In choosing one’s associates or one’s friends there is a tendency to rule out those who make one feel uncomfortable — to actually assign demerits for unfamiliar behavior unlike one’s own habits, that is.

Is this the way to judge competitors in a field trial? Well...maybe not.

“Anybody with a few prejudices can place a dog that don’t make mistakes,” Chesley Harris once told me. “But it takes somebody that’s killed wild game, followed a relocation crawling in mud, corrected and checkcorded a lot of dogs, and inhaled a lot of dog and — to pick the BEST sumbitch...”

To judge a field trial, I always had a first and second place dog after the first brace, and let them and their successors get bested or not in each succeeding brace. When the last brace was run, I had my two or three winners. Usually my fellow judge agreed to this plan and we tried to keep up with one anothers’ thinking after every brace if possible, and certainly at noon and at dusk.

We ran two grand field trials that way once upon a time in Georgia, posting the three “top” dogs every evening. It worked well for a few years, and then a new collection of club officials came along who preferred that the judges flip back through their notebooks for an hour or so after the last brace ran.

It just was not the same after that.

Turning to the qualities most desirable in a field trial judge, they are obvious...to me, anyway.

First of all, hunting experience on wild upland game with wild upland game bird dogs. Experience developing a winning field trial dog and miles and hours of attendance at major field trials on different upland game birds.

A predilection in favor of the dog as competitor rather than the man handling the dog is absolutely primary, along with the integrity that this suggests. Judges should know “class” when they see it, and place it above sanctity.

Briefly, “class” can be recognized in the gait, reach, forward direction, intensity and rigidity on point and obvious lust of the hunt and courageous stamina. Recognition of a dog’s more efficient use of his scent receptors is a “separating” measure just as the amount of territory hunted individually, are measures.

Kindness, civility and a generosity of spirit are also to be desired in a judge, rather than the qualities of imperious infallibility and dictatorial attitude.

Field trial judges should be proficient riders and be in good health.

And, finally, a good judge must be completely conversant with the Minimum Standards of the FDSB and the AFTCA rules of running.

The familiar, capsule description of the all-age, attributed to old-time trainer Jim Avent, declares that he (or she) is a dedicated hunter of upland game birds which ‘runs off—but not quite.’ The all-age dog is a free spirit and fills up all the available country (plus a little) in a bold an sometimes reckless manner, yet ultimately acknowledges the control exerted by his handler and courses to the front in such a pattern as to maintain periodic, suitable contact with the handler. The really intelligent and accomplished all-age dog exhibits the knack of “showing” at strategic, distant, forward points on the course during the progress of his heat. He may frequently pass from view, only to show again after a lapse of time, or to be discovered by the handler or scout pointing game.

The all-age dog should incorporate the direction of the wind and the lay of the land in his hunting effort, enabling him to range to the fringe of contact with his handler. He must possess a superior nose, allowing him to hunt from objective to objective at a very fast pace. In an ideal all-age performance there is little or no time for extended probing or rechecking of coverts.

A successful all-age dog is not a straight line runner. Despite his speed, power and extended range, he must be hunting as he goes. He must take the edges and apply his superior olfactory powers to pick up vagrant scents that might lead to discovery of game.

The all-age dog should exude animation and happiness with the task at hand. He should display loftiness of head and tail in his gait, maintaining this appearance in cover and on bare ground, despite traveling with the utmost speed and drive. He must not be deterred by punishment meted out by cover and weather.

No matter how far flung and well executed the casts – no matter how beautiful and powerful the stride – no matter how lofty and animated the carriage – no matter how strong and indefatigable the heart – this running machine must have foremost in mind the discovery and near perfect handling of game. He should stand proud, rigid and intense on his birds, showing confidence that he has them pegged exactly, and in front. Quite often he must maintain this posture for many minutes, and remember his training, before handler or scout discovers him on point. He should be fearless at the approach of handler and the field trial party, and he should maintain keen interest, intensity, upright posture and good style while handler flushes and the shot is fired. If birds cannot be flushed and relocation is required, he should proceed when released with dash and determination to search out and pin running birds, exhibiting powers of nose that take him straight to the quarry.

