GRAND NATIONAL GROUSE CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNING RULES
GRAND_NATIONAL_GROUSE_AND_WOODCOCK_INVITATIONAL_CHAMPIONSHIP
THE_GROUSE_FUTURITY THE_GROUSE_PUPPY_CLASSIC
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GRAND NATIONAL BYLAWS .pdf GRAND NATIONAL BY-LAWS Microsoft Word file
ARTICLE I
The name of this Organization, incorporated under the Act of General
Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania entitled "Nonprofit Corporation
Law," shall be
GRAND NATIONAL GROUSE CHAMPIONSHIP, INC.
For purposes of convenience this Organization will hereafter in these
By-Laws be referred to as the "Club."
The purpose of the Club shall be -
Section 1. To restore and perpetuate wild Upland Game
Birds and particularly Ruffed Grouse in North America; to promote, carry on,
conduct and foster research, education, training and publication in the
ornithological sciences; to establish, promote, assist and contribute to, or
otherwise encourage, the study of conservation, restoration and management
of Upland Game Birds and their habitats; to promote, encourage, acquire or
maintain refuges for Upland Game Birds and to foster and increase interest
in and knowledge of Upland Game Birds and their conservation and restoration
by promoting, regulating, controlling, advising and conducting field trials
on Upland Game Birds.
To stimulate the breeding and raising of pointing dogs
and advocate their registration in appropriate Stud Books and thereby
securing and preserving a proper record of performance.
To acquire property, real and personal, by deed, gift,
lease or otherwise, for the use and enjoyment of the members of the Club and
for the carrying out of the corporate purposes.
Section 2. To hold each year a Championship Stake on
Grouse for registered dogs of all pointing breeds that are qualified under
Running Rules as established by the Board of Directors. The annual
Championship Stake shall be known as The Grand National Grouse Championship.
Section 3. (a) The Championship event shall be held in
the three (3) geographical areas named and defined in Article IV,
in rotation namely: The Central Atlantic Area the first year, The Great
Lakes Area the second year and The Northeastern Area the third year, and
subsequent years in the same order except as otherwise provided in this
section.
(b) Each year prior to April 20th the Secretary shall
communicate with the Vice President representing the area whose turn it is
to hold the Championship Stake, for the purpose of ascertaining whether or
not the Directors representing that area wish to claim the event for that
year. If such Vice President is not available, the Secretary shall
communicate with one of the other Directors representing that area.
(c) If for any reason, such as a shortage of birds, or
lack of suitable grounds, the Directors representing that area should decide
that a creditable event could not be put on in that section that year, the
Board of Directors will then decide which of the other two areas should have
the privilege of running that year's event. Under such circumstances,
however, the area which relinquishes its turn in running the event in any
one year shall have first call to stage the event the following year.
Section 4. To hold each year a Futurity Stake to be
known as The Grouse Futurity. To be run at the same location as the
Championship and shall begin at the discretion of the Board Of Directors.
Section 5. To hold each year a Puppy Stake to be known
as The Grouse Puppy Classic to be run at such time and place and under such
conditions as the Board of Directors from time to time may determine.
All dogs eligible to run in the next following Futurity are eligible to run
in the Puppy Classic.
Section 6. The Board of Directors each year shall
announce the place for the Championship Stake four months in advance of the
running and shall announce the place for the running of The Grouse Futurity
and The Puppy Classic at least three months in advance.
As soon as such designations have been made the same
shall be publicized in the columns of The American Field and elsewhere as
the President may determine.
Section 7. It is the policy of the Club to rotate the
Championship, Futurity and The Puppy Classic among the three areas.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERS
Section 1. Members shall be elected by the Board of
Directors, who shall prescribe a form of membership application. All
applications for membership must be signed by the applicant and proposed or
endorsed by a member of the Club before being submitted by the Secretary to
the Board of Directors for action. The Board of Directors in its
discretion may reject the membership application of any individual.
Section 2. Any member may be dropped from the
membership rolls by the Board of Directors at any time if the Board in its
discretion decides that the dropping of such member from the rolls would be
for the best interests of the Club.
ARTICLE III
MEMBER'S MEETINGS
Section 1. The annual meeting of the members of the
Club shall be held in the fall at its headquarters during the running of the
Championship Stake or during the running of The Grouse Futurity at a day,
hour and place to be fixed by the Secretary with the approval of the
President.
Section 2. At each annual meeting Directors shall be
elected to succeed Directors whose terms expire, and such other business
shall be transacted as may properly be brought before the meeting. The
term of office of Directors elected at annual meetings shall continue until
the election and qualification of their respective successors. Notice
of the time and place of holding annual meetings must be mailed by the
Secretary to each member at least fifteen (15) days before such meeting.
This requirement shall be considered complied with
if the day, hour and place of such annual meeting is printed on
the entry blank for the Championship Stake or The Grouse Futurity and a copy
of such entry blank is mailed by the Secretary to each member of the Club at
least fifteen (15) days before the date set for the meeting.
Section 3. Special meetings of the Club may be held at
any time upon a call from the President, or upon the written request of a
majority of the Board of Directors. Such a call shall be in writing
and shall state the time, place and purpose of the special meeting, and
shall be filed with the Secretary at least eighteen (18) days prior to such
meeting, and at least (10) days prior to such a meeting; such notice to
specify the time, place and purpose of the meeting.
Section 4. The Directors from each of the three (3)
areas whose terms do not expire shall constitute a nominating committee for
the area and each year before September 1st it shall be the duty of the Vice
President from each area to request such nominating committee to designate
nominees to fill the vacancies on the board which will occur at the time of
the annual meeting
It shall be the further duty of the Vice President from each area to mail
the names of such nominees to the Secretary of the Club at least thirty (30)
days before the annual meeting. The names of such nominees shall be
presented to the annual meeting by the Secretary or his representative.
This, however, shall not preclude the making of other nominations from the
floor.
Section 5. The order of business at annual members'
meetings of the Club shall be as follows:
1. Reading of the minutes of the last annual meeting and the
minutes of all special meetings held subsequently.
2. Report of the President.
3. Report of the Secretary-Treasurer.
4. Report of the Futurity Secretary-Treasurer.
5. Reports of the Invitational Secretary
6. Report of the Standing Committee.
7. Reports of Special Committees.
8. By-Laws and Running Rules proposals.
9. Unfinished business.
10. New business.
11. Election of Directors and a Chairman.
12. Adjournment.
Section 6. At all regular or special meetings of
members, questions other than By-Laws or Running Rules issues shall be
determined by a majority vote of the members present in person or by a
properly executed proxy. A properly executed proxy shall contain
the signature of the member in good standing who is assigning his voting
power to another member in good standing. The assignee shall be
designated on the proxy. The proxy shall define the specific issue to
which the proxy is being issued.
Section 7. The election of Directors shall be by
ballot.
Section 8. Members whose dues have not been paid are
ineligible to vote at any members' meeting.
Section 9.
The general membership can bring about desired changes in the conduct and
direction of the Grand National, both by deciding the composition of
the Board Of Directors and by initiating and voting on certain changes
directly. While changes in by-laws or running rules are effected by
the Board Of Directors, there are many other items associated with
running of The Club, and the four GNC stakes, in which the general
membership can enact changes. At the General Membership Meeting
therefore, new Business and other formal proposals shall fall into one
of three categories,
1) A General Proposal
2) By-Laws and Running Rules Proposal,
3) Recommendation Proposal.
