All trials will be held in accordance with the Kennel Club Rules and Regulations and those of the Society.  The full set of revised KC Rules and Regulations governing Field Trials and GWTs can be obtained direct from the Kennel Club FT Dept.

ENTRIES

The Society FT entry form can be downloaded from the website (Working Section, Working Forms)

Entry forms must be clearly printed as illegible entries may not be accepted

If additional forms are required, please photocopy as necessary

Please use separate forms and cheques for each dog entered in each stake

Please ensure you have enclosed the correct entry fee/s

Please allow enough postage time to meet the closing dates as no late, telephone or email entries can be accepted.

Please either include an email address or an sae for the result of the draw and directions

Substitution of entries will be allowed

The Society reserves the right to refuse any entry for a trial

Dogs should have had sufficient experience of retrieving game in the shooting field prior to the stake and those that are known to whine, bark or be unsteady should not be entered

THE DRAWS

The draw will take place the evening after the closing date, or on Monday evening if the closing date is a Saturday; they will be independently witnessed.  Anyone wishing to attend any or all of the draws, please notify me accordingly so I can advise you of the venue and time.

Could anyone needing to withdraw either from the card or reserve list let me know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE on 01398 371537 (rather than email) - please do not leave it until the last minute if this can be avoided.  If there is no reply, please leave a message on my home phone and not my mobile; there is no signal where I live and therefore I cannot guarantee to pick up any messages on a daily basis.

DIRECTIONS

These will be sent out with the result of the draw

GENERAL

The Society cannot accept liability for any claim arising from or relating to the running of their Field Trials

Should circumstances so dictate, the Society, in consultation with the Judges,, may alter arrangements as necessary.  Such changes and the circumstances surrounding them will be notified to the Kennel Club at the earliest opportunity.  No modification will be made to the schedules except by permission of the Kennel Club followed by advertising in appropriate journals (should time permit) before the closing date of entry.

Anyone with a run and withdrawing within seven days of the Trial will forfeit the whole entry fee unless a veterinary certifiate is made available.  However, dogs that qualify out of Novice after the closing date will have their entry fee refunded in full.

On the day, please follow the red flag (for safety reasons).

No competitor may withdraw their dog or leave the trial ground without informing the Chief Steward; again this is for safety reasons.

THE FLATCOATED RETRIEVER SOCIETY SHOOTING DOG CERTIFICATE

Introduction  Prior to the introduction of the SDC, the only way of assessing the inherited characteristics (good game finding, temperament, biddability, quietness and a soft mouth) essential for a dog working in the shooting field was Field Trials.  However, historically there had been few Flatcoats at any one time with FT awards and therefore people wanting to breed a working dog were limited by the very small proven gene pool and had to rely on the recommendation of owners as to their dog’s prowess in the shooting field. The SDC was set up in 1981/82 by the late Hon Mrs Amelia Jessel to address this shortfall by encouraging people who had working dogs with the above qualities, but not trialled, to have them assessed in a non-competitive arena.  Mrs. Jessel’s blueprint for Judges was “they should imagine that they are looking for a good working dog to buy that is going to be a useful shooting companion for the rest of its life”.

One of the suggestions put forward at the Working Forum held on 2.3.08 was that we compile and publish a Working Stud Book for those looking to use a proven dog on their bitch.  Unfortunately the cost of this would be prohibitive as it would need to be updated every year and difficult to gauge how many copies we should get printed.  Having looked at various alternatives, we felt the most practical way of achieving this excellent objective would be for the incumbent FT Secretary to hold a central file (as hard copy, not on computer), containing the pedigrees of any dog that has achieved a SDC or FTA.  The file would also include similar records for bitches as a possible source of reference for someone wanting to pre-book a working puppy from a specific line.  In both instances, this would be with the owner's permission as would the authority to pass on their contact details or any information about their dogs to an interested party but no personal recommendations can or will be made.

This will not be a working puppy register nor has there been any intention to set one up.

We hope this facility will be prove useful and if you would like to 'register' your dog, please click on the following link: Working Stud Book Entry Form.  I am sorry I cannot accept email entries because the disclaimers need to be signed.

Sheila Neary

Please click here for the BASC guidelines relating to starting pistols and dummy launchers; we thank them for allowing us to reproduce them.