[ Home ] [ Field Trial Records ] [ Championship Trials ]
NSTRA Field Trial Classifications
The rules and procedures for regular NSTRA All-Age field trials are contained in the field trial rules. (Field Trial Rules) The following are procedures for other approved types of NSTRA Field Trials.
AMATEUR TRIALS | OPEN/NOVICE TRIAL | | REGION CHALLENGE TRIAL | AMATEUR/OPEN TRIAL
Amateur Trials The NSTRA Amateur Field Trial has been developed to generate new interest to pointing dog enthusiasts. The format of this trial is such to attract new members to NSTRA that are otherwise reluctant to participate in trials where very experienced and polished NSTRA dogs compete. The main incentive in your Region to schedule an Amateur Field Trial should be to attract new members for your region. Hopefully, these new members will continue to participate in trials and help your region grow. While hosting an Amateur Trial please emphasize the importance of obtaining new participating members rather than putting the emphasis on having a full 32 dog trial. A full trial is great but it is not essential. Regardless of the number of dogs in the trial all points are regular points and there are no first place points awarded. It really does not make any difference if there are less than 24 dogs in the trial. Also, please remember there is no sanctioning fee required for this trial. NSTRA pays the sanctioning fee for each Amateur Trial to help defray the costs of the trial. We ask that regions waive any dog tax or trial fees normally payable to the region for these trials. The reason is that the Amateur Field Trial was developed to help your region grow by getting new participants involved. The Amateur Field Trial has been approved by NSTRA since April of 1999. Trials may be scheduled right now through your Region President and we encourage you to do so. You may even want to change one of your regular scheduled trials to an Amateur Trial. This may also be done through your Region President. Please take advantage of this opportunity; it can only help your Region and NSTRA. It's a good idea to make up some posters and send
them to the dog clubs in your area to notify them of a scheduled
Amateur Field Trial. The posters may also be posted at sporting
good stores, pet stores and other accessible locations to advertise
the trial. Link to
Amateur Trial Poster |
1. All Amateur Trials shall be run under National Shoot-To-Retrieve Field Trial Association rules. Each Region may hold no more than four (4) Amateur Trials per year (two during the spring trial season and two during the fall trial season). All Trials must be scheduled through Region Presidents. There is no sanctioning fee required to be paid to NSTRA for Amateur Trials.
2. All Scheduled Amateur Field Trials will be officially sanctioned trials by NSTRA.
3. Championship points shall be awarded as follows:
12-17 entries: One point for first place
18-23 entries: Two points for first place
One point for second place
24-32 entries: Three points for first place
Two points for second place
One point for third place
4. No Amateur points shall count as first place points in qualifying as a champion.
5. All Amateur points acquired in the time frame for qualifying for Region Elimination Trials shall count as qualification points for Region Elimination trials.
6. No Amateur points shall apply toward the Top Performance Award
7. Entrants shall be responsible for assuring their dog does not have any placements before entering an Amateur Trial.
8. Entry fees shall be limited to 25.00 per entry. Total number of entries per owner and/or handler shall comply with rulebook, page 17, #5, under Rules For Recognized Field Trials.
9. Trial participants must be NSTRA members.
10. Awards: plaques, trophies, etc. shall be awarded to the top six placements of each Amateur Trial.
11. Trial articles and photos of the placements of Amateur Trials will be published in the NSTRA magazine if forwarded to the NSTRA office.
1. All Open/Novice Trials shall be run under National Shoot-To-Retrieve Field Trial Association all age rules. Each Region may hold no more than eight (8) Open/Novice Trials per year (four during the spring schedule and four during the fall schedule). Championship points shall be awarded as follows:
12-17 entries: One point for first place
18-23 entries: Two points for first place
One point for second place
24-32 entries: Three points for first place
Two points for second place
One point for third place
2. A Novice dog is one that has a total of three (3) points or less and none of the points are first place points. An Open dog is one that has four (4) or more points.
3. Entrants are responsible for assuring their Novice Dog has three (3) points or less.
4. An Open and Novice dog shall not be drawn against each other. Draw all open dogs first and than all Novice dogs. (Example: If the trial has 18 Open dogs and 14 Novice dogs, then, it would consist of 9 braces (1-9 of Open dogs) and 7 braces (10-16 of Novice dogs).
5. In the event of uneven number of entries in the Novice Class, the last entry received will be returned with fee refunded.
6. In the event of uneven number of entries in the Open Class, a standby dog may be used. If unavailable, a Novice entry may compete in the Open Class if he so chooses.
7. An Open/Novice dog is eligible to compete in the Region Elimination Trial.
8. Established NSTRA sanction fees shall apply.
1. All Region Challenge Trials shall be run under National Shoot-to-Retrieve Field Trial Association all age rules. Each region may participate in no more than one Region Challenge Trial per year. Championship points to be awarded as follows:
12-17 entries: One point for first place
18-23 entries: Two points for first place
One point for second place
24-32 entries: Three points for first place
Two points for second place
One point for third place
2. Regions will be permitted to hold one 2-day trial per calendar year.
3. Entries shall be determined by regions involved in the challenge.
4. Established NSTRA sanction fees shall apply.
5. Championship points earned in a Regional Challenge shall count towards
the dog’s home region high point competition.
