# HRC Test



## hoosier dhr (Jul 24, 2003)

Just got home from my first HRC event Lucy (my black lab) got a pass, 
that was alot of fun  
She is two yrs old and has been hunting so i expected her to pass the started but it was a little more than i thought. She did bring it to hand at heal every time but she likes to bolt, I got to work on that.

Anyone else do HRC?


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

Good job and congrats, I'm just getting started in this myself, it seems like it is going to be alot of fun, I should have done it a long time ago. I am going to go to a test in May in the twin cities and them our club is hosting a test in July.


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## gundogguru (Oct 7, 2003)

congrats on the pass. What stake where you in. We do HRC and AKC with our labs and with my wirehair. I finished my wirehairs Master Hunter title back in Nov.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

Got two passes this weekend at a test our club hosted, it was very hot but we were very careful with the dogs and had no problems.[siteimg]4679[/siteimg]


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## hoosier dhr (Jul 24, 2003)

Good job :beer:

I bet the birds were smelling good at the end


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

hoosier dhr,
I am entering my lab for in an HRC test for the first time, This will be his hunt test period. If you have any tips or advise on how to prepare my dog for this I would appreaciate it. The test is in September so I have a little time to prepare.

Any advise from anyone would be great!
thanks!


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

ryanps18 said:


> hoosier dhr,
> I am entering my lab for in an HRC test for the first time, This will be his hunt test period. If you have any tips or advise on how to prepare my dog for this I would appreaciate it. The test is in September so I have a little time to prepare.
> 
> Any advise from anyone would be great!
> thanks!


What are you running Started, seasoned, finished, ?????????


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

I am running him in the started test.


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

The started test consists of two land singles that are 60 yards or less and two water singles that are fairly short as well. The dog does not have to be steady at the line and can be restrained.. I watched a couple of guys fail last weekend because they thought there dogs were steady and did not hold there pups back and they broke and made nice reteieves but failed, you can have a controlled break and resend the dog but why chance it at that level, work on steadyness for the seasoned level. I don't know if you train with a group but if you do most of the training by your self, find some helpers to throw for you, two if you can find them and have them throw marks for you 90 deg. apart, having some one else throw for you is a whole new look for a dog that has gotten most of his marks from you by his side. If 50 yards seems to far at first move up and let the dog get used to the new set up. In the test you will signal the bird boy with a duck call, he will call back to get the dogs attention, the bird will be thrown and a shot will be fired by a gunner next to you when the bird reaches the peak, send you dog after the bird hits the ground, if you send befor you will fail. The dog does not have to deliever to hand but the judges like it, they can't run off with it but they can drop it after they have crossed the line that is predetermined by the judges. They may use decoys in the water set up, the dog does not have to swim through them, they will be set off to one side or the other. Train with some decoys out, I seen more than one dog pick up decoys.. That is about it for the started, good luck and have fun...


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## hoosier dhr (Jul 24, 2003)

Havent checked in in a few days,

only thing i would add is your dog may be steady as a rock but with all the other dogs and people they can forget their manors 

If u havent done it yet
Good luck! :beer:

If u have 
Hope u did wll.


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

thanks guys that helps a ton, He is steady but I will take your advise on restraing him.

Thanks again!


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

I'm not sure what they have for clubs in your area, but you may also want to take a look at NAHRA. Their started stakes is very similar to HRC in that land marks are all singles out to 75 yards w/ water marks being out to 50, you can restrain your dog at the line with a slip lead (no collars) and the dog doesn't have to deliver to hand (must be in the area of the handler), and you get 5 marks total. 2 must be on land, 2 must be in water and the last can be either or. I haven't ran HRC, but I do know that the NAHRA test I was at in Wisconsin earlier this year was as close to a hunting scenerio as I've been in w/out actually needing a license. In the started stakes we had 3 land marks with the third being a flyer. You had to lay down among 3 dz plus mallard and goose decoys just like you were in a layout blind and handle a gun. Talk about fun!!!! That flyer made some dogs just come unglued!!