A General Proposal is an item that the membership can,
according to the by-laws bring up, discuss, formulate into a
motion, second the motion and vote upon the proposal. Upon
membership approval, such items are passed and The Club obliged to
abide by the requirements contained in the General Proposal.
Generally, these are items of business and conduct which are not
related to by-laws or running rules. If a by-laws or running rules
change is desired, the responsibility for such changes falls to
the Board Of Directors. Therefore, a by-laws or running rules
related motion, approved by the membership, is called a 2)
By-Laws and Running Rules Proposal. Such a motion, approved by the
membership, CANNOT become by-law or running rule, but rather
is submitted to the By-Laws And Running Rules Committee, and is placed
by the Secretary on the Agenda for the Board Of Directors meeting for
the following year. For items in which the Board Of Directors, per the
by-laws, are charged solely with deciding upon, the general
membership may wish to have their opinion heard by the Board Of Directors.
In such cases, a Recommendation Proposal may be formulated and voted
upon. A Recommendation Proposal is attached to the pertinent
item on the Board of Directors Agenda, and shall be read as part of
the discussion for the desired agenda item. A Recommendation Proposal
is non-binding, and each director is free to consider it or not at
their own choosing.
ARTICLE IV
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. There shall be a Board of Directors, sixteen
(16) in number, made up of a Director-At-Large who shall be Chairman of the
Board, and fifteen (15) other members, selected as provided in Section 2 of
this Article. The Secretary-Treasurer of the Club, the
Secretary-Treasurer of The Grouse Futurity, and the Secretary-Treasurer of
the Grouse and Woodcock Championship Invitational, shall be members of the
Board of Directors ex officio with full voting powers, provided either or
both are not elected members of the Board.
Section 2. Directors shall hold office for a period of
three (3) years, and each of the following geographical areas shall be
represented on the Board by five (5) members, viz.-
The Northeastern Area, comprising the New England States, New York, and New
Brunswick.
The Central Atlantic Area, consisting of Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
The Great Lakes Area, consisting of Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
and Ontario.
Section 3. The Chairman of the Board shall be elected
each year at the annual meeting of the Club and may reside in any one of the
three (3) areas.
Section 4. The expiration of the terms of office of the
Directors shall be so arranged that at least one (1) and no more than two
(2) from each geographical area shall terminate each year.
Section 5. In case of a vacancy on the Board of
Directors through death, resignation or inability to act, a successor shall
be elected by the Board of Directors to serve until the next annual members'
meeting, at which time a successor shall be elected to serve for the
remainder of the term of such Director.
Section 6. Seven Directors, including ex officio
Directors, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, with
the proviso that no more than four Directors residing in any one of the
three areas shall be included for the purpose of establishing such quorum.
Directors may not be represented by proxy.
Section 7. The management of the Club between meetings
of the Board shall be entrusted to an Executive Committee (see Article VI),
and except where the Executive Committee has been charged with specific
duties or its powers specifically limited, the terms "Executive Committee"
and "Board of Directors" as used in these By-Laws are interchangeable.
Section 8. An annual meeting of the Board of Directors
shall be held each year in the fall during the running of the annual
Championship Stake or The Grouse Futurity, following the annual members'
meeting. At each annual meeting the Board of Directors shall elect
from their number a President, who may be from any of the three (3)
geographical areas; three (3) Vice Presidents, one from each geographical
area; a Secretary-Treasurer, a Secretary-Treasurer of The Grouse Futurity,
and a Secretary Treasurer of The Grouse and Woodcock Invitational. The
three (3) Secretaries may reside anywhere and it is not required that either
be a member of the Board. The Chairman of the Board shall not be
elected by the Directors but this office shall automatically attach to the
Director-At-Large as provided in Sections 1 and 3 of this Article. In
case of the death or resignation of the Chairman of the Board, the Board of
Directors may elect a successor to fill the unexpired term. All
officers shall hold office for the term of one (1) year and until their
respective successors shall be duly elected and qualified.
Section 9. Special meetings of the Board of Directors
may be called at any time by the President, or upon the written request of
five (5) members of the Board, no more than three (3) of whom shall be from
any one area; such a call to be in writing, filed with the Secretary, and
shall state the time, place and purpose of the meeting. The Secretary
shall give the members of the Board at least ten (10) days' notice by mail
or wire of such meeting, and the substance of the call.
Section 10. Special meetings of the Board may be held
by mail or fax. Any question, motion or resolution upon which the
President or Secretary may desire the decision of the Board may be submitted
to each member of the Board by the Secretary by mail or fax, and each member
shall within the ten (10) days thereafter file his decision or vote with the
Secretary, and a majority vote of the Board shall determine all matters and
questions so submitted. Members whose replies are not received within
ten (10) days shall be considered as not voting. The Secretary shall
record in the Minute Book all questions so submitted by mail or fax, and the
vote of the members thereon.
Section 11. The order of business at the annual meeting
of Directors shall be as follows:
1. Reading of the minutes of the last annual meeting and of all
special meetings held subsequently.
2. Report of the President.
3. Report of the Secretary-Treasurer.
4. Report of The Futurity Secretary- Treasurer.
5. Report of the Invitational Secretary.
6. Reports of standing committees and special committees.
7. Setting the dates and venue of GNC events.
8. Amendments to By-Laws and Running Rules.
9. Unfinished business.
10. New business.
11. Election of officers.
12. Adjournment.
Section 12. In addition to its general powers, the Board Of
Directors shall be charged with the following specific duties; viz., to
select the place for the Championship Stake, The Grouse Futurity and
The Puppy Classic, and to designate a Stake Manager for each stake who shall
assume complete responsibility for putting on the stake, including not only
supervision of the actual running but also responsibility for all collateral
matters such as local publicity, entertainment, the securing of
accommodations for visitors and dogs, arranging for horses, etc. Stake
Managers shall have the authority to appoint such assistants and local
committees as they may consider necessary.
Section 13. It shall also be the duty of the Board Of Directors to
cooperate with the several clubs running grouse trials with a possible view
to reducing conflicting dates to a minimum and so far as possible to
synchronize the dates of the clubs so as to best accommodate handlers and
owners from the several areas.
ARTICLE V
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Section 1. The Chairman of the Board shall have no
regular duties except that he shall, if present at members' or Board
meetings, preside in the absence of the President. He shall have such
special powers and duties as may be conferred on him from time to time by
the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The President, as chief executive officer,
shall preside at all annual and special meetings of the members, and at all
annual and special meetings of the Board of Directors. He shall have
such other and further duties as may be conferred on him from time to time
by the Board or provided in the By-Laws and Running Rules of the Club.
Section 3. In the absence or the disability of the
President, the Vice President who has served the longest consecutive term as
a Director of the Club shall have all of the powers and duties of the
President so long as such absence or disability of the President continues.
In the absence or disability of both the President and such Vice President,
the Vice President with the second longest record of continuous service as a
Director shall have all the powers and duties of the President so long as
such absence or disability continues. The Vice Presidents shall
severally have such other duties and powers as may be conferred upon them by
the Board of Directors or these By-Laws.
Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall as
Secretary keep the minutes of all annual and special meetings of the
members, and of all annual and special meetings of the Board and of the
Emergency Committee. He shall receive and transmit to the Board of
Directors for their action all applications for membership; shall maintain a
record of all members together with their post office addresses; and shall
attend to the printing of membership applications, membership cards, entry
blanks, letter and billheads, and all other printing incidental to the
conduct of the Club. He shall also place all general advertising and
publicity. He shall be responsible for advertising the Championship
Stake in the columns of The American Field at least three (3) weeks prior to
the running. He shall carry on the general correspondence of the Club
and shall send copies of the By-Laws to all newly elected members and to
each newly elected member of the Board of Directors. He shall notify
all officers and directors of their election, and shall mail a copy of the
minutes to every member of the Board. He shall mail notices of all
meetings. He shall have general charge of the records and books of the
Club, and upon the election of his successor he shall deliver these to his
successor. All of the books and records of the Secretary shall at all
reasonable times be open for the inspection and examination of any officer
or member of the Board.
(b) As Treasurer he shall have the custody of all funds and property of the
Club except those pertaining strictly to The Grouse Futurity, The Puppy
Classic, and the Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Championship, and shall
have power to endorse on behalf of the Club checks, drafts and other orders
for the payment of money; and shall also have power, with the consent of the
President, to open a bank account in the name of the Club, which bank must
be a member of the Federal Reserve and of the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, or any successor of that Corporation. The Treasurer may,
with the consent of the majority of the Board of Directors, borrow money on
behalf of the Club. He shall sign receipts and vouchers on behalf of
the Club, and he shall also sign checks and drafts for the payment of bills
or expenses of the Club, and for the disbursements of its funds. He
shall in January of each year bill all members for dues. He shall keep
a full and accurate account of all monies received or paid out by him on
behalf of the Club. Such records shall be open at any time during
reasonable hours for the inspection of the President or any member of the
Board of Directors. He shall also perform such other duties incident
to the position of Secretary-Treasurer as may be from time to time delegated
to him by the Board of Directors. Within thirty (30) days following
the election of a successor he shall deliver to such successor all records,
books, accounts, securities, funds and other property of the Club.
Section 5. The fiscal year of the Club shall each year
end on June 30th. Within seventy-five (75) days after the end of each
fiscal year the Secretary-Treasurer of the Club shall prepare and mail each
member a financial statement showing the assets and liabilities of the Club
at the end of the fiscal year, together with a statement of income and
expense for the year. He shall attach to his report a copy of the
financial report of the Secretary-Treasurer of The Grouse Futurity, which
shall include the financial condition of the Futurities and The Puppy
Classic as of the end of the fiscal year, and a copy of the financial report
of the Grouse & Woodcock Invitational.
Section 6. (a) The Secretary-Treasurer of the Grouse Futurity shall have
full charge, subject only to the Board of Directors, of the development and
promotion of The Grouse Futurity and The Puppy Classic. It shall be
his duty to advertise the opening and closing dates of each in The American
Field; to provide such other publicity as the Board may deem advisable; to
mail out blanks for the nomination of dams and entry of puppies in form
approved by the Board of Directors; to advertise in The American Field at
the proper time the dates for interim forfeit payments and entries; to
advertise the running of each event at least three weeks in advance; to
receive and maintain in a bank account all nomination and entry fees; to
maintain proper records of all nominations of dams and entries of puppies;
to carry on all correspondence relating to The Grouse Futurities and The
Puppy Classic; and to prepare and mail entry blanks each year well in
advance of the running to all owners of dogs eligible to The Puppy Classic
and The Futurity, to all members of the Club, and to such others as may
request blanks.
(b) He shall each year submit to the annual members'
meeting a report on the financial status of each Futurity that is then open,
showing income, expenses to date, number of bitches nominated, number of
dogs entered and paid up, and amount of cash on hand. He shall also
within sixty (60) days after the running of each Futurity and Puppy Classic
submit to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Club a financial report covering
the event. All funds remaining after payment of all bills pertaining
to the running of any Futurity and Puppy Classic shall be transferred to the
general funds of the Club.
(c) The Secretary-Treasurer of The Grouse Futurity
shall have custody of all funds of the Futurities and The Puppy Classic and
shall have power to endorse on behalf of the Club all checks, drafts and
other orders for the payment of money; and shall also have power, with the
consent of the President, to open a bank account in the name of the Club,
which bank must be a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or
any successor thereof.
(d) His records shall be open at any time during
reasonable hours to inspection by the President or any member of the Board
of Directors. Within thirty (30) days following the election of a
successor he shall deliver to such successor all records, books, accounts
and funds together with a final accounting.
Section 7. The Secretary-Treasurer of the Club and the
Secretary-Treasurer of The Grouse Futurity shall give bonds for the faithful
discharge of their duties in such amounts as the Board of Directors may
require.
ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES
Section 1. Emergency Committee:
There shall be an Emergency Committee of seven members consisting of the
President, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Club, the Secretary-Treasurer of
The Futurity, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Invitational, and the three
Regional Vice Presidents. The committee shall be convened by the
president or at the request of two or more of the committee members.
The three overriding criteria for enacting the committee are to deal with
situations that
1) Cannot wait until the Annual Meeting.
2) Require immediate action and where contacting and polling the entire
Board thus becomes impractical. And
3) Deal with an issue or a situation that is critical to the health of the
club, or is essential to the running of a quality Championship.
Copies of the minutes of all Emergency Committee meetings shall be furnished
members of the Board or read at the next succeeding Board meeting and shall
be recorded in the Minute Book. Actions of the Executive Committee
shall be subject to review by the Board of Directors except to the extent
that any change would effect commitments already incurred, or affect the
management and/or the running of stakes, public announcement of which had
been made.
The Emergency Committee shall fix its own rules of procedure and shall meet
on call of the President or as provided by the rules of the Committee.
An affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of the Emergency
Committee shall be necessary for the adoption of any resolution but a vote
in writing by mail or a vote by wire by a member unable to attend a meeting
shall be valid either for or against any resolution.
Section 2. Committee on By-Laws and Running Rules:
Changes to By-Laws or Running Rules can be proposed by members, the Board of
Directors, or can emerge from The By-Laws and Running Rules Committee.
When changes are proposed at either the Members Meeting or the Board
Meeting, the Secretary of The Club shall place the proposed changes on the
Agenda for the Director’s Meeting of the following year.
The By-Laws Committee shall then formulate exact language for the proposed
change or addition, and also shall identify where the change would be placed
in the by-laws book (Section, Article and number, etc.) and shall also
identify any other language in the book that may be contradictory or
confusing given the introduction of new language. In anticipation of
the potential change this wording shall either be rewritten or merely
identified for the purpose of complete removal, if the change were to be
accepted. The exact written alterations shall be identified in detail
for presentation to the directors at the next meeting.
Where the specific by-laws or running rules changes are initiated by the
rules committee, the members of this committee will come to a unanimous
agreement on the specific language, additions and deletions. Such a
proposal will therefore bear the signatures of all committee members at the
time when the proposal is presented to the Board of Directors.
Where specific proposals were not formulated by the by-laws and running
rules committee, there should be two committee votes. The first vote
is whether the changes as formulated are accurate and in keeping with intent
as originally proposed by the members or the Board of Directors. This
vote need only be a majority vote among the Rules committee members.
