FIELD TRIAL AWARD (FTA)
This is an automatic award to any dog placed first or second in an Open Stake or second in a Championship Stake. A dog so placed shall be entitled to carry the affix FTA after its name.
FIELD TRIAL CHAMPION (CH FT)
Field Trial Champion is defined as a dog which has won two or more Open Stakes or won a Championship Stake. A dog so placed shall be entitled to carry the prefix Ch FT before its name. The affix FTA shall automatically drop away when this award has been given.
FIELD QUALIFYING (FQ)
A Field Qualifying certificate (FQ) shall be issued to a dog which has successfully passed the FQ test and has been awarded a Reserve Challenge Certificate or Challenge Certificate prior to the closing date of entries for the trial. Such a dog may carry the affix FQ after its name.A dog which has been placed in a Novice or better stake or which has attained the SAHR standard in a Novice or better stake and has been awarded a Reserve Challenge Certificate or Challenge Certificate may carry the affix FQ after its registered name.
PLACE
A first, second, third or fourth place in any stake constitutes a place.
SOUTH AFRICAN HUNTING RETRIEVER (SAHR) AWARDS
At the first Field Trial that a Retriever attends, the handler/owner will be issued, by the Club hosting the Trial, a Record Card, originating from the FTLC. At the end of each Stake, the Judges will consider each and every dog’s performance. Those dogs which, in the opinion of the Judges, have attained the standard will be awarded points towards the various levels of competence. The average marks of the adjudicating Judges will be used to ascertain which dogs attain the standard in every Trial. The average result obtained must be at least 70% for a dog to attain the standard. To be eligible for SAHR points, the dog must have picked up all retrieves at the Stake. The points attained will be accumulative during the dog’s career, recorded in the dog’s Record Card, and lead to the awarding of the various titles of competence. These awards shall in no way affect the normal placing of dogs at Retriever Field Trials.
The categories of award are:
- Novice Hunting Retriever (NHR)
Each dog attaining the standard in any Retriever Junior or Maiden Stake will be awarded two and one half (2.5) points. A maximum of five (5) points can be accumulated in these Stakes. Once a dog has received five (5) points the title “NOVICE HUNTING RETRIEVER (NHR) ” will be awarded automatically to the dog, and such title may then be used after the registered name of the dog, once it has been approved and minuted at a meeting of the FTLC. Upon acquiring five (5) points in this category, unless the dog is disqualified because of its age in the Junior, or has placed in a previous Novice or Open Stake, or won a Maiden Stake prior to the date of closing of entries for that particular Maiden Stake, a dog is ineligible to obtain any further points in this category, but may continue to run in this category.
- Working Hunting Retriever (WHR)
Each dog attaining the standard in a Retriever Novice Stake will be awarded five (5) points. To acquire the title of “WORKING HUNTING RETRIEVER (WHR)” the dog must accumulate a minimum of twenty (20) points. Once a dog has obtained twenty (20) points the title will be
awarded automatically to the dog, and such title may then be used after the registered name of the dog, once it has been approved and minuted at a meeting of the FTLC. The requisite points can be accumulated in Novice Stakes, i.e. four (4) stakes, or a maximum of five (5) points from Junior/Maiden can be brought forward, in which case the dog is required to attain the standard in only three (3) Novice stakes. The dog is then ineligible to obtain any further SAHR points in this category, but may continue to run in Novice Retriever Stakes. If the dog is ineligible to enter further Novice Stakes, by reason of having won two Novice Stakes or having been placed in an Open Stake, prior to the closing date of entries for a subsequent Novice Stake, then it may still enter the Novice Stakes necessary for it to acquire the outstanding points towards the title, but may NOT be placed in those Stakes. At this stage a dog may be expected to turn in a creditable performance in the hunting field.
- Master Hunting Retriever (MHR)
Every dog attaining the standard in an Open Retriever Stake shall be awarded twenty (20) points. To acquire the title of “MASTER HUNTING RETRIEVER (MHR)”, the dog must accumulate one hundred (100) points. Once the dog has reached this total, the title will be awarded automatically to the dog, and such title may then be used after the registered name of the dog, once it has been approved and minuted at a meeting of the FTLC. These points can all be accumulated in Open Stakes, i.e. five (5) Stakes, or the maximum of twenty five (25) points from Junior/Maiden and Novice Stakes can be brought forward, in which case the dog is required to attain the standard in only four (4) Open Stakes. At this stage a dog may be expected to turn in a polished performance in the hunting field.
- Grand Master Hunting Retriever (GMHR)
Once a dog has accumulated a total of two hundred (200) points, it shall acquire the title of “GRAND MASTER HUNTING RETRIEVER (GMHR)”. These points can all be accumulated at Open Stakes, or the maximum of twenty five (25) points from Junior/Maiden and Novice Stakes can be brought forward, in which case the dog is required to attain the standard in at least nine (9) Open Stakes. Once the dog has reached this total, the title will be awarded automatically to the dog, and such title may then be used after the registered name of the dog once the dog’s Record Card has been countersigned by the Secretary of the FTLC and the award has been
approved and minuted at a meeting of the FTLC. At this stage a dog may be expected to do everything that might be required of a Hunting Retriever in the field. A KUSA Certificate will be
issued to the handler/owner once the completed Record Card has been sent to KUSA.
