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*GUIDELINES FOR JUDGES & CONDUCTING HUNTS
1. Regular Hunt Test will have two Judges per flight, per category. At least one of the Judges must be Licensed for that category. If one Judge is an Apprentice Judge, the Licensed Judge must be an AA Licensed Judge at that category. For Upland Hunt Test, there will be a minimum of two (2 Licensed OR 1 apprentice + 1 AA) Judges per flight, OR a maximum of three (2 apprentice + 1 AA) Judges for each Upland flight. It should be remembered that the AA Licensed Judge should guide, train, and assist the apprentice Judge in every way possible.
2. All Judges should report to the hunt grounds one day prior to the hunt to meet with the Hunt Committee and Marshal. They should thoroughly go over and select the hunt areas in order to test the hunting retriever in a true-to-life situation.
3. Judges should utilize Club-prepared blinds and equipment and cooperate with the Hunt Committee in preparation for the hunt.
4. Judges should meet with the Marshal of the Hunt on the day before, check the list of equipment and ensure that the following materials are on hand:
Shotguns (in good working order)
Bird Flagging
Boats, Paddles, and Life Preservers
Duct Tape
Motor (if needed)
Stools/Chairs
Decoys Machete
Poppers String
Duck/Dove/Goose Calls
Extra Camo Material
Blind Brush, etc.
5. All bird boy and test hunt blinds should be built and all tests should be set up one day prior to the hunt. (Omit if different test is being run in the same area that day.)
6. Safety should be the Judge’s main concern in setting up the most realistic hunting test for the dog and Handler. Other things such as convenience, gallery, etc., come second.
7. No Judge shall allow a Club to incorporate one hunting test category with another (i.e., running Seasoned with Finished.)
*8. No Judge shall handle a dog if he or she is judging a Regular Hunt that day. Exceptions: Using the dog as test dog for the category he/she is judging; or an Upland Judge running a separate Licensed Upland Hunt on the same day that he/she is not judging. 9. A Judge should bring all materials needed the day of the hunt such as: pens, notebook, camouflage clothing, chair, non-alcoholic beverages, raingear, etc.
10. A Judge must not be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal drugs. (See UKC Policy on Drinking and Illegal Drugs - page 67.)
11. All Judges should be at the Hunt grounds a minimum of one hour before starting time on hunt day. They should instruct Marshals, Bird Throwers, and Gunners to do the same.
12. Judges should agree prior to the hunt what they consider to be major or minor faults of a dog’s performance. They should also agree on points that are outstanding.
13. Before a test begins, it should be decided which Judge shall signal for birds and watch for no-birds while the other Judge watches the dog for manners, marking, etc.
14. One Judge should be designated to inspect each bird delivered for signs of hard-mouth. All birds should be re-inspected before re-birding. The Judge should also assure that no birds are lying around the retrieving line particularly in the Started Category.
15. All communications should be worked out with the Marshal on receiving order of dogs.
16. Gunners should be assigned positions and instructed as to their duties.
17. All Judges should know the bird arrangement for tests, so that a minimum amount of time is spent on re-birding.
18. All Bird Throwers should be properly instructed on what they are expected to do.
19. A Judge should be totally ready to start their test at official time with the test dog.
20. A complete test description should be given to Handlers assembled before each test dog is run.
21. Judges should greet each Handler in a friendly and courteous manner and discuss:
A. If the Handler understands the test;
B. That a loaded shotgun will be used and that it must be handled with care;
C.That true hunting form should be used (i.e. a bird should be tracked and shot at the top of its arc) STARTED, SEASONED, FINISHED, UPLAND and GRAND; and
D. Areas where dogs are allowed to be worked while at the point of origin.
22. A Judge’s disposition can make or break a Hunt. Please make every effort to settle down a nervous Handler.
23. Judges shall be quick to call NO-DON’T SHOOT when flyaways turn toward the gallery or bird throwers. A dog may be judged on a flyaway or given a rerun.
24. Judges should take into consideration the problems facing the first few dogs to run.
25. Judges should keep the flow of the Hunt at a good and relaxed pace.
26. Judges should look at a reasonable number of dogs before eliminating any leg of the test. No dog will carry any score on a part of a test that was eliminated.
27. Reruns should be placed at least three dogs down the line instead of being brought back to the line immediately. Judges should also give instruction on the rerun to the Marshal.
28. If another dog interferes with a working dog and causes a bad performance, the dog interfered with should be given a rerun.
29. Judges should ask a Handler to pick up their dog if that dog has, in the Judge’s mind, already failed and is creating bad habits or endangering itself.
30. All Judges are expected to remain at the hunt site so that test results may be discussed. Judges’ notebooks shall be open for review by any Handler. Judges are to keep the judges sheets for one (1) year.
31. All Judges should not only pass judgment, but also use good judgment.
32. With the exception of the Grand Hunts, Judges will evaluate the same dogs on land and water in all multiple flight Hunts.
33. A dog is required to run all tests to earn points. It must do all retrieves on both land and water. If for some reason all of the tests cannot be run, for example lack of daylight, the test is to be run the next day. If the dog cannot run the next day, no points will be given and the Club is to refund the entry fee.
34. The reason for limiting the number of entries is to give each dog an opportunity to run all tests even if they failed a portion of a test. However, the Hunt Committee and Judges may by unanimous vote permit the use of “call-back” procedures to allow dogs that are still in contention to participate in an event that could not otherwise be completed due to unavoidable situations such as might occur with severe storms. In such situations, the Judges will explain the situation to the gallery and Handlers, and the Hunt Secretary will explain the reason for using “call-backs” on the UKC Hunt Report Form. Every reasonable effort must be made to provide all dogs with an opportunity to participate after the “callbacks” are completed.
35. Handlers with physical handicaps should advise the Hunt Secretary of their special needs prior to the hunt date. The hunt committee and Judges will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the needs of the handicapped so they can enjoy and participate in all HRC/UKC Licensed hunts and tests.
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 Recent News At UKC
03/03/2010: UKC Announces its Top Breeds for 2009 UKC Announces its Top Breeds for 2009 For more information, contact Tanya Raab at traab@ukcdogs.com Kalamazoo, Michigan, March 1, 2010 – In carrying on a long-standing tradition, the United Kennel Club is pleased to announce its Top Ten registered purebred dog breeds for 2009. This list, based on UKC... Read more here. 
News Archive. |
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In This Issue of Hunting Retriever Magazine...
"Exercise Induced Collapse Syndrome (EIC) in Labrador Retrievers
Stephen W. Kendall - Alpharetta, Georgia
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In August 2008 the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL) University of Minnesota EIC research team, in collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan and the University of California-San Diego, identified the EIC gene and developed a DNA testing program for the disease. The program took nearly a decade of work and comprehensive investigation by the teams of medical professionals at these institutions... the disease is reported to be widespread, with only 53 percent of the test dogs showing a NORMAL report.
What is Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC)? The EIC researchers state that dogs affected with EIC can tolerate mild to moderate exercise, but 5 to 20 minutes of strenuous exercise with extreme excitement induces weakness and then collapse...
Read more here
Learn more about Hunting Retriever Magazine
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