Yet the Rules committee may also, based upon their examination, decide that
a proposal as drafted is inadequate, contrary to the purpose of the club,
impractical, or undesirable for any number of reasons. In this case,
the committee may “Recommend to Reject” the proposed change. A
Recommendation to Reject shall only result from a unanimous vote of the
rules committee members and shall count as one vote “NAY” at the Board of
Directors meeting where the proposed change is being considered, with the
committee members each still having full votes as Directors. Likewise,
by unanimous vote of the By-laws and Running Rules Committee, a
Recommendation to Accept may be adopted which shall carry one vote “YEA” on
the proposal at the directors meeting with all committee members still
having their full voting privileges as directors. A less than
unanimous vote in the rules committee on whether to “recommend” or “reject”
shall bring neither an extra “Yea nor Nay” vote to the Director’s meeting.
Similarly, no proposal that is instigated by the Rules Committee shall carry
an extra vote to recommend. All Rules Committee votes shall be
recorded by the Rules Committee Chairman and are subject to the scrutiny of
the president..
Upon passage of a proposal by the Board of Directors by a simple
majority, all changes to the
printed booklet (new wording, added wording,
removed passages, re-written passages, etc.), including the exact part of
the booklet where each change will occur, shall be turned over the Club
Secretary.
Section 3. Audit Committee:
This Committee shall consist of a Chairman and two (2) associate members,
one (1) from each area, and shall be appointed by the President at least
sixty (60) days prior to the annual members' meeting.
It shall be the duty of this Committee to examine the annual reports and the
books and accounts of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Club and of the
Secretary-Treasurer of The Grouse Futurity when these reports are available
at the end of the fiscal year. It shall report its findings to
the Club at the annual meeting.
In the event of the death or resignation of either the Secretary-Treasurer
of the Club or the Secretary-Treasurer of The Grouse Futurity it shall be
the duty of the Audit Committee to audit their accounts and report its
findings to the President.
Section 4. Nominating Committee:
This Committee shall consist of a Chairman and two (2) associate members,
one (1) from each area, all of whom must be Directors and shall have been
appointed by the President at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual
members' meeting.
It shall be the duty of this Committee to present to the Board of Directors
at its annual meeting a state of candidates for the various offices names in
the By-Laws. Nominations submitted to this Committee shall not,
however, preclude a Director from making other nominations at the annual
Directors' meeting.
Section 5. Standing Investment Committee:
A Standing investment Committee consisting of the President,
Secretary-Treasurer, Invitational Secretary-Treasurer and
two directors appointed by the president shall serve as the Standing
Investment Committee and will have the authority to invest excess funds in
any of following investments ... U.S. Government and Agency Obligations,
Money Market Funds, paper and notes of investment grade, investment grade
preferred stocks or mutual funds to be made up of stocks and bonds of
investment grade corporations.
Section 6. The President may from time to time at his
discretion appoint such other committees as he may consider necessary.
ARTICLE VII
DUES
Section 1. The membership dues shall be Ten Dollars
($10.00) per year. If a member shall not have paid his dues for any
calendar year prior to December 31st of that year, he shall be dropped from
the membership rolls, but may be reinstated at any time within six (6)
months thereafter by paying his back dues and his dues for the current year.
After the expiration of such six (6) months' period he may be reinstated
only by applying for membership as a new member.
ARTICLE VIII
PURSE AND TROPHIES
Section 1. A cash purse, the amount to be determined
each year by the Board of Directors, shall be awarded to the owner of the
dog winning the Grand National Grouse Championship event. In the event
that a Runner-Up is declared, the purse shall be divided 70% to the Winner
and 30% to the Runner-Up.
Section 2. A Championship trophy, to be known as The
Grouse Bowl, to be won three times by the same owner but not
necessarily with the same dog, shall be presented to the owner of the
Champion and winning the Grand National Grouse Championship event. In
the event that a Runner-Up is declared, the purse shall be divided 70% to
the Winner and 30% to the Runner-Up.
Section 2. A Championship Trophy, to be known as
The Grouse Bowl, to be won three times by the same owner but not necessarily
with the same dog, shall be presented to the owner of the Champion and shall
remain in his possession for one year. The name of the dog, the name
of the owner, and the year of the win shall be engraved on The Grouse Bowl
each year. Any owner winning The Grouse Bowl three times becomes its
permanent owner, and shall furnish the Grand National Grouse Championship,
Inc. with a replacement trophy of equal value, craftsmanship, and overall
appeal.
Section 3. In addition to the purse and a leg on The Grouse
Bowl, an outright award of a Tiffany designed pin in gold, to be known as
The Championship Pin, shall be awarded to the owner of the Champion each
year. The words "Grouse Champion" shall be inscribed on the pin.
The owner of the Champion shall have the option of selecting a pin or a
portrait of equal value.
Section 4. Certificate of Win, in form adopted by
the Board of Directors and signed by the President and Secretary-Treasurer,
shall be awarded each year to the owner of the winner of the Championship.
Section 5. (a) The purse in The Grouse Futurity shall
be determined by the Board of Directors of the Club. The amount of the
purse shall be divided two-thirds to the owners of the winners and one-third
to the breeders of the winners; both the owners' and breeders' divisions of
the purse to be divided 40-25-20-15% if there are four (4) monies paid; and
45-30-25% if there are three (3) monies. If there are sixteen (16) or
more starters, four (4) monies will be paid, and if less than sixteen (16),
three (3) monies.
(b) In addition to the cash purse, a certificate
approved by the Board, and appropriately framed, shall be awarded annually
to the owner of each dog that is placed, and a certificate, suitably framed,
shall be awarded to the breeder of each dog that is placed.
(c) There shall be a perpetual trophy for competition in The Grouse
Futurity. Any such trophy must be won three times by the same owner to
become his property. Each year the name of the dog winning first place
in The Futurity, together with the name of his owner shall be inscribed on
the trophy and the owner may retain possession of it for one year.
Section 6. A trophy shall be offered for competition in
The Grouse Puppy Classic. The conditions with respect to the annual
and permanent award of this trophy shall be the same as those attached to
the Futurity Trophy.
The trophy offered for competition in the inaugural
running of The Puppy Classic was donated by the Grouse Clubs of Michigan and
is known as the
John M. Hadaway Trophy.
Section 7. The owner of the winner, so choosing, may
engrave the name of his dog on the trophy. To insure uniformity in
type and arrangements, it is suggested that the owner either take the entire
trophy to the engraver, or remove a previous plate so that the engraver can
accurately duplicate the lettering size and type.
Section 8. The purse in The Puppy Classic shall be
determined by the Board of Directors. The amount of the purse so
designated shall be divided two-thirds to the owners of the four (4) winning
dogs and one-third to the breeders of the winners; both divisions of the
purse to be split 45-30-25%.
Section 9. As the trophy is an item of some value, the
winners shall make provisions to list the trophy with some appropriate
insurance policy for protection against fire, damage or theft. If the
winner for some reason is not willing or able to insure the trophy, the
trophy shall be returned to the secretary who will make provisions for the
trophy's storage and insurance for the year.
Section 10. If after the awards are made in any stake
run by the Club it is discovered that any winning dog was ineligible to
compete, the win shall be cancelled of record and the return of purse money,
certificate of win and trophy shall be required.
ARTICLE IX
INCOME AND PROPERTY
Section 1. All property, real and personal, which the
Club shall hold, shall be used exclusively for the purposes set forth in
these By-Laws, and no part of their income or the property of this Club
shall inure to the benefit of any member provided, however, that reasonable
compensation may be paid to an officer, member or employee for services
rendered.
