[duckster]

Hi..I'm new to the Master test and I am wondering how much if any has it changed over the last few years?

 

[Guest]

Hi..I'm new to the Master test and I am wondering how much if any has it changed over the last few years?

In my opinion... In our area at least...

Tests have gotten smarter and better planned ON AVERAGE. I think as we've all had more education from books, videos, magazines and places like RTF, it has been to everyone's advantage.

I've been running master tests for I think maybe 8 years now. And it seems like a rollercoaster effect as far as judging and style of tests. You go through periods where it tightens up and then it lets off, then tightens up again, so on and so forth... In response to public opinion of "too many" or "too few" passing.

I do think, though, that tests are more frequently being designed to reward the well-trained and well-bred dog as far as things that truly test marking, traininability, perserverence and style.

-K

 

[Mark Littlejohn]

IMHTxO:

More entries.
Greater control required due to more suction, diversions, poison.
Less "straightforward".
Fewer "scenario" elements (in two years, we've never run from a boat, remote released, sat in a mock blind, layed in a goose spread, etc).

 

[Guest]

IMHTxO:

More entries.
Greater control required due to more suction, diversions, poison.
Less "straightforward".
Fewer "scenario" elements (in two years, we've never run from a boat, remote released, sat in a mock blind, layed in a goose spread, etc).

Come to the southeast! We've done marks pulled up by strings where dogs had to scent their way to the "cripple"... Double layout blinds... Reasonable amount of remote sends. A month or so ago, ran a test IN the water up to our knees -- a double and a blind -- the entire handling from the blind had to be in the water because of its placement. Ran from a dog stand...

A lot of this was the same or similar judges, under whom we are very blessed to be able to run. It makes for really fun and exciting tests.

There's nothing more boring to me than coming up to a hayfield and running a triple when there isn't a tree in the place and it's simply about the arrangement of the marks and gun stations themselves and not about the terrain, cover, etc. in addition.

Sometimes that's ALL you have (in Texas for example, LOL)... But it's nice when someone gets creative in a GOOD way with equipment and grounds.

-Kristie

 

[Mark Littlejohn]

IMHTxO:

Come to the southeast! We've done marks pulled up by strings where dogs had to scent their way to the "cripple"... Double layout blinds... Reasonable amount of remote sends. A month or so ago, ran a test IN the water up to our knees -- a double and a blind -- the entire handling from the blind had to be in the water because of its placement. Ran from a dog stand...

A lot of this was the same or similar judges, under whom we are very blessed to be able to run. It makes for really fun and exciting tests.

There's nothing more boring to me than coming up to a hayfield and running a triple when there isn't a tree in the place and it's simply about the arrangement of the marks and gun stations themselves and not about the terrain, cover, etc. in addition.

Sometimes that's ALL you have (in Texas for example, LOL)... But it's nice when someone gets creative in a GOOD way with equipment and grounds.

-Kristie

Agreed, and I'd welcome such creativity and variety. One reason I may (gulp) consider a SRS whenever we title.

I don't think its only attributable to the grounds or the judges however. What gear the club has on-hand (or the judge can manage to bring), the amount of help available, the number of dogs to be run all impact what can / can't be set up.

(Sending you a pm, btw.)

Regards,

Mark

 

[Guest]

IMHTxO:

Come to the southeast! We've done marks pulled up by strings where dogs had to scent their way to the "cripple"... Double layout blinds... Reasonable amount of remote sends. A month or so ago, ran a test IN the water up to our knees -- a double and a blind -- the entire handling from the blind had to be in the water because of its placement. Ran from a dog stand...

A lot of this was the same or similar judges, under whom we are very blessed to be able to run. It makes for really fun and exciting tests.

There's nothing more boring to me than coming up to a hayfield and running a triple when there isn't a tree in the place and it's simply about the arrangement of the marks and gun stations themselves and not about the terrain, cover, etc. in addition.

Sometimes that's ALL you have (in Texas for example, LOL)... But it's nice when someone gets creative in a GOOD way with equipment and grounds.

-Kristie

Agreed, and I'd welcome such creativity and variety. One reason I may (gulp) consider a SRS whenever we title.

I don't think its only attributable to the grounds or the judges however. What gear the club has on-hand (or the judge can manage to bring), the amount of help available, the number of dogs to be run all impact what can / can't be set up.

(Sending you a pm, btw.)

Regards,

Mark

Good points. To my knowledge, most of the fun stuff we've done was with equipment dragged along by the judges...