RETRIEVING AUSTRALIA FORUM

Regarding running order: usually with many dogs bombing out combined with dogs running in other stakes it is difficult to keep everyone on the same page. Perhaps it might help if it is catalogue order first run, last to run first second run and catalogue order for last run. Sometimes it is very beneficial to run first later in the day.

Slightly off topic but 'fairness' has been mentioned. One thing I would like to see is gun stewards being required to notify the judge if the bird falls outside the judge's defined area of fall. Sometimes the judge can see and sometimes not and wind conditions can change and play havoc with the cast of the bird.

Prue, I think you would find most judges will request a field steward to notify them if a bird falls out of the area, but, as a judge I also know that every throw on a run may not be exactly the same and the bird will possibly not fall in the exact same place each time due to weather conditions, weight of bird, or even the warming up of the rubbers. It is generally allowed that a mark should fall in a general area and this may have variations of several metres but this is acceptable otherwise the delays would be horrendous. Unless a judge requests a steward to inform him/her of the circumstances of a throw or retrieve, then that steward must not offer an opinion or information.

On the running order debate, I just had two trials where in the first I was number one. I remained at number one for the whole day. Yes it was advantageous to the other competitors to see where my dog went, where she scented the bird, and, what traps were out on the run. Being first doesn't worry me that much, but I do think that number one needs to be informed of hazards on the run that their dog may encounter, and actually number two competitor needs this as well, so it is fair for all that are competing. The second trial I was in I drew number two. First run and number one had a miss throw and decided to miss two dogs, so I was number one again for the first run. The other runs each had a redraw from the numbers and the first runner was shared around the competitors.

In my observation, most judges have their dog/s in the car waiting for some action. Why not have the judge or another non competing dog retrieve the test bird on each run. That way the area is definitely scented and all handlers can see any possible pitfalls. This allows fairness without states having to conform to a single way of running order.

kerry u shouldn't have to run first all day it isnt fair for u or anyone else doing so is not ok why not make it as fair as possible and minimize the luck element
and kerrie a lot of judges don't have a dog of the appropriate standard to do a test run particularly in all age but i do agree that running a test dog is highly desirable in terms of creating fairness to all competitors