The NAHRA Rules: The Complete Text

General Procedures, Regulations and Field Procedures and Judg= ing Guidelines For NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this document applies to all approved and licensed Hunting Retriever Field Tests held after January 1, <= s>1995 2009.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter I

General Procedures

· Introduction

· Club Information

· Selection of Judges

· Eligibility

· Entries

· Points, Awards, Certificates and Titles

· NAHRA Invitational Field Test

· NAHRA Regional Field Tests

Chapter II

General Regulations For Hunting Retriever Field Tests

Chapter III

Field Test Regulations and ~~Fie= ld~~ Procedures ~~For~~for= the Started CategoryH~~unt= ing Retriever Field Tests~~

Chapter IV

Fie= ld Test Regulations and ~~Field~~ Procedures ~~For~~for the= Hunter Category~~Ret= riever~~r ~~Fi= eld Tests~~

Chapter V

Field Test Regulations and ~~Fie= ld~~ Procedures ~~For~~for= the Intermediate Category~~Hun= ting Retriever Field Test~~

Chapter VI

Field Test Regulations and ~~Fie= ld~~ Procedures ~~For~~for= the Senior Category~~Hun= ting Retriever Field Tests~~

Chapter VII

Judging Guidelines

Beginner

Started

Hunter

Intermediate

Senior

Hunting Skills

· Marked Retrieve

· Upland Hunting

· Trailing

· Blind Retrieve

Scoring

CHAPTER I

GENERAL PROCEDURES

A. INTRODUCTION

The North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc., (NAHRA), is a not for profit corporation existing by virtue of the laws of = the State of ~~Vermont with its principal office, P.O. Box 5159, Fredericksbur= g, VA 22403.~~ = Delaware with its principal office at P.O. Box 5159, Fredericksburg, <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">VA 22403. NAHRA was created in 1983 to preserve the hunting instincts of our retriever breeds. For years, small groups throughout the country conducted gun dog st= akes and tested dogs, one against another, to find the top dog. NAHRA revolution= ized the retriever world by testing dogs against a written hunting standard. Tod= ay, NAHRA has clubs throughout North America and continues to test and reward t= he hunting retriever and to maintain computerized records of those dogs and th= eir working accomplishments.

The principal purpose of the corporation is to educate= the public in the use of purebred hunting retrievers as conservation animals an= d to promote the field-testing of retrievers in simulated hunting situations.

NAHRA's purpose in establishing this concept is to dis= cover and reward dogs that can fulfill the hunter's needs in the field by perform= ing in a manner consistent with the demands of actual hunting conditions. The purpose is not to confront the dog with trick problems, but rather to test = the dog's natural ability and acquired training. NAHRA Field Tests utilize duck blinds, numerous decoys, boats, calls and other hunting implements in a man= ner simulating normal hunting. Under the NAHRA concept, the objective is to rec= over the bird as quickly and efficiently as possible, to create the least amount= of disturbance in the marsh and upland and to give the hunter the maximum amou= nt of time to actually take game.

Dogs are placed in four categories based on ability no= t age: Beginner, Started, Hunter, Intermediate and Senior. Dogs do not compete against one another for placements, but rather their performances a= re judged individually against a "standard."

B. CLUB INFORMATION

The North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc., acting through its Board of Directors, may, at its discretion grant permiss= ion to clubs affiliated with it to hold Approved or Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Tests. ~~These Hunting Retriever Field Tests are governed by the following General Procedures, Regulations, Field Procedures and Judging Guidelines~~. The following General Procedures, Regulations, Field Procedures and Jud= ging Guidelines govern these Hunting Retriever Field Tests. The North American Hunting Retriever Association Board of Directors reserves the right to waive or change any of the following without prior notice.

A Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test is a formal field test at which points toward the titles ~~Grand Master Hunting Retriever (GMHR), Master Hunting Retriever (MHR), Working Retriever (WR) or Started Hunting Retriever (SR) may be awarded.~~ Grand Master Hunting Retriever Champion (GMHRCH)= , Grand Master Hunting Retriever (GMHR), Master Hunting Retriever (MHR), Working Retriever (WR),Hunting Retriever (HR), = or Started Hunting Retriever (SR) m= ay be awarded.

An Approved NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test is an informal field test at which dogs may participate but at which points toward the titles Grand Master Hunting Retriever Champ= ion (GMHRCH), Grand Master Hunting Retriever (GMHR), Master Hunting Retriever (MHR), Working Retriever (WR), Hunting Retriever (HR) or Started Hunting Retriever (SR) s= hall not be awarded.

To affiliate with NAHRA a club must make application o= n a form prescribed by the Board of Directors, available from NAHRA's principal office, and must pay the prescribed annual club fee. Additionally, all affiliated clubs or associations which hold Approved or Licensed NAHRA Hunt= ing Retriever Field Tests ~~mus~~t are required to pay the prescribed fee per dog per category (currently $5.00 per dog in Started, = Hunter, Intermediate and Senior for NAHRA members and $10.00 per dog per entry for non NAHRA members). All fees are set by the NAHRA Board of Directors and are subject to change by them without prior notice. No fee is charged to a = club for filing the official application to hold an Approved or Licensed event. =

Each affiliated club or association, if so licensed, may hold an unlimited number of Approved or Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests each year. Approval for both Licensed and Approved NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests is granted solely= by the NAHRA Board of Directors. Application for such events must be made upon= a form available from NAHRA's principal office. Unless waived by ~~the Board= of Directors~~ an officer of the corporation, clubs must file official application forms for Approved or Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Tests with NAHRA at least eight (8) weeks before the date of the Field Test. A license or approval may be granted to test dogs in Started, Started and Intermediate, = or Started, Intermediate and Senior categories. (Senior only events are prohibited, unless otherwise approved for good cause by the NAHRA Board of Directors.) ~~A club offering one or more Senior tests shall offer the same or greater=~~

~~number Started and Intermediate tests in th= e same calendar year.~~ =

All approvals or licenses are non transferable and are= valid only for the dates indicated thereon.

In order to avoid conflicts, clubs must~~may= be asked to~~ schedule dates through their Regional Director ~~or International Liaison~~ well in advance of filing official applications f= or Field Tests. An annual regional calendar of events for the coming year is prepared by the Regional ~~Liaisons~~ Director= to coordinate activities within each Region, to promote cooperation between affiliated clubs and to provide information to members. An official Field T= est application must also be filed by clubs with NAHRA's principal office (as described below.)

Tests MAY be held on the same date for clubs in the sa= me geographical region, however every effort should = be made to avoid such conflicts and Regional Directors should cooperate to minimize such occurrences. ~~but only with pri= or approval of the NAHRA Board of Directors and with mutual consent of both ho= st clubs.~~

Copies of the latest edition of this booklet for all J= udges and Field Test Committee Members should be available at all NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests.

Any club holding a NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test = must name a Field Test Secretary who must be a member of the club. The name, address = and phone number of the Field Test Secretary ~~shall~~ will be provided to NAHRA at t= he time official application is made for an Approved or Licensed Field Test. A club that has been granted permission by NAHRA to hold an Approved or Licen= sed Field Test must appoint a Field Test Committee which will have complete responsibility for the planning and conducting of the test. This committee = must be composed of at least five members of the club and ~~shall~~ will include the Field Test Secretary. A maj= ority of the Field Test Committee must be present on the Field Test grounds durin= g an Approved or Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test.

The Field Test Committee and Field Test Secretary ~~shall~~ are be responsible for compliance with all General Procedures and General Regulations contained in Chapters I and II of this booklet. Clubs are required= to carry liability insurance for the Field Test. All Field Tests should be reviewed by a Field Test Committee member(s) to insure NAHRA standards are observed.

~~Clubs shall= be required to carry liability insurance for the Field Test.~~ ~~<= /o:p>~~

The judges ~~shall~~ be are responsible for compliance= with the General Procedures, Regulations for Hunting Retriever Field Tests, Chap= ter I & II and the Regulations and Field Procedures and Guidelines for Judg= ing NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests, Chapters III through VI.

The Field Test Committee of a club holding an Approved= or Licensed Field Test ~~shall have~~ has the authority to decide by= its majority vote any matter arising during the running of the test, ~~exc= ept a~~ ~~matter coming within the sole jurisdiction of the judges.~~ except matters concerning the judging of a dog’s performance which is within the sole jurisdiction of the judges. All such decisions may be reviewed by NAHRA and canceled or amended.

C. SELECTION OF JUDGES <= /p>
To be = eligible to judge a licensed NAHRA Field Test, candidates = are required to have fulfilled the latest policy req= uirements as = des= ignated by the Board of Directors. The latest policy and list of eligible <= span class=3DmsoIns>jud= ges can= be obtained from the NAHRA Offi= ce or= from the NAH= RA Web Site. NAHRA will maintain and update these documents<= ins cite=3D"mailto:CENAB" datetime=3D"2009-01-26T10:56"> as warranted. =

It is the club' s responsibility to select the = people most experienced, who are accomplished and unbiased, to be judges, for by t= heir verdicts, they are in direct control of the future breeding stock of the hunting retriever. The decision of the judges is final in all matters concerning the field performance of the dogs under judgment.

=

NAHRA uses a point system for its judges. Each time an individual judges a licensed field test he/she is awarded one point in that particular category. A point earned for judging a given stake = will count toward that stake and all stakes below. For example points earned for judging Intermediate are points that count toward Intermediate, Hunter and started but Not toward Senior.

There ~~shall~~ must be a combined total of three ~~(3)~~= (5) <= /i>or more points, in a specific judging category, between the two ~~"princ= ipal"~~ judges, in order for the category to be approved as a point bearing event. =

No judge ~~shall~~ will handle or enter a dog in the categories in which he has been assigned to judge. No judge ~~shall~~ will<= /i> handle a dog in any other category until the category he has been assigned = to judge has been completed.

A substitute "principal" judge= may be appointed by the club holding an Approved or Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test if it is impossible for the judge shown on the Field T= est Application to fulfill or complete his or her assignment. A substitute judge must be a NAHRA certified judge and a member in good standing (dues paid and not currently under disciplinary action by NAHRA)= with the North Ame= rican Hunting Retriever Association.

In a Field Test, an additional pair of "principal= " judges may be approved to officiate the category if the entries exceed 40 Started dogs, 20 Intermediate dogs or 20 Senior dogs. Such additional judge= s ~~shall~~ must be members who are in good standing= (dues paid and not currently under disciplinary action by NAHRA<= /span>)with NAHRA and currently approved to judge by NAHRA.

Prompt notification ~~shall~~ = will be sent to NAHRA, and the Regional Director in advance of the Field Test if possible, = of any substitute or additional judges officiating at a Licensed Field Test, a= nd of the reasons for the change.

"Apprentice" judges may be invited to judge = along with the "principal" judges, however, they will not be awarded any points for judging nor will their scoring points be averaged in with the two principal judges' scores.

Neither a Hunting Retriever Field Test Secretary nor a member of the Field Test Committee may judge at any Approved or Licensed NA= HRA Hunting Retriever Field Test while they are also acting as Field Test Secre= tary or as a Field Test Committee member

No judge ~~shall~~ may officiate in the same category more than= ~~three~~ five<= /span> times in a ~~general geographic location~~ Region with= in a calendar year, nor ~~shall~~ may an individual judge the same category mo= re than once on any given weekend.

Upon request, NAHRA will mail an updated Judges' List = that contains the name, address and point totals of all judges in good standing = with NAHRA. It is then the responsibility of the Field Test Committee to select = and invite the best judges that are available.

D. ELIGIBILITY

All purebred Labrador Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retri= evers, Golden Retrievers, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Irish W= ater Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, American Water Spaniels, English Springer Spanie= ls, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, and Poodles registered with the American Kennel Club, Canadian Kennel Club<= span class=3DmsoIns>, U= nited Kennel Club, Boykin Spaniel Society or , American Field Dog Stud Book or America&= #8217;s Pet Registry are eligible to enter and participate in Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field tests. Other purebred breeds and other breed registries may also be approved by the Board of Directors.

