HPR Working Tests (GWT) are typically held outside of the gamebird shooting season and are competitions which, by artificially simulating shooting day conditions, seek to assess, without game being shot, the working abilities of all the Kennel Club (KC) registered breeds which Hunt, Point and Retrieve, and are KC licensed events run under Kennel Club J regulations (J regs)
Dogs should be entered in classes based on either their age or previous record, or both, and there will be a ballot where club members will take preference in the event of over subscription.
CLASSES
OPEN – Open to all dogs of a specified breed or breeds, although preference may be given to dogs which have gained a place or certificate of merit at a field trial, been placed first, second or third in an open GWT, or won a Novice GWT
NOVICE – Confined to dogs which have not gained a place or certificate of merit at a field trial, been placed first, second or third in an Open GWT or first in a Novice GWT held in accordance with Kennel Club Rules and Field Trial Regulations
PUPPY – Confined to dogs of specific breed or breeds less than eighteen months of age on the date of the test
Some societies have in addition classes e.g. Special Beginners or Novice Handler/Novice Dog, rules for which will be set out in the schedule
ORDER OF THE DAY
On arrival at the ground head to the registration area where you will be given your number and running order for the class in which you are entered. Shortly before the event is started the Chief Steward will give a briefing, introducing the judges, giving directions to the various tests, and explain the scoring system, as well as various householding and safety aspects.
You will then go to the tests in the order that you have been instructed to do.
SCORING
All competitors will be informed of the scoring system at the commencement of the GWT. There will usually be two land based retrieves and one retrieve in water, and one Hunting test, typically each of the retrieves will score a maximum of 20 points, and the hunting a maximum of 40 points. Failure to complete an individual test will result in a mark of zero. A multiple retrieve constitutes one test. If a dog fails or commits a serious fault in any part of a multiple exercise this will result in a mark of zero for that exercise.
THE TESTS
RETRIEVES
The scenarios in which the dog is required to retrieve differ from test to test and it is the Chief Steward and/or committee members who set the tests, the tests set for the Puppy will be simpler than those for Novice and so on. Ask your HPR gundog trainer to guide you through typical scenarios so that you know what to expect for the level of dog you have
The dog must be steady to the dummy thrown and not retrieve until instructed to do so. Dummies should be retrieved to hand
There will also be a seen retrieve on water where the dog should willingly enter the water and swim for the retrieve and retrieve the dummy to hand
The hunting test will assess the dog’s quartering style and pace, and its response to any potential game scent
PRIZE GIVING / AWARD CEREMONY
Once everyone has completed all the tests, the Chief Steward will call everyone together for the awards, and the judges will give a summary
