New RAC Rule Change Proposals

[EdA]

There are 3, I left the letter at home, sorry I don't remember #3 but the two I remember

No skinning, plucking, or gutting of dead game allowed on the field trial grounds. This essentially means no scented points other than the scent left from dragging a dead bird across the area. Also means if you want to breast pheasants to cook them you must take them off the field trial grounds to clean them. The suggestion is that someone attending their first field event might be offended by the practice of skinning, plucking, or gutting dead game birds.....

A full refund for anyone who wants to scratch after a last minute change of judges when the replacement judge has not been published, i.e after the closing of entries.

Comments anyone?

[Vicki Worthington]

Ed,

I can certainly hope that the plucking, skinnning....etc. of game on the FT grounds gets a rounding defeat. If you come to a blood sport game, seeing someone eat what is shot should not come as any surprise.* Further, I doubt that anyone would really notice how a point is scented--especially a newcomer--since they would not really be focused on set-up.

I think it is hard enough for clubs to get judges. Nobody likes to cancel out at the last minute and cause a last-minute judge change, but it happens. Our club is experiencing it right now and the judge's reasons are very legitimate. So.....I hope this also gets defeated.

If you remember #3, please post.

*Now if they decided to have duck or pheasant sushi, I might get a little queasy too!

[Franco]

3rd is;
Any retriever reg. with the Canadian KC who has been awarded a placement in an AA stakes in a Canadian FT is ineligible to be entered in an AKC Qualifying.

The first one about blowing up ducks to scent a point is OK with me. They state it is being proposed for PC reasons. That's fine, I could go either way on this issue. I don't have a problem blowing up ducks with a 12ga but it needs to be done every 10-15 dogs to make it fair. If 30 dogs a running a scented point, that scent will greatly fade after the sun has been on it for an hour.

2nd addresses refunds. I'm fine with that too. If one doesn't want to run under a replacement judge, that should be their choice and they should not be financially penalized for it. They must withdraw from the stakes before it begins.

[EdA]

Ed,

I can certainly hope that the plucking, skinnning....etc. of game on the FT grounds gets a rounding defeat. If you come to a blood sport game, seeing someone eat what is shot should not come as any surprise
!

If passed it would make it the next step (no live birds) one step closer to reality.

this just looks like some more rule book micro managing to me, not different than what we have been seeing for the past few years

[Franco]

The RAC makes a great point about there being a big difference between the scent left from an intact bird being dragged through cover and one that is torn apart/blown up to scent a point. Drag back scent is something a hunting retrieve has to deal with. A defaced bird not only opens up the club to potential arrest for violating wildlife laws as set my most conservation departments, it is also unnatural.

I once saw an early running dog stop on a point and devour the duck entrals. They weren't able to get the dog off the point until he was finished dining. The judges DID NOT rescent the point!

[Tim Carrion]

The refund for last minute judge changes IMHO has 2 real problems.
#1:Handlers arriving just before test dog or once the 1st series has started could be asking for refunds based on test design not the judge change.
#2:Last minute judge changes are a hardship for both the club and the person who agrees to judge on little or no notice. Asking or expecting a refund on this basis IMHO shows a lack of appreciation for the volunteer judge and poor sportsmanship.

JMO

Tim

[Franco]

The refund for last minute judge changes IMHO has 2 real problems.
#1:Handlers arriving just before test dog or once the 1st series has started could be asking for refunds based on test design not the judge change.


Tim

According to the proposal, once the stake has started the club does not have to give a refund.

[EdA]

The RAC makes a great point about there being a big difference between the scent left from an intact bird being dragged through cover and one that is torn apart/blown up to scent a point.!

but no feather plucking...????.....ever hunt where lots of waterfowl are using an area, feathers are everywhere and the scent of blood is common "under conditions met in an ordinary day's shoot".........geeeeez...

[jeff t.]

The refund for last minute judge changes IMHO has 2 real problems.
#1:Handlers arriving just before test dog or once the 1st series has started could be asking for refunds based on test design not the judge change.
#2:Last minute judge changes are a hardship for both the club and the person who agrees to judge on little or no notice. Asking or expecting a refund on this basis IMHO shows a lack of appreciation for the volunteer judge and poor sportsmanship.

JMO

Tim

For what it's worth,

The option of getting an entry refund due to a judging change is the norm in other AKC venues (e.g. confomation, obedience). I suspect AKC wants to be consistent in the refund policy for all AKC events.

[Franco]

but no feather plucking...????.....ever hunt where lots of waterfowl are using an area, feathers are everywhere and the scent of blood is common "under conditions met in an ordinary day's shoot".........geeeeez...

I'm OK with plucking feathers. I'm not OK with defacing ducks(blowing them up/tearing them apart). And, if judges decide to pluck feathers, I would hope they do so every hour to make the series as fair as possible for all dogs.