Section 2. In the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the
Club, none of its property or funds shall inure to the benefit of any member
but shall be transferred and paid over to some nationally recognized
conservation or charitable organization to be designated by the Board of
Directors.
ARTICLE X
RUNNING RULES
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall adopt Running
Rules for the conduct of the annual Championship Stake and for the conduct
of The Grouse Futurity, and The Grouse Puppy Classic, and the Grouse and
Woodcock Invitational Championship. Such Running Rules shall be
printed and, together with a copy of the By-Laws, distributed to all
members.
Grand National Grouse Championship Winners
GRAND NATIONAL GROUSE CHAMPIONSHIP RUNNING RULES .pdf
GRAND NATIONAL GROUSE CHAMPIONSHIP Microsoft Word file
1. ANNUAL STAKE:
The Grand National Grouse Championship shall be run
annually in grouse cover starting the first Tuesday in November. The
place to be selected by the Board of Directors (see Article VI of the
By-Laws). The winner of the Annual Stake shall be declared The Grand
National Grouse Champion of America for that year.
2. DESERVING WINNER:
The declaration of a champion shall be discretionary
with the judges. However, it shall be the policy of this Club that
each Championship event be run through to a logical conclusion, and the
judges shall be instructed by the Stake Manager in advance of the running
that unless an unreasonable succession of bad weather or lack of birds makes
the continuance of the Stake impractical, the dogs shall be run in repeated
series if necessary until a deserving winner is apparent.
3. RUNNER-UP:
A Runner-Up may be declared in the discretion of the
judges if there is, in their opinion, another dog in the Stake close up
behind the winner, and outstanding in comparison with the other contestants.
4. ELIGIBLE DOGS:
Dogs of pointing breeds that are registered in the
Field Dog Stud Book or in a registry recognized by the F.D.S.B., are
eligible to compete in the Championship Stake provided that they have won a
first, second, or third place in any American Field recognized open All-Age
event whether such event is advertised as an All-Age, Gun or Shooting Dog
Stake. Qualifying stakes shall not include All-Age events as described above
where the standards of the stake do not reflect a desire for placements to
be "Steady to Wing and Shot.".
5. JUDGES:
The Board of Directors shall select the judges and decide upon their number.
The number of judges shall be decided at the annual meeting. The
selection of judges shall follow the following process:
The Secretary shall then take the ranked candidate lists from the
directors and assemble a single list with highest collective ranked (lowest
number) candidate at the top and the lowest ranked (highest number)
candidate at the bottom. The Secretary shall then contact potential
judges, and reporters, according to the order of this list.
At the earliest convenience, the Grand National Secretary shall solicit
names of three possible judging candidates and one reporter candidate, from
each director. This may be done by mail. The Secretary shall
then assemble the resulting list of all potential candidates, and mail it to
all directors. The directors shall consider the candidates and rank
them in order of preference, and return the list promptly to the secretary.
This ranking process shall be as follows “1” being the highest rank, “2”
being the second highest, and so on through the entire list.
If the physical aspects of the grounds make it
practical, the judges and the official reporter may be mounted (see Rule 12
- Gallery).
6. ENTRY FEES:
Nominating and/or starting fees shall be fixed by the
Board of Directors and must be paid before the closing date. Post
entries may be made at any time prior to the draw upon an additional
payment, the amount of which shall be fixed by the Board.
7. WEATHER CONDITIONS:
No dog shall be run under weather conditions that make
high-class work on grouse improbable, even though the pursuance of this
policy shall result in one or more interruptions in the running.
8. ENTRY BLANKS:
The Secretary shall mail entry blanks thirty (30) days
in advance of the running to all Club members and to all secretaries of
grouse trial clubs known to him. The owner shall be responsible for
filling in the blanks accurately. To be accepted, each blank must
describe the dog by name, breed, color, markings, sex and Stud Book number.
It shall also contain the name and complete address of the owner, the name
of the person who is to handle the dog, and the name of the club, place and
year of the win on which the owner relies to make his dog eligible.
9. STAKE MANAGER:
The Stake Manager shall be appointed by the Board of
Directors and shall have complete charge of the Stake, including not only
the actual running but also all arrangements for local publicity,
entertainment, accommodations for visitors and dogs, hiring of horses, etc.
The Stake Manager may appoint such assistants and/or local committees as he
may consider necessary.
10. GROUNDS AND COURSES:
When the grounds and courses have been selected for the
running of the Championship event; it shall be the duty of the Stake Manager
to request the local authorities controlling the use of the grounds to close
the grounds and courses, so far as it may be legally possible to do so, to
the training of dogs, and to hunting, for several weeks prior to the running
of the Stake. Courses to be utilized must be announced at the time of
the drawing. Once the running has commenced and the pattern of courses
is established nothing should change that pattern unless weather conditions
prevent the normal pattern from being run in the said prescribed manner as
dictated by the first day's running.
11. FIELD MARSHALS:
At least two field marshals or guides shall be
appointed by the Stake Manager. One marshal shall act as guide for the
field trail party. A second marshal shall immediately follow the
judges and it shall be his duty to accompany any judge who has occasion to
leave the field trial party to follow a dog. If two judges have
occasion to leave the field trial party at the sane time to follow handlers,
a marshal or adequate guide designated by the marshal must accompany each
judge.
It shall be the duty of the marshals to so regulate and
control the gallery that the work of the judges, handlers and dogs will not
be interfered with. It shall be their duty to enforce any regulations
laid down by the Stake Manager for the control or size of the gallery.
12. GALLERY:
If practicable, the handler, judges and the official
reporter may be mounted. Marshals must walk. All others,
constituting the gallery, shall walk in single file except that if any
member of the gallery wishes to provide a horse at his own expense he may
ride at the extreme rear of the walking gallery; the number of horses thus
permitted at the rear of the gallery to be wholly within the discretion of
the Stake Manager and such horses shall at all times be under his control
and that of the marshal.
13. COURSES AND MAPS:
It shall be the duty of the Stake Manager to have a map
of all courses available at the drawing, and, if possible, copies shall be
made available for distribution to the owners and handlers. Courses
for the first series shall be mapped and numbered and unless later changed
by the Stake Manager due to the development of unforeseen conditions will be
used in the order indicated, with respect to dogs running in the second or
subsequent series, the courses on which they would like to see each dog or
brace perform.
14. DRAWING AND RUNNING:
The order of running shall be determined by the drawing
of well-shuffled folded slips from a hat, bowl or other receptacle.
While in the ordinary course of events dogs will be run
on consecutive courses as indicated by the
Stake Manager at the time of the draw, there shall be no
drawing for courses as such. The management reserves the right to
start or resume running on any course if conditions in its opinion justify a
change.
If two dogs handled by the same handler should be drawn
in the same brace the second dog so drawn shall become the first dog in the
next brace, etc.
No dog shall be required to run twice in the same day
without the consent of his handler.
No handler shall without his consent be obliged to
handle dogs for more than two consecutive hours.
If a dog is not present at the place at which he is to
start when called to run he shall be disqualified after the expiration of a
brief courtesy period to be determined by the judges. The duty of
having a dog at the place and time he is to start shall rest solely on his
handler.
15. LENGTH OF HEATS:
There shall be a first series heat of one hour in
length. Further running shall be at the discretion of the judges.
No dog shall be named Grand National Grouse Champion or
Runner-Up that has not had work on grouse acceptable to the judges.