A dog who is unregistered or registered with an unappr= oved registry or is from an ineligible breed may participate in Approved or Lice= nsed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests if it has been issued a Field Test Numb= er (FTN) by the NAHRA Board of Directors. The Field Test Number must be shown = on each entry form. A Field Test Number may be issued by the NAHRA Board of Directors upon receipt of the designated form accompanied by such supporting information and fees as the Board may require (currently $5.00). Dogs holdi= ng Field Test Numbers are not eligible for the titles Grand Master Hunting Retriever (GMHR), Master Hunting Retriever (MHR), Working Retriever (WR), <= span style=3D'background:yellow !msorm;mso-highlight:yellow !msorm'>Hunting Retriever (HR), Started Hunting Retriever (SR). Dogs holding Field Test Numbers are el= igible for the Brass Band program for Starte= d , Hunter and Intermediate dogs and are eligible to participate in the Regional Field Tests.

A dog is not eligible to be entered in a testing categ= ory at a Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Test if a judge of that category or any member of the judge's immediate family or household has owned, leased, trai= ned or handled the dog within one year of the starting date of the Hunting Retriever Field Test. The words "immediate family" means spouse, children (natural or adopted), parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblin= gs and any other person residing in the same household or who has so resided within one year next preceding the date of the Hunting Retriever Field Test= .

The word "person" as used in this booklet in= cludes any individuals, partnership, firm, corporation, joint venture, association= or organization of any kind. The words "Board of Directors" refer to= the Board of Directors of the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. The word "dog" as used in this booklet, unless otherwise specifie= d, includes a dog of any age and either sex.

Every person who owns a dog or dogsdog= s, who are entered in an Approved or Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Te= st, must keep for at least seven years complete and correct records concerning = the animal or animals. The Board of Directors of NAHRA may, by regulation, desi= gnate the specific information which must be included in such records. However, e= very person who owns a dog or dogs who are entered in an Approved or Licensed NA= HRA Hunting Retriever Field Test, must follow such practices and keep such reco= rds as will eliminate all possibility of error in identification or registratio= n of any individual dog. All records and the dog ~~shall~~ will be furnished or exhibited to an authorized representative of NAHRA upon demand.

The NAHRA Board of Directors may refuse to allow entry= of any dog, without hearing, in any Approved or Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriev= er Field Test or to record the points acquired by any dog in any such event, f= or any failure to abide by any of the requirements set forth herein.

Without hearing, any person or club who fails to abide= by any of the requirements set forth herein may be suspended from all privileg= es of the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. by the Board of Directors

The North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc.= assumes no liability whatsoever concerning any of its services, certificates or tit= les. All dogs are entered in any Approved or Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Te= st solely at the risk of their owner, and the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. assumes no risk or liability whatsoever therefore.

E.CODE OF CONDUCT

The North American Hunting Retriever Association’s c= lubs and members, The Field Test Committee of a NAHRA Approved or Licensed Hunti= ng Retriever Field Test, NAHRA Judges, and all participants in such events, ,m= ust without any reservation whatsoever follow and abide by all rules, procedures and regulations of the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc ;and in addition will not condone, tolerate, or allow on the Fie= ld Test Grounds or otherwise participate therein.

1.      = Any unruly, and/or unsportsm= anlike behavior or conduct, or foul or offensive language. <= /p>
2.      = The possession of an open container of alcoholic beverages, or the drinking of alcoholic beverages or= the use or possession of substances, with out valid prescription, which are controlled or regulated by federal, state, or local statutes or regulations during the conduct of a Field Test.

3.      = Any unsafe or careless condu= ct that could endanger other persons or their property. =

4.      = Any activity, which is not i= n the best interest of, or discredits, the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc., or its Licensed or approved Field Tests.

5.      = Any illegal activity prohibi= ted by any federal, state, or local statue, ordinance or regulation.

Any per= son found to be in violation of the foregoing must be immediately be removed from the venue.

The Field Test Committee for an Approved or Licensed Field Test has the authority to decide by its majority vote any matter that may a= rise during the planning or running of the test. All such decisions may be revie= wed by NAHRA and cancelled or amended. The Field Test Secretary must subm= it to NAHRA a complete report of any action taken by either the Field Test Committee or the Judges. Any club, organization, or individual hostin= g a NAHRA Approved or Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Test and found to be in violation of the foregoing may be subject to disciplinary measures from NAH= RA.

In addition hosting clubs may by vote of their officers preclude from participation persons whose conduct has been demonstrated to = be in ~~flagrant~~ violation of the above.=

= Misconduc= t by entered dogs to include excessive aggressio= n or fighting will be reported by Hunt test Committee to the NAHRA office for resolution. See curre= nt NAHRA policy for current information.

NAHRA reserves the right to = take any additional measures it deems appropriate, which may include but shall n= ot be limited to expulsion from and/or denial of the benefits of NAHRA.=

F. ENTRIES

A premium list printed or typed on good quality paper = must be provided for Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests. The premium l= ist for a Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Test ~~shall~~ will be printed or typed (any printing or co= pying process is acceptable) and must bear on its cover the words "Licen= sed by North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc." and ~~shall will~~ <= span style=3D'font-size:8.0pt'>[RH1] include an official entry form as prescribed by the Board of Directors.

All service marks, trademarks and copyrights of The No= rth American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. shall be respected and correct= ly used.

In addition to the official entry form, the following information must be included on the premium list for a Licensed NAHRA Hunti= ng Retriever Field Test: Name of club, location, date, names of officers with address of Club Secretary, time of judging, entry fees, categories to be tested, names and addresses of judges together with their judging assignmen= ts, name and address of Field Test Secretary, date and time of closing and draw= ing of entries. Premium lists ~~shall~~&nbs= p; mu= st also specify the type or types of birds to be used. Printed premium lists ~~sha= ll~~ will be 8 1/2" x 11" in size. A co= py of the premium list ~~shall~~ must be provided to NAHRA. For its convenien= ce, a club may fold the premium list in half to reduce the size to 8 1/2" x 5 1/2".

For a Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Test, entries m= ust close at least one day prior to the day of the Hunting Retriever Field Test= but may not close earlier than the fourteenth day preceding the start of the ev= ent. A club holding a Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Test ~~shall~~ will = not accept any entries received after the specified closing time and date.

It is the club's sole decision in determining the requ= ired entry fees for each category for both Approved and Licensed Hunting Retriev= er Field Tests. However, in the event a dog is scratched, prior to the time of= the stated draw, a full refund shall be given to the owner of the dog. If a dog= is scratched after the drawing is held, NAHRA recommends that all monies be re= funded with the exception of a minimal scratch fee ~~($5.00 to $10.00 per entry$10.00 to $2= 0.00) to cover costs incurred by the Field Test giving club.~~

At the option of the Field Test giving club, a numeric= al limit may be imposed on entries in any or all testing categories offered at= a particular event. If entries are to be limited, the numerical limitation shall must be stated in the premium = list and the following ~~shall~~ will be complied with:

1. The host club shall mail a premium and entry form to their normal mailing l= ist. At the discretion of the club, the premium may also be posted on the NAHRA web page.

2. Premiums and entry forms must also be mailed to all other individuals that contact the club requesting information. 3. On the closing date, all entries will be put into a lottery.4. Dogs will be drawn at random, one at a time, until the numerical limit has been reached. 5. The remainder of the entries= are to be drawn, one at a time, to establish alternates. 6. In the event that a= dog is "scratched," a substitute must be selected from the alternate list. The first name on the alternate list will be contacted and given the opportunity to run and so on down the list of alternates until a replacemen= t is found.7. In the event the same category is being judged more than once, and they are limited entry stakes, after the lottery takes place for the first Field Test, all entries will be put into the drawing for the next event and steps 3, 4, 5 and 6 above will be repeated. 8. The handler or owner of each= dog that has been drawn to actually participate in the event, ~~shall~~ will<= /i> be contacted within 72 hours of the drawing by phone or mail.

For unlimited entry Field Tests, the order of running = ~~shall~~ will be decided by random drawing. When, in the opinion of the judges, time woul= d be saved, dogs may be run in an order different from the order in which they w= ere drawn. In the case of multiple stakes being run concurrently the field test committee via its marshallR= 17;s may manipulate the order in the interest of efficiency.

A typed or printed catalog is not required for Approve= d or Licensed Field Tests. However, a Field Test Secretary, upon completion of t= he draw, ~~shal l~~ will type, in order of the draw, a l= ist of all dogs and handlers participating in each category. This list ~~shall will = be posted at the Field Test headqua= rters and made available to all handlers.~~

Upon completion of the Field Test, the Field Test Secr= etary ~~shall~~ must have all judges for each category initial the appropriate space on the of official entry form for all par= ticipating dogs ~~who have qualified.~~ ~~participated~~ regardless of whether they qualified or not. Additionally, the Field Test Secretary shall will<= /i> provide NAHRA with a separate typed list of all participating dogs ~~who~~ ~~qualified in each category.~~ = ~~participate~~= d in each = category and identifying them as having passed or not. The typed list <= s>shall must<= /span> include all information listed on the official entry form, for each qualify= ing dog, together with the name of the Club, date of the Field Test and names of all persons who judged in each category. The Field Test Secretary ~~shall =~~ will = , within fifteen (15 19) days of the end of the Field Test, forwa= rd an original typed list of ~~qualifying dogs~~ of participati= ng dogs indicating their qualifying status, which ~~shall~~ will = include all the information that appears on the official entry form (catalogs are unacceptable), together with the official entry form for each qualified dog, initialed by the judges, the original Field Test Report t form (yellow shee= t) and all appropriate fees (currently $5.00 for NAHRA members per dog run in Started, = Hunter, Intermediate and Senior and $10.00 per dog for non-NAHRA members for each d= og run in Started, Hunter, Intermediate and Senior) to NAHRA headquarters.

~~All~~ Any incomplete or incorrect reports, and the results thereof, ~~shall~~ will<= /i> not be processed by NAHRA and ~~s= hall~~ will be returned to the Field Test Secretary for correction. All such reports or lists ~~shall~~ will be immediately corrected and returned to NAHRA within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice that they are incorrect= or incomplete.

Without hearing, an affiliate club whose Field Test Secretary is late filing all such information and fees may be suspended from holding Approved or Licensed NAHRA Field Tests and such other penalties may= be imposed as the Board of Directors may prescribe. The club ~~shall~~ must = retain copies of all documents for = its records.

Each official individual entry form must be completed = in full and the information given on the form must be that which applies to the entered dog. Each entry form must be signed by the owner (who is responsible for all errors) or the owner's agent duly authorized to make the entry. The Board of Directors shall prescribe the official entry form.

No entry ~~shall~~ will be accepted from any person who is not = in good standing with the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. on the day of closing of the entries. In the case of entry by a partnership, e= very member of the partnership ~~shall~~ must be in good standing with NAHRA before t= he entry will be accepted; and in the case of any infraction of these procedur= es, all the partners ~~shall~~ will be held equally responsible.

No dog ~~shall~~ will be entered or run in any Field Test and= , if brought onto the Field Test grounds, ~~shall~~ will be immediately removed if= it shows any symptoms of, and is known to have been in contact with, any communicable disease within the 30 days next preceding the first date of the Field Test

No Field Test giving club ~~shall~~ will in any way discriminate b= etween entrants on the basis of race, sex or national origin. No prize money ~~sh= all~~ may be offered or awarded. Without hearing, any club guilty of violating this procedure may be barred by the NAHRA Board of Directors from holding Licens= ed or Approved Field Tests, and may be expelled from NAHRA affiliation. All persons in violation of the foregoing may be disciplined by the NAHRA Board= of Directors without hearing and may be deprived of all privileges of NAHRA fo= r a specified Period or indefinitely.

If an ineligible dog has been entered and run in any category at a Licensed Field Test, or if the person or persons named as own= er or owners on the entry form are not the person or persons who actually owned the dog at the time entries closed, or if a dog is run in a category for wh= ich it has not been entered, or if its entry form is deemed invalid by NAHRA un= der these procedures, all resulting awards, titles or certificates may, without hearing, be canceled by NAHRA, and such dog shall be deemed not to have par= ticipated. In cases where cancellation occurs, all prizes, certificates or titles shal= l be returned to NAHRA within ten (10) days of the time notice from NAHRA of said cancellation is sent to the last known address of the owner.

