Find out more about the Swedish Show- and Huntingtests/Fieldtrials rules

Here´s a comprehensive translation of the Swedish Show and Huntingtestsrules; WEIMARANER.
I´ve tried to make this as short as possible. Of course there are exceptional cases (i e dogs from foreign countries) and some things to add. Anyway, here are the rules we have to deal with:

SHOW:

Puppyclass 4-9 months Unofficial class
Juniorclass 9-15 months Official class
Youthclass 15-24 months Official class
Open class From 24 months Official class
Hunting class For dogs with at least a third prize from huntingtest.
This is the only class where a dog can earn a certificate.
A dog can earn maximum three certificates.
Official class
Championclass For showchampions only Official class
Veteranclass Dogs older than 7 years Official class

A dog is only allowed to enter one class at a show.
If the dog earns a 1st in quality, it continues to competition-class, where the judge decides if the dog is good enough earning a certificate or CK (for dogs that have no prizes from field or already has three certificates). These certificate-/CK-dogs continues to the competition of Best Bitch/Best Dog.
A puppy is too young to have a certificate.
In international shows, best male and female earns CACIB, the international certificate.
When a weimaraner has got three certificates from at least two different judges, it must also have a 1st prize from openclass huntingtest, before it can be awarded the title Swedish Show Champion.

HUNTINGTESTS:

Classes:

Youthclass
Unghundsklass (Ukl)
Dogs younger than 24 months.
Openclass
Öppen klass (Ökl)
Dogs older than 24 months or
dogs that earlier has maximum one 1st prize from open class.
Masterclass
Elitklass (Ekl)
Dogs that earlier has earned a 1st prize in openclass.

The huntingtest shall, as far as possible, stribe to equal a real huntingsituation.

Points:
Lowest: 0, highest: 10.
Minimumpoint is 4 in each discipline, before entering fieldwork.
Points from water/tracking/retrieving-square can only be used one year. The points can not be "saved" for tests later on.

Youthclass:

Water:
A bird (seagull, duck etc) is thrown from seashore into calm water. The dog must swim and retrieve. Delivery in hand.
Tracking:
Rabbit (or seagull) is pulled with a string and makes the track in the woods. Dog must track good, retrieve and deliver in hand.

Openclass:

Water:
A shot is fired, bird thrown from boat into a clump of reeds. Dog must stay calm at seashore. When allowed to, the dog is commanded to retrieve and then deliver the bird in hand.
Tracking:
Rabbit (or in some cases hare) is pulled in the woods. Dog must be loose from the start of the track, find the rabbit on its own, retrieve and deliver it into hand.

Masterclass:

Water:
The dog is directed from seashore to a point far away into the water where a seagull is placed (often in a clump of reeds). When the dog swims back, when it has com halfway back, a shot is fired and a new bird thrown into the water, close to the dog. The dog is not allowed to change game! It must deliver the first bird into hand. After a steady delivery, it is commanded to retrieve bird number two. This is also supposed to be delivered into hand.
Tracking:
This track is made by fox, mink or another predator. The exact start of the track is not marked, the handler must encourage the dog to find the track itself. Tracking, retrieving and delivery as in openclass.
Retrieving-square:
A square in the woods is marked, 50 x 50 metres. A shooter/throwing-man stands in the middle of it. Before handler and dog comes to the square, two birds, rabbits i e are placed in the square, hidden from the dog and handler.
A shot is fired, one bird/rabbit is thrown, the second shot fired, next game is thrown, a third shot is fired.
The dog must sit/stay calm. It´s supposed to find all the game in the square, retrieve and deliver it to hand, search the whole square thoroughly with good speed.

In Sweden we have three types of grounds for huntingtests:
Field (most common), Woodlands and Mountains.
Before going to the fields, the dog must pass water- and trackingtest with points in all disciplines.

Fieldwork:

Going in fieldtrials, dogs are given points in two disciplines: fieldwork and retrieving. Dog must have points in both before given a prize.
The dog must hunt, using his instinct, quartering the ground. Point. Flush on command, retrieve on command. (Easy, huh?!)

The dog is tested as a pointing dog at grouse, pheasant (or other fieldbirds), rabbit or hare. The dogs are tested in pairs, two and two. I special conditions, for instance covered ground or fog/mist, the dogs can be tested single.

The shortest test-time having 4 points in openclass and masterclass, is 30 minutes, and having 7 points in fieldwork is a minimum of 60 minutes.

Game is not needed to be shot but a shot is allways necessary in flush/when bird is on the wing. If game is not shot, the dog must do a retrieving:
Dog must sit/stay loose at the side of the handler. A shot is fired and the game is thrown. When allowed to, the dog must on command retrieve the game.

In openclass and masterclass, a shot must be fired in flush, otherwise the dog will not be given a prize.
In openclass and masterclass, shall at least two good huntingsituations be accomplished correctly, for having a minimum of 8 points in fieldwork.

The dog must be handled without unnecessary commands or whistling and willingly be directed.
In the flush, the handler is not allowed to touch the dog or be in front of the dog.

When a dog is on point or following a game, the partnerdog must be loose and must stay so until the judge says otherwise.
Dog that runs after cattle, deer etc, should be disqualified. The judging is harder in masterclass than in youthclass.
In youthclass must willingly dogs especially be valued, with good huntingappetite and good natural ability. Eventual lack in training shall not minimize the total impression.

How is the dog given a prize, then?
All points from all disciplines are counted together. The summary decides what the prize finally is: first, second, third, or if bad luck, no prize at all. A minimum of 4 points in all disciplines is demanded before the dog is awarded with a prize (passed, approved).

Coefficient Coefficient Maximum points Maximum points
Youthclass, openclass Masterclass Youthclass, openclass Masterclass Youthclass, openclass Masterclass
1. Fieldwork 1. Fieldwork 10 10 100 100
2. Retrieving
at fieldwork
2. Retrieving
at fieldwork
2 2 20 20
3. Water-retrieving 3. Water-retrieving 5 5 50 50
4. Tracking 4. Tracking 3 3 30 30
5. Retrieving-square 3 30
Total points 200 230

Prize Points youthclass, openclass Points masterclass Minimum points
on fieldwork
First prize 160 184 7
Second prize 120 138 5
Third prize 80 92 4

A Prize of Honour (HP) can be given to a dog with a particular outstanding performance.

How to become Champion, then?
One 1st prize from openclass (with the necessary three certificates from shows) is "enough" to a Swedish ShowChampion.
Becoming a Swedish HuntingChampion, the dog must have two 1st prizes from masterclass, passed noviceclass bloodtracking and at least a 2nd prize from show.
(I will not describe about bloodtrackingrules here.)

Shortenings; Swedish titles and Championtitles.

LP Diploma in obedience.
Three 1st prizes in one and same class.
SLCH Swedish Obediencechampion.
Three 1st prizes in the highest obedienceclass (there are four).
SUCH Swedish Show Champion.
SJCH Swedish Hunting Champion.
SVCH Swedish Bloodtracking Champion.
There are two classes: noviceclass and openclass.
In noviceclass you can´t have prizes, only "passed" or not.
In openclass you earn prizes. A SVCH has three 1st prizes in openclass.
SV +year Swedish Winner.
Best of Breed in a allbreed SKK dogshow. Only arranged once a year.