Irish Setter Club of America, Inc

Irish Setter Club of America, Inc.

Versatile and Versatile Excellent Certificate

The primary object of the ISCA Versatile Certificate is to demonstrate the Irish Setter’s hunting ability and reasonable obedience to the handler’s commands and to determine whether the overall breeding program adheres to the Irish Setter Standard.

Dog Shows give the breeder an opportunity to demonstrate the progress made in breeding for type and quality as outlined in the Standard.

Obedience Trials demonstrate the usefulness of the pure-bred dog as a companion to mankind and his fitness to a place in our modern scheme of living.

The Field Trial is an exhibition of a sporting dog demonstrating his ability to hunt in his natural environment, proving his natural instincts.

The Versatile Certificate Program is a combined exhibition of breed, obedience, and field leading to the development of the full potential of the breed as outlined in the breed ring, the obedience trial, the field trial and certifiec in the AKC Standard.

CLUB PROCEDURE

A. Any AKC recognized Irish Setter Club, recognized by and registered with the Irish Setter Club of America, Inc. shall be eligible to conduct Versatile Tests provided the Local Club complies fully with all portions of the Procedures, Rules, and Requirement tests.

B. All tests shall be witnessed either by a Board Member of ISCA or a Local Club Board Member who is approved by ISCA and is thoroughly familiar with the rules and regulations. This Local Club Board Member, in conjunction with the Testing Committee shall be willing to vouch for the accuracy, honesty and compliance with regulations and conduct of the tests.

C. The Local Club shall appoint a Test Committee consisting of a Chairman, Test Secretary, Field Representative, Obedience Representative, and Conformation Representative who shall be knowledgeable in their area. The Club Board Member may be any one of the Committee. The Test Committee shall be responsible for the entire running of the Tests and the selection of the Judges. The presence of any of the Test Representatives is required only for the particular Test he represents. i.e., if only a Field Test is offered, the Breed and Obedience Representatives need not be present.

D. The Secretary of the Local Irish Setter Club desiring to conduct the Versatility Test(s) shall make a written request to the ISCA Versatility Chairman, postmarked at least three months prior to the first day of his proposed Test(s). Each request shall include:

1. Date or dates with the starting time of the event.

2. Exact location.

3. Names of the Judges. At least two (2) Judges are required for the field test and one each for the obedience and conformation tests. They shall be selected by the Test Committee and shall be in good standing with the AKC.

4. In the test for field, types of birds to be used must be indicated.

5. Names and addresses of the Club Test Chairman, Secretary, Committee, and the person who is a Local Club Board Member or ISCA Board Member.

ELIGIBILITY OF DOGS

1. Any AKC Registered Irish Setter who has reached the age of twelve (12) months on

the first advertised day of the test(s) may compete for any or all tests offered.

No cryptorchid, or monorchid dogs shall be eligible to compete for or receive ratings.
Bitches in season are not permitted to participate in the Obedience test.
Spayed bitches and neutered dogs shall be eligible for all tests.

RULES

The Versatility Program is an ISCA event. Results of all tests shall be sent to the

Versatility Chairman who shall be a member of the Board of Directors of the Irish Setter Club of America, Inc.

All ratings are to be Pass or Fail and no rating is to be considered official until

Confirmed by ISCA. Aside from Pass or Fail, Judges may make comments, recommendations, and/or suggestions.

Applications to hold a Versitle Test, entry forms, and judging sheets will be issued by ISCA.

Entries must list the registered name of the dog, sex, AKC registration number, whelping date, sire and dam, breeder, test(s) entered, name of handler if different from the owner, and name and address of owner.

Entry may be made as many times as necessary to complete the Certificate, but no dog may be entered twice for the same test(s) in any one event.

Entries for all tests must be received by the Test Secretary at least one week prior to the test date.

The Versatile Test(s) may be conducted at Field Trials and Specialty Shows, but for more practical purposes a special day should be set aside by the Local Club for running of the test(s).

The Field, Obedience, and Conformation Tests may be conducted on the same

day or may be conducted separately, whichever is convenient for the Local Club. If they are conducted in conjunction with any AKC event, their scheduling must not interfere with the programming of the liscensed show or trial and AKC permission will be required in advance.

An entry fee may be charged by the Local Club to cover the expenses of running

The event.

When a Field VC Test is conducted in conjunction with a Field Trial, the

Drawings should be concurrent. Drawing for an independent Field VC Test should be no later than the Wednesday preceding the test date.

No entry or substitution can be made after the draw.

The V.C. field test shall be conducted as in the judging of the Derby Stake with

each dog in the brace evaluated separately and marked Pass or Fail with recom- mendations or reasons permitted.

The obedience test shall consist of four exercises. At least fifty percent (50%) of

Each of the four (4) exercises must be completed in order to Pass. The entry will be marked Pass or Fail on the obedience test in its entirety with recommendations or reasons permitted.