If the performance of a dog in any series is such as to
interfere with the work of the brace mate or is otherwise unsatisfactory to
the judges, he may be ordered up. If both dogs of any brace perform in
such a manner that in the opinion of the judges would eliminate them as
contenders, the brace may be ordered up and the next brace called.
16. HANDLERS:
All handlers must conform to instructions of the judges
unless such instructions conflict with the By-Laws and Running Rules.
Should any instructions be disregarded, the judges shall have the authority
to disqualify such handler and/or his dog, or they may refer the matter to
the Stake Manager for action.
A handler may work his dog by any means he thinks
proper, provided his methods do not, in the opinion of the judges, interfere
with the competing dog. The use of bells is permitted. Electronic
devices are not permitted..
A handler may ride under special circumstances or
physical impairment with prior permission of the Board of Directors,
provided the horse be kept on the course and a marshal placed between the
foot handler and the mounted one. The pace shall be kept at an
ordinary shooting gait. The judges if mounted shall keep their horses
at a slow walk and must not crowd the marshals or the handlers. If,
through no fault of their own, the handlers become separated, it shall be
the duty of the marshals to bring them back together at the earliest
possible moment.
17. SHOOTING:
No dog shall be named Champion or Runner-Up unless shot
over when birds are flushed to his point. The shot must be fired by
the handler of the pointing dog only, unless in his absence some other
person is designated by a judge. Blank ammunition may be fired from a
pistol or shotgun, but nothing smaller than a .32 caliber shall be used.
18. BACKING:
A dog may be declared Champion that has had no
opportunity to back, but no dog that has clearly failed to honor a
bracemate's point shall be declared Champion.
19. BYE-DOGS:
Should there be a bye dog in the Stake the judges may
in their discretion order him run with a bracemate of their selection.
If, however, a dog from any brace should fail to start, the judges may move
the bye dog up to run in the vacancy thus created. In the event that
there are two or more dogs that fail to start in different braces their
bracemate may be rebraced at the election of the judges.
No second series dog may be run until all dogs have run
their first series heat.
20. BITCHES IN SEASON:
If the fact that a bitch is in season is announced
before the draw, her slip when reached should be held out and paired with
the next bitch to be drawn. If the bitch comes in season after the
drawing and is braced with a male she is automatically prohibited from
running. If her condition has distracted bracemate before it is
discovered, he should be ordered up by the judges and run at the end of the
stake as a bye dog.
21. OBJECTIONABLE ENTRIES:
Dogs afflicted with any disease, which the Stake
Manager may regard as contagious, will not be permitted to start, or to be
kenneled, handled or exercised on the grounds.
22. BEHAVIOR:
Any person who, to the satisfaction of the Stake
Manager or any officer of the Club, who is present, shall have impugned the
action of a judge, or who shall have otherwise annoyed a judge because of
his official connection with the trial, may be barred from further
participation in or attendance at the trial by the Stake Manager, and
disbarment from future trials may be made permanent by later action of the
Board of Directors. The Stake Manager shall have the authority to
order any person in attendance from the field trial grounds, and to prevent
his return during the continuance of the Stake, if in his judgment the
person has been guilty of conduct unbecoming to a gentleman, and any such
person may be permanently disbarred from attending future trials of this
Club by subsequent action by the Board of Directors.
23. FAILURE TO DECLARE A CHAMPION:
If no champion is declared the stake shall revert to an
All-Age with the purse divided 50-30-20% to the first, second and third
placed dogs.
24. SCOUTING:
The judges may, on their own initiative or in their
discretion, at the request of a handler permit a single scout to assist the
handler in locating a dog. No more than one scout per handler shall be
out at any one time and no scout shall leave the field trial party unless
permission of a judge is first obtained, and such scout must report to a
judge promptly on his return. A scout's duties shall be limited to the
location of a dog. Under no circumstances shall a scout attempt to
handle a dog except at the request of a judge.
25. OUT OF JUDGMENT:
A dog that shall be out of judgment during any series
for a continuous period of over twenty (20) minutes shall be disqualified,
unless found on point witnessed by a judge. The foregoing
disqualification may be lifted by the judges if it can be shown to their
satisfaction that the absence of the dog for more than the time limit was
due to outside factors which physically prevented him from rejoining his
handler. The question as to whether a dog should be disqualified for
being out of judgment for a shorter period, or a series of periods
during the running, shall be within the discretion of the judges.
If a dog shall be out of judgment, his bracemate shall
under no circumstances be held but shall proceed on the course. In
such cases a judge and a marshal shall remain with the handler of the lost
dog.
26. REJECTION OF ENTRIES:
The Club reserves to itself the right to reject any
entry. The exercise of this right shall be vested in the Board of
Directors, except that with respect to late or post entries it shall be
vested in the Stake Manager.
27. DOGS: No electronic devices shall be placed on a dog. This
includes so-called Beeper Collars and Telemetric or other electronic or
Tracking Devices. Bells are permitted. Handlers run
their dogs at their own risk in accordance with these rules. The Grand
National assumes no responsibility for lost or injured dogs.
HANDLERS AND SCOUTS: No personal communication devices, (cell phones,
walkie-talkies, voice amplification gear, etc.) are permitted. Doctor
prescribed hearing aids are permitted, but other sound amplification gear is
forbidden. The same rules shall apply to the scout, but can be applied
somewhat less rigidly. Scouts should not carry any sound amplification
gear, and should leave cell phones and walkie-talkies with the gallery,
judge or marshal before leaving the trial party.
GALLERY: No restrictions shall be made for the gallery except where
judges or trial officials believe that the trial is being influenced,
disrupted, or if information obtained electronically is being conveyed to
the handler.
TRIAL OFFICIALS: There shall be no restrictions placed upon trial
officials who choose to use electronic or other devices to communicate with
one another to prevent wasted time and to otherwise run a smooth trial.
Yet these devices should no way be used to influence a trial by disclosing
dog locations or assisting the handler in any way. When a dog has been
counted out, or a handler has chosen to pick up, and a dog is officially
‘out’ of the stake, all resources – electronic or otherwise – can be used to
reunite the dog with his handler. Similarly, if a dog, separated from
his handler, has been injured or has been found hopelessly far off course,
the stake manager may notify the field trial party by any means available,
so as to prevent needless searching and to insure the safety and well being
of the dog.
There shall be no restrictions on personal navigation (GPS) devices.
28. GENERAL CONDITIONS:
With respect to matters not specifically covered by the
By-Laws and Running Rules of the Club the rules of The Amateur Field Trial
Clubs of America, Inc. shall govern.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Club to supply the judges with
copies of all of the foregoing rules and regulations well in advance of the
date of the trial.
Grand National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Winners
GRAND NATIONAL INVITATIONAL BYLAWS AND RUNNING RULES .pdf
GRAND NATIONAL GROUSE AND WOODCOCK Microsoft Word file
NAME AND OBJECT
Section 1. The name of the event shall be The Grand
National Grouse and Woodcock Invitational Championship.
Section 2. The object of the event shall be to compete the top
grouse and woodcock dogs of the current year against each other for three
consecutive days to determine a true cover dog champion. The event
should be conducted so as to take as much luck out of the trial as humanly
possible.
Section 3. The event shall be conducted annually in the
spring trialing season with the date time and place to be decided by the
Grand National Grouse Championship board of directors at the annual fall
meeting.
