Hunting Competitions
Boykin Spaniels can currently compete in several venues of
retriever trials. They do respectably well against the larger
retriever breeds, many of whom out weight them by more than 50
lbs! Concern has been voiced that the Boykin Spaniel breed has
begun to increase in size, partially due to the success of
larger (taller and heavier) Boykins in the retriever events.
AKC offers both Spaniel Field
Trials and Spaniel Hunt Tests, designed specifically to test the
talents of a spaniel breed.
AKC Spaniel Field and Hunt Trials
The AKC is an organization that has taken the unique and
versatile abilities of spaniels and designed programs
specifically to test those traits. The Boykin Spaniels were
approved to compete in AKC Spaniel Hunt Tests on January 1,
2006.
The Spaniel Hunt Test evaluates their natural and trained
abilities as upland and waterfowl hunters by judging their
hunting, flushing and retrieving skills. The AKC Spaniel Hunt
Test program details can be found at:
www.akc.org/events/hunting_tests/spaniels/index.cfm
Rescue dogs or dogs without registration paperwork may apply
for AKC Indefinite Listing Privilege to be able to compete in
their events.
In the Spaniel Field Trials, dogs are judged to demonstrate
the performance of a properly trained Spaniel on any real life
situation in the field. The dog should do his work as he would
normally on any hunting day except the details of his skills
should be performed in a more precise fashion. More information
on the Spaniel Field Trials can be found at:
www.akc.org/events/field_trials/spaniels/index.cfm
Photo by Anita Pennell
at an AKC Hunt Test in California in 2006
Boykin Spaniel Society
The Boykin Spaniel Society offers 2 events per year. The
Boykins must be registered when whelped in the BSS and the
handler must be a current member of the BSS to compete.
UKC Hunting Retriever Club
The UKC and NAHRA are the largest of the 2 organizations that
Boykin can participate. UKC allows all known breeds as well as
mixed breeds to compete in their retriever program. Rescue dogs
or dogs without registration paperwork may apply for UKC Limited
Privilege to be able to compete in their events. More on the UKC
retriever program can be found at:
http://ukcdogs.com/hr/index.shtml
North American Hunting Retriever Assoc.
The NAHRA developed their programs with
the concept of simulating real hunting situations for
retrievers. More information can be found at:
http://www.nahra.org/ |