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

fetchjake ,

That does sound fun I will check into it. I really do not care about the title as my dog is registerd with AKC and not UKC. I am just doing this for fun and for the experience,. I appreciate the tip I am going to goolge it now.
thanks


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

NAHRA has a test in st cloud on Aug 19 and 20


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

Ryan- are you from MN? I'll be up both days for the Four Points Retriever Clubs test in August near St. Cloud. I've never been to Benton Retriever Grounds (where the test will be held), but heard it's very impressive. It's a TON of fun and you'll be glad that you went....as will your dog! He/She's guaranteed to have a ball! The started stakes are very laid back which is good as you'll have a little anxiety waiting to run!  Heck who knows.....you run both days, get a couple of ribbons and all of a sudden your hooked!! :beer:


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

ryanps18 said:


> fetchjake ,
> 
> That does sound fun I will check into it. I really do not care about the title as my dog is registerd with AKC and not UKC. I am just doing this for fun and for the experience,. I appreciate the tip I am going to goolge it now.
> thanks


As long as you are taking the time and paying the money to take the test you might as well register with UKC and get the credit you have earned :wink:


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

That's very true. If you've ran HRC and gotten a pass or two already, pay the registration fee so that you and your dog get some credit. I know that it's not so much about the title(s), but trust me, when you go up to pick up that last ribbon and someone yells out "TITLE"...it's a cool feeling! You and your dog bust your butts so that you can pass a test, might as well get some credit along the way! :beer:


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

You guys are right. I was thinking about that last night I may as well register if I run him in enough tests it will pay for it self as they charge an extra $5 if your dog is not registerd.

What will your dog(s) be running in? I do live in MN around the twincities area. I will probably see you there!
thanks.


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

Ryan- I'll be running my youngest in Started on Saturday and then a new level called "hunter" on Sunday. Hunter is set up on a trial basis and was put inbetween Started and Intermediate. Intermediate's a pretty big jump from started so hunter was created to hopefully keep people involved. Here you have a water and land double that are at the same distances as started plus you have a trail. The dog must also deliver to hand and be steady. It's intermediate except w/out the water blind and the distances for the marks are a bit shorter. We'll run it just to run it on Sunday and then run intermediate next Spring. If you need a premium for the NAHRA test let me know and I'll email you one.

If you don't mind me asking...who's your dog out of?


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

fetchjake,

That would be great, thanks. My dog's parents were imported from the U.K. and Scotland so you might not recognize the pegigree.

Stockiemuir Ben X Broadlaw Indie 
grand sired by Craighorn Bracken and Saxaphone Express
some of the dame lines as Drake the DU mascott or what ever the heck he is.
http://www.ducks.org/Hunting/RetrieverT ... ideos.html has some cool clips of him working if interested

He has been a really good dog so far when we are training he is all business and at home a bum. my kind of dog. I am from western ND and go back to pheasant hunt so I wanted a smaller lab, the big ones just will not hold up as long as I would like. He is 60 pounds but well put together.


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

Cool! I just went out to britishlabradors.com and saw both the sire and dam of your pup. Good lookin' dawgs!!


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

Thanks! You will probably see us at the test.


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

Ryan- :keep looking here and you should be able to download the premium for the test http://www.nahranews.org/


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

thanks man I apreciate that. 
Where is your lab from? He looks like quite the athelete.


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

That's Jake...he's my meat dog. I didn't get into the "dog world" until he was about 4, he's going on 8 now. He's got the heart of a lion but his wheels are starting to slow him down. I couldn't tell you a lot about his background outside of that he came from a kennel in SE Minnesota. He was a newspaper litter that my wife and I responded to. Terriffic family/hunting dog and was a good dog for me to get my feet wet on. I've since got a second lab that I'm running the games with. He's out of MHR WR SR Cedars Edge Raiders Mis Abby JH (1 more pass on her SH) and WR SR Great Daze 20 oz Copper. Coppers out of GMHR Silverbrooks Return to Sender MH and GMHR GMPR UH Midvale Acres Risen Belle MH while Abby's out of Riks Risky Raider and a Revilo *****. He loves to hunt!! Tuck's only a year and a half and we've already had quite a ride.


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## ryanps18 (Jun 23, 2006)

I will be looking forward to watching him in action! If you are anywere near the minneapolis area I am looking for some people to get a training group together, let me know it that is of interest to you.

later


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