G. P= OINTS, AWARDS, CERTIFICATES AND TITLES
The total number of points required for certification = in each test category, eligibility for any national event and for the issuance= of the Grand Master Hunting Retriever Champion, Grand Master Hunting Retriever, Master Hunting Retriever, Working Retriever, Hunting Retr= iever and Started Hunting Retriever titles shall be established by the Board of Directors of the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. and may= be changed without notice at any time. Additionally, the Board of Directors may requires that the owners of all dogs attaining all titles and certificates = of eligibility in any national event be members in good standing of NAHRA.

In order to attain a Qualifying score in any testing category, a dog must, in the opinion of the judges, pass all tests in that category and attain a final average score of not less than eighty percent (80%).

A dog receiving a Qualifying score in the Started test= ing category at a Licensed NAHRA Field Test shall be credited with two and one = half (2.S) points toward the title Started Hunting Retriever (SR). The title Sta= rted Hunting Retriever (SR) will be issued to the owner of a dog acquiring ten (= 10) points in the Started testing category at Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests. In order to be recorded as a Started Hunting Retriever a dog m= ust be an approved purebred breed registered with an approved breed registry. U= pon completion of these requirements, a dog will be recorded as a Started Hunti= ng Retriever (SR) by the North American Hunting Retriever Association; and, wh= ere appropriate, may display the title Started Hunting Retriever or the initial= s SR before its name.

A dog that qualifies in four Licensed NAHRA Started Fi= eld Tests within ~~a calendar year (January 1 to December 31),~~ a[RH2] regionally determined qualifying year will receive the Started Brass Band Award. A dog will be allowed to receive the Started Brass Band Award each and every year that it qualifies in four or more Licensed Started Field Tests within a ~~calendar~~ qual= ifying year and will be eligible to participate in the NAHRA Regional Field Test Program.

A dog receiving a Qualif= ying score in the Hunter testing category at a Licensed NAHRA Field Test shall be credited with two and a half (2.5) points toward the title Hunting Retriever (HR). The title Hunting Retriever (HR) will be issued to the owner of a dog acquiring ten (10) points in the Hunter testing category at Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests. In order to be recorded as a Hunting Retriev= er a dog must be an approved purebred breed registered with an approved breed registry. Upon completion of these requirements, a dog will be recorded as a Hunting Retriever (HR) by the North American Hunting Retriever Association; and, where appropriate, may display the title Hunting <= /ins>~~Working~~ Retriever or the initials HR before its name.

= A dog that qualifies i= n four Licensed NAHRA Hunter Field Tests within a regionally determined qualifying year , will receive the Hunter Brass Band Award. A dog will be allowed to receive the Brass Band Award each and every year that it qualifies in four = or more Licensed Field Tests at the respective level within a qualifying year = and will be eligible to participate in the NAHRA Regional Field Test program.

A dog receiving a Qualifying score in the Intermediate testing category at a Licensed NAHRA Field Test shall be credited with five= (5) points toward the title Working Retriever (WR). The title Working Retriever (WR) will be issued to the owner of a dog acquiring twenty (20) points ~~FIX FIUX~~in the Intermediate testing category at Licen= sed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests. In order to be recorded as a Working Retriever a dog must be an approved purebred breed registered with an appro= ved breed registry. Upon completion of these requirements, a dog will be record= ed as a Working Retriever (WR) by the North American Hunting Retriever Association; and, where appropriate, may display the title Working Retrieve= r or the initials WR before its name.

A dog that qualifies in four Licensed NAHRA Intermediate Field Tests within a regionally determined qualifying year, will receive the Intermediate ~~Hunter~~ Brass Band Award. A dog w= ill be allowed to receive the Brass Band Award each and every year that it qualifi= es in four or more Licensed Field Tests at the respective level within a qualifying year and will be eligible to participate in the NAHRA Regional F= ield Test program.

A dog that qualifies in four Licensed NAHRA Intermediate held Tests within a calendar year (January 1 to December 31), = will receive the Intermediate Brass Band Award. A dog will be allowed to receive= the Brass Band Award each and every year that it qualifies in four or more Lice= nsed Field Tests at the respective level within a ~~calendar year and will be eligible to participate in the NAHRA Regional Field Test program.~~

A dog receiving a Qualifying score in the Senior testi= ng category at a Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test shall be credited with twenty (20) points toward the title of Master Hunting Retriever (MHR). Dogs that have acquired points in the Senior testing category at Licensed N= AHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests may continue to enter either the Started or Intermediate testing categories. In order to be recorded as a Master Hunting Retriever (MHR) a dog must be an approved purebred breed registered with an approved breed registry and must have a record of having accumulated at lea= st one hundred ( 100) points in Licensed NAHRA H= unting Retriever Field Tests in the Senior testing category or have accumulated tw= enty (20) Intermediate points and eighty (80) Senior points in Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests. Upon completion of these requirements a dog = will be recorded as a Master Hunting Retriever (MHR) by the North American Hunti= ng Retriever Association, Inc. and, where appropriate, may display the title Master Hunting Retriever or the initials MHR before its name.

A Master Hunting Retriever that goes on to accumulate 300 or more points in the Senior testing category at Licensed NA= HRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests will be recorded as a Grand Master Hunting Retriever (GMHR) by the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. = and, where appropriate, may display the title Grand Master Hunting Retriever or = the initials GMHR before its name. A Master Hunting Retriever that goes on to accumulate 1000 or more po= ints in the Senior testing category at Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Te= sts will be recorded as a Grand Master Hunting Retriever Champion (GMHRCH) by t= he North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. and, where appropriate, = may display the title Grand Master Hunting Retriever Champion or the initials GMHRCH before its name.

=

The owners of all dogs who have acquired the title = Gr= and Master Hunting Retriever Champion, Grand Master Hunting Retriever, Master Hun= ting Retriever, Working Retriever, Hunting Retriever or Started Hunting Retriev= er ~~shall~~ will immediately send to NAHRA a copy of= the registration papers, certified by the owner, as being the papers for that particular dog. The award of all titles may be withheld pending receipt by NAHRA of these papers and this certification. Only one title certificate shall may be issued for each dog attaining a title, although a duplicate may be obtained upon certification by the owner that the original has been lost or destroye= d and paying N= AHRA a fee of $20.00.

A dog that has acquired Licensed points in a higher category, may be run in a lower category and acquire the Licensed points available in that category.

A club holding a Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Fiel= d Test ~~shall~~ will offer prize ribbons for outright award.

The ribbons must at a minimum consist of:

§      =    three (3) streamers with a center button and at least one row of rosettes<= /o:p>

§      =    the rosette will have “NAHRA” in the center button

§      =    each center streamer must be at least two inches wide and eight inches long =

§      =    the two side streamers must be similar in length and width=

§      =    the color and/or pattern of the ribbon and streamers shall= be chosen by the club

§      =    the center streamer will be inscribed with the words “Qualifying Score”, the name of the club giving the test and the test stake, as well as the words “Licensed Hunting Retriever Field Test”

§      =    a tab can also be attached with additional information, su= ch as date or location or title, if desired

§      =    Invitational ribbons ~~shall~~ will be red, white and blue in color and regions may adopt a red white and blue color scheme for Regional Field Test= s. No other approved or licensed test may use these colors in combination.

G.H. Richard A. Wolters/NORTH AMERICAN HUNTING RETRIEVER ASSOCIATION, INC. "INVITATIONAL FIELD TEST"

~~Annually,~~ At its discretion, the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. may hold an invitational field test cal= led the "Richard A. Wolters/NAHRA INVITATIONAL." The procedures gover= ning the running of this Field Test shall be determined by the National Invitati= onal Committee and currently are as follows:

1= .      Qualification and selection of participants for the Invitational shall be determined by t= he NAHRA Board of Directors. At present, senior dogs earning 100 or more points for the previous calendar year, ~~and~~ first time Master Hunting Retrievers, GMHRCH and GMHR titled dogs are select= ed by NAHRA to run in a yearly Invitational Field Test.

2= .      Points are defined as only those points received for passing the Senior standard a= t a Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test.

3= .      Points for the Invitational will be accumulated from January 1st to December 31st = of each calendar year.

4.&n= bsp;     Unless otherwise designated by the Invitatio= nal Committee, the Invitational will be a three-day fo= ur-day Field Test. If a threshold of 60 entries is achieved a fifth day may be added to the event   at the discretion of the Field tTest Committee.
5= .      There will be strict adherence to the NAHRA Regulations and Field Procedures for Senior Hunting Retriever Field Tests, as well as the Guidelines for Judging NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests.

~~6.&n= bsp;~~     ~~Judges will be selected by the Invitatio= nal Committee to officiate at the event.~~ The Invitational Committee <= span style=3D'mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>will propose= a field of judges for the approval of the BOD.

7.&n= bsp;     The Invitational Committee will ~~select the location and dates for the Invitational.~~ = pr= opose the location and dates for the Invitational for BOD approval.

8= .      All dogs that pass the Field Test shall have the honor of being named to the NA= HRA HUNTING RETRIEVER TEAM for that particular year.

9.&n= bsp;     All dogs qualifying at the R= ichard A. Wolter’s Invitational shall be entitled to have a Roman numeral following its title to indicate the number= of qualifications it has achieved at this event. For example an MHR completing= its first Invitational Qualification would appear MHR I and a GMHR completing i= ts 4^th Invitational Qualification would appear GMHR IV.

10.&= nbsp; All dogs receiving a qualifying score at the Invitational shall receive a total of 40 points for the event.

1= 1. Parti= cipation in the Invitational may be limited to five dogs per handler and will be determined by the National Invitational Committee.

<= span class=3DmsoDel>HI. NORTH AMERICAN HUNTING RETRIEVER ASSOCIATION, INC. "REGIONAL FIELD TESTS"

Annually, at its discret= ion, the North American Hunting Retriever Association, Inc. may hold the North Ameri= can Hunting Retriever Association, "Regional Field Tests." The proced= ures governing the running of this Field Test shall be determined by NAHRA and currently are as follows:

1= .      Dogs with 10 or more annual points in the Started category, 10 points in the Hunter category, and dogs with 20 or more annual points in the Intermediate category will be selected by NAHRA to run in a yearly Field Test called the NORTH AMERICAN HUNTING RETRIEVER ASSOCIATION "REGIONAL. "

2= .      Points are defined as only those points received for passing the Started, Hunter or Intermediate standard at a Licensed NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Test.

3= .      Points for the Regional Field Tests will be accumulated within a regionally determined qualifying year. ~~fro= m January 1st to December 31st of each calendar year.~~

4= .      Selection of participants for the Regional Field Tests are described above in Chapter= 1, Section EF, as set forth by the NAH= RA Board of Directors.

5= .      There will be strict adherence to the NAHRA Regulations and Field Procedures for Started, Hunter and Intermediate Hunting Retriever Field Tests, as well as the Guidelines for judging NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests.

6= .      Judges shall be approved by NAHRA to officiate at the events

7= .      NAHRA shall approve the location and dates for the Regional Field Tests.

8= .      All dogs that pass the two-day Field Test shall have the honor of being named to the NAHRA HUNTING RETRIEVER TEAM for that particular year.

CHAPTER II: = GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR HUNTING RETRIEVER FIELD TESTS

SECTION 1: The term "dog" herein includes males and females.

SECTION 2: Eligibility o= f a dog is determined by Chapter 1, Section D, not by the age of a dog.

SECTION 3: All tests ~~= shall~~ will<= /i> be judged by at least = two judges.

a. The judges are representatives of the NAHRA hunting retriever program and its "standards" and ~~shall~~ will abide by the Regulations and Field Proc= edures and the Guidelines for Judging Hunting Retriever Field Tests.

b. The judges shall will<= /i> set up all tests within the prescribed guidelines set forth in these Regulations and Field Procedures and ~~shall~~ must give paramount consideration to the simulation of actual hunting conditions

c. All tests shall will<= /i> be set up within the prescribed distance and cover limitations of each particu= lar category.

d. Duck blinds, numerous= decoys, boats, calls, and other hunting implements should be utilized in a manner simulating normal hunting.

e. Judges shall decide o= n the placement of gunners and bird boys.

f. Handlers, bird boys, = gunners, judges and others shall be required to wear camouflaged or appropriate clothing. Clubs hosting licensed Field Tests should be prepared to provide = an appropriate covering for participating persons who do not come to the event with such clothing.

g. Events ~~shall~~ will utilize live or dead pheasants, pig= eons, ducks or other game birds. Clubs ~~should~~ mu= st make every effort to supply humanely cared for birds in good condition. NAHRA’s website has a valuable document referencing bird procurement and care.

h. Shackled birds ~~sha= ll~~ will<= /i> not be used. However, live birds may be released for the trailing test.

