Field Trial, Hunt Tests and Hunting with IRWS

[Wendy Bockman]

Please post your dogs' accomplishments in Field Trials, Hunt Tests or just out in the Hunting field so we can all enjoy!

[Thomas&Merete-Kennel Alvertoppen]

Hi!
I just want to share with you how field trials is conducted in Norway:
We have three different types of trials:
1. Lowland
2. Highland
3. Forrest.
In the two first types of trials the dogs are divided by age. Up to 24 mounths is one class and then from 24 mounths and older is the adult class.
In forrest trials there is only a class for adults, because it is a difficult form of trial. The birds are more shy/difficult to find and the dog has to have some more experience to hunt in the forrest.

Lowland trials is quite simulare to other Europeean trials. It is conducted in fields and akres, mostly on fasan and quale.
I have never entered such a trial so I can't tell you very much about it.

The Highland trials is in many oppinions considered "The real Norwegian trials". They are contucted in the norwegian mountains, on grouse.
Two and two dogs run against each other in intervalls of 15 minutes, totally they have to run i 60 minutes during that days competition.
The dogs have to show a good wide search in good speed and style. They have to run both against the wind and wih the wind, depending on the natural wind conditions. They have to show that they can use the wind correctly.
The judges gives points from 1-6 (6 is best) on:
Speed
Style
Search range
Independence
Collaboration
Hunting decire
Search pattern

Also the judges look at the point and how the dog raise(?) the bird.

Young dogs is allowed to walk approx 20 meters after the bird has flyed away, but the adult dogs have to stand still/sit right away.

Since the trials are in the mountains on grouse it is not certain that every dog will find birds in their search. To get 1,2 or 3 price in a trial the dog have to find grouse, point and raise the bird correctly.
At Highland trials they only have to show apport in the Winners class. In Quality class it is enough that the dog has an apport certificate from an apport judge. (They have to show that they can find the bird and bring it back to the owner, but it is not a big apport competition, we also have those but it is not obligatoric for setters to join them). You have to get a first price in Quality class to get to the winners class were the dogs compete against each other and were it is important to find the bird first and cover as much terrain as possible to find them. It is only in winners class that a dog can get Cacit.

The forrest trials is conducted in the forrest (off course :) ) on forrest birds (black grouse). Here only one and one dog is let out in search, because it is difficult to follow the dog in the forrest. It is approx the same rules as in Highland trials except that in forrest trials the dog have to show apport to get a 1-3 price (diploma). It is no winners class at forrest trials. To get a Cacit in forrest trials the dog have to show both apport and rapport, in addition to a perfect run and bird work.

In all three types of trials all different sorts of pointing gun dogs are run against each other, we do not have special trials for each type. I understand that you do have that in other countries?
We do have gatherings for IRWS to times a year in either Sweden or Norway, were we train in the terrain and get instructions from trainers. It is also, for the first time, this year made a price for the best field trial IRWS in Norway.

Best regards
Merete

[Thomas&Merete-Kennel Alvertoppen]

The Norwegian FT's also conduct under the FCI standard like Fionella describes in Italy. But the rough conditions (like deep snow) and large highland terrain hunting upwind and downwind and sidewind demand a huge amount of hunting desire from our dogs.