APLA HUNT TESTS

1. APLA HUNT TESTS How to plan & host one

2. Feb-April Feb-April Feb-March Overview of the process (e.g., fall test) Find suitable grounds* Member queries other PL owners in the region to gauge interest in the test* Member lives in State X and wants to host an APLA Hunt Test in the fall (she will be HT Chair) If enough interest Secure judges* # of dogs at each level (estimate) Secure birds* Volunteers to help (at least 5-7)* July 15 April-June April-June Application goes to HT Committee for review in July If the application looks good Someone on the APLA HT Committee reviews the application with the HT Chair Member submits an APLA HT application & worksheet to the APLA HT Committee for review HT Chair edits the application & resubmits for review If the application needs work*

3. 13038340052 HUNT TEST COMMITTEE • Chris Garramone (Chair): cegarramone@msn.com, (303) 250-4563 • Lily Lo: ririro@gmail.com, (360) 508-0022 • Nate Hamblin: nate.hamblin76@gmail.com, (641) 485-3687 • Ryan Ordway: ordway.ryan@yahoo.com, (303)-834-0052

4. How to gauge interest in a test • Post on the APLA Facebook page that you’re interested in holding a test at CITY XYZ. Ask who would consider coming. • Look on the APLA webpage, under the Members directory. You can search the APLA directory by state and send e-mail to members in your region: http://www.americanpointinglab.com/page-1301260 • Reach out to pointing Lab trainers and breeders in your area (up to 8 hour radius) to see if they have any dogs to run • Ask the APLA HT Committee if the region has held tests in the past and historically what numbers they’ve had

5. HOW CAN YOU OFFSET COSTS? • SOME FIXED COSTS TO CONSIDER & WAYS TO SAVE MONEY • Grounds (average range $0-700) • Portable toilet (approx. $80) • Lunch for judges and workers (budget about $8/person/day). Serving something in bulk like spaghetti, soup, or chili that a volunteer makes can save you a lot of money. • Dinner for judges (budget about $15/person) • Snacks for the judges and workers. Buy snacks/drinks in bulk at a place like Costco. Have a large dispenser for water instead of individually packaged water bottles. • Travel for judges (rental car and airfare; if judges are running dogs too, their cost is 50% less) • Lodging for judges (see if judges can room together, approx. $80-100/night/2-3 nights) • Ammunition & blanks (ask for donations of these from sporting goods stores) • Workers (try to get volunteers like handlers or spouses; otherwise plan $50-100/worker/day) • Bird costs: approx. chukar $8-12, pheasant (hens are often cheaper) $12-15, ducks $13-15

6. HOW CAN YOU OFFSET COSTS? • USING THE APLA HUNT TEST WORKSHEET • It will calculate all the bird costs for you. 3 chukar per CPR/APR dog, 2 chukar + 2 pheasant per MPR/GMPR dog. • Estimate about 15% more chukar than you’ll need to account for escaped or non-usable birds, walk-ups, and re-runs. • There aren’t usually walk-ups in Master, but get a few extra pheasant to account for escaped or non-usable birds. • Ducks must be LIVE. They should be dispatched humanely right before the hunt test. There are no live flyers in APLA hunt tests.

7. WAYS TO GENERATE INCOME TO OFFSET EXPENSES • Consider selling unused birds to people at the hunt test and use the proceeds to recoup some of the cost of putting on the hunt test. • Ask handlers and spectators for donations towards offsetting grounds fees or for paying the workers • Raffle donations from a local sporting goods store or gift certificates from chain restaurants or retailers, or a hunt from a local hunting preserve • Offer lunch and/or dinner to handlers and spectators for a donation • Offer dry camping on the grounds and charge people to park there • If the grounds fee includes lodging, use it to house the judges and workers, and offer extra rooms to handlers for a fee • It is the HT Chair’s job to ensure (as best as possible) that income balances expenses

8. Volunteers (smaller tests may be able to use fewer people) • HT CHAIR – responsible for organizing the test and putting together the application • HT SECRETARY – puts together judges books and programs, handles all the paperwork, submits forms to the APLA after the test. You want someone who is very organized. • MARSHAL(S) – 1-2 people who make sure handlers/dogs are where they need to be, keep the run order flowing smoothly. • BIRD THROWERS – at least 2-4 people who can either operate a winger, or who can throw a dead duck high and place it with accuracy where it needs to land. They also plant the blind for the APR and MPR tests. • BIRD WRANGLERS – 1-2 people who know how to dizzy and plant chukar and pheasant for the Upland portion of the test. They are usually also the ones who kill the ducks before the test. • GUNNERS – 2-3 very accurate, safe gunners to shoot in the Upland portion of the test • RUNNER – 1 person to run errands, pick up lunch, etc.

