you want to be a Judge? 9/17/2015 4

PURPOSE OF CLINIC Train New Judges Calibrate Existing Judges 9/17/2015 5

6 PURPOSE OF CLINIC To promote the field test standard To maintain a pool of quality judges To train new members to become quality judges Meet continuing education requirement of judges

9/17/ JUDGING RESPONSIBILITIES Design the Field test Score the Dogs Represent NAHRA & the Host Club

Design the Test 9/17/2015 8

Score the Dogs 9/17/2015 9

Represent NAHRA & Host Club 9/17/

Becoming NAHRA Judge Member in Good Standing Pass Judges Exam Handled and Qualified a Dog 9/17/

Remain NAHRA Judge Attend Judges Clinic Every 3 Years Agree to Judges Code of Conduct 9/17/

JUDGING RESPONSIBILITIES Design Test & Score Dogs Represent NAHRA & Host Club Deciding the Breeding Stock of NAHRA Future 9/17/

9/17/ JUDGING RESPONSIBILITIES Understanding of the Rules Compliance to the Rules Voluntary and Serious

9/17/ JUDGING ASSIGNMENT Accepting Conflicts Arrival Professionalism

Judge’s Equipment Be Prepared NAHRA Rulebook Score book Pencil Sunscreen, Bug Spray & Drugs Raingear and appropriate clothing Chair, Bucket, and Blind-bag Umbrella & Umbrella stand Flagging, poppers, and popper gun 9/17/

9/17/ FIELD TEST PLANNING The day before Morning of the Test Scenarios & Test Dog Call Backs

TEST DESIGN Concept Based Test –Inverted Triple Marking Test –Poison Bird Blind Location Based Test –How would I Hunt This & what would happen? 9/17/

TEST DESIGN 9/17/ NAHRA is Hunting Simulated Program

Factors to Consider in Test Design Technical Difficulty of the Concept Distractions & ‘Fog of the Hunt’ Physical Conditions of the Test Site 9/17/

Approaches to Test Design & Scoring Design an “Easy Test” & Expect Near Perfection Design a “Tough Test” & expect success, but not perfection 9/17/

Make it Real Test where you would hunt Use Decoys & Other Fun Stuff Act Like you are hunting Dress like you are hunting 9/17/

Test Set-up Work Out the Mechanics Estimate the Time per Dog Run a Set-up Dog Have FTC “Approve” Test 9/17/

Good Help Is Hard to Find 9/17/

9/17/ Day of the Test Meet Your Crew Handlers Briefing Test Dog Don’t Be Afraid to Change the Test Call Backs

Score Book & NAHRA Rulebook Always Carry NAHRA Rulebook Prepare Score Book Ahead of Time Be Prepared for Rain Dogs Name on the Score Sheet 9/17/

9/17/ Scoring

What are you Scoring ? Technical Performance Line Manner & Behavior Team Work 9/17/

Scoring Technical Performance Marked Retrieves Marking the Fall Remembering the Fall Hunts the Area of the Fall Returns without Delay 9/17/

Scoring Technical Performance Blind Retrieves Line with Precision Hold the Line Stops Crisply Cast Crisply 9/17/

Scoring Technical Performance Upland Hunt Understands the Concept Indicated Game Scent Checks on Command Under Control in Scent Hunts the Entire Gun Line Steady to Flush, Shot & Fall 9/17/

Scoring Technical Performance Trailing Test Understands the Concept Indicated Scent & the Trail Recovers from Lost Trail Can be called Off the Trail 9/17/

9/17/ Scoring Line Manners Judges should look for natural and trained abilities Focus, desire and memory (marking) Hunting desire (upland) Ability to follow scent (trail) –The rest is OBEDIENCE Control going to the line Control during Walks-ups Control while marks are released Control during a remote Quartering & ranging Walk up to the trail Returning to handler Bird handling During Diversions When leaving the line Handling on marks and blinds Honoring Started (with mild restraint) Intermediate & Senior

Scoring Approaches Point Reduction Method Big Picture Method Scoring Each Test 0 to 10 9/17/

