The following positions are only suggested. Each chapter may develop tests according to their own operational plan. (More than one job can be assigned to one person.)

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• Test Secretary - Responsible for all the paper work. Responsible for overall preparation. Makes electronic application to Director of Testing for Test Dates and for Judges. Assigns test coordinator. Handles test correspondence, Test entries, score cards, etc. Schedule apprentice judges (see notes in Judge and Chapter Obligations section.) Should read all of the “Test Information” section of the Test Packet.

 

• Test Coordinator - Responsible for management of the Test. Sees to arrangement for grounds and birds; assigns tasks and stays updated on progress. Should also read all of the “Test Information” section of the Test Packet.

 

• Marshall - The Marshall’s jobs are (1) To have the next handler and dog ready when and where the Judges want them. (2) To have the next event set up and ready and (3) to keep the gallery from interfering. Depending on available manpower and physical set up, this may be a two-person job.

 

• Judge Host - Sees to arrangements for travel, meeting, housing and feeding Judges. Arrangements should be discussed with individual judges well before the test. (See Judge and Chapter Obligations).

 

• Judges -The Judges are there to Judge your dogs. They should have no other obligations to your chapter unless it is something like making a few remarks at a Test Dinner. Judges possess a wealth of knowledge and are always willing to answer questions, but please remember they do need a good night’s sleep in order to do a good job of judging.

 

• Judge Steward - Provides a variety of hot or cold (depending on weather) beverages, carbonated and non-carbonated, available for judges in the field. Must always include cold water. Keeps rain or other weather dependent gear close by. Manages transportation in the field if necessary. Sees that the judges’ lunch is ready when they are and generally keeps the judges as comfortable as possible during the day.

 

• Properties Person - Sees to direction signs to grounds, retrieving dummies, blank shells, blinds, decoys, duck boat, heeling stakes and any other necessary equipment for the site. Blank shells must be professional smokeless powder factory ammunition normally called Conventional Field Trial Popper Load. All equipment should be on the grounds early so that everything is set up in accordance with the Senior Judge’s directions before it is needed.

 

• Food Organizer - Makes arrangements for a Test dinner if there is to be one, coordinates the plans for lunch on the grounds.

 

• Gunners - There are two kinds of gunners necessary for NAVHDA Tests. For NA only blank ammunition is necessary, since only blanks are shot while the dogs are in the field. For UPT live ammunition is used for Field Work. For UT testing blank ammunition is used for Water Work and live ammunition is used for Field Work. “Live Ammunition Gunning” at a NAVHDA Test is a serious responsibility. All “Live Ammunition Gunners” are required to read the sections on gun safety in the NAVHDA Aims, Programs, Test Rules book and the sheet On Being a NAHVDA Gunner. Safety and intelligent, accurate shooting are primary concerns.

 

• Bird Steward - Responsible for care of the birds from point of delivery to the field. (May also be responsible for ordering birds). Sees that birds are where they are needed when they are needed. Birds must be kept fed and watered and protected from the elements to perform well in the field. It is impossible to have a good Test if the birds are weak and fail to fly. Dead birds for drags and water work should be kept cool, dry and covered to avoid attracting flies.

 

• Bird Planters - There should be two or more bird planters per field per day. They should be carefully instructed in the proper way to plant the kind of birds you are using. Don’t assume that anybody who comes along knows how to plant a bird properly. Birds must be planted in such a manner that they will be alert and ready to fly when a dog approaches. Bird Planters take direction from the Senior Judge on where to put birds and must watch Judges for a signal that may indicate they need an extra bird.

 

• Bird Dresser - It is an essential element of good sportsmanship that all game be treated with respect. All shot birds should be dressed and chilled as soon as they are brought from the field. If birds cannot be dressed, they should at least be put in a cooler on ice to be dressed later. Birds can be used for a Test lunch or dinner, given to chapter members, to the landowner or to test participants. Game should not be wasted; birds should never be left out on the ground to gather flies.

 

• Duck Thrower - For Utility and UPT. Requires a strong arm and some accuracy skills. Duck throwing devices are permissible.

 

• Grounds Keeper - It is always essential that we leave the grounds as clean or cleaner than we found them, be it on public or private land. Cans, bottles, shell casings, bird cleaning waste, waste paper and cigarette butts or any other litter should be picked up and removed.