[Thomas Dorroh]

Catalog lists start time as 8am on Saturday morning.
Does that mean Sunday morning also?
Is starting before 8am on Saturday illegal?
If Sunday morning is 8am also, is starting before 8 am illegal?

 

[drunkenpoacher]

Catalog lists start time as 8am on Saturday morning.
Does that mean Sunday morning also?

Typically, yes. The marshal will tell you when and where on Saturday.

Is starting before 8am on Saturday illegal?
If Sunday morning is 8am also, is starting before 8 am illegal?

Without looking it up, I think as long as the time is published ahead of the event it can start before 8 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday.

 

[saltgrass]

Yes it can start before, but as DP said i think it has to be published. We have a club in AL that has 2 test in the early / mid summer that starts at 6:30

 

[fishduck]

I would think you could start the event earlier on Sunday by announcing it at the end of the day Saturday. Don't believe you could put anyone on the clock or drop anyone until the published start time. Lots of weather events that would make finishing early a very good idea. My opinion is not supported by the rulebook because I don't see any rules specifically addressing this issue. My opinion is strongly supported by common sense.

 

[Eric Johnson]

As I recall, the start time on Sunday took two forms. For the one day tests like Jr and Sr it was printed on the entry form. That was because these two events were a separate event from the Saturday event. For the multiple day tests (Master), it was announced by the marshal at the close of the Saturday event because Sunday was a continuation of the same event.

Only time where I saw there to be a controversy was the Black Warrior RC double events. They'd have 2-3 flights of Master start on Friday and continue on Saturday. Then they'd have Sr and a Jr events on Sat at 8 on the same event number as the Fri Master. Then they'd have 3-4 Master flights start at noon on a new event number. On Sun the Sr and a Jr event would start on Sun at 8 with the carry over of the Sat afternoon Master. It wasn't so much a controversy as a "Where the heck do I go next?" This meant that around noon on Sat there might be 7 Master flights plus a
Sr and a Jr all running at the same time. As judges we didn't have worry about where next.<g>

Partner and I got caught in it one year. We started Sr at 8 and by 11 were ready to move to water but 1 contestant was missing. He was on the grounds and the Test Chair made us wait for him. We waited until 2! When we moved to the pond we were assigned, there was a huge problem as the starting point faced due west. By the time the adjustments for the sun were made. we started about 3:30 and got half-way through the field and had to hold up due to the faded sunshine. Two other judges were "hired" to the take our place for the Sun Jr but we had to hurry as they were supposed to use the same pond that we were not finished with. In those days there was a huge dinner Sat night and we spent a good bit of time spent trying to decide whether we would start water with all the call backs or simply finish and let Jr have the pond when we were done. The low entry of the Jr folks saved us. We finished on the pond and then went home and collapsed.

The real irony is that the chap we waited for 3 hours an Sat. (he was at Master and the marshal wouldn't let him leave) finally got to us. We gave him plenty of time to ready his dog . . . which broke on the first bird! Poetic justice in my mind.