Section 4. The event shall be governed completely by the parent
club, The Grand National Grouse Championship, Inc. and its board of
directors.
Section 5. A season shall be a term used from here on
describing a period of time starting at the beginning of a calendar year and
concluding with the final fall cover dog field trial of that same year.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section 1. Secretary-Treasurer.
A secretary-treasurer shall be elected annually from the membership of the
parent club and shall become a voting board member on the parent clubs'
board of directors and also will be included on its executive board.
Section 2. Board of Directors.
No other board of directors shall be needed as all decisions concerning the
well-being of the event will be decided by the directors of the parent club.
Section 3. Region Chairpersons.
A member from each region (as described in the by-laws of the parent club)
shall be elected annually to tabulate points (used to decide contestants of
the event) and forward them to the secretary, treasurer at the conclusion of
each trial session (spring, fall). This person may or may not be a
current board of director.
DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER
Section 1. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain a
bank account funded by the parent club at a local federal insured bank.
A Minimum of three parent club board of directors shall always be named on
said account.
Section 2. An annual financial report shall be
submitted to the total membership of the parent club before each annual
meeting.
Section 3. He or she shall tabulate contestant points
received from regional chair-persons after each trial season.
Section 4. After all points are totaled they will be
posted in the American Field no later than January of that seasons running.
Section 5. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible
for sending and receiving invitations for the contestants of the upcoming
event. After all entrants are known they should be declared along with
the notice of the event in the American Field with the minimum standards for
hosting a championship being met.
Section 6. He or she shall be responsible for all
necessities prior to the field trial, selecting a field trial
chairman, advertising, horses, lodging for judges and reporter, etc.
INVITATIONAL POINT SYSTEMS
Point calculations: Points x number of Starters
Grand National Grouse Championship
Winner
.......................................................................
Automatic
Runner-Up
....................................................................14
points
All Championships
Winner
..........................................................................16
points
Runner-Up
....................................................................12
points
All 1-Hour Classics
Winner
..........................................................................12
points
Runner-Up
....................................................................08
points
1 Hour Shooting Dog
Placed on Quail
1st place.........................10 points 05 points
2nd place ..................... 06 points
03 points
1/2 Hour Shooting Dog
Placed on Quail
1st place ........................ 05 points
2.5 points
2nd place ...................... 03 points
1.5 points
Section 2. List of clubs that will be used in
calculating points for this event.
1. Grand National Grouse Championship
2. Pennsylvania Grouse Trial Club
3. Pennsylvania Amateur Grouse Trial Club
4. Venango Grouse Trial Club
5. Black Ash Field Trial Club
6. West Branch Field Trial Club
7. Lake States Field Trial Club
8. Beaverton Grouse Dog Club
9. Ruffed Grouse Field Trial Club
10. Michigan Amateur Field Trial Club
11. Grouse Committee of Michigan Field Trial
12. Minnesota Grouse Dog Club
13. National Amateur Grouse Championship
14. North American Open Woodcock Championship
15. National Amateur Woodcock Championship
16. North Eastern Woodcock Championship
17. North Eastern Grouse Championship
18. Ontario Bird Dog Club
19. Nittany Valley Field Trial Club
20. New England Woodcock Classic
21. Maine Bird Dog Club Northeastern Woodcock Classic
22. Maine Bird Dog Club Woodcock Classic
23. Chippewa Valley Field Trial Club
Any cover trial that schedules its running date to conflict
with the Grand National Grouse Championship shall have its Invitational
points withheld for that trial. What constitutes a conflict is any
trial whose scheduled starting date is the same as the Grand National
starting date, or 1 through 4 days prior to, or up to 5 days after the
scheduled starting date of the Grand National.
Section 3. For a club wishing to be considered for a
point trial they must first sponsor a multiple course grouse and, or,
woodcock field trial event. Then send a written request to the
Invitational secretary. The written request shall be presented and
reviewed at the parent clubs annual board of directors meeting. In
order for a new club to qualify for this they must attain an unanimous vote
from the present directors at this meeting.
Section 4. The total points for the top 20 shall be
recorded and advertised in the American Field no later than January of that
same field trial season. Any protest of the posted points must be made
in letter form to the invitational secretary no later than February 10th of
the following year. Any protests shall be researched by the current
executive board of the parent club. Their decision shall be considered
final and executed before February 10.
INVITATIONS
Section 1. The first three dogs to be invited shall be
the Winner and the Runner Up of the previous years event, and the current
year's Grand National Grouse Champion. The rest of the field should be
invited in numerical order of points achieved until a full slate of 14 dogs
are achieved as described in Article IV Section 1.
Section 2. In addition to the full slate of competitors
two reserve dogs may be held in case one of the original invites drops
out. However this is not a mandatory practice.
Section 3. In case of a tie
in points the dog with the most number of wins of
that current season shall be considered first. If this is also the
same then the oldest dog shall be chosen.
Section 4. A minimum of 200 points must be attained
before a dog can qualify for an invitation.
Section 5. If 14 entrants and two reserves cannot be
achieved using this system then the Secretary shall re-invite dogs in
numerical order from the previous season's running list.
Section 6. All invitations shall be sent via mail and
each invitee shall respond within 10 days by submitting 50% of the entry fee
as a first forfeit, along with their completed entry form.
Section 7. When all the entries are in to the secretary
an announcement of the trial and the slate of contenders shall appear in the
American Field.
LOCATION AND GROUNDS OF EVENT
Section 1. The location date and host club of each
years event shall be decided by the parent clubs board of directors during
their annual fall meeting.
Section 2. The host club shall provide suitable
grounds, field marshals, and enough volunteers to conduct a high quality
field trial event.
RUNNING RULES
The process by which judges for the Grand National Grouse Championship are
selected shall also be followed to select judges for the Grand National
Grouse and Woodcock Invitational.
Section 1. The winner of the Grouse and Woodcock
Invitational must compete three consecutive days running one hour each day.
Section 2. The winner shall be determined by the two
chosen judges who will decide the best most consistent
performer over the entire three day trial. It should be noted that all
three days must be considered before rendering an
appropriate decision as one fantastic hour does not necessarily mean this
dog should be the winner.
Section 3. Native grouse or woodcock must be located
and handled satisfactorily to place a Champion in this event. The dog
should be shot over for each find with a .32 Caliber or larger blank pistol
or shot gun. It should be noted that grouse and woodcock work should
be considered equal to each other.
Section 4. The guide lines set forth in the running
rules of the Grand National Grouse Championship should be used when judging
this event unless otherwise noted in these running rules.
Section 5. The first days running shall be decided by a
random drawing conducted before the scheduled starting date of the trial.
The second days running will be decided by the secretary also at the
drawing. No female dog should be scratched because she came in season
during the running of the trial. If a bitch comes in season or is in
season during the trial the secretary shall pair that dog with another
female.
Section 6. All dogs must compete the first 2 days of
the event. The third day's running shall be decided by the current
judges. On the 3rd days running they shall pick a minimum of two or a
maximum of 8 dogs. They shall also pick the courses they wish to see
each brace on. The judges shall also pair each brace and the time of
day they wish to see each brace.
Section 7. At the end of each of the first two days of
running the judges shall declare the top performance of that particular day.
The handler who wins this honor shall receive a cash award of 10% of the
declared purse.
