CONTENTS:
• New Guning Seminar Information (Dates of Info Below)
•          (2003)      (2002)    (2001)
• ESSFTA INFORMATION,  (New E-Mail Group)
• Aprentice Judge Evaluation Form
• New Voting prochedure for National Amateur Judges
• New Rule on Pinch Colars at Field Trials / Hunt Tests
• New Prochedure for 'Guns' and 'Field Trial Committie' members at Field Trials

( Notice: on May 2003,  the PC released a list of "Approved Gun Captains"
     That list is HERE.
To get, the 'other'  List, of "Qualified" guns, the, "Approved Gun Captains" can select from,  you must Contact The Field V.P. of the ESSFTA.  It is not published anyuwhere.

(NOTICE:  All  "LICENSED", AKC Clubs, doing a Field Trial, must NOW, send in, to the Field V.P. of the ESSFTA, the "Gun Captain", for that Field Trial, and That Gun Captain, Must Be on the 'Gun Captain" List, which is kept by the Parent Club. Your Field Trial, will Not be approved by the AKC, unless the Field V.P of the Parent Club approves it.
All, MEMBER Clubs,  Deal with the AKC, not the ESSFTA.
If you are a  Licensed Club, for more than 15 years, I suggest you apply to the AKC, for Member Club status.
 

TO:  All Trialers interested in the ESSFTA Gun Safety Seminars
FROM: Julie Hogan, Vice President-Field ESSFTA

As most of you know, for the past year plus, we have been working on
the Field Trial Gunning Program.  As of July 1, 2003, a new AKC rule
will be effect which states:

"Effective July 1, 2003 all Gun Captains for any AKC ESS Field Trial
must be a "Graduate" of the ESSFTA Field Trial Gunning Program".

I am in the process of notifying all 2003 Seminar Attendees as to
their status in the FT Gunning Program.  You will get an email (if
you gave me your email address and it is still good, or I could read
your hand writing) or regular mail (if I have your address) with
conformation of your attendence. Included will be notification of
your status, and an explanation of your rating.

The rating to establish your status of "G" (Graduate) "Q"
(Qualified), "P" (Partially Qualified), or "N" (Not Qualified at this
time)is based on the Seminar leader's inital recommendation after
observation at the seminar and the review of our 10-person Gun
Captain's Review Committee. More than one person must reveiw each
candidate.

Once I feel we have notified all the 2002 attendees I will publish
the lists of G,Q,and P guns. We will address the 2003 seminars as the
questionnaires are sent to me from the seminar leader.   This process
for 2003 should not take as long, as they will be in small groups
(not the 157 we started with from 2002), and the attendees will be
notified as soon as possible.

I want to emphasize again, at this time, only GUN CAPTAINS have to be
approved.  The Gun Captains choose their guns.  We are asking them to
choose from the Q and P lists first.

Thank you for your patience. You may contact me by email:
jhoganess@aol.com

For information concerning seminars in your area, please contact the
Field Trial Gunning Program Interclub Chairs:

(  Editors Note: Gun Seminars are listed on: http://www.essft.com/alldates.html )

East       Eddie Faraci, Jr  efaraci@comcast.net
Mid East   Dave Barto   dkbarto@worldnet.att.net
Mid West   Mark Haglin   mark@pineshadows.com
Rocky Mt   Don Bramwell  kstridon@websurf.net
West       Tom Kirkman  kirkman@aptalaska.net

FROM: Julie Hogan, Vice President -Field  (2002)

I would like to clarify the Gunning Safety Program and how the
Seminars will be set up.  The Apprentice/Sponsorship Program for
Field Trial Gunning is designed to help develop a cadre of capable
and safe personnel from the local club levels. The 5 Interclub Safety
Chairs will provide regional leadership and direction over the
program. The ICSC will report to the VP of Field Operations who
appoints the chairs to two year terms.