SECTION 4: Moderate voice or whistle commands ~~shall~~ will be allowed to steady the dog at the= point of origin. However, voice or whistle commands that are excessive, in the opinion of the judges, ~~shall~~ will be marked down. ~~(Repeated use of excessive commands may be grounds for elimination.)~~ Intimidating or repeated use= of excessive commands may be grounds for elimination.

SECTION 5: A dog is to be released by the handler on the judges' command unless the ~~handler is otherwise directed by the judges.~~ judges otherwise direct the handler= .

SECTION 6: While on the = test grounds, a handler ~~shall~~ may not possess any exposed training aid that might intimidate a dog (including, but not limited to whip, quirt, cane, pr= od or similar implements). ~~No dog shall wear a collar while under judgment = in the Started, Intermediate or Senior testing categories.~~ No dog may wear a collar while under judgment. A Started dog only m= ay have a leash, line or slip lead around its neck or may be held by one hand = to assist in achieving steadiness. Dogs in the Hunter category may be bro= ught to the line on lead but the handler must discard or conceal it before signa= ling ready. No dog may be permitted to make a retrieve wearing a collar, leash, line or similar device.

SECTION 7: The judges of= a particular category or the Field Test Committee ~~shall have~~ has the authority to expel a handler from any further participation in a category if the handler possesses any exposed training aid or if unsportsmanlike conduct is observed on the part of the handler or the handler kicks, strikes, or otherwise manhandles or intimidat= es a dog while on the Field Test grounds. It ~~shall be~~ is the duty of the judges or ~~marshall~~marshal of a category to promptly report to the Field Test Committee the expulsion = of a handler from a category, and the Field Test committee may then expel the handler from all other categories at that event, if in the Committee's opin= ion, such further action is warranted. Whenever a handler is expelled from a category or from participation at a Field Test, under this Section, the dog= or dogs that he is handling may continue to be tested with another handler. The judges also have the authority to remove from further participation a dog who is a danger by fighti= ng or excessive aggression to other = dogs or participants. Again the= field test committee must be notified and must document the incident and report i= t to the NAHRA office.

The Field Test Secretary= ~~shall~~ must<= /span> submit to NAHRA and the Regional Director a complete report of any action taken under this Section by either the Field Test Committee or the judges.

SECTION 8: Dogs requirin= g help from the bird boys ~~shall~~ will be disqualified. Stone or object throwi= ng ~~shall~~ will not be allowed.

SECTION 9: Incidents of intentional hard-mouth resulting, in the opinion of the judges, in a bird u= nfit for the table, ~~shall be~~ is grounds for failing a test. The dog should pick up a bird tenderly but firm= ly and without delay. (A dog ~~shall~~ will be eliminated for hard-mouth or badly damaging game, but, before doing so, both judges should inspect the bird an= d be satisfied that the dog alone was responsible for the damage.)

SECTION 10: A dog unwill= ing to release a bird ("Sticking" or "Freezing") ~~shall~~ = will<= /i> be marked down. Repeated evidence ~~shall be~~ is grounds for elimination.
SECTION 11: Bitches in s= eason ~~shall not be~~ are not permitted on the test grounds.

SECTION 12: All persons participating in or observing any event are expected to maintain reasonable silence and display good manners. Any person who interferes with the orderly process of any test may be obliged by the judges or the Field Test Committe= e to leave the test grounds.

SECTION 13: Prior to the= start of each test, the judges ~~shall~~ will explain to the handlers the hunting sce= nario and the object of each test and expected performance of the dogs. (NAHRA's purpose in establishing these General Regulations and Field Procedures is to discover and reward dogs that can fulfill the hunter's needs in the field w= hile performing in a manner consistent with the demands of actual hunting conditions. Tests will be designed to simulate a day' s hunting afield. The purpose is not to confront the dog with trick problems, but rather to test = the dog's natural ability and training.)

SECTION 14: A "test= " shall be defined for these purposes as: The evaluation of a dog as required= by the Regulations and Field Procedures and during which the dog is being scor= ed.

SECTION 15: A judge ~~s= hall~~ will not place dogs in order of finish, nor ~~shall~~ will judges be requested to place dogs = in order of finish for any purpose whatsoever.

SECTION 16: A judge ~~s= hall not be requested nor~~ is not required to discuss his or her judging evaluations with any participant. The decision of the judges ~~shall~~ is= be final. In the interest of improving performance NAHRA strongly encourages Judges to make time available to discuss their evaluation at the= end of testing. This is not an opportunity for handlers to dispute or argue but rather gain insight to improving their performance. As part of the event the code of conduct applies during any such discussions.<= /p>
SECTION 17: A dog should= be cast from the point of origin only once, however, another attempt may be granted= if, in the opinion of the judges, a dog exhibits confusion at the point of orig= in. If "recasts" are unsuccessful, the judges ~~shall~~ must<= /i> step in and direct the handler to pick up his/her dog. If an initial misdirection is taken by a do= g in the Started category and the handler immediately brings the dog back to hee= l, it may be given a "recast." A "recast" ~~shall~~ will never be gr= anted to a Started dog that goes out into the field, establishes a hunt, does not find the bird and returns to its handler. This is grounds for elimination rather than another chance. ("= No-goes" should be treated as a re-cast under this section.)

SECTION 18: A "No Bird" will be determined solely by the judges of the testing category, e.g. a flyer that is unintentionally missed by the gunners, or a bird that sinks during a water test, etc.

SECTION 19: A "Reru= n" may be granted, if in the opinion of the judges, an unfair or unforeseen circumstance occurs during the test.

SECTION 20: The "Po= int of Origin" is the area in which the dog is located when the first bird becomes visible in a marking test or upland hunt, or the area designated by= the judges as the starting point for the blind retrieve or trail.

SECTION 21: A "Cont= rolled Break" occurs as soon as a dog leaves the point of origin and manifest= s an intent to make the retrieve without being so ordered and is immediately sto= pped and brought under control. A "Controlled Break" occurs in the Sen= ior upland hunting test when the dog has been steady to shot, but manifests an intent to retrieve after the shot. (See Chapter V, Section 12.h.)

SECTION 22: "Creepi= ng" should not be considered as a dog manifesting an intent to retrieve. Theref= ore, creeping ~~shall~~ will not be considered a break. However, if the creeping is excessive where it takes= the dog out of the area of the point of origin, then it ~~shall~~ must<= /i> be considered a controlled break and the handler ~~shall~~ will be required to control hi= s/her dog, but the judges ~~shall~~ will not instruct the handler to re-heel the= dog.

SECTION 23: Any dog who "interferes" with the working dog while under judgment and causes= him to be unfairly evaluated ~~shall~~will be eliminated from further testing. (Th= is shall include but is not limited to honor dogs, brace mates in upland hunti= ng, dogs in holding blinds and dogs in the gallery. Any dog that has been interfered with may, at the discretion of the judges, be granted a rerun.)

SECTION 24: Any dog that= goes to the area of a fallen bird during a marking test and establishes a hunt, the= n leaves that area and establishes a hunt in the area of another fall ~~shall~~ <= u>will be eliminated ("switches its hunt"). This applies whether the area the dog has switched to contains= a bird or is an old fall where the bird has already been retrieved. Similarly= , on a multiple mark, a dog that returns to an old fall from the point of origin= and establishes a hunt ~~shall~~ will be eliminated.

SECTION 25: ~~In the St= arted, Intermediate and Senior categories,~~ In all categories hidden gunners and/o= r bird boys ~~shall~~ may be used in marking tests unless they are at the point of origin. When hidden gunners or bird boys are used, an attention getting attraction shot or shots ~~shall~~ will be fired or a game call ~~shall~~ <= span style=3D'color:red'>will be blown or a verbal attraction given p= rior to each bird being thrown and additionally, a shot ~~shall~~ will<= /i> be fired when each bird is at the top of its arc. Marks that are in excess ~~of normal gunning range ~~(approximately 35 yards)~~~~ of 35 yards<= /span> will~~should~~ have a shot fired from the general location of the thrower. (It is the inte= nt of these Regulations to provide the dog with adequate opportunity to focus = its attention on the area of the fall and to simulate as closely as possible natural hunting conditions.) At the discretion of the judges, but not more = than once in each marking test, the gunners may be visible in order to simulate specific hunting situations such as dove hunting.

SECTION 26: The handler = ~~shall~~ will not point out the location of the gunners and bird boys to the dog prior to= the time the first bird is thrown. (A violation of this Section is a major infraction and may result in elimination.)

SECTION 27: No participa= ting dog may be trained on the designated Field Test grounds within two ~~weeks~~= days<= /i> prior to the start of the Field Test and until the Field Test has been completed. However, this shall not be construed to prohibit the Field Test Committee from establishing a training clinic which may be run in conjuncti= on with an Approved or Licensed Field Test or an exercise area being designate= d on the test grounds during an event.

SECTION 28: Upon receipt= of an application, NAHRA may license or approve its properly affiliated clubs to = hold Beginner events for all dogs. Such events ~~shall~~ must be held in conjunction wi= th Licensed or Approved NAHRA Hunting Retriever Field Tests.

Entries ~~shall~~ may not be limited and any dog may participate. NAHRA ~~shall~~ will keep no records of the ev= ents. Judges for the Beginner event need not be certified or accredited by NAHRA.=

Each club shall establis= h its own rules by which dogs shall be judged in this informal event. However, un= der no circumstances ~~shall~~ will the rules be as restrictive as the requirements or the regulations governing the Started Hunting Retrievers, n= or ~~shall~~ will they exceed those requirements= .

Dogs successfully comple= ting a NAHRA Beginner event shall be awarded a NAHRA Certificate of Merit. Certificates of Merit will be furnished to clubs by NAHRA upon request.

SECTION 29: All particip= ants at Field Tests are individually responsible for safe gun handling, even for sa= fely handling mock handler's guns. This is not a responsibility of NAHRA. The Fi= eld Test Committee is responsible for selection and training of live and popper gunners and should make every effort to ensure safe gun handling by all par= ticipants. Judges have special responsibilities in setting up tests to help the club assure gun safety. Judges may remind handlers to practice safe gun handling= and in extreme cases, expel a handler for un-sportsmanlike conduct for willfully un-safe gun handling. (In these cases the dog can continue with a different handler. See Section 7 above in this Chapter.)

CHAPTER III:= ~~REGULATIONS AND FIELD PROCEDURES~~ FIELD TEST REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE STARTED CATEGORY ~~HUNTING RETRIEVER FIELD TESTS~~

NOTE: The passages enclo= sed in parentheses are additional guidelines for judges.

SECTION 1: A Started Hun= ting Retriever Field Test ~~shall~~ <= span style=3D'color:red'>will consist of only (5) single bird mar= king tests at least two of which shall be marked water retrieves and at least tw= o of which shall be marked land retrieves. The fifth marked retrieve may be eith= er land or water.

(The purpose of the Star= ted Hunting Retriever Field Test is to bring started dogs along as hunters. Des= ire and cooperation with the handler are important factors. It should consist of basic tests to evaluate the dog's natural and basic trained abilities.)

(The judges ~~shall~~= must<= /i> evaluate the dog's temperament, as displayed in its spontaneous behavior, in order to assess its suitability as a hunting companion. Hyperactivity, wildness, jumping about, barking, excessive disobedience, lethargy or lack = of interest ~~shall~~ will be marked down. Repeated evidence <= s>shall be is= justification for elimination.)

SECTION 2: A dog is requ= ired to be steady at the point of origin; however, it may have a leash, line or slip lead around its neck and/or may be held by one hand only, to assist in achieving steadiness. No dog ~~shall~~ will= be permitted to make a retrieve wearing a collar, leash, line or similar device. A controlled break ~~shall~~ will not fail a dog but ~~shall~~ will = be marked down. If a dog is immediately brought under control, a controlled br= eak is a minor infraction. (As soon as the dog leaves the point of origin and manifests an intent to make the retrieve, without being so ordered, it must= be stopped.)

