Expanded Westminster Kennel Club Hunting Test Set For September 20-21

The popular Westminster Kennel Club Hunting Test for Pointing Breeds will expand to two days in 2014, with Junior, Senior and Master stakes offered on both days of its seventh annual event to be held in September.

The beautiful scenic fields at Tamarack Game Preserve in Millbrook, New York, will once again be the site of the event on Sept. 20-21, where dogs will have two opportunities to earn qualifying scores for their field titles.

The expansion of the Hunting Test continues Westminster’s recent growth in the events offered by America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of dogs. The Hunting Test, along with the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and the iconic Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show in February, are all part of Westminster’s annual celebration of dogs. Adding to that this year, Westminster will also host the American Kennel Club’s Meet the Breeds event as part of its busy February schedule.

The world knows Westminster best for its famous all breed dog show held every year since 1877. But before the world’s greatest show dogs and Madison Square Garden’s iconic green carpet became its hallmarks, Westminster was about sporting dogs and upland game bird fields, with a primary activity of bird hunting, primarily with pointing breeds.

Its annual hunting test today is a reminder of that legacy.

“It is a pleasure to watch handlers and dogs working so closely together on these spectacular grounds, seeing the dogs doing the jobs that they were bred to do,” said Test Committee Chair Dr. Steven M. Bedford. “These wonderful dogs are the products of generations of careful breeding, clearly demonstrated through their enthusiastic performance. Westminster is proud to be a club that showcases the beauty of the dog, both in structure and in function.”

The Hunting Test premium, with rules and entry form are available below:

Click here for Saturday Hunting Test Premium

Click here for Sunday Hunting Test Premium

For additional information or to receive a premium via mail, contact Hunt Test Secretary Harvey Wooding at (212) 213-3165.

The entry closes at 4 pm ET on Monday, Sept. 15 and is limited to the number of dogs that can be run safely during daylight hours. Drawing of the order will take place the following day and be posted on the Westminster website (www.westminsterkennelclub.org).

Each day’s competition will begin with Master Hunter at 8 a.m., followed by Senior Hunter. Junior Hunter will begin at 8 a.m. on a separate course. Lunch will be available on the grounds.

Saturday Judges:

Master/Senior: Debbie Field, Lakeville, CT; Frank Luksa, East Windsor, NJ.

Junior A: Esther Pilkington, Palisades Park, NJ; Tony Smid, Oakland, NJ.

Junior B: Carl Correra, North Windham, CT; Stephanie Gutierrez, Lunenburg, MA.

Sunday Judges:

Master/Senior: Carl Correra, North Windham, CT; Esther Pilkington, Palisades Park, NJ.

Junior A: Debbie Field, Lakeville, CT; Gail Ryan, West Simsbury, CT.

Junior B: Frank Luksa, East Windsor, NJ; Tony Smid, Oakland, NJ.

UPCOMING WESTMINSTER EVENTS

Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21, 2014 7th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Hunting Test for Pointing Breeds

Saturday, February 14, 2015 2nd Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster

Saturday, February 14, 2015 Westminster presents the American Kennel Club’s Meet the Breeds

Monday and Tuesday, February 16-17, 2015 139th Annual Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog

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Posted by chesliepickett on Jun 19 2014. Filed under Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.