NAHRA Judges Clinic President Frank Plewa Tom Johnston

NAHRA Judge's Clinic President Frank Plewa & Tom Johnston

AGENDA • • Introductions Purpose of Judges Clinics Becoming a NAHRA Judge’s Responsibilities Accepting a Judging Assignment Field Test Planning Scoring NAHRA test levels in brief 2 12/19/2021

AGENDA Test Design l Marking Tests l Blind Retrieve Tests l Upland Hunt Tests l Trailing Tests l Firearm Safety l Code of Conduct l 3 12/19/2021

So you want to be a Judge? 4 12/19/2021

PURPOSE OF CLINIC l Train New Judges l Calibrate Existing Judges 5 12/19/2021

PURPOSE OF CLINIC l To promote the field test standard l To maintain a pool of quality judges l To train new members to become quality judges l Meet continuing education requirement of judges 6 12/19/2021

JUDGING RESPONSIBILITIES l Design the Field test l Score the Dogs l Represent NAHRA & the Host Club 7 12/19/2021

Design the Test 8 12/19/2021

Score the Dogs 9 12/19/2021

Represent NAHRA & Host Club 10 12/19/2021

Becoming NAHRA Judge l Member l Pass in Good Standing Judges Exam l Handled and Qualified a Dog 11 12/19/2021

Remain NAHRA Judge l Attend Judges Clinic Every 3 Years l Agree to Judges Code of Conduct 12 12/19/2021

JUDGING RESPONSIBILITIES l Design Test & Score Dogs l Represent Club NAHRA & Host l Deciding the Breeding Stock of NAHRA Future 13 12/19/2021

JUDGING RESPONSIBILITIES l Understanding l Compliance l Voluntary of the Rules to the Rules and Serious 14 12/19/2021

JUDGING ASSIGNMENT l Accepting l Conflicts l Arrival l Professionalism 15 12/19/2021

Judge’s Equipment Be Prepared NAHRA Rulebook l Score book l Pencil l Sunscreen, Bug Spray & Drugs l Raingear and appropriate clothing l Chair, Bucket, and Blind-bag l Umbrella & Umbrella stand l Flagging, poppers, and popper gun l 16 12/19/2021

FIELD TEST PLANNING l The day before l Morning of the Test l Scenarios & Test Dog l Call Backs 17 12/19/2021

TEST DESIGN l Concept Based Test – Inverted Triple Marking Test – Poison Bird Blind l Location Based Test – How would I Hunt This & what would happen? 18 12/19/2021

TEST DESIGN NAHRA is Hunting Simulated Program 19 12/19/2021

Factors to Consider in Test Design l Technical Concept Difficulty of the l Distractions Hunt’ l Physical Test Site & ‘Fog of the Conditions of the 20 12/19/2021

Approaches to Test Design & Scoring l Design an “Easy Test” & Expect Near Perfection l Design a “Tough Test” & expect success, but not perfection 21 12/19/2021

Make it Real l Test where you would hunt l Use Decoys & Other Fun Stuff l Act Like you are hunting l Dress like you are hunting 22 12/19/2021

Test Set-up l Work Out the Mechanics l Estimate l Run the Time per Dog a Set-up Dog l Have FTC “Approve” Test 23 12/19/2021

Good Help Is Hard to Find 24 12/19/2021

Day of the Test l Meet Your Crew l Handlers Briefing l Test Dog l Don’t Be Afraid to Change the Test l Call Backs 25 12/19/2021

Score Book & NAHRA Rulebook l Always Carry NAHRA Rulebook l Prepare Time l Be Score Book Ahead of Prepared for Rain l Dogs Name on the Score Sheet 26 12/19/2021

Scoring 27 12/19/2021

What are you Scoring ? l Technical l Line Performance Manner & Behavior l Team Work 28 12/19/2021

Scoring Technical Performance Marked Retrieves l Marking the Fall l Remembering l Hunts the Fall the Area of the Fall l Returns without Delay 29 12/19/2021

Scoring Technical Performance Blind Retrieves l Line with Precision l Hold the Line l Stops l Cast Crisply 30 12/19/2021

Scoring Technical Performance Upland Hunt l Understands the Concept l Indicated Game Scent l Checks on Command l Under Control in Scent l Hunts the Entire Gun Line l Steady to Flush, Shot & Fall 31 12/19/2021

Scoring Technical Performance Trailing Test l Understands the Concept l Indicated Scent & the Trail l Recovers from Lost Trail l Can be called Off the Trail 32 12/19/2021