SECTION 3: A Started dog= is not required to deliver to hand. However, the dog must deliver the bird within a reasonable radius of the point of origin which is easily accessible to the handler. Therefore, it is not appropriate to require the dog to deliver the bird into a boat or blind. (The dog should return to the handler without de= lay. Moderate voice or whistle commands may be used. Repeated evidence of delayed return or excessive voice and whistle commands may be grounds for eliminati= on.)

SECTION 4: A Started dog= will usually be cast from the point of origin only once. However, a second attem= pt or "recast" may be granted if, in the opinion of the judges, a dog exhibits confusion at the point of origin. Also, if ~~an initial misdirect= ion is taken by a Started dog~~ a Started dog who takes an initial misdirection = and the handler immediately brings the dog back to heel, it may be given a "recast". A "recast" ~~shall~~ will never be granted to a dog that goes out= into the field, establishes a hunt and does not find the bird and returns to the handler. This is grounds for elimination rather than a second chance. After= two unsuccessful attempts the judges ~~shall~~ will step in and direct the ha= ndler to pick up his/her dog. (See Chapter II, Section 17 for "no-goes."= ;)

SECTION 5: A Started dog= may be handled on marked retrieves with voice/whistle/hand signals, if, in the opi= nion of the handler, the dog cannot find or has missed the mark. (The dog is bei= ng tested for its marking ability, not handling, however, a crisp cast is preferable to a long hunt. Repeated evidence of lack of marking ability or = lack of control may be grounds for elimination.)

SECTION 6: Tests for thi= s event ~~shall~~ must be held in appropriate cover.

a. Maximum test distance= on land ~~shall~~ will not exceed 75 yards.

b. Maximum test distance= on water ~~shall~~ will not exceed 50 yards.

c. Dogs ~~shall~~ will<= /i> not be required to honor another dog in this event.

d. Diversions and dry sh= ots (i.e. shots for which no bird appears or falls) ~~shall not be~~ are not allowed.

~~SECTION 7: The handle= r may be required to carry necessary hunting paraphernalia, including a shotgun. However, a handler shall never be required to hold the shotgun in the firing position.~~

SECTION 7: Walk ups = will not be used in this category. to simulate jump shooting may be used in this event. The dog shall be brought = to an area designated as the point of origin at heel. It is the handler' s opt= ion to utilize a leash, line or slip lead around the dog's neck. Section 2 shal= l be in effect. The judges may signal for the bird while the handler and dog are walking.

CH= APTER IV: FIELD TEST REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE HUNTER CATEGORY

NOTE: The passages enclosed in parenth= eses are additional guidelines for judges.

SECTION 1: The Hunter Level Field Test will consist of three (3) tests, which w= ill ~~consist of~~ include the following: a double marked land retrieve; a dou= ble marked water retrieve; and a trailing test.

(The purpose of the Hunter Field Test is to bridge the gap between the Started and Working Retriever levels. This is the level of performance where teamwork becomes an increasin= gly important quality in the handler and their dog. At a level just below Intermediate= , the expectation of this level is a retriever that can meet many of the basic ne= eds of the hunter as well as stay within the NAHRA concept of a conservation to= ol.)

SECTION 2: A dog will be steady at the point of origin (see subparagraph c of this Section. For marks, the point of origin is the point at which the dog is located at the time the first bird becomes visible.)

a.      = A = dog may be brought to the point of origin on lead but must be off lead before signaling ready. (How the dog is brought to the line is at the discretion of the handler. Judges may not r= equire otherwise.)

b.      = Mo= derate commands will be allowed to steady a dog at the point of origin.=

c.       = A = dog will not be touched or patted at the point of origin.

d.      = A controlled break will not fail a dog, but it must be considered a fault. (As soon as the dog leaves the point of origin and manifests the intent to make= the retrieve without being so ordered, it must be stopped. If a dog is immediat= ely brought under control, it will be considered a minor infraction. Repeated evidence of this fault may be considered serious and, in the opinion of the judges, an eliminating factor.)

SECTION 3: A dog will deliver all bird= s to hand. (The dog will return to the handler without delay.)=

SE= CTION 4: A dog may be handled on marked retrieves with voice/whistle/hand signals, if, in the opinion of the handler, the dog cannot find or has missed the ma= rk. (The dog is being tested for its marking ability and memory, not handling; however, a crisp cast is preferable to a long hunt. Repeated evidence of la= ck of memory, marking ability or lack of control may be grounds for eliminatio= n.)

SECTION 5: A dog may be cast from the point of origin only once. (If the attempt is unsuccessful, the judges will= step in and direct the handler to pick up his/her dog. However, if in the judge's opinion, the dog= exhibits confusion at the point of origin, the judges may allow a recast. After a se= cond unsuccessful attempt, the judges will step in and direct the handler to pic= k up his/her dog. See Chapter II, Section 17 for "no-goes.")

SECTION 6: The handler may be required= to handle (but not carry) an= empty shotgun with both hands on the firearm and in the firing position. Handlers may not be required to fi= re a gun at any time. <= /span>

SECTION 7: Tests for this event will be held in appropriate cover on land and water.

a.      = Ma= ximum test distance on land for double marked retrieves will not exceed 75 yards. =

b.      = Ma= ximum test distance on water double marked retrieves will not exceed 50 yards.

c.   Minimum degree of separation= for double marks will[RH3]   be no less than 45 degrees.

(At = this level, it is our intent to test the dog’s ability to perform introduc= tory multiple marks. Concepts that require a higher level of training such as “in line” or “= wipe out” birds are prohibited. The intent of subparagraph c is to keep the presentation of marks at the introductory level and prevent the use of comp= lex concepts reducing the number of skill concepts required to meet the standar= d.)

SECTION 8: Tests for this event will c= onsist of double marked retrieves on both land and water.

a. Both birds must be down before the = dog is released to retrieve.

b. Triple marks will not be used.

c. Dogs will not be required to honor another dog.

d. Simultaneous falls of birds will no= t be used.

e. Judges cannot determine the order a= nd sequence ("selection") of the retrieves.

f. Dogs will not be placed at a point of origin at a distance from = the handler.

g. The trailing test will not be used = off of marks.

SE= CTION 9: No diversions of any kind will be utilized. (Again, it is the intent of this l= evel to test the introductory multiple marking skills of retrievers. More diverse hunting situations wi= ll be added at the higher levels of testing.&nbs= p; The amount of control that a handler possesses at this level is a st= ep below the Intermediate.)

SECTION 10: Walkups to simulate jump shooting will not be used at this level. (Because the dogs may be brought to line on lead, this test is not appropriate.)

SE= CTION 11: Blind retrieves will not be used in this event. (This is the largest difference be= tween the Hunter and the Intermediate levels.&nb= sp; The standard at the Hunter Level is by design lower than the expecta= tion of the Intermediate dog. The = intent is to reduce the total number of skills a dog must master before reaching t= he Intermediate Level.)

SECTION 12: No upland hunting test wil= l be used at this level.

SECTION 13: A trailing test will be used.

a. The dog will be required to trail, locate a bird= and deliver it to hand.

b. The dog will be scored on its natur= al ability and the use of its nose to locate and follow the trail.<= /span>

c. It does not matter in what manner t= he dog follows the trail, e.g. The dog may stay precisely on the trail with no= se down, or close quarter back and forth across the trail with head up, or run= a few yards downwind of the trail with his head held high. It is the intent of this test to have a dog indicate scent,follow the trail and locate the bird= in a natural hunting manner.

d. A dog may be urged to hunt by moder= ate voice or whistle commands.

e. Judges may restrict entry of the handlers into the area of the trail.

f.= Hand signals are inappropriate and may not be used other than to put the dog onto the beginning of the trail.

g. Dogs must be required to trail a minimum distance of 30 yards and will not exceed 50 yards. (Judges are urge= d to create a trail that simulates a realistic scenario and not to simply go thr= ough the motions with a straight-line drag.)

CHAPTER IV: = REGULATIONS AND FIELD PROCEDURESFIELD TEST REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR THE INTERMEDIATE CATEGORY ~~HUNTING RETRIEVER FIELD TESTS~~

NOTE: The passages enclo= sed in parentheses are additional guidelines for judges.

SECTION 1: An Intermedia= te Field Test ~~shall~~ will consist of ~~five (5)~~ six (6) tests which shall will = include the following: An upland hunting test; a blind retrieve on land, a blind retrieve on water; a double marked land retrieve; a doubled marked wa= ter retrieve; and a trailing test. (The purpose of the Intermediate Hunting Retriever Test is to bring working dogs to a higher standard of performance. Desire and teamwork with the handler are important factors. They shall cons= ist of tests that enable the judges to evaluate natural ability and handler control.)

SECTION 2: A dog ~~shal= l~~ will be steady at the point of origin (see subparagraph c of this Section. For marks, the point of origin is the point= at which the dog is located at the time the first bird becomes visible.)

a. Moderate commands ~~= shall~~ may be allowed to steady a dog at the p= oint of origin.

b. A dog ~~shall~~ will = not be touched or patted at the poi= nt of origin.

~~c. A controlled break shall~~ will not fail a dog, but it ~~shall~~ must be considered a fault. (As soon as the dog leaves the point of origin and manifests an intent to make the retrieve without being so ordere= d, it must be stopped. If a dog is immediately brought under control, it ~~sh= all~~ will be considered a minor infraction. Repeated evidence of this fault may be considered serious and, in the opinion of the judges, an eliminating factor= .)

SECTION 3: A dog ~~shal= l~~ must deliver all birds to ha= nd. (The dog ~~shall~~ will return to the handler without delay.) <= /p>
SECTION 4: A dog may be = handled on marked retrieves with voice/whistle/hand signals, if, in the opinion of = the handler, the dog cannot find or has missed the mark. (The dog is being test= ed for its marking ability and memory, not handling; however, a crisp cast is preferable to a long hunt. Repeated evidence of lack of memory, marking abi= lity or lack of control may be grounds for elimination.)

SECTION 5: A dog may be = cast from the point of origin only once. (If the attempt is unsuccessful, the ju= dges ~~shall~~ will<= /i> step in and direct the handler to pick up his/her dog. However, if in the judge's opinion, the dog exhibits confusion at the point of origin, the judges may allow a recast. After two unsuccessful attempts the judges ~~shall~~<= span style=3D'color:red'> will step in and direct the handler to pick up his/her dog. See Chapter II, Section 17 for "no-goes.")

SECTION 6: The handler m= ay be required to handle an empty shotgun with both hands on the firearm and in t= he firing position.

SECTION 7: Tests for thi= s event shall be held in appropriate cover on land and water.

a. Maximum test distance= on land marks will not exceed 100 yards.

b. Maximum distance for the land blind will not exceed 75 yards.

c. Maximum test distance on water marks will not exceed 75 yards.

d. Maximum test distance for the water blind will not exceed 50 yards.

SECTION 8: Tests for thi= s event ~~shall~~ will consist of double marked retrieves on both land and water.

a. Both birds must be do= wn before the dog is released to retrieve.

b. Triple marks ~~shall=~~ will not be used.

c. Dogs are not required to honor anot= her dog.

d. Simultaneous falls of= birds will not be used.

e. The order and sequence ("selection") of the retrieves will<= /span> not be determined by the judges. =

f. Dogs may be required = to be placed at a point of origin at a distance from the handler.

g. The trailing test wil= l not be used off of marks.

SECTION 9: Dry shots, ga= me calls or additional bird(s), used as diversions, will not be utilized between the first and second retrieve of the double or as t= he dog is on its way out for any retrieve. (A dry shot is defined as a shot for which no bird is thrown or appears.) A dog will be eliminated if a diversion bird is thrown as the dog returns with its second bird and the dog drops its bird and retrieves the diversion ("switches birds"). (Extreme diversion birds, such as a bird thrown in the dog's face, are not appropria= te in Intermediate.)

SECTION 10: Walk ups to = simulate jump shooting may be used in this event. The dog shall be brought to an area designated as the point of origin at heel or under control within ten (10) = feet of its handler. Section 2 shall be in effect. The judges may signal for the bird while the handler and dog are walking.