The conformation test shall be conducted on the format of a regular class in a

Point show with no placements made. The Judge shall mark his book Pass or Fail and may state his reasons or recommendations. There shall be two age groups:

Novice: Twelve (12) months (on the first day of the test) and under two (2) years of age.

Open: Two (2) years and older on the first day of the test.

Only the original copies of the judges sheets along with the Club VC Secretary’s

Report should be returned to the ISCA VC Chairman.

PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING THE VERSATILE CERTIFICATE.

Upon successful completion of the three tests, Field, Breed, and Obedience requirements, the applicant must submit proof of the dog’s qualifications to the VC Chairman of ISCA.

Copies of the following will be accepted as verification of the dog’s eligibility:

Photocopy of the AKC Certificates for Bench and Field Championships,

Amateur Field Trial Championships, Obedience Trial Championships, Obedience Titles, or copies of pages from the AKC Gazette indicating that these Titles have been awarded. (note, Hunting test Certificates were added at a later date and are not listed in this booklet)

ISCA Breed, Field, and Obedience Test Certification letters of acknowledgement from the Versatile Certificate Chairman of ISCA.

Photocopies of GAZETTE pages indicating appropriate placements in Field Trial Stakes and All Breed and Specialty Show Classes.

The Irish Setter must be living as of the effective date of the program. No retroactive Certificate shall be awarded

After issuance of the Versatile Certificate by ISCA the letters V.C. may be used after the dog’s name.

JUDGES’ SELECTION FOR CONFORMATION TEST: Any person approved by AKC to judge Irish Setters

JUDGES’ SELECTION FOR FIELD TRIAL TEST: Any AKC field trial judge, but the judges for the field test must have judged a combined total of five (5) AKC pointing dog trials.

JUDGES’ SELECTION FOR OBEDIENCE TEST: Any person approved by AKC to judge licensed obedience trials

V.C. Field Requirements

Three Passes under three (3) pairs of different judges at field tests

The test shall be run as a modified AKC Derby Stake. (The modification is in the time limit of the stake and the age eligibility. Any dog twelve (12) months or age or older shall be eligible.)

DERBY STAKES: Derbies must show a keen desire to hunt, be bold and independent, have a fast, yet attractive style of running, and demonstrate not only intelligence in seeking objectives but also the ability to find game. Derbies must point but no additional credit shall be given for steadiness to wing and shot. If the handler is within reasonable gun range of a bird which has been flushed after a point, a shot must be fired. A lack of opportunity for firing over a Derby dog on point shall not constitute reason for non-placement when it has had game contact in acceptable Derby manner. Derbies must show reasonable obedience to their handler’s commands. Each dog is to be judged on its actual performance as indicating its future promise. Stake shall be limited to fifteen (15) minutes.

Any three (3) placements under three (3) pairs of different judges in regular stakes at Liscensed or Member Field Trials. Puppy stake placements not to count.

A combination of the above requirements which totals three.

Any dog who has obtained an AKC Field Championship or Amateur Field Championship shall qualify automatically

NOTE: Passes or “legs: toward a Junior Hunter test were voted acceptable after this booklet was published. Three JH passes satisfy the field requirement or may be combined with any of the above to total 3.

VC CONFORMATION REQUIREMENTS

Three passes under three (3) different judges in conformation tests. The judging will be guided by the following scale of points:

Head 20

Body 20

Running gear 30

Coat 5

Size,temperament, and general appearance 25

GUIDELINE FOR CONFORMATION VERSATILITY JUDGING

Versatility Conformation judging should be based on the present Standard which emphasizes the make and fit of all the parts and over-all balance. You are not attempt- ting to determine wheather the dog is of championship caliber in conformation but wheather the specimen reflects the qualities of a pure-bred Irish Setter. A Versatility Pass should be withheld only if you would withhold a ribbon at a regular AKC Breed Show.

Three (3) placements under three (3) different judges in all breed or specialty shows in a regular class of six (6) or more. Puppy classes not to count.

A combination of the above requirements which totals three

NOTE : Around 1991 it was determined that a point, no matter how few were entered in a regular AKC all breed show or class, would count as a pass in conformation.

AKC Champions of Record shall qualify automatically.

VC OBEDIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Three passes under three (3) different judges in obedience tests on the following commands:

1. Heel free 40 points

2. Stand, stay 20 points

3. Recall 20 points

4. Down, stay 20 points

STANDARD OF JUDGING FOR OBEDIENCE TEST: At least fifty percent (50%) of each of the four (4) exercises must be completed in order to Pass.

The entry will be marked Pass or Fail on the Obedience Test in its entirety with recommendations or reasons permitted

A minor deduction shall be from one-half point to two and one-half points

A substantial deduction shall be at least three points.