Scoring Line Manners Judges should look for natural and trained abilities Focus, desire and memory (marking) Hunting desire (upland) Ability to follow scent (trail) – The rest is OBEDIENCE l l Started (with mild restraint) l l Intermediate & Senior l l l Control going to the line Control during Walks-ups Control while marks are released Control during a remote Quartering & ranging Walk up to the trail Returning to handler Bird handling During Diversions When leaving the line Handling on marks and blinds Honoring 33 12/19/2021

Scoring Approaches l Point l Big Reduction Method Picture Method l Scoring Each Test 0 to 10 34 12/19/2021

NAHRA Test Levels in Brief l Started l Hunter l Intermediate l Senior 35 12/19/2021

Started Field Test Five Single Marked Retrieves l Two on Water & Two on Land l 50 Yards on Water l 75 Yards on Land l “Steady” but may be Steadied l Basic Hunting Situation l Be reasonable- No Tricks l 36 12/19/2021

Hunter Field Test l Land Double 75 yards l Water Double 50 yards l Not tighter than 45 degrees l Steady & Deliver to Hand l 30 to 50 yard basic trailing test 37 12/19/2021

Intermediate Field Test Land Double to 100 yards l Water Double to 75 yards l Land Blind to 75 yards l Water Blind to 50 yards l Blind not incorporated with marks l Upland Hunt no Flush l Trailing test l 38 12/19/2021

Senior Field Test Land Triple to 100 yards l Water Triple to 100 yards l Land Blind to 100 yards l Water Blind to 100 yards l One Blind incorporated with marks l Upland Hunt with Flush l Trailing test l 39 12/19/2021

MARKED RETRIEVE Setting up a marking test l Judging guidelines l Test concept l Hunting scenario l Scoring a marking test l 40 12/19/2021

Marked Retrieve l "Marking" or memory of fallen birds is of paramount importance. – Ideal line is a “Laser Beam” to the fall – i. e. run directly to the bird and return with it. 41 12/19/2021

Marked Retrieve l The ability to "mark" does not necessarily imply "pin-pointing the fall. " – A dog that recognizes the depth of the "area of the fall, " hunts tight, then quickly and systematically locates the bird, has done a credible and an intelligent job of marking. – Such work should not be appreciably out-scored by the dog that "pin-points" the mark l NAHRA makes no explicit distinction as to the route to the area of the fall. – Does the dog know where the bird fell and proceed to that area? Area of Fall 42 12/19/2021

Marked Retrieve l Dogs that leave the area of the fall should be able to work their way back into the fall area. – We never know for sure why the dog doesn’t find a bird (placement, scented field etc) – The dog should set up a systematic - gradually expanding - search. – Once out of the area – a brief search and return to the area shows intelligence Area of Fall Dogs that go directly to the back side of the gun station probably did not mark the fall - that is much more severe than hunting the area of the fall and then drifting to gun stations 43 12/19/2021

Marked Retrieve l There a lot of factors that make up the area of the fall – Cover, Change of Cover, Slope, Lighting, Wind, Distance – Terrain and natural barriers (hills, angled entries/crossings) – Suction – from old falls, blinds, natural factors, unnatural factors (gunners, bird buckets etc. ) – Speed of the individual dogs, – Whether one is establishing the "area of the fall“ for a single retrieve, the first bird of a multiple mark, or subsequent marks in a multiple marks Angled entry to Stream or road Area of Fall Strong Wind Steep Slope Gunner 44 12/19/2021

BLIND RETRIEVE TEST Setting up a blind retrieve test l Judging guidelines l Concepts l Hunting scenario l Scoring a blind retrieve test l 45 12/19/2021

Blinds l l l Alignment & initial line Carry on line - casts Obedience - whistle sits Stays within corridor Teamwork Continually improving position with each cast 46 12/19/2021

Blinds l Initial line – How close to a “perfect” direction towards the blind? – How long does he carry it? – How well does the handler/dog team deal with distractions? l Crisp whistle sits – dog immediately turns and looks to handler for direction Cast Refusal (wants to go to ‘his’ spot) X 3 Steep hill and valley where you lose sight of the dog Literal cast X 1 X 2 Hard over - hard Back 47 12/19/2021

Blinds l Often times, in order to get the dog to go deep, a handler will allow the dog’s momentum to carry him too far out – i. e. doesn’t (or is afraid to) handle X 1 – Can’t get a whistle refusal if I don’t blow the darn thing! – Dog/handler team is “out of control” – subjective scoring deductions It is difficult to pass a team where one or the other of the team members refuses to handle!!! 48 12/19/2021

Blinds l l Think of a corridor around the line to the blind Handler/dog team should stay within this corridor. Attack the blind… ……not here X 1 Handle here…. 49 12/19/2021