NAHRA Test Levels in Brief Started Hunter Intermediate Senior 9/17/

Started Field Test Five Single Marked Retrieves Two on Water & Two on Land 50 Yards on Water 75 Yards on Land “Steady” but may be Steadied Basic Hunting Situation Be reasonable- No Tricks 9/17/

Hunter Field Test Land Double 75 yards Water Double 50 yards Not tighter than 45 degrees Steady & Deliver to Hand 30 to 50 yard basic trailing test 9/17/

Intermediate Field Test Land Double to 100 yards Water Double to 75 yards Land Blind to 75 yards Water Blind to 50 yards Blind not incorporated with marks Upland Hunt no Flush Trailing test 9/17/

Senior Field Test Land Triple to 100 yards Water Triple to 100 yards Land Blind to 100 yards Water Blind to 100 yards One Blind incorporated with marks Upland Hunt with Flush Trailing test 9/17/

9/17/ MARKED RETRIEVE Setting up a marking test Judging guidelines Test concept Hunting scenario Scoring a marking test

9/17/ Marked Retrieve "Marking" or memory of fallen birds is of paramount importance. –Ideal line is a “Laser Beam” to the fall – i.e. run directly to the bird and return with it.

9/17/ Marked Retrieve Area of Fall The ability to "mark" does not necessarily imply "pin-pointing the fall." –A dog that recognizes the depth of the "area of the fall," hunts tight, then quickly and systematically locates the bird, has done a credible and an intelligent job of marking. –Such work should not be appreciably out-scored by the dog that "pin-points" the mark NAHRA makes no explicit distinction as to the route to the area of the fall. –Does the dog know where the bird fell and proceed to that area?

9/17/ Marked Retrieve Area of Fall Dogs that leave the area of the fall should be able to work their way back into the fall area. –We never know for sure why the dog doesn’t find a bird (placement, scented field etc) –The dog should set up a systematic - gradually expanding - search. –Once out of the area – a brief search and return to the area shows intelligence Dogs that go directly to the back side of the gun station probably did not mark the fall - that is much more severe than hunting the area of the fall and then drifting to gun stations

9/17/ Marked Retrieve Area of Fall There are a lot of factors that make up the area of the fall –Cover, Change of Cover, Slope, Lighting, Wind, Distance –Terrain and natural barriers (hills, angled entries/crossings) –Suction – from old falls, blinds, natural factors, unnatural factors (gunners, bird buckets etc.) –Speed of the individual dogs, –Whether one is establishing the "area of the fall“ for a single retrieve, the first bird of a multiple mark, or subsequent marks in a multiple marks Strong Wind Gunner Steep Slope Angled entry to Stream or road

9/17/ BLIND RETRIEVE TEST Setting up a blind retrieve test Judging guidelines Concepts Hunting scenario Scoring a blind retrieve test

9/17/ Blinds Alignment & initial line Carry on line - casts Obedience - whistle sits Stays within corridor Teamwork Continually improving position with each cast

9/17/ Blinds Initial line –How close to a “perfect” direction towards the blind? –How long does he carry it? –How well does the handler/dog team deal with distractions? Crisp whistle sits – dog immediately turns and looks to handler for direction X1 X2 Literal cast Hard over - hard Back X3 Cast Refusal (wants to go to ‘his’ spot) Steep hill and valley where you lose sight of the dog

Blinds Often times, in order to get the dog to go deep, a handler will allow the dog’s momentum to carry him too far out – i.e. doesn’t (or is afraid to) handle –Can’t get a whistle refusal if I don’t blow the darn thing! –Dog/handler team is “out of control” – subjective scoring deductions 9/17/ X1 It is difficult to pass a team where one or the other of the team members refuses to handle!!!