SECTION 11: Blind retrie= ves on land = and water will= be used in this event,= but ~~shall~~ will not exceed fifty (50) yards in length for water and 75 yards for land through appropriate cover. Dogs may be cast from the point of origin only once (see Section 5 above regarding confusion and Chap= ter n, Section 17 for "no-goes.")

a. The water blind ~~sh= all~~ will not= not be included with the water marking test.

b. The land blind ~~shall~~ will not not be includ= ed with the land-marking test.

c. The general area of the point of origin for the water marking and land marking test will not be used for the point of origin for the water and land blinds. (Judges should set up land and water blinds to insure t= he dog is not influenced by the marks it has previously picked up or will pick up. Under no circumstances will the land or water blind be placed inside the ma= rks. The point of origin selected for the marks and blinds should be sufficiently different to provide the dog a different “picture” of the test.= )

d. The trailing test will not be used at the end of the land or wat= er blind retrieve. (Handling in this test must be done with precision. The dog must = stop on whistle and take a cast. Failing to stop on whistle or to take a cast is= a serious infraction. The judges must decide on the seriousness of the refusa= l by taking into account the conditions at hand.)

SECTION 12: An upland hu= nting test will be conducted with no flush.

a. The dog shall be requ= ired to seek birds as in upland hunting within gun range of its handler.

b. A dog may be urged to= hunt with moderate hands voice or whistle commands.

c. At the discretion of = the judges, the dog may or may not be required to locate dead birds.

d. If the dog locates a = bird it must be retrieved and delivered pick it to hand.

e. The retrieve will not= be scored but must be delivered to hand.~~it must be completed. Delivery to hand is required.~~

f. Two dogs may be requi= red to hunt together providing there is adequate room for both dogs to work without interfering with each other.

g. If two dogs are being= worked together during the upland test, scented areas will be allowed but planted (dead) birds will not be utilized. =

h. Fly-aways will not be used in the Intermediate upland test.

SECTION 13: A trailing t= est ~~shall~~ will be used.

a. The dog will be required to trail, locate a bi= rd and deliver it to hand.

b. The dog will be scored on its natural ability and the use of its nose to locate and foll= ow the trail.

c. It ~~shall~~ does = not matter in what manner the dog follows the trail, e.g. The dog may stay precisely on the trail with nose down, or close quarter back and forth acro= ss the trail with head up, or run a few yards downwind of the trail with his h= ead held high. It is the intent of this test to have a dog indicate scent, foll= ow the trail and locate the bird in a natural hunting manner.

d. A dog may be urged to= hunt by moderate voice or whistle commands.

e. Judges may restrict e= ntry of the handlers into the area of the trail.

f. Hand signals or any other= effort to cast the dog in a specific direction are inappropriate and will not be used other than to put the dog onto the beginning of the trail.

CHAPTER VI: FIELD TEST REGULATIONS AND ~~FIE= LD~~ PROCEDURES FOR THE ~~THE~~ SENIOR CAT= EGORY~~HUN= TING RETRIEVER FIELD TESTS~~

NOTE: The passages enclo= sed in parentheses are additional guidelines for judges.

SECTION 1: A Senior Fiel= d Test consists of six (6) tests whi= ch will include the follow= ing- a triple marked water retrieve; a triple marked land retrieve; an upland hunting test (which ~~shall~~ will not be considered a marked retrieve); trailing; a water blind retrieve and a la= nd blind retrieve, at least one of which ~~shall~~ will be incorporated within one of the required multiple marked retrieves. (The Senior Hunting Retriever Field Tes= t is for the finished dog. The Senior Field Test must consist of serious tests worthy of the hunter's retriever. The making of a Master Hunting Retriever (MHR) is a serious responsibility. Dogs should be tested on their natural ability and training accomplishments. A Senior dog should be under control = at all times.)

SECTION 2: A dog must be steady at the point of origin = (see subparagraph c of this Section). (For marks, the point of origin is the poi= nt at which the dog is located at the time the first bird becomes visible.)
a. Moderate commands ~~= shall be~~ are allowed to steady a dog at the point of origin.

b. A dog ~~shall~~ will<= /i> not be touched or patted at the point of origin.

c. A controlled break in= the marking test ~~shall~~ will not fail a dog, but it shall be conside= red a serious fault. (As soon as the dog leaves the point of origin and manifests= an intent to make the retrieve without being so ordered, it must be stopped. S= ee Section 12.h below for controlled breaks in upland hunting.)

SECTION 3: A dog ~~shal= l~~ must = deliver all birds to hand. (The dog shall return to the handler without delay.)

SECTION 4: A dog may be = handled on marked retrieves with voice/whistle/hand signals, if, in the opinion of = the handler, the dog can't find or has missed the mark. (The dog is being tested for its marking ability and memory, not handling; however, a crisp cast is preferable to a long hunt. Repeated evidence of lack of memory, marking abi= lity or lack of control may be grounds for elimination.)

SECTION 5: A dog ~~shal= l~~ may be cast from the point of origin, by its handler, only once. (See Chapter II, Section 17 for "no-goes.") <= /p>
SECTION 6: The handler m= ay be required to handle an empty shotgun with both hands on the firearm and in t= he firing position.

SECTION 7: Maximum test = distance for land or water marks shall not exceed one hundred (100) yards.

SECTION 8: Marking tests= for this event will consist of triple marks on both land and water.

a. Quadruple marks will<= /i> not be used.

b. The order and sequence ("selection") of marked retrieves ~~shall~~ will not not be determined by = the judges.

c. Dogs may be required = to be placed at a point of origin at a distance from the handler.

d. Simultaneous falls of= birds will not be used.

e. Delayed marks or fall= s may be used.

f. Dogs may be required = to honor another dog.

g. Each mark is to have a separate and clearly defined area. (General Procedures, Chapter II, Section= 26 shall be in effect.)

h. Trails off marked ret= rieves will not be used.

SECTION 9: Dry shots may= be fired. (A dry shot is defined as a shot for which no bird is thrown or appe= ars.) Game calls and additional birds with or without shots may also be used as diversions as a dog returns from a retrieve. (A dog that drops and leaves i= ts bird ("switches birds") and retrieves the diversion bird shall be failed.)

SECTION 10: Walk ups to = simulate jump shooting may be used in this event. The dog shall be brought to an area designated as the point of origin at heel or under control within ten (10) = feet of its handler. Section 2c shall be in effect. The judges may signal for the bird while the handler and dog are walking.

SECTION 11: Blind retrie= ves on water and land will be used. Maximum test distances will not exceed one hundred (100) yards. (Handling in these tests must be done with precision. The dog must stop on whistle and take a cast. Failing to stop on whistle or to take a cast is a serious infraction. The judges must decide on the seriousness of the refusa= l by taking into account the conditions and situation at hand.)

a. At least one of the b= linds = ;must be incorporated within one of the required triple marked retrieves.

b. Both blind retrieves = may be incorporated with the required triple marked retrieves.

c. Trails off blind retr= ieves will   not be used.

SECTION 12: An upland hu= nting test, with flush,   must be used.

a. The dog shall be requ= ired to seek birds as in upland hunting within gun range of the handler.

b. A dog may be urged to= hunt or handled by moderate commands.

c. At least one bird mus= t be located and flushed. (Birds may be dizzied and placed in the field, released from a mechanical trap or hand thrown for the flush. Additional dead birds = or scent areas may also be used at the discretion of the judges. If located, t= he dog must pick up and deliver these additional birds to hand.)

d. The use of wing clips= , shackled or dead birds, for the flush, is not allowed.

e. Fly-aways may be used= for the flush. (A shot must still be fired, see the Judging Guidelines below.)

f. If a flushed bird is = downed within a reasonable retrieving distance, the dog should be required to loca= te it and deliver to hand. (The retrieve shall not be scored as a mark but must be delivered to hand[RH4] .)

g. A dog must be steady to shot and fall and will be disqualified if it is not. The h= andler has until the first shot is fired or, in the opinion of the judges, should = have been fired, to have the dog under control. The dog may be sitting or may be standing with limited movement. (A dog that is not under control at the tim= e of the shot shall be disqualified.)

h. If the dog is steady = to shot but then breaks at the fall and manifests an intent to retrieve without bei= ng so ordered, it must be stopped. If a dog is immediately brought under contr= ol, it shall be considered a controlled break and will be considered a minor fa= ult.

i. A rerun shall be gran= ted if, in the opinion of the judges, a poor flush or short fall has caused the dog= to be unfairly evaluated.

SECTION 13: A trailing t= est will = be used.

a. The dog ~~shall be is required to trail, locate a bird and deli= ver it to hand.~~

b. The dog shall be scor= ed on its natural ability and the use of its nose to locate and follow the trail.=

c. It shall not matter i= n what manner the dog follows the trail, e.g., The dog may stay precisely on the t= rail with nose down, or close quarter back and forth across the trail with head = up, or run a few yards downwind of the trail with his head held high. It is the intent of this test to have a dog indicate scent, follow the trail and loca= te the bird in a natural hunting manner.

d. A dog may be urged to= hunt by moderate voice or whistle commands.

e. Judges may restrict e= ntry of the handlers into the area of the trail.

f. Hand signals or any other= effort to cast the dog in a specific direction are inappropriate and shall not be used other than to put the dog onto the begi= nning of the trail.

g. Trails off of marks o= r blinds shall not be used.

CHAPTER VI: = JUDGING GUIDELINES

The NAHRA concept is bas= ed solely on simulating real hunting situations, both upland hunting and waterfowling. Tests are designed to simulate a day's hunting afield. Each t= est must be carefully thought out with a specific goal in mind, based upon a hunting scenario. It must be realized that some participants may not be experienced hunters; consequently, the judge shall explain in detail the hunting scenario, the object of each test and the expected performance of t= he dogs. NAHRA's purpose in establishing this concept is to discover and reward dogs that can fulfill the hunter's needs in the field by performing in a ma= nner consistent with the demands of actual hunting conditions. The purpose is no= t to confront the dog with trick problems, but rather to test the dog's natural ability and acquired training. Under the NAHRA concept, the objective is to recover the bird as quickly and efficiently as possible, to create the least amount of disturbance in the marsh and upland and to give the hunter the maximum amount of time to actually take game.

Dogs are placed in ~~fo= ur~~ five<= /i> categories based on ability not age: Beginner, Started, Hunter, Intermediate and Senio= r. Dogs do not compete against one another for placements, but rather their performances are judged individually against a "standard." Thus, = the dog should be scored on its hunting Performance as stated for each category= .

<= /o:p>

BEGINNER

The Beginner category is= for inexperienced dogs and/or inexperienced handlers. Tests should consist of straight forward, short single retrieves. Each club shall establish its own rules by which dogs shall be judged in this informal event. However, under = no circumstances shall the rules be as restrictive as the requirements of the regulations governing the Started Hunting Retrievers, nor shall they exceed those requirements. Judges should be helpful, courteous and respectful of inexperienced handlers and dogs.

STARTED
The purpose of the Start= ed Hunting Retriever Field Test is to bring started dogs along as hunters. Des= ire and cooperation with the handler are important factors.

In the Started category, instinct is more in evidence than obedience. This is a chance for a dog to = be evaluated without the high expectations of a finished retriever and it shou= ld be given a little leeway in obedience. By the same token, he should show si= gns of trying to behave, understanding basic commands, as well as the ability to perform basic marked retrieves.

There are many things to= see in a single retrieve. "DOES HE WANT TO DO IT?" is one of the most important questions at this stage. Is he a "High Flying Go Getter"= ; or does he mope around sniffing, urinating and eating the grass? Does he snatc= h up the bird, or does he nose it, mouth it, drop it and urinate on the next tre= e?

How is he marking? There= are different meanings in missing a mark. If a dog hunts short of a fall it probably indicates lack of training as much as poor marking. Chances are, h= e is hunting where he thought he saw it fall, without knowledge of high cover or practice at depth perception. If a dog blows right through a mark and hunts high and wide leagues beyond the fall, his marking could be suspect. Or may= be he just did not see it. How is the line of sight at the dog's level? A judge who is setting up a marking test must make sure the dog viewing the scene c= an see the fall, and this includes working out problems with the background and the sun. A Started dog should hunt the area of the fall until he finds the bird. The area of the fall expands with the difficulty of the mark.

