UKC Pointing Dog Running Rule Changes Summary
Effective March 1, 2008 and listed as Official on the UKC website at www.ukcdogs.com

Item 1. It will no longer be an automatic fail for a Gundog Class dog to intentionally flush a bird during the one minute warm up period. Disregard that language in section VI (J) page 19 that previously prohibited the above.

Item 2. Clubs will have the option to award additional rankings or recognition to Open Class and Gun Dog Class participants which will not count as credit towards UKC Championship titles. The following text will be added to section VI (S)(A) page 24: “The winning dog and runner up (reserve) shall be placed accordingly, and the judges may also rank the next three (3) dogs which run in the barrage which shall receive the following designations: Pass with Honor 3^rd, Pass With Honor 4^th, and Pass With Honor, 5^th. Such rankings shall be announced at the field trial and reported in any publications but such rankings shall not result in any additional points earned towards titles.” Additionally, the following text will be added as subsection (C) to section VI (S) page 25: The HIGH NATURAL QUAILITIES ( HNQ ) award will only be given for an excellent run , completed in 15 minutes, with a point, but that also had a training fault, or did not find sufficient birds to be placed higher. The HNQ should not be considered a reward and is more a recognition of a good dog and encouragement to perfect the training of a dog that shows great natural instincts. The HNQ award is separate and distinct from a Pass or Pass With Honor, which awards both require that the minimum requirements of the stake be met. The HNQ award does not allow the dog any points within the trialing system. A dog which earns a placement, Pass with Honor, or Pass or TAN equivalency is not eligible for a HNQ.

Item 3. A dog may run solo and braces in the same field trial so long as both heats are run in the same Classification (Open Dog or Gun Dog). The following text will replace section V (L) page 15: Same Day Entry and Run Limitations. A dog may run only once in a given field trial heat, whether solo or braces. A dog may only be entered in the Open Dog or Gun Dog Classification, but not both, whether running solo, braces, or both in a field trial regardless of whether such field trial is conducted in a day or over multiple days. However, a dog may run solo and braces in the same field trial, whether the field trial is conducted in a single day or whether the field trial is conducted over multiple days, so long as both heats are run in the same Classification (Open Dog or Gun Dog). The following to also replace section XV (E) page 52: A dog may only be entered and compete in a single classification, whether Open or Gun Dog, in a particular field trial. However, a dog in a single class (Open or Gun Dog) may be allowed to run solo, braces or both in a single field trial within the class selected, as provided in section (V)(L) of these rules. Further, nothing herein shall be construed so as to prevent dogs from competing in different classes, within SEPARATE field trials conducted over on successive days, so long as the dog competes in a single classification (Open or Gun Dog) within a single field trial. ”

Item 4. Procedures for the handling of a dog honoring a bracemate in braced competition has been added. Sections VI (Q) (11 and 12) pages 22 and 23 will contain the following: Once a dog honors or backs its bracemate, then the handler shall leash the dog honoring or backing and shall move to a safe location so that the flush, shot and retrieve (applicable in type (L) braced field trials) may be completed.

Item 5. It is no longer necessary for Field Judges to inspect dogs for breed disqualifying faults prior to competing in field events. Section V (B) page 11 will be replaced with the following: Breed Specific Disqualifying or Elimination Faults. It is the belief and policy of the United Kennel Club, Inc. that each parent breed club is best equipped to appropriately address issues surrounding the physical conformation of members of such breed, to include whether such dog possesses disqualifying or eliminating faults as set forth the official conformation standard for a breed of dog. Therefore, any previous references in earlier versions of these rules requiring inspection of a dog for disqualifying or eliminating faults prior to a field trial is no longer in force and effect. UKC encourages owners of dogs and applicable breed clubs to address conformation issues in an objective, sensible and forthright manner.” Also, please disregard the language in section XIII (B, C, D, E, F) that previously prohibited the above.

Item 6. Restrictions against Professional Handlers have been dropped for the time being. Please disregard the language in section V (A) (6) page 11 and section XVII page 58 and 59 that previously prohibited the above.

Item 7. Liability Insurance requirements for clubs has been changed to reflect the following: Neither the UKC, the sponsoring club or association, the Field Trial Committee, nor the members, hosts (to include property owners), or guests conducting the field trial may be held liable for injury to person or property which loss occurs during or in connection with the field trial. Clubs are encouraged to maintain adequate insurance coverage for the type of event being held. However, it is mandatory that prior to conducting a Type L field trial the sponsoring club must secure general liability insurance coverage with applicable liability limits of not less than $300,000 per occurrence from an insurer authorized to transact business in the state where the field trial is held. Written documentation of such liability insurance listing the sponsoring club as named insured and naming UKC as an additional insured, reflecting that said coverage is in force and effect as of the date of the field trial, must be presented to UKC before the final documentation licensing the holding of the trial will be issued to the sponsoring club by UKC.

Item 8: Pre-entry requirements for clubs has been changed to reflect the following: Clubs may publish a general cutoff date for entries which shall be no more the (15) fifteen days prior to the event, after which claim the club may elect to not accept additional entries.. However, late entries may be accepted in the discretion of the field trial committee, depending upon the impact upon the running of the field trial. Any such late entry may be charged an additional entry fee of up to $10.00 in the discretion of the field trial committee. Late entries shall normally placed at the end of the running order if received after the running order has been drawn.”