9/17/ Blinds Think of a corridor around the line to the blind Handler/dog team should stay within this corridor. Handle here…. ……not here X1 Attack the blind…

9/17/ Blinds Factors in a blind – suction to go somewhere other than the line to blind Scented Point Earlier mark Poison Bird Acute angled entry

9/17/ UPLAND HUNTING TEST Setting up a upland test Judging guidelines Concept Hunting scenario Scoring an upland test

9/17/ Upland Hunting Desire Control Steady to Shot Stays within gun Actively pursues game Works independently

9/17/ Upland Hunting Search aggressively, leaving little unsearched area Stays within gun range (30-35 yards). Naturally puts the wind to his advantage –“Quartering" into the wind primarily and to his handler secondarily –approaching birdy objects (clumps of cover and brush thickets) from the downwind side. Moves throughout the field independently with minimal whistle, hand and voice signals Two dogs may be run in a brace (scented areas only, no birds for intermediate braces).

9/17/ Upland Hunting Methods of upland hunting –Quartering in a “Windshield Wiper” pattern –Hunting areas most likely to hold birds –Working on scent –The field may be “salted” with bird scent or dead birds –Although the dog is not being judged on retrieving, if he finds a bird he MUST pick it up and deliver to hand

9/17/ Upland Hunting Steady to Shot –Realistically, bird is released some distance from the dog (safety) –Dog is expected to sit or remain standing at position –Bird may or may not be shot –It is natural for a dog to want to grab at the bird when flushed. Dog will either be released to retrieve a shot bird – or recalled to the handler for a fly-away

Don’t Be Afraid to Walk 9/17/

9/17/ TRAILING TEST Setting up a trailing test Judging guidelines Concept Hunting scenario Scoring a trailing test

9/17/ Trail Perseverance Natural ability to use nose Willingness to ‘find it’ Control at the point of origin –Trained to trail Judging difficulties –Impossible to tell what factors are present (wind, drag- back etc) –Impossible to tell how good the trail is Note; a dog's scent is 7 times more sensitive than a humans –Best time is early morning when there is some moisture

9/17/ Trailing "Trailing" is perhaps the most independent function of the hunting retriever. The dog must show concentration and desire to locate and follow the trail of a crippled bird or hunt for upland game. Wind Downwind Leg Crosswind Leg Typically, trails are performed with a dragged duck - but can also be performed with a running duck or pheasant Normally starts down wind with a cross wind turn

9/17/ Trailing Downwind Leg Crosswind Leg Three methods of trailing: –Nose down on the trail and methodically following it to the bird. Wind

9/17/ Trailing Three methods of trailing: Downwind Leg Crosswind Leg –Nose down on the trail and methodically following it to the bird. –Head up using a short quartering pattern across the trail until the bird is found Wind

9/17/ Trailing Three methods of trailing: Downwind Leg Crosswind Leg –Nose down on the trail and methodically following it to the bird. –Head up using a short quartering pattern across the trail until the bird is found or –Head high following the scent on the downwind side of the trail. Wind

9/17/ Trailing Less favorable behavior in the trailing test –Over excited dog who bolts out of the blocks and loses the trail due to momentum –Dog who ignores the trail and takes off on a hunt –Overzealous handlers who try to “help” their dog Wind Downwind Leg Crosswind Leg Judge should direct handler to stop and recall the dog at this point. Then, resend the dog and see if he picks up the trail

9/17/ Trailing Conditions can change during a test that must be considered Wind shift from the south can make the previous example an acceptable line –(dog running with his nose high a good distance from the line) Both judges and handlers need to be aware of the conditions Wind Downwind Leg Crosswind Leg A significant shift in wind direction can result in a dog trailing down wind from the drag in a position that was unacceptable under different wind conditions

9/17/ Trailing Wind Downwind Leg Crosswind Leg On completion of the trail do NOT allow the dog to return directly to the handler (at the starting position) because it will add scent to an area of the field that is not on the trail Carrying a bird low to the ground across the field will fowl the area for subsequent dogs (No pun intended!) Remember – the bird MUST be delivered to hand.

9/17/ FIREARM SAFETY Direction of gun Finger off trigger Gun unloaded until ready NRA rules

9/17/ JUDGES CODE OF CONDUCT Promote the NAHRA Philosophy Understand the Rulebook Represent NAHRA & Host Club Judge Objectively & By the Rule Set Good Example for Potential Judges

This Says It All 9/17/

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