In evaluating Started do= gs, a judge should start with a relatively simple mark and work towards increasing the difficulty with each series of tests. This is not to say the first test should be less than "the standard" or the last test harder than "the standard," but a dog and his handler should be given a chanc= e to work into the academic situation of a Field Test. Even a good dog, cold out= of a crate, will not perform up to his capabilities. Give him a chance to wake= up and show his stuff.

In the Started event, lo= ok primarily for instinct, and enough obedience to get by in a hunting situati= on. Also look for courage but do not confuse desire or lack of training with la= ck of courage. If a dog runs around the edge of a cold water pond, he may be trying to get to the fall faster rather than avoiding the water.

Started dogs should be introduced to guns, boats, decoys and any equipment or situations they might encounter during a day afield.

The Started event ribbon (passing the standard) proves basic desire, tractability, instinct, control= and marking ability in a hunting situation.

HUNTER

<= /o:p>

This level of testing was developed to bridge the gap between the Started and Intermediate categories. Because it is lik= ely that this dog will soon accompany his owner on the hunt, it is also intende= d to produce a dog that can fulfill some of the basic needs of the hunter. =

<= /o:p>

In many hunt= ing situations, a dog that can remain quiet and steady, complete a basic double retrieve and trail and recover a crippled bird is a valuable conservation t= ool. Therefore, judges should focus their evaluation on this dog’s ability= to remain steady and under control sufficient to mark and complete an introduc= tory doub= les[RH5] and not int= erfere with the hunt. The dog should= show focus and memory sufficient to complete the retrieves in an efficient manner and deliver all birds to hand without delay.

<= /o:p>

It is the in= tent of the Hunter category to produce dogs with a strong obedience foundation in simulated hunting conditions and provide sound marking abilities in varying conditions. Judges should use varying cover types and terrain in constructing marks, not the complex conc= epts expected in Intermediate and Senior. These dogs will likely be tested for the first time without restrain= t so the obedience training they receive will play heavily into their ability to= and[RH6] focus and c= omplete the retrieves.

This dog should enter and work any = cover or obstacle presented. This d= og should display a good nose in locating and recovering crippled game. They should perform all tasks with intent and purpose and show strong desire in doing it. These dogs, as determined by the j= udges, will be those that show great potential to move up in the program.

INTERMED= IATE

Intermediate dogs that p= ass the standard should be hunting dogs. They should be obedient and have a good knowledge of hunting situations. A good Intermediate dog will most likely h= ave two or three seasons of hunting behind him and some good training on marks, doubles and basic retrieving problems. It is the Intermediate test that pro= ves the dog has what it takes to become a proficient hunting dog, and from here= it is up to the trainer. That is one reason why this is perhaps the most diffi= cult test to judge. It is this test in which a judge decides whether or not this particular dog should be included in breeding programs by awarding it a Qualifying score.

A person judging any tes= t, but most particularly Intermediate, is in a position to make serious mistakes. = He can set up a test that is too hard for a good dog or a good dog that has not been trained well enough, or a test that is so simple that a completion, no matter how perfect, should not qualify a dog as a good hunting dog.

Intermediate dogs must h= ave perseverance, ability, desire and a higher level of training. They should be steady and not be out of control. They should heel, sit, stay, come, mark a= nd run basic water blind retrieves. They should go through cover and hazards a= nd also display a good nose. They must show concentration and desire to locate= and follow the trail of a crippled bird or hunt for upland game.

Judging here becomes an = art. In the Intermediate test, the judge has to decide from his tests if the dog has the ability to become great or is mediocre.

Is the dog intense at th= is job or lethargic or careless? Is he full of retrieving desire or is he crazy? T= hese are questions that must be answered.

At this point, he must d= eliver to hand. The marked retrieves should be done with precision. If the dog does miss a mark, he should hunt with confidence and perseverance or be handled crisply and cleanly to the bird.

The dog should not hunt = the whole field on each bird. Look for memory and intelligence. The dog should prove its nose without a doubt and also its eyes. He should run his blinds extremely well displaying style and control.

SENIOR

The Senior test takes an Intermediate dog and adds a lot of training and experience. A Senior Dog by definition is a finished hunting retriever.

Senior dogs should be un= der complete control at all times and steady under all conditions. They should handle sharply and mark precisely. They should be able to ignore diversions while returning from marks and handle off "poison birds" on blind= s. They are the elite of all hunting dogs and should show it. They are the dogs that any of us would be proud to own and hunt with anywhere in the country.=

These dogs should be abl= e to work cover and water, run multiple marked retrieves and blind retrieves on water and land and be steady to shot and fall. All that you have read about= the Started and Intermediate dog is now carried on to the Senior dog. Here his = work must be carried out with precision and control. You are looking for a finis= hed dog. You must ask yourself while watching a Senior dog work, "Would I = like this dog in the blind or field with me? Would I want to hunt with it?"=

HUNTING= SKILLS

The General Procedures, Regulations and Field Procedures for NAHRA Field Tests have been formulated= in such a manner that the Officials of a Field Test giving club and the judges have considerable latitude in the conduct of the Field Test. This is desira= ble, allowing for variations in conditions that are peculiar to various parts of= the country, and to also grant judges unlimited opportunities for ingenuity in planning tests.

It is the purpose of this chapter to present guidance to judges in grading the hunting performance of= the dogs so that there will be greater uniformity in the penalties assessed for various infractions. While "natural hunting conditions" are subje= ct to great variations in different parts of North America, the work expected should not be subject to similar wide variations.

Judging can never be pre= cise; it is not an exact science, merely an art, because there are so many shades of gray between black and white. At the risk of over-simplification, the prima= ry purpose of a hunting retriever is to get birds to hand as quickly as possib= le in a pleasing, obedient manner and all faults or infractions are a result of deviation from this.

In most instances, there= should be little doubt in anyone's mind as to the type of work which constitutes a perfect performance in a given test. However, there is unlimited opportunity for an honest difference of opinion on the severity of the penalty to assess for any given infraction or deviation from perfect work. The human element cannot be eliminated completely since each judge must determine the relative seriousness of individual infractions, repetition of infractions, or combinations of infractions which occur during the testing.

To reduce the possibilit= y of owners and handlers being confused and dismayed because their dog is dropped from further testing or not included with the Qualifiers at the completion = of the judging, we will discuss the abilities that are being judged at a Field Test. It is recommended that a judge should have clearly in mind, and for e= ach test, precisely what type of performance he/she expects, since such work wi= ll merit high rating in his records. Then he/she should observe and record in what respects and to what degree the performance of each dog has either exceeded= or fallen short of that previously established performance in each test. Hence, when the testing of a category is completed, the judges will arrive at their final decision of qualifying or not qualifying a dog.

Therefore, much of a jud= ge's responsibility is to determine how much weight he/she shall give to certain types of exceptional performance and how much penalty to assess because of various infractions, or repetitions of the same infraction or combinations = of various infractions. Some infractions in and of themselves are sufficiently serious to justify elimination from further testing. (e.g., failure to find the bird, breaking, failure to deliver the bird, etc.).<= /ins> Other infractions may justify a moderate penalty, e.g., failing to accurate= ly mark, lack of desire or interest, lack of obedience, etc. Minor infractions, some of which are so minor that, on occasion, they are relatively so unimportant that, for practical purposes, they can be ignored. On the other hand, minor infractions can escalate into moderate or even serious infracti= ons, and moderate into serious, through repetition or through combinations of several types of infractions; such multiplicity of various infractions frequently indicates a failing or habitual tendency and results in a performance that is neither pleasing to the eye nor "passing." The NAHRA concept evaluates dogs on their ability to perform four hunting skill= s; the marked retrieve, blind retrieve, upland hunting and trailing.

Marked Retrieve:

"Marking" or m= emory of fallen birds is of paramount importance. However, this does not imply that = dogs which excel in marking shall not be severely penalized or even eliminated f= or deficiencies in, or lack of the other required hunting "abilities.&quo= t; All tests are scored on a 0-10 point basis.

The ability to "mar= k" does not necessarily imply "pin-pointing the fall." A dog that do= es not pin-point the "fall" but recognizes the depth of the "ar= ea of the fall," hunts tight, then quickly and systematically locates the bird, has done both a credible and an intelligent job of marking. Such work should not be appreciably out-scored by the dog that "pin-points"= the marked bird.

Often a dog gives defini= te indication of "memory," and of his marking ability, at or after delivery of a bird, by aligning himself toward, or by looking eagerly in the exact direction of an unretrieved "fall." That is not to imply th= at a handler shouldn't give his dog a line to the fall (help his dog by indicati= ng the direction the fall), however, excessive "lining" by the handl= er may be a sign that the dog does not remember where the bird has fallen.

What precisely constitut= es the "area of the fall" defies uniformity of definition from test to t= est, yet, at the outset of each test, each judge must arbitrarily define its hypothetical boundaries for himself, and for each bird in that test, so tha= t he can judge whether dogs have remained within his own concept of the "ar= ea of the fall," as well as how far the dog has wandered away from "= the area" and how much cover has been disturbed unnecessarily. In determin= ing these arbitrary and hypothetical boundaries of the "area of the fall,&= quot; due consideration must be given to various factors: (1) the type, height and uniformity of the cover, (2) lighting conditions, (3) direction of the prevailing wind and its intensity, (4) distance to the "mark," (S) the speed of the individual dogs, (6) whether there is a change of cover (as from stubble to plowed ground, or to ripe alfalfa, or to machine picked cor= n, etc.) or whether the "fall" is beyond a hedge, across a road, or = over a ditch, etc., and, finally, and the most important, (7) whether one is establishing the "area of the fall" for a single retrieve, or for= the first bird a dog goes for, in multiple marks or for the second or third bird since each of these should differ from the others. In general, the "ar= ea of the fall" for a first retrieve in a "double" should be smaller than for the second bird, and both of these should be larger in a "triple," and larger still for the third bird in it. Also, "= the area" for short retrieves should certainly be smaller than for longer retrieves. Since there are many conditions and variables to be taken into consideration, it is obvious that each judge, and for every test, must atte= mpt to define for himself a hypothetical "area of the fall" for each bird, and then judge the dogs accordingly. However, the penalties inflicted should vary in their severity, depending on the distance which individual d= ogs wander out of the area, the frequency of such wanderings, the number of bir= ds mismarked in a given test, and by the amount of cover disturbed in these meanderings.

Dogs which disturb cover unnecessarily, clearly well out of the "area of the fall," either= by not going directly to that area, or by leaving it, even though they eventua= lly find the bird without being handled, should be penalized more severely than= those dogs that are handled quickly and obediently to the "fall." Howev= er, once a handler attempts to handle on a marked retrieve, the dog must respon= d by stopping and casting with precision and accuracy.

Upland Hunting:

Hunting and locating bir= ds for the gun requires a dog that will search a field aggressively, leaving little unsearched and all the while staying within gun range. A dog should neither= run out of gun range nor hunt underfoot of his handler. To be effective in putt= ing birds up for the gun, a dog must stay under control and cover a lot of grou= nd. (Things to ask yourself in determining ground race are: Is the dog actively trying to find game, out for a run or wandering about without any real inte= nt or purpose?)

The dog should naturally= put the wind to his advantage by "quartering" into it primarily and to his handler secondarily, unless it is a bird driving scenario. (The most effect= ive way to drive birds is with the windshield wiper pattern through the field.)= He should demonstrate his "bird sense" by approaching most of the bi= rdy objectives (clumps of cover and brush thickets) from the downwind side, put= ting the wind to his advantage.

Does the dog know what i= t's supposed to be doing or does it have to be constantly moved throughout the field with whistle, hand and voice signals?

In setting up the upland= hunting tests in the Intermediate and Senior events, a small to medium sized bird f= ield with knee-high cover with intermittent bushes or swales approximately 60 ya= rds by 100 yards in size works well but the field and cover should fit the game= to be hunted and the judges' scenario. Scent stations (wiping the ground with = dead birds) or planted dead birds may be located at several points to demonstrat= e a dog's nose and its ability to hunt.

An electronic trap or tr= aps can be used and should be located near the end of the bird field. It should be screened from the dog's view by low bushes or other cover and should be well scented. Ideally, a dog should find and flush its own game.