Eligibility: Any dog that has 3 Open points or less, none of which can be first place points, is classified as an Amateur dog and is eligible for the Amateur division. An Open dog is one that has four (4) or more Open points or a dog that has earned first place points in the Open Division. Entrants are responsible for the proper classification of their dogs (Amateur or Open). An Amateur dog can run in either the Amateur or Open Division at the owner’s discretion (including moving back and forth between the two, except as noted in the last sentence) until such time as the dog achieves any one of the following:
1) Amateur Championship status (18 points-9 of which are first place
Amateur points)
2) earns more than 3 points in Open Division
3) earns any First Place point(s) in the Open Division
Once any of the foregoing benchmarks are achieved, the dog can no longer compete in the Amateur Division, except as noted in the following sentence. The only exception would be that should a dog be drawn for the second day of a weekend trial and on the prior day, it achieved any one of the aforementioned benchmarks the dog would be allowed to continue in the Amateur Division in the second day trial, if originally drawn for that trial. A dog cannot compete in the Open portion and the Amateur portion of an Amateur/Open trial on the same day.
Trial Format: Amateur Trials are to be conducted following the last brace of the Open division of the trial. There will be five birds released first brace of the Amateur Trial, and five birds released for each brace thereafter. Example: 24 Open dogs drawn to run the first 12 braces then 8 Amateur dogs drawn to run the next 4 braces.
The Amateur portion of the trial shall consist of a maximum of four braces (8 dogs), and a minimum of two braces (4 dogs). The combined total of Amateur and Open braces shall not exceed 16 nor can it be less than 8. Under the rules of a recognized field trial, the minimum is 12 dogs (6 braces) for an Open trial. Also 4 dogs (2 braces) is the minimum for an Amateur Trial under this Open/Amateur format. The trial shall be advertised in the schedule portion of the NSTRA magazine and website if it is an Amateur/Open trial or Open. If advertised as an Open trial all rules pertaining to NSTRA Open trials apply. The entry fee shall be the same for both the Amateur and the Open portion of the Amateur/Open trial.
Entries in the Open/Amateur trial: Entries in the Open division of the trial shall be limited to Five (5) dogs per owner and/or handler per trial. Two shall be specified with the additional dogs to be added to the field seven (7) days prior to the trial only if the trial is not full per rules of a recognized field trial. Under the Open/Amateur format 24 Open dogs and 8 Amateur dogs (16 braces) is considered a full trial. Preference shall be given to filling the Amateur division first.
Entries in the Amateur division shall be limited to two (2) dogs per owner and/or handler per trial. One shall be specified with the additional dog to be added to the field seven (7) days prior to the trial only if the trial is not full (8) dogs on that date. Preference shall be given to filling the Amateur division first.
Regional Eligibility: An Amateur dog is eligible to compete in the Region Elimination Trial once it has earned five (5) points in a season.
Drawing the Trial: Drawing procedures should utilize the Double/Double format utilizing Endurance drawing logic. Handlers/Owners may be drawn to run back-to-back braces in the Amateur division, if necessary. This should be avoided if possible but in the event that 2 handlers have 2 dogs each entered, back-to-back draws may be necessary. Handlers/Owners may be drawn back-to-back in the last two braces of the Open portion of the trial.
Established NSTRA Sanction Fees shall apply. The Amateur/Open shall be sanctioned under one fee for both divisions.
Points Earned: Points earned as an Amateur will only count toward an Amateur Championship (which is defined as a total of 18 Amateur points, 9 of which must be First Place Amateur Points) and eligibility in the dog’s regional elimination trial upon earning 5 points during the region’s specified time period. Amateur points will not count for any other titles, invitations to National trials, High Points Awards, Performance Awards, or other awards in the Open Division. These points are Amateur Points only.
A Three Point Trial: 12 braces (24 dogs) are required for a three point Open Division trial.
Applicability: All rules of NSTRA regarding judging
standards in effect for the Open Division shall apply to the Amateur Division.
*** Note: If total braces of Amateur dogs and Open dog are less than
16, adjustments can be made to the Open Division in order to fill the
void. Example: If 24 Open dogs are entered and only 6 Amateur dogs
entered 7 days prior to the trial, an additional open brace can be added
if entries are available. Braces may not be added after the draw.
All Scheduled Open/Amateur Field Trials will be officially sanctioned trials by NSTRA.
Points: All Open/Amateur Trials shall be run under National Shoot-to-Retrieve Field Trial Association all age rules. Points shall be awarded as follows:
Amateur portion of a trial:
4 entries: One point for first place
6-5 entries: Two points for first place, One point for second place
8-7 entries: Three points for first place, Two points for second place, One point for third placeOpen portion of a trial:
Championship points shall be awarded as follows:
12-17 entries: One point for first place
18-23 entries: Two points for first place, One point for second place
24-plus entries: Three points for first place, Two points for second place, One point for third place
BYE dogs: Should an uneven number of Amateur entries be received, a BYE dog may be used to round out the field provided the BYE dog meets all the eligibility criteria for Amateur competition (3 or less Open NSTRA points none of which can be First Place points). If no suitable BYE dog is available, the last Amateur entry received will be returned with a full refund. In the event of an uneven number of entries in the Open Class, a standby dog may be used. An Amateur entry may compete in the Open Class if he so chooses, but may not compete in both classes on the same day. There are no changes to the rules governing BYE dogs in the Open Trial.