One of the goals of the seminar is to develop a list of approved
field trial guns, in much the same way as we now have a list of
approved judges.  The timeline for compiling what must be a thorough
and extensive list is approximately 3 years, therefore at this time
attendance of the Gun Safety Seminar is not mandatory to enable you
to gun at a trial.  However, I strongly encourage you to do so in
order to fulfill what will eventually be your obligation should you
wish to keep gunning.  Our hope is that by the time the Parent Club
makes this a requirement, all current field trial gunners will have
had plenty of time and opportunity to qualify.

The Gun Safety seminars will be open to all persons who are currently
gunning at trials, and those who hope to in the future.

Listed below are the 5 Interclub Gun Safety Chairs. They are
responsible for putting on the seminars, which include written
materials, videos and field work.  We are planning for each interclub
to have its first seminar before the fall trial season. Contact these
individuals to find out when and where the seminars will be held.
You of course may go to any of the interclub seminars, just as you
can attend any Judging Seminar, it does not have to be in your
interclub.
East- Eddie Faraci ,Jr    Edward.Faraci@snet.net
Mid-East- Edd Roggenkamp  ERoggenkamp@att.net
Mid-West - Don Brunn      Brunn53120@yahoo.com
Rocky Mountain- Don Bramwell   kstridon@websurf.net
West- Tom Kirkman    kirkman@aptalaska.net

New Prochedure for 'Guns' and 'Field Trial Committie' members at Field Trials (2001)

At the 2001 Annual Meeting, (Feb 2001), the ESSFTA did NOT report, But they DID,  adopt the AKC requirement that ALL Guns and ALL Field Trial Committee Members, Must  SIGN, and send in to the AKC as part of the Field Trial report, an affidavit, that they ALL have watched the AKC's "Gunning Safety" video. This video is not listed on the ESSFTA's site, It is somewhere on the AKC's site. Later the ESSFTA said they will make their own video, which has been in the works since 1998.

 (Editors Note: (4/2003) This Video, from the AKC, which was very poorly distributed,  "Seems" to have gone by the wayside, and it 'seems', is Now,  NOT, a requirement, due to the 'New' ESS Parent Club regulations that all Gun Captains now, (as of July 2003) have to be of a "Graduate" status. Nothing has been said, by the ESS PC, No statements have been released, (even though the question has been asked many times)  So it 'seems' the requirement to watch the AKC video, before gunning in a AKC  ESS Field Trial, is out the window)
 
 
 

At the Feb 2002 Annual meeting of the ESSFTA,
 The Field Governors agreed to open the <essfieldclubnews> e-mail newsletter,
to any interested field  enthusiast
to receive timely information via email concerning Field Items.
Field Trials, Hunt Tests, anything to do with the Field.
   (  Notice:  I was sent a e-mail after I posted this,
stating that the  above list,
    is for ONLY Field Trial, information.
The PC, Changed what they said they were doing )
  If You own, a ESS, and do ANY AKC Events (Now only Field Trials) with your ESS,
 It will a Great Benefit, to Join This Newsletter,
You do not have to be a member of ESSFTA.
To subscribe to this newsgroup, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/essfieldclubnews/

From this last meeting, Lot's of new things,
New,  "Gunning Program",  /  Beyond Master Hunter Info, / Very Important Club Insurance Information, / Major changes to the Judges Apprentice program.
Join this List, the PC "Promises",  it will keep you informed of all that is doing, through this NEW list, OPEN to ALL  Field People !  (Again, after the PC Announced this list, then they changed it to only, Field Trial Only, people)

Aprentice Judge Evaluation Form

Aprentice Judge Evaluation Form: http://www.essfta.org/evaluation.htm  If an aprentice Judge, Aprentices a trial, the Judges Must fill out this form. As of May 1, 2001.

