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UPDATE – 2024 GSPCI / Idaho Brittany Club Hunt Test

Exciting news .. On Friday March, 15;  the GSPCI and Idaho Brittany Club (IBC) will make club history when we combine efforts to host an AKC Sanctioned Puppy Field Trial Stake in conjunction with our combined “Double-Double” Hunt Test weekend event.  Puppy Field Trial Stakes look for puppies which are between 6 months and no more than 15 months of age on the day of the event.  No birds will be put in the field for this juvenile stake.  Judges will instead be observing each entrants application, desire to hunt, desire to go with the handler, and stay to the front of the handlers, judges, and gallery.  Judges will desire to identify future adult All-Age competitors!
Like the Hunt Test, the AKC Field Trial Stake information can be found at: https://www.apps.akc.org/apps/events/search/index_results.cfm?action=plan&event_number=2024150301
Entry’s will be primarily handled online through Perf Dog which can be found at: https://perfdog.com/event/HeTpNcPwM97qWu7yt 
On Saturday and Sunday (March 16 & 17) the GSPCI and IBC will hold their combined annual hunt tests as a “Double-Double” at the Cornell Ranch Trial/Test Grounds near Mayfield, ID.  This format provides the opportunity to participate in up to 4 tests for each stake held.  Two opportunities exist each day (1 by each club) to earn passing scores towards the AKC recognized titles of Junior Hunter (JH), Senior Hunter (SH), or Master Hunter (MH) at a single location.
Due to overwhelming support from participants as well as event staff – we’re again using Perfdog to take entries securely on-line, (checks can also be mailed to PERFDOG).  Lunch will be served each day and will be available by donation.  We hope to see you out in the bird field!  Saturday’s Event premium / entry form can be found at: PRMLST_02-05-2024_19-36-11 and the PERFDOG link for entry and payment can be found at: https://perfdog.com/event/ooWcZfF2NNtNGA3NW
Hunt Test Criteria (abbreviated):
Stakes to be assessed include Junior Hunter  (JH) stakes will be assess each candidates hunting, bird-finding, pointing, and trainability.  Both Senior (SH) and Master Hunter (MH) participants are further required to demonstrate acceptable retrieving and honoring/backing in addition to those listed for JH.  All stakes require a minimum score of 7/10 to be eligible for earning the tested stake.  Blank cartridges must be fired for every pointed/flushed bird in the JH stake.  SH and MH will require every backfield bird to be blanked and bird field flushed birds to be shot and retrieved to hand.  All AKC Registered pointing breeds are eligible to run in the event.
Brief description of each requisite test item listed above:
  1. Hunting: Dogs must demonstrate desire, boldness, independence, speed and a useful pattern of running. Dogs must hunt and not merely be out for a run in the field. They must show independence by leaving their handler’s side to explore the territory. Junior dogs are scored more leniently than Seniors and Masters.
  2. Bird Finding Ability: The dog must demonstrate the ability to find game. Translated, find a bird or don’t pass. The number of finds is not as important as the quality of the finds. Scenting conditions, terrain and cover should be considered in the scoring of this category. Note: the course should have sufficient birds (no less than two per brace and more are strongly recommended) to insure that a dog with good finding ability will locate them.
  3. German Shorthair Pointer Club of Idaho

    Pointing: scoring in this category should reflect the style (intensity and staunchness) of the dog and its ability to pinpoint birds, especially with difficult or confusing scent patterns. A dog with a low stance should not be scored lower than a dog with a high stance if it demonstrates staunchness and intensity, particularly in difficult pointing situations. A 12 o’clock tail is not necessary and indeed is not found in any AKC Pointing Breed standards. Flagging (considered a lack of staunchness) on game is generally a fault in older, more experienced dogs, but should not be reflected too severely in the pointing score of a Junior dog. A flash point cannot quality in any of the three levels. A flash point is generally a point in which the dog stops only momentarily before chasing the bird.

     

     * Junior dogs must hold their point until the handler gets with normal gunshot range and must point at least 50% of the birds they find.

    * Senior dogs must point and remain in position until the bird is shot or the dog is released. The dog may reposition itself if it is attempting to pin the bird. The dog should not creep after or trail a bird that the handler is attempting to flush.

    * Master dogs must demonstrate steadiness to wing and shot on all birds and cannot receive a
    qualifying score if it breaks.

  4. German Shorthair Pointer Club of Idaho

    Trainability: A dog is judged on its willingness to be handled, its obedience to commands and its gun response. In Juniors, the dog must demonstrate “reasonable obedience” to commands and be willing to be handled. The Senior dog is scored with less tolerance than the Junior. The scoring of “obedience” and “willingness to handle” should reflect the level of response by the dog. The Senior dog must stop on a wild flushed bird and may beg commanded to do so. The Master dog cannot be given a command to stop. Gun response is also evaluated under Trainability.

  5. Retrieving: Not required of a Junior dog. A good retrieve is one characterized by directness to the bird, quick location, prompt pick up, brisk, direct return to the handler, with tender delivery. A Senior dog is not required to retrieve to hand. Generally one or two steps would be generally acceptable. A Master dog must retrieve absolutely to hand. The handler cannot assist the dog on the retrieve in either Senior or Master tests by moving toward the downed bird. Mouthing is a serious fault and any dog which renders a bird unfit for consumption cannot receive a qualifying score.

    German Shorthair Pointer Club of Idaho
  6. Honoring/Backing: Honoring is a requirement in Senior and Master levels. If a dog is given an opportunity to honor and refuses, it cannot receive a qualifying score. In Seniors the handler may give the dog a command to honor but only after the dog acknowledges that its brace-mate is on point. A dog that steals its bracemate’s point cannot receive a qualifying score. A Master dog must honor on its own.
Scoring on each element is from 0 to 10, and to qualify each dog must achieve an average score
of 7 for the required elements. Any score of less than five on any element is a non-qualifying
score, even if the average score is seven or more.
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