Section 8. Additional running may be necessary after
the three days of running are concluded. The decision to do this is at
the sole discretion of the judges. They again shall choose the dogs,
the course, and the time in which they wish to see.
Section 9. The judges should not order any dog up unless it is
severely interfering with its bracemate. A handler may volunteer to
pick his own dog up but must realize that in doing so he has disqualified
himself from winning the Championship title, however he still could run his
dog on day two for a chance at the 2nd days top dog of the day money.
All judging should be done from a
positive perspective, that is the judges should look to place the dog doing
the most things right instead of the least things wrong. In this three
day trial the judges will have ample time to observe each dog stamina,
style, bidability, backing, bird finding abilities and how he handles his
game.
PURSE
Section 1. The purse shall be decided by the parent
clubs Board of Directors. It currently is set at $1500.00. If a
Runner-Up is named the balance of the purse after the two days monies are
taken off shall be divided 60% - 40%.
10% 1st day money =
$100.00
10% 2nd day money =
$100.00
Winner
=
60%
Runner-Up =
40%
The guaranteed purse should never exceed 60% of the total entry fees
collected so as to assure expenses can be met. In the event no
champion is named the stake shall revert to an Open Shooting Dog Stake and
the said purse shall be divided 50-30-20.
Section 2. The owner of the winner of this event shall
receive a rotating trophy to keep in his possession for a period of one
year. This trophy should never be retired. The winner and
runner-up should also receive a certificate of achievement to keep as a
permanent possession.
WINNERS of the GROUSE FUTURITY.pdf
WINNERS OF THE GROUSE FUTURITY Microsoft Word file
THE GROUSE FUTURITY RUNNING RULES .pdf
THE GROUSE FUTURITY Microsoft Word file
1. ANNUAL STAKE:
The Grouse Futurity shall be run annually in grouse
cover, under the auspices and the jurisdiction of the Club, Successive
Futurities shall be designated by consecutive numbering; thus First, Second,
Third, etc.
Run at the same location as the Championship and the
time to be selected by the Executive Committee (see Article VI of the
By-Laws). The Stake Manager, appointed by the Executive Committee,
shall have complete supervision of the Stake, including not only the actual
running but also all arrangements for local publicity, entertainment,
accommodations for visitors and dogs, hiring of horses, etc. The Stake
Manager may appoint such assistants and/or local committees as he may
consider necessary.
2. ELIGIBLE DOGS:
All dogs of pointing breeds that are registered in the
Field Dog Stud Book or a registry recognized by the F.D.S.B., which have
been born on or after January 1st of the preceding year, and whose
Nominating, Forfeit and Entry fees have been duly paid in accordance with
the prescribed method laid down by the Club, shall be eligible for
competition in this Stake. Determination of the eligibility of any dog
shall be vested in the Secretary of The Grouse Futurity or in his absence in
the Stake Manager.
3. CLOSING DATE:
Entries shall be closed ten (10) days in advance of the
running to enable the Futurity Secretary to determine eligibility of the
dogs. Post entries, on payment of an additional fee set by the Board,
will be accepted up to the time of the draw only if accompanied by proof
that the dog is eligible.
4. WINNERS:
If there are less than sixteen (16) starters, three (3)
winners shall be named; and if sixteen (16) or more, four (4) winners.
5. JUDGES:
The Board of Directors shall select the judges and
decide on their numbers. So far as it is possible to obtain the
acceptance of experienced men the judiciary shall represent as many
geographical areas as there are judges. If a judge fails to keep his
engagement a substitute shall be named by the Stake Manager.
The judges shall have full charge of the running of the
dogs and control of the handlers, subject only to the By-Laws and Running
Rules.
If the terrain and other physical aspects of the
grounds make it practical, the judges and the official reporter may be
mounted (see Championship Rules 5 and 12).
6. LENGTH OF HEATS:
The dogs shall run one half-hour in the first series,
with all subsequent running discretionary with the judges.
It shall be the policy of the Club that all winners,
and especially the first and second place dogs shall, if possible, have bird
work. The Stake Manager shall, if such bird work has not been had at
the conclusion of the first series, request the judges to continue the
running until that objective has been obtained unless or until conditions
become such as to make such attainment improbable.
No dog shall, without the consent of his handler be
obliged to run twice on the same day.
7. SHOOTING:
No dog shall be placed in this Stake unless shot over
under conditions which satisfy the judges that the dog is not gun shy.
Shots may be fired from a pistol, rifle or shotgun, but nothing small than
.32 caliber shall be used.
8. OUT OF JUDGMENT:
The disqualification of a dog for being out of judgment
or for refusing to handle shall be left wholly to the discretion of the
judges.
9. FAILURE TO BACK:
Failure to back shall not adversely affect a dog's
standing in this Stake.
10. GENERAL CONDITIONS:
The By-Laws and Championship Running Rules shall apply
to The Grouse Futurity with respect to all pertinent matters not otherwise
specifically covered by the Running Rules of The Grouse Futurity.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer of The
Grouse Futurity to supply the judges with copies of all of the foregoing
rules and regulations well in advance of the date of the trial.
WINNERS of the Puppy Classic.pdf
WINNERS' OF THE GROUSE PUPPY CLASSIC Microsoft Word file
THE GROUSE PUPPY CLASSIC RUNNING RULES .pdf
THE GROUSE PUPPY CLASSIC Microsoft Word file
1. ANNUAL STAKE
The Grouse Puppy Classic shall be run annually in the
spring of the year in grouse cover, under the auspices and the jurisdiction
of the Club. Successive Puppy Classics shall be designated by
consecutive numbering; thus First, Second, Third, etc.
The time and place of running shall be selected by the
Executive Committee (see Article VI of the By-Laws) after the Futurity
Secretary shall have made contact with prospective host clubs, for the event
and made recommendations as to availability of grounds and dates.
The Stake Manager, appointed by the Executive
Committee, shall have complete supervision of the Stake, including not only
the actual running but also all arrangements for local publicity,
entertainment, accommodations for visitors and dogs, hiring of horses, etc.
The Stake Manager may appoint such assistants and/or local committees as he
may consider necessary.
2. ELIGIBLE DOGS:
All dogs eligible to run in the next following Futurity
are eligible to run in The Puppy Classic provided they are registered in the
Field Dog Stud Book or a registry recognized by the F.D.S.B.
3. WINNERS:
Four (4) winners shall be named: First, Second, third
and fourth.
4. JUDGES:
The Executive Committee shall select the judges and
decide on their number. So far as it is possible to obtain the
acceptance of experienced persons the judiciary shall represent as many
geographical areas as there are judges. If a judge fails to keep the
engagement a substitute shall be named by the Stake Manager.
The judges shall have full charge of the running
of the dogs and control of the handlers, subject only to the By-Laws and
Running Rules.
If the physical aspects of the grounds make it
practical the judges and the official reporter may be mounted (see
Championship Rules 5 and 12).
5. HEATS AND COURSES:
The first series shall be of thirty (30) minutes'
duration, with all subsequent running discretionary with the judges.
The Stake may be run on a single course or on multiple
courses as determined each year by the Executive Committee.
6. GENERAL CONDITIONS:
The By-Laws and Championship Running Rules shall apply
to The Grouse Puppy Classic with respect to all pertinent matters not
otherwise specifically covered by the Running Rules of The Classic.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer of The
Grouse Futurity to supply the judges with copies of all of the foregoing
rules and regulations well in advance of the date of the trial.