5 Attachment(s)
TEAM TRAD 4 X 4 Upland Quad
Aye Mates,
Back from Long Island and a weekend amongst fellow retriever enthusiasts and some really fine retrievers. TEAM TRAD attended an HRC UPLAND HUNTER "QUAD" (four separate hunt tests packed into one weekend). I have wanted to try an Upland Hunt Test for some time now but the availability of HRC Upland events in our region of the USA are somewhat limited. The opportunity presented by the host organization (Long Island Retriever Field Trial), I decided we would go for it as one of the last two test related events we would participate in before getting deep into the bird season and hunting that hard. All said, this would be our first run at an HRC Upland Hunter Title and we had the potential of making title in one weekend with four back to back qualifying scores if so gained.
We left on Friday and took the ferry o'er for three days spent on Long Island. Me SUV so packed with training gear and travel related "stuff", I swear most folks would think I was living in me vehicle.
The Upland tests were held in 4 separate sessions (two per day on both Saturday and Sunday) and consisted of a "walk-up", two mini - "hunts" in which the judges are focusing on control of the retriever to a finished standard. Solid obedience and steadiness are key throughout the test and the retriever must be steady to wing, shot, and fall throughout all aspects to qualify. The test also incorporates an "honor" of the working dog, quartering to hunt demonstrated, and can at the discretion o' the judges include a "tracking" portion. Both dog and handler are under judgment from the time they leave the holding blind as called to the line by the judges.
Safe handling o' firearm carried by the handler is stressed and infractions will either have you sternly warned or disqualified dependent on the degree o' violation of safety practices. All said, live chukars were utilized throughout the test for every portion with exception o' the "walk up" which was a dead b bird launched from a winger. Cover was heavy so the dog's ability to both mark with accuracy and to use it's nose are critical to success. A dog can be handled to a bird not marked by the dog if the handler elects to do so, but heavy cover most often makes that less than practical. TRAD was "spot on" throughout all four tests and demonstrated well the skills the judges were hoping to see in a finished ability upland hunting retriever. Three retrievers titled in the event, TRAD was the only retriever that earned all 4 of his qualifying legs at this single event. T'was grand to realize all o' our many, many, hours o' training and field experience come together in making us viable for earning TRAD an HRC Upland Hunter Title with the UH prefix designation now an official part of his registered name as TRAD is dual registered in both the AKC and
UKC. So me lad is now officially HR UH TTF CRAIGHORN KIFFIN TRAD SH.
Long Island Retriever Field Trial Club did a wonderful job of hosting the event as always and a nice tailgate party was had by all the participants on Saturday evening after the testing for the day had finished.
I am including here a few photo's taken throughout the weekend. If ye get a chance to run an HRC Upland Hunter test, give it a go, t'is good craic at it's finest mates.
Slan go Foill,
TEAM TRAD