9. KNOW THE HUNT TEST RULES • It’s important you familiarize yourself with the APLA Hunt Test rules, which differ from other venues like AKC, HRC (e.g., there are no live flyers shot) • The rules can be found on the APLA website: http://www.americanpointinglab.com/page-1466065 • The responsibilities of the HT Chair and HT Secretary can be found on the APLA website: http://www.americanpointinglab.com/page-1618950

10. MINIMUM EQUIPMENT NEEDED OPTIONAL: • Wingers (at least 2; saves on arm fatigue and ensures more accurate and consistent bird placement) • Duck dryers • 5 gallon buckets for re-stocking ducks • Shade canopy for sun/rain • Chairs for judges MANDATORY: • Holding blinds (at least 3, preferably more) • Blank pistols (at least 2) and blanks • Ammunition for gunners • Judges score books Contact the APLA Hunt Test Committee if you are having trouble finding equipment

11. FINDING SUITABLE GROUNDS • Upland: 5-10 acres of varied terrain, no barbed wire or other dangers readily accessible. Preferably no/little cheat grass. • Water: 1-2 ponds that would permit up to a 100 yd swim. • Retriever field: should be different from the field used for Upland. Field must allow for up to 100 yd marks/blinds and some variation in terrain is preferred. • Place to meet either on site or nearby (for handler meeting before the test). • Lodging and restaurants nearby (within 10-15 miles of the test site). • Airport nearby if flying in judges.

12. Finding judges • Go to the APLA website and search under “Members” and then look under the judges directory • Ask handlers and pros who they thought were good and fair judges (everyone has an opinion). • Secure your judges several months in advance if possible • To save costs, use a married couple to judge (e.g., Dale & Brenda Merritt) or see if judges can room together • If you have a relatively small test (less than 15 dogs), 2 MPR judges can judge the entire hunt test • If you have a larger test, have 2 MPR judges to do APR and MPR, and find 2 other judges for CPR

13. Finding birds • Ask local pointer and retriever groups where they get their birds • Bird prices will vary by region and by time of year (more expensive in the spring, less so in the fall) • Average prices: chukar $8-12, pheasant (hens are often cheaper) $12-15, ducks $13-15 • Get quotes from several different bird farms if you have that option • Make sure you have a way to transport the birds to the hunt test. Do not transport them in such a way that they will be exposed to the elements (e.g., windblown on top of a car, sitting in a trailer in the rain). • Hopefully the birds have been raised in a flight pen, but if they haven’t, it would be ideal if you had a flight pen to condition them for a week prior to the hunt test.

14. How a hunt test application is evaluated • The hunt test application/worksheet MUST REFLECT AN EFFORT TO BE GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDS and be realistic in terms of volunteers and entries. • There is not a minimum number of entries required to hold a hunt test but the APLA Hunt Test Worksheet should show a net zero or positive balance. Hunt tests that do not balance or show a profit will typically not be approved. • The hunt test is in a region where there is heavy APLA member density • The hunt test may be in an area that has little APLA penetration (e.g., California spring 2017) in order to draw more attention to and grow the organization • Hunt tests that in previous years did not show a profit may not be approved in subsequent years (there may be one-off or extenuating circumstances that the HT will consider). • If the same group is applying to host an APLA hunt test but in the previous year did not comply with APLA standards or submit the required post-test paperwork in a timely fashion, that group’s application may be denied.

15. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION • Hunt test applications and directions can be found on the APLA website: http://www.americanpointinglab.com/page-1618950 • Spring HT applications are due by January 15, and fall applications are due by July 15 • Reach out to past hunt test chairs for advice. Past HT Chairs can be found by searching under “Events” on the APLA website, and looking in each hunt test’s Premium (if it’s still available) • Contact the APLA Hunt Test Committee for help and guidance.