Field Trialing

What is Field Trialing?

Field Trialing is where the Gordon Setter naturally excels.
Built for stamina they are designed to cover vast ground and work all day setting game birds up for the hunter.

The sport is still enjoyed by many Gordon Setter carers; but even for the pet carer they will certainly see when their Gordon goes into the setting mode when they see a bird. Pure instinct!

What levels are there?

There are basically 4 types of Field Trial Stakes:

Puppy
Novice
All-Aged
Open

There can be more than one Stake on a day, but no more than 45 dogs can compete in total and there are 2 judges. If the trial is over subscribed, a draw based on various criteria decides which dogs get to run and you are notified before the day of the trial. There is not an age limit in these stakes, except for Puppy Stakes; it depends on your number of awards.

Novice Stake: For Setters/Pointers who have not won a First, Second or Third prize in an Open Stake or a First or two Second prizes in other Stakes. Once you have won these awards, your dog cannot be re entered in Novice Stakes again.

All-Aged Stake: For Setters/Pointers of any age or qualifications. Any dog can be entered in an All-Aged Stake regardless of wins, even Field Trial Champions.

Open Stakes: For Setters/Pointers of any age or qualification. (Limited to 40 dogs) If there are more than 40 dogs applying, preference is given following certain criteria.

What does the dog & handler have to do?

Your dog will be running with another dog under the watchful eyes of 2 Judges appointed by the Kennel Club. They are carried out on foot, either on the heather moors for grouse, or the lowland fields for partridge and pheasant. The dogs are cast off in opposite directions and are expected to cover the ground on either side crossing in the middle hunting for the scent of game birds as they move to the other side. This is called ‘quartering’. The distance they will cover could be up to 200 yards away on huge moors, or staying closer for the lowland game birds, which could possibly be missed in the cover if dogs are going too fast.

The two handlers walk forward at an even pace together behind their dogs. You are not theoretically competing against your brace mate, both dogs could have an excellent run and be taken forward.

All game found would be wild, i.e., not planted on the ground for the purposes of the trial, as in some countries. Which means, you may find some birds on the day of the trial, or, you may not!

If your dog indicates that they have found birds by pointing or setting, the style of point is not of overriding importance, more the intensity of the point being held. (It is not a requirement in any UK trial for a tail to be held in a certain position, game finding is more important.) The dog must hold that point as you and the judge on your side walk to the point and then you will be asked to move your dog forward till the bird flushes and flies away. The dog must drop or stay absolutely still to the flush and a gun will be fired to show steadiness to shot as well.

You will then be asked to ‘clear the ground’ and you will move the dog forward carefully and check that no birds remain in the area. If there are further birds, your dog must work them out properly as if it was the first one found. While all this is going on, your brace mate will have their dog in a down position, or their dog will be ‘backing’ (honouring) your dog, pointing the other dog on sight, acknowledging they have game, which is a highly prized trait.

All handling of your dog, turning their direction, dropping, recall, etc. must be done by whistle or hand signals, you mustn’t shout or touch the dog at anytime.

After the judges have seen enough, or your dog or brace mate has eliminated itself, you will be asked to ‘pick them up’, call them to you and put their lead back on. This is then repeated with all the dogs entered.

Dogs which in the opinion of the Judges, have performed well, will be called through to a second and sometimes even further rounds. Even if you have a find, a point, and been shot over with your dog, this does not mean you will receive an award, as it is also extremely important that the style and standard of your dog’s work is high, and has to be compared to a required level and not just the performance of the other runners.

Awards that can be obtained are 1st - 4th prizes, and then the judges can also award Certificates of Merit (COM's) if they feel there are dogs whose performance merit that. However, awards are not always given and sometimes a first prize or all prizes will be withheld if the judges do not think the standards have been met on the day. Rather than upsetting the competitors, as it most certainly would in the show ring, this action mostly brings wry smiles all round, as usually we have to agree with their findings!

Where can I find a trial?

In Pointer and Setter Field Trials in the UK, only the four Setter breeds, Gordon, Irish, English, Irish Red and White, and English Pointers, are allowed to compete.

There are 5 separate circuits of competition each year. In March, the trials are held on paired grouse in the North of England and Scotland. In April, on pheasant and partridge in the East of England, in July and August again in the North, on coveys of grouse before the ‘Glorious 12th ' in August when the shooting season opens on grouse. And finally, in September, on partridge and pheasant in the East of England in Norfolk to finish the circuit.

There is a total of almost 30 dates a year with each FT Club normally running a Novice/puppy and Open stake over two days. The circuits are run all week long together with Saturdays so groups of field trialers can congregate for their holidays in one place! The longest circuit is the summer trials on grouse, which cover 4 weeks.

Dual Achievements