New Voting prochedure for National Amateur Judges

At the Feb. 2001 Annual Meeting of the ESSFTA. It was 'officially' decided that the "PC" (ESSFTA) has No power to make any  decisions about the National Amateur, Nor does the ESSFTA need to change ANY by-laws for any changes the National  Amateur Club Delegates wish to make.  In other words,  at the Nat Amateur Delegates meeting this fall (2000), the Delegates decided to  change the voting procedure, as was first outlined in 1999 by Mr. Peter Andersen, and now they will do so without any further delay from the Parent Club.    New Voting prochedure for National Amateur Judges

New Rule on Pinch Colars at Field Trials / Hunt Tests

At the 2001 Annual Meeting, (Feb 2001), the ESSFTA 'discussed' the use of pinch collars at Field Trials. They said there was little discussion, and it was not a pressing matter. Sometime after the National Speciality meeting, (the Show meeting) It was reported in the "The Spotlight" that the BOG of the ESSFTA decided to BAN all use of 'Pinch Collars' at All Field Trials, which includes any where, or any time, on the grounds of the Field Trial, or at the 'Headquarters' motel, which is part of the Field Trial.
Be aware, NO Pinch Collars ANYWHERE at a Field Trial.

New Prochedure for 'Guns' and 'Field Trial Committie' members at Field Trials

( Notice: on May 2003,  the PC released a list of "Approved Gun Captains"
     That list is HERE.
To get, the 'other'  List, of "Qualified" guns, the, "Approved Gun Captains" can select from,  you must Contact The Field V.P. of the ESSFTA.  It is not published anyuwhere.

(NOTICE:  All  "LICENSED", AKC Clubs, doing a Field Trial, must NOW, send in, to the Field V.P. of the ESSFTA, the "Gun Captain", for that Field Trial, and That Gun Captain, Must Be on the 'Gun Captain" List, which is kept by the Parent Club. Your Field Trial, will Not be approved by the AKC, unless the Field V.P of the Parent Club approves it.
All, MEMBER Clubs,  Deal with the AKC, not the ESSFTA.
If you are a  Licensed Club, for more than 15 years, I suggest you apply to the AKC, for Member Club status.

At the 2001 Annual Meeting, (Feb 2001), the ESSFTA did NOT report, But they DID,  adopt the AKC requirement that ALL Guns and ALL Field Trial Committee Members, Must  SIGN, and send in to the AKC as part of the Field Trial report, an affidavit, that they ALL have watched the AKC's "Gunning Safety" video. This video is not listed on the ESSFTA's site, It is somewhere on the AKC's site. Later the ESSFTA said they will make their own video, which has been in the works since 1999.

 (Editors Note: This Video, from the AKC, which was very poorly distributed,  "Seems" to have gone by the wayside, and it 'seems', is Now,  NOT, a requirement, due to the 'New' ESS Parent Club regulations that all Gun Captains now, (as of July 2003) have to be of a "Graduate" status. Nothing has been said, by the ESS PC, No statements have been released, (even though the question has been asked many times)  So it 'seems' the requirement to watch the AKC video, before gunning in a AKC  ESS Field Trial, is out the window)

Note, this is the latest revision from the BOG meeting at this Fall's National Field Trial meeting.
For copy of old version see the, "MidWest Interclub Newsletter".

*Beginning January 1, 1999, (revised 11/13/98) prospective Judges, before being eligible to judge member or licensed
AKC All-Age stakes for English Springer Spaniels must:

#1 Attend a Parent Club approved JUDGES SEMINAR.
#2 Perform two (2) APPRENTICE JUDGESHIPS at Member or
Licensed AKC Trials.
#3 Pass a Parent Club prepared written test.

*This is the required order.  Anyone who has already completed their two Apprentice assignments prior to 11/13/98, and is
now waiting to attend a Seminar, will be grandfathered into the program.

A Canadian Judge may judge in the USA after completing 3 Canadian All-Age Pheasant trials and passing the written test.

RULES

JUDGING SEMINARS

Rules for Judging Seminars are developed and in the custody of the Interclub Chairs.  Interclub Chairs will be responsible
for arranging to have seminars in their area each year.  The seminars themselves could be conducted by individual clubs or
by the Interclub itself.  Prior written approval to put on a seminar must be obtained from the Parent Club Vice President,
Field. Upon completion of seminar, the Interclub Chair, or the club holding the seminar, shall notify the appropriate person
designated by the Vice President, Field as soon as possible, with names and addresses of all prospective/student judges that
attended as full participants.