HEEL FREE This exercise shall be executed on a simple “L” pattern. Orders and scoring for the exercise shall be the same as written in the AKC Obedience Regulations with the exception of the sit at the handler’s halt which is not a requirement but which is allowed if desired, and in place of which the dog may stand quietly at the handler’s left side. There shall be no figure eight exercise.

STAND, STAY orders are “Stand your dog and leave when you are ready,” “Back to your dog,” and “Exercise finished.” There will be no further command from the judge to the handler to leave the dog.

On judges’s order the handler will stand his dog by the method of his choice, taking any reasonable time. When he is ready, the handler will give his command and/or signal to the dog to Stay, walk forward about fifteen (15) feet in front of the dog, turn around and stand facing the dog.

The judge shall not approach the dog, but remain standing in his original position. At the end of one (1) minute he shall then order, “Back to your dog,” whereupon the handler shall walk around behind his dog and return to Heel position. The dog must remain standing until after the judge has said “Exercise finished.”

The scoring of this exercise will not start until the handler has given the command and/or signal to Stay, except for such things as rough treatment of the dog by his handler or active resistance by the dog to its handler’s attempts to make it stand. Either of these shall be penalized substantially.

A dog that displays any shyness or resentment or growls or snaps at any time shall be scored zero as shall a dog that sits or that moves away from the place where it was left for one (1) minute.

Minor deduction shall be made for a dog that moves its feet at any time.

RECALL Orders and scoring for this exercise shall be the same as written in the AKC Obedience Regulation with the exception that the dog may be left standing or sitting and upon recall may stand or sit in front of or at the side of the handler.

DOWN, STAY The handlers shall stand thirty (30) feet away from their dogs. This shall be performed as a group exercise and shall be executed and scored according to the AKC Obedience Regulations for the Novice Class.

An AKC Obedience Leg shall be counted as an Obedience VC Pass.

Any dog who has earned a C.D. degree or better shall qualify automatically

VERSATILITY EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Six credits or more must be earned. At least one credit must be earned in each of the three categories. If points and placements are earned on the same day they must be in separate events.

CONFORMATION

Bench Champion 3 credits

8 Points 2 credits

3 Points 1 credit

4 Placements in a class of six or more (AKC) 1 credit

OBEDIENCE

U.D. 3 credits

C.D.X. 2 credits

C.D. 1 credit

2 Placements in either Open or Utility 1 credit

FIELD

Field Champion 3 credits

5 Points 2 credits

2 placements (AKC Trials gun dog or higher) 1 credit

3 Passes (VCX Tests OR Master Hunter Test) 1 credit

VERSATILITY EXCELLENT PROGRAM

Rules & Procedures

BREED: Only AKC titles, points, or placements in a class of six or more at AKC licensed Shows will be credited.

OBEDIENCE: Only AKC titles, degrees or placements in Open or Utility classes at AKC liscensed Trials will be credited.

FIELD: AKC titles, points and placements in any Gun Dog Stake or higher at AKC liscensed Trials or Local Club VCX Field Tests will be credited. (Note 1988 VCX Regulation Amendment stated that only a Master Hunter Pass will be allowed as a VCX Pass – so those were added for credit/substitution)

Local Club VCX Field Tests

An application to hold a Club VCX Field Test must be mailed to the Versatility Chairman at least three months prior to the Test.

The Test shall be run under AKC Gun Dog Stake Rules.

The Field Test may be run in conjunction with an AKC Field Trial but the Test schedule must not interfere with that of the Field Trial. It may also be conducted independently.

The Local Club shall appoint a Field Test Committee consisting of a Chairman, Test Secretary, and Field Representative who shall be knowledgeable in that area. The Test Committee shall be responsible for the running of the Test and the selection of the Judges

The AKC Judges selected (2) must have judged a combined total of five (5) AKC pointing dog trials.

Eligibility of Dogs:

The Irish Setter must be living as of the effective date of the program.
Any AKC registered Irish Setter who has reached the age of twelve (12) months on the first advertised day of the Test may be entered.

Procedure for Requesting the Versatile Excellent Certificate:

Upon successful completion of the VCX program, Field, Breed, and Obedience requirements, the applicant must submit proof of the dog’s qualifications to the Versatility Chairman of ISCA.

1.) Photo copies of AKC Certificates for Bench, Field, or Obedience Championships and Obedience Titles, or

2.) Photo copies of pages from the AKC Gazette indicating that these Championships or Titles have been awarded

3.) Photo copies of pages from the AKC Gazette indicating placements in a Class or Stake

4.) Name of Club, location, and date of Field VCX Test at which a VCX Pass was awarded.

INFORMATION

The Versatility Test(s) may be advertised in the Club’s Field Trial or Specialty Show Premium List. Only tests to be conducted, fees, and judges may be printed therein.

RECOMMENDATION

Please mail Versatile Certificate booklets to the scheduled Judges prior to the Test date.

FORMS

Please feel free to copy any of the following VC(X) forms. Copies of all materials for test(s) will be supplied by VC Chairman upon request.