Blinds Factors in a blind – suction to go somewhere other than the line to blind Poison Bird Scented Point l Acute angled entry Earlier mark 50 12/19/2021

UPLAND HUNTING TEST Setting up a upland test l Judging guidelines l Concept l Hunting scenario l Scoring an upland test l 51 12/19/2021

Upland Hunting l l l Desire Control Steady to Shot Stays within gun Actively pursues game Works independently 52 12/19/2021

Upland Hunting l l l Search aggressively, leaving little unsearched area Stays within gun range (30 -35 yards). Naturally puts the wind to his advantage – “Quartering" into the wind primarily and to his handler secondarily – approaching birdy objects (clumps of cover and brush thickets) from the downwind side. l l Moves throughout the field independently with minimal whistle, hand voice signals Two dogs may be run in a brace (scented areas only, no birds for intermediate braces). 53 12/19/2021

Upland Hunting l Methods of upland hunting – – – Quartering in a “Windshield Wiper” pattern Hunting areas most likely to hold birds Working on scent The field may be “salted” with bird scent or dead birds Although the dog is not being judged on retrieving, if he finds a bird he MUST pick it up and deliver to hand 54 12/19/2021

Upland Hunting l Steady to Shot – Realistically, bird is released some distance from the dog (safety) – Dog is expected to sit or remain standing at position – Bird may or may not be shot – It is natural for a dog to want to grab at the bird when flushed. Dog will either be released to retrieve a shot bird – or recalled to the handler for a fly-away 55 12/19/2021

Don’t Be Afraid to Walk 56 12/19/2021

TRAILING TEST Setting up a trailing test l Judging guidelines l Concept l Hunting scenario l Scoring a trailing test l 57 12/19/2021

Trail l l Perseverance Natural ability to use nose Willingness to ‘find it’ Control at the point of origin – Trained to trail l Judging difficulties – Impossible to tell what factors are present (wind, dragback etc) – Impossible to tell how good the trail is l Note; a dog's scent is 7 times more sensitive than a humans – Best time is early morning when there is some moisture 58 12/19/2021

Trailing "Trailing" is perhaps the most independent function of the hunting retriever. The dog must show concentration and desire to locate and follow the trail of a crippled bird or hunt for upland game. l l l Typically, trails are performed with a dragged duck - but can also be performed with a running duck or pheasant Normally starts down wind with a cross wind turn Crosswind Leg Wind Downwind Leg 59 12/19/2021

Trailing l Three methods of trailing: – Nose down on the trail and methodically following it to the bird. Crosswind Leg Wind Downwind Leg 60 12/19/2021

Trailing l Three methods of trailing: – Nose down on the trail and methodically following it to the bird. – Head up using a short quartering pattern across the trail until the bird is found Crosswind Leg Wind Downwind Leg 61 12/19/2021

Trailing l Three methods of trailing: – Nose down on the trail and methodically following it to the bird. – Head up using a short quartering pattern across the trail until the bird is found or – Head high following the scent on the downwind side of the trail. Crosswind Leg Wind Downwind Leg 62 12/19/2021

Trailing l Less favorable behavior in the trailing test – Over excited dog who bolts out of the blocks and loses the trail due to momentum – Dog who ignores the trail and takes off on a hunt – Overzealous handlers who try to “help” their dog Judge should direct handler to stop and recall the dog at this point. Then, resend the dog and see if he picks up the trail Crosswind Leg Wind Downwind Leg 63 12/19/2021

Trailing l l Conditions can change during a test that must be considered Wind shift from the south can make the previous example an acceptable line – (dog running with his nose high a good distance from the line) Both judges and handlers need to be aware of the conditions Crosswind Leg in d A significant shift in wind direction can result in a dog trailing down wind from the drag in a position that was unacceptable under different wind conditions W l Downwind Leg 64 12/19/2021

Trailing On completion of the trail do NOT allow the dog to return directly to the handler (at the starting position) because it will add scent to an area of the field that is not on the trail Carrying a bird low to the ground across the field will fowl the area for subsequent dogs (No pun intended!) Remember – the bird MUST be delivered to hand. Crosswind Leg Wind Downwind Leg 65 12/19/2021

FIREARM SAFETY l Direction of gun l Finger off trigger l Gun unloaded until ready l NRA rules 66 12/19/2021

JUDGES CODE OF CONDUCT l Promote the NAHRA Philosophy l Understand the Rulebook l Represent NAHRA & Host Club l Judge Objectively & By the Rule l Set Good Example for Potential Judges 67 12/19/2021

This Says It All 68 12/19/2021

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