When the dog makes game = and begins to rush the bird, the judges should release the trap as the dog approaches. (Be very careful not to release a bird in a dog's face and to b= e as uniform as possible with all dogs.) If a dog is out of control and approach= es the trap out of range of the gunners and handler, the trap should still be released. At times a dog may approach the trap from the upwind side; to avo= id accidents, even though it may not have scented the bird, the trap should be released as the dog approaches. The use of bird boys or hand thrown birds in upland hunting is acceptable but it should be treated in as natural a manne= r as possible to simulate a natural hunting situation.

Gunners should be very experienced shots who are dog-wise. Some dogs are very aggressive (as well = they should be) and the gunners should beware of a low flying bird or leaping do= gs. It is better to have a fly-away than an accident. If a fly-away occurs at t= he flush in a licensed Field Test, the gunners should be instructed to fire a shot, in a safe direction, at the time the first shot should have or would = have been fired under normal circumstances. If the safety shot is fired, a rerun should not be necessary.

If the birds used are po= or flyers, the trap may be elevated a few feet for optimum results or the use = of a hand thrown bird may by utilized. However, bird boys acting as throwers sho= uld be properly instructed to simulate a true upland flush.

It is natural for a dog = to want to grab at the bird when flushed. Proper consideration must be given to the= dog in the event of a poor flush, low flyer or short fall. A dog should be given another opportunity to flush a bird in a different location if, in the opin= ion of the judges, the dog has been caused to be unfairly evaluated.

A proper upland hunting = test does take time. Be certain to allow enough time to adequately test all dogs= . To help alleviate the time factor, two dogs may be run in a brace in either the Senior or the Intermediate tests (scented areas only, no birds for Intermed= iate braces).

Trailing:

"Trailing" is = perhaps the most independent function of the hunting retriever. Trailing is an area= of hunting that cannot be accomplished without the use of a well trained dog. Locating cripples or providing game for the gun requires a dog that not only has a good nose but knows how to use it to follow scent and find game. A go= od hunting retriever is a valuable game conservation tool and should bring to = the bag all downed birds. Human beings simply do not have the sensory ability to evaluate scent trails on the level of a good dog; this makes trained dogs especially valuable and presents challenges to human judges.

Dogs will usually follow= a scent trail in three different manners: I) Nose down on the trail and methodically following it to the bird. 2) Head up using a short quartering pattern across the trail until the bird is found or 3) Head high following the scent on the downwind side of the trail. (A dog can do this at quite a distance from the trail if the wind is right.) Any of the three or a combination of these met= hods are correct when a dog is following a scent trail and, if done with accurac= y, he deserves the highest possible score.

It is important to not o= ver scent the trail. If the trail is too heavily scented, it can confuse the do= g. If the same trail is to be used for a number of dogs, it should be dragged aga= in, but usually not more than once for every three or four dogs. Even such trai= ls may "wear out" from over-scenting after a number of uses. (Inexperienced judges may feel that dragging a trail for every dog helps the dogs, but experience shows that this practice eliminates excellent trailing dogs in unpredictable ways.)

It is best to use a live= bird or a bird killed at the beginning of the trail and then dragged off. (A dead d= uck can be left at the end of the drag. If conditions are dry, wet the duck before = you drag it. Cold dead birds or a number of dead birds tied together are not recommended for the drag as they do not provide the best scent.)

Fresh ground should be u= tilized, when possible, to achieve optimum results and give dogs a fair opportunity. Every dog could thus receive its own fresh trail. However, this method requ= ires a large amount of land with similar cover in order to set trails in non-overlapping areas. A compromise that still avoids over scented trails i= s to carefully mark several non-overlapping trails. First drag one trail and run three dogs. Next drag the second trail and run three more dogs. Continue wi= th new trails until you run out of space and then return and re-drag the first trail for three more dogs and continue to the second, etc. The additional t= ime between uses helps to prevent over scenting the trails.

The "drag" sho= uld be set up so that the dog does not accidentally locate the bird while just run= ning about and not actually following the trail. The initial direction of the dr= ag should have a long leg with the wind so that the dog cannot possibly "wind" the bird prior to reaching the end of the trail. (About 30= to 50 yards for the initial leg in "typical" conditions. It is often easier to evaluate a long trail than a short one. A dog actually working air scent off a short initial cross wind leg may wind the bird before you deter= mine whether or not it is really trailing, so don't start with a cross wind leg.) After the initial down wind leg, there should be at least one cross wind le= g.

Have the dragger exit aw= ay from the trail. Drag the duck in your footsteps to avoid laying two trails, a bi= rd trail and a foot trail.

Released live bird trail= s with ducks and pheasants can work well, but only if the birds are good runners a= nd you have the ample amount of ground needed to release new birds in fresh ar= eas.

The trailing test is bes= t run when there is moisture. (Early morning or late afternoon is the best time. Slough areas or damp grass provide the best locations. ~~Shaded woods often work= s~~Sha= ded woods often work well.) Keep in mind the conditions at hand when evaluating each dog.

A trail should only be d= ragged in one direction, NOT OUT AND BACK! ! (One of the things a dog calculates, = when on a trail, is the direction of the hottest scent. That is the dog's most accurate means of determining which way the bird went!!) Turns should be put into the drag trail to see how the dog will recover and follow the scent. (= Don't expect a dog to make the precise turns in the trail that were put into the drag. It will take a dog some time to realize that it has lost the trail and correct itself back into the location of the scent.)

Remember, in all of our = tests, marking, blinds, upland hunting or trailing, we are evaluating recovery of a dog and how it gets out of trouble rather than if he fell prey to it. Give a dog the opportunity to display his overall ability as a conservation tool. =

The only time it is appr= opriate to use hand signals is to place the dog on the beginning of the trail, if t= he dog has worked its way out of the area. (Usually, the judge will instruct t= he handler to put the dog back on the beginning of the trail.)

Blind Retrieve:

When performing a blind = retrieve a dog should take the original cast given to him by his handler and continu= e on it until he either makes the find or is stopped by the handler and given a = new directional cast when commanded. The dog should then continue in this new direction until he finds the bird or is given further directions, etc. We a= re looking for cooperation with the handler, but not rigid straight lines; we = want a dog that is kept in a good general corridor and is making improved progre= ss toward the bird with each additional command.

When commanded, the dog = should stop promptly and look to the handler for direction.

"Handling" sho= uld be a demonstration of obedience and scored on the crispness of response. However, before inflicting a severe penalty for the dog's failure to respond precise= ly or crisply, due consideration must be given for the conditions at hand. Jud= ges should determine if the wind, the cover, or the distance seriously interfer= ed with the dog's ability to hear the handler. In general, the performance in = the test should be considered in its entirety: an occasional failure to stop or take or hold a direction may be considered a minor fault, if offset by seve= ral other good responses. A considerable penalty should be imposed for repeated, willful disobedience and less penalty when, after taking the proper directi= on, the dog does not continue as far as the handler desired. Stopping voluntari= ly, to look back for directions, in an isolated instance, is not a fault, but frequent repetition may convert into a serious penalty.

Honoring:<= /b>

SCORING
A judge should instincti= vely, through his experience with dogs, know what excellent dog work looks like. Recognizing excellent dog work is the easier part and should need no description here. It is the same with exceedingly poor work. It is the &quo= t;in between" work that requires a judge at all.

There are two levels of = scoring. First the dog is judged as to whether it passed or failed the particular judging area. (e.g., the Senior has six distinctly different judging areas; upland hunting, land marks, water marks, land blind, water blind and traili= ng; and each area shall receive a 0-10 score.) Just picking up all of the birds= is not enough to be considered passing. You must ask yourself, "Did the d= og perform the test well enough to be considered a quality hunting retriever?" If it is determined that the dog didn't, then it fails and= it cannot qualify. If the dog passes, it shall then be scored on a one to ten basis (1-10) for each hunting skill.

Sit back and watch - how= was the job? Was it good, very good, poor, fair or excellent? Try to think of it in terms of 1 through 10; i.e., failing 0, extremely poor 1-2, poor 34, fair 5= -6, good 7-8, very good 8-9, excellent 9-10. A dog that passes the standard for= any event should have averaged "very good." A dog needs a combined average of 80% or better to pass the NAHRA standard and achieve a qualifying score.

Started dogs are tested = on five single marks, each carrying a possible 10 points for a perfect job. 50 poin= ts would be a perfect score, 40 points would be 80% or be the minimum acceptab= le to qualify.

The Hunter category has a possible 30 poi= nts in its 3 testing areas. The maximum score would be 30 points and a minimum of = 24 points to qualify.

The Intermediate category ~~is similar to Started in that there are five<= /del>~~ has six separate testing areas. The maxim= um score would be 560 points and a minimum= of 408 points is required to qualify.

The Senior has six diffe= rent categories to be scored. A dog must be given a 1-10 score for each of the t= ests that it passes. If a dog has perfect work, he can earn 60 points. He must h= ave a minimum 80% average throughout the testing to qualify. If a dog can earn = 60 points in the Senior category, he must have at least 48 points to qualify (= It is often easier to count deductions than to add scores, so a Started ~~or Intermediate~~ dog could lose 10 points from a perfect 50, while= a Senior dog could lose 12 from a perfect 60.)

Each test in a NAHRA Fie= ld Test shall carry the same weight. A blind retrieve should be evaluated on a 0-10 basis as well as the marked retrieves, trailing and upland hunting. If a marking test consists of three birds, the overall performance shall be evaluated and scored on a 0-10 basis. (Some judges score each mark 1-10 and average, while others weight a more difficult mark more heavily. Either met= hod is acceptable and often results in similar overall scores because of the difficulty.) The trailing and upland hunting tests also must be evaluated o= n a 0-10 basis and not solely as pass/fail. (Steadiness to flush and shot in the Senior upland test is required, but is not a major portion of the numerical score for upland hunting.) It is extremely important that each judge give e= qual consideration to all areas of testing and allot equal time to the testing of each hunting ability.

Once a dog either fails = or can no longer numerically achieve a 80% or minimum qualifying score by further testing, the handler should be advised directly by the judge or through the marshal that the dog is no longer in contention. If the judge does not info= rm the handler and the dog is allowed to continue competing, the judge will ha= ve a difficult time explaining why the dog was not qualified. This is especially difficult if the dog has perfect work the remainder of the Field Test.

Draw your lines, make yo= ur notes and confer with your co-judge. Now you have an idea of the dog's performance and if you and your co-judge want to discuss it again later, you can refer = to your notes. This may happen more than you might like and usually results in= an average between the judges. Respect the other judge's views as he sees the = work but don't be afraid to express your views as well.

In the Intermediate and = Senior tests, try to let hunting dogs prove they are hunting dogs by how well they= do tests; try not to set up next to impossible tests just to see which one, tw= o or three dogs might do it. You can learn a lot about a dog in an average hunti= ng situation. However, a judge must score a dog on his performance in handling= the particular test. If, for instance, a trailing test is established and a dog fails to take the trail, but accidentally stumbles upon the bird, he has not completed the test.

Stay simple, average and straight forward in your tests; maintain true hunting situations and score = your dogs as you see them run. Let them show you how good they are, and "let the cream come to the top." Don't let distance be your yardstick; keep retrieves to normal hunting distances.

Judges may weigh certain portions of a test more than others (e.g., a short "dump" bird may not be weighed the same as a difficult mark and need not be accorded the sa= me number of points). Judges should agree on the number of points accorded each section or component of that test before each test is begun. In order for a= dog to acquire points toward the title Master Hunting Retriever (MHR) in any licensed event, it must have passed all tests and its average score at the completion of the Field Test must be 80% or higher. Judges should evaluate = dogs on nose, memory, intelligence, attention, courage, suitability as a hunting retriever, perseverance, style, accuracy and control during all available tests. Evaluating a dog's performance relative to the objectives of the test demands a judge with hunting experience and a thorough knowledge of the standards and procedures, as well as good dog sense.

We must always remember = that hunters go afield to hunt, and their dogs are valuable conservation tools, NAHRA's purpose is to educate these hunters and reward dogs that fulfill th= ese needs.

©~~1995~~2008, North American Hunting Retriever Associati= on, Richard A. Wolters Foundation all rights reserved.