[Daren Galloway]

The rulebook states

Ability to “mark’’ does not necessarily imply “pinpointing the fall.’’ A dog that misses the “fall’’ on the first cast, but recognizes the depth of the “area of the fall,’’ stays in it, then quickly and systematically “huntsit-out,’’ has done both a creditable and an intelligent job of marking. Such work should not be appreciably out-scored by the dog that “finds’’ or “pinpoints’’ on his first cast.

How do each of you apply this, or see it applied?

Just for discussion purposes.

 

[Tim Carrion]

I write notes about many aspects of a performance but especially hunts. There are “excellent” to “good” to “SOB” hunts. There are wrong side hunts and “hooks”....

 

[paul young]

This is based strictly on the rule book passage you have referenced.
I totally agree that a dog which executes an intelligent, tight, hunt resulting in recovery of the bird should not be scored appreciatively higher than one that front foots it for the purpose of callbacks.
However, since judging is about comparing the relative performances of the dogs which have completed the trial, the dog with the least graphite on the paper for all the marks has shown itself to be the better marker that day. So, in the end, pin pointing the birds may be very important when it comes to placements. -Paul

 

[EdA]

This is based strictly on the rule book passage you have referenced.
I totally agree that a dog which executes an intelligent, tight, hunt resulting in recovery of the bird should not be scored appreciatively higher than one that front foots it for the purpose of callbacks.
However, since judging is about comparing the relative performances of the dogs which have completed the trial, the dog with the least graphite on the paper for all the marks has shown itself to be the better marker that day. So, in the end, pin pointing the birds may be very important when it comes to placements. -Paul

Assuming style, line manners, delivery are more or less equal

 

[paul young]

Of course.
I confined my comments to marking, but at the end of the trial the entire performance must be considered. -Paul

 

[Sabireley]

I am very judicious with a straight line to the bird and M++ when judging marks. ( I only start drawing when the dog gets near the area or they do something weird on the way to the mark. A small tight area hunt I will also give a M++ but will indicate a small tight hunt. Since it is relative, some dogs are pinpoint markers, come up with the bird very fast, with no hunt at all. If they do that 6 or 8 times in a trial, that’s impressive, fun to watch, and an indication of marking talent. Style and delivery are important. Blinds are important as well since they can be the deciding factor between two stellar marking jobs. Style and attention to the handler’s direction are very important.