APPRENTICE JUDGING

The Apprentice Judging Program is an excellent way to develop prospective judges.  As we have not had a formal
Apprentice Judging Program before, we thought these rules would be appropriate and beneficial.

WHO:  No one should attempt to be an Apprentice Judge until they have gained a reasonable degree of experience from
actual competition with a dog or two, or from other capacities at trials.  Each must have carefully and thoroughly read the
AKC “FIELD TRIAL RULES and Standard Procedure for SPANIELS”, “The Conduct and Judging of Spaniel Field
Trials” (Blue Book), and attended a Parent Club approved Judging Seminar.  Service at a trial as an Apprentice Judge must
be solely at the invitation of the club Field Trial Committee, not on request or application from a particular individual.  An
invitation should be considered an honor, however, NO ONE should consider being an Apprentice Judge in an All-Age
stake where his/her spouse or significant other, or any member of their family has a dog entered in that stake, or his/her own
dog run by someone else.
 

WHERE: This is governed by the Field Trial Committee who is extending the invitation, but it is suggested that the
Apprentice Judge accept an assignment outside of his/her own area, whenever possible, as this would avoid local diversions.
 
 

DUTIES: The general thought is to give the Apprentice Judge an opportunity to see a Field Trial up close, and to listen to
the dialogue between the two Judges, observing how they work together to arrive at their decisions.  The Apprentice Judge
is to be a SILENT listener so as not to distract the Judges at any time from their job of concentrating on the dogs, taking
notes, etc.  The Apprentice Judge is to sit in on all discussions regarding call backs and the final discussion where
placements are decided.

AT THE
 TRIAL: The Apprentice Judge should walk close enough to the teaching Judge to allow for quiet discussion when requested
by the Judge--quiet enough that the handler cannot hear comments.  Without conversation from the teaching Judge, the
Apprentice Judge could just as well be in the gallery.  It is quite possible for the teaching Judge to pay 100% attention to the
dog’s performance while explaining his/her views to the Apprentice Judge.  Under no circumstances should the trial be
delayed. Questions from the Apprentice Judge should be written if necessary, and presented to the Judge at an opportune
time;  making a turn, waiting for the dog on the other course, etc.

Above all, the Apprentice Judge must be advised that complete confidentiality is
essential, during and after the trial.

The Apprentice Judge must complete two (2) different All-Age stakes, under two
different sets of Judges.  All Apprentice Judges must be approved by the
Interclub Chair and both Judges, prior to the trial. The Apprentice Judge
should be shown on the AKC Premium list, if possible, and in the Field Trial
Catalog.  Example: One weekend he/she may enter a dog in either the Amateur or
Open All-Age stake, then Apprentice Judge the All-Age stake not entered, doing
this on two separate occasions. Upon completing each Apprenticeship, the clubs
must notify the Interclub Chair who will then notify the appropriate person
designated by the Parent Club Vice President, Field as soon as possible, in
writing.  Leadership and all bookkeeping necessary for the New Judge
Eligibility Requirements will be the responsibility of the person so
designated by the Parent Club Vice President, Field.

WRITTEN TEST

Once a prospective Judge completes the Judges Seminar and two (2) Apprenticeships, in that order, he/she will be required
to pass a test that has been developed from the AKC “FIELD TRIAL RULES and Standard Procedure for SPANIELS”
and “The Conduct and Judging of Spaniel Field Trials” (Blue Book).   The test will be prepared and printed by the Parent
Club and will be sent to the prospective Judge at the appropriate time.  Upon completion of the test, it will be graded by the
person giving the test.  Upon passing the test, the person giving the test will notify the prospective Judge that he/she has
successfully completed his/her Judging Requirements and is eligible to officially judge English Springer Spaniel AKC member
or licensed All-Age stakes.

Submitted by the ESSFTA Corresponding Secretary Cheryl Sligar  CSligarESS@aol.com

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