The all-age dog must voluntarily and cheerfully back on sight a brace mate on rigid point. However, the judges should attempt to see the backing situation through the eyes of the moving dog, taking into account the less acute eyesight of the dog and the possible interference of cover, terrain and background as he approaches the scene. The approaching dog should get the benefit of any doubt about his ability to see clearly the pointing dog. In an all-age performance, a back should be accomplished if the opportunity presents itself and the brace mate is in the vicinity, but a race should not be interrupted and a dog returned from a distant cast in order to achieve a back.

In an all-age dog, stamina is a watchword. Regardless of whether the heat is a half-hour or three hours, prime consideration should be given to the competitor which can convincingly finish the allotted time with range and speed undiminished. Emphasis should also be placed on the dog's ability to find and handle game in all parts of the heat, but particularly in the latter stages when fatigue may take its toll on olfactory powers.

A Shooting Dog Stake is held for the purpose of promoting the ideal shooting dog, one that will find and handle correctly all game birds on the designated course.

The superior shooting dog is one that excites constant admiration for the quality of his performance and does nothing to displease or annoy. Without giving his handler any unnecessary effort, he will in an artistic and polished manner give him the most quality bird finds that are to he had on the ground covered.

The exemplary shooting dog displays an intense desire to find birds for his handler, a nose keen to detect the presence of game, and the ability to locate it quickly and accurately by body scent. He shows staunchness, intensity, positiveness and lofty style on point, and steadiness to wing and shoot.

In hunting, a shooting dog of the first order evidences bird sense, an understanding of the habits of game, and displays the wisdom to use the wind to advantage; he adopts pace and range that is most effective on the ground being worked under the conditions which exist. He possesses speed, properly applied, is industrious and thorough in his search, handles the immediate terrain and does not run past objectives, and has adequate range, which is intelligently directed. He moves easily, pleasingly, gracefully animated and happy while running and manifests lofty head and tail on point. He works independent of continuous direction from the handler and exhibits perfect manners at all times. This includes, when opportunity is afforded, backing a brace mate on rigid point.

Intelligent patterning of a course, hunting to the front, quickness in locating his handler and in seeing and hearing his commands, prompt obedience, courage and willingness to face unflinchingly heavy or punishing cover plus boldness on game, mark the class shooting dog. Proper handing response is paramount.

The performer that fulfills the requirements naturally and cheerfully is preferable to one that works mechanically, although effortlessly.

Whenever practicable, the dog may be worked on single birds and should do his work cheerfully and in a natural way.

It is distinctly understood that a slow dog, one lacking in stamina, or one that is circumscribed in range is not in favor. All the speed and range a dog can well utilize in the hunting field is desired, but it must at all times be applied properly. The bold, snappy, dashing dog will have quick and pleasing response at all times, keeping uppermost in mind the finding and pointing of birds for his handler. A dog should not hunt in straight lines, but exhibit intelligence and true bird-finding ability by hunting the likely places on the course, working for his handler, swinging to the course when the character of the country and cover requires so doing. Instinct, natural qualifications, training and experience equip him for superior work. Exceptional style, beauty of carriage, and grace of movement are important.

The Standard seeks to glorify the ideal hunting dog which works indefatigably in the interest of the gun, a dog with character and courage which displays all essential qualifications, plus refinements of expert training.

In any given Shooting Dog Stake, it may be very difficult to place a dog which totally meets this exalted standard (Parke C. Brinkley, Standard for the National Open Shooting Dog Championship). Therefore, out of necessity, there will frequently be a need to accept a dog whose qualities and character can only begin to approximate this standard. The standard when applied should seek out the dog which displays superior bird dog characteristics in the form of natural qualities such as pace, range, bird sense, nose, stamina and style. The contender sought after should render a balanced, biddable performance, search intelligently and exhibit bird finding ability with quality always superceding quantity, manifest accuracy of location, loftiness and intensity on point. Subservience to the handler and proper handling response without the benefit of scouting and excessive handling are the "sine qua non" of a shooting dog. Excessive range on the part of a shooting dog is not considered desirable. When considering bird work, the judge should be swayed not by the frequency of occurrence but rather by the quality of performance.