UKC Rule Changes for 2009
Written by Joe Newlin
he Chartered Breed Associations voted on all rule change proposals at the 2008 Autumn Oaks. A total of five of those passed. Each rule or policy change is addressed below. All changes are effective January 1, 2009.Proposal 2 – Passed - Rule 3(d)
Rule 3(d) addresses strike and tree points for dog(s) that are shut out on strike. In other words, dog(s) who had not yet been declared struck when another dog in the cast has already been declared treed. The current terminology is as follows: {Dog cannot receive plus or minus strike points if he is not on trail when first dog is declared treed unless he trees on separate tree.} Due to the terminology it has been UKC’s interpretation that a dog that has been shut out would not be eligible for any strike points, whether it be plus, minus or circle, unless the dog in fact treedon a separate tree.
The argument with this terminology/interpretation is; that in situations where a dog that is shut out on strike, but does not tree on the tree shut out on, could in fact be declared struck in and then walk into the cast or the eight get the dog etc. etc.. but would not receive minus strike points. Only because it did not tree on a separate tree. If you think this doesn’t sound right or fair then you’re not alone. How can a dog that has been declared struck get away with the eight getting them or come back in without penalty? Not anymore!
The terminology in Rule 3(d) will now be revised to read: {Dog(s) that are shut out (not struck before first dog is declared treed) must still be declared struck. They are eligible for tree points if they are declared treed within the five minutes. If they are at tree shut out on when judge arrives, strike points are deleted. For all other situations they are accountable for their strike points.}
This change will eliminate any possibility of a dog receiving deleted strike points should they not tree on a separate tree other than the tree they were shut out on. I think most will agree this is a good change and the way it should be. I also like the terminology in that it is very clear and easy to understand.
Proposal 3 – Passed - Rule 4(k)
Your first instinct might be; there is no Rule 4(k)? You would be right actually. Until now that is. A Rule 4(k), which is in the minus portion of the rules, will be added for situations involving a dog(s) that are declared treed by the handler after a tree has been closed.
Rule 4(e) is such that after a tree is closed no other dogs may be declared treed on that particular tree. UKC’s position in the past has been that a tree call should not be accepted by the judge unless the dog(s) was obviously on a separate tree. And for most situations this was a non issue other than the arguments that might come out of it mostly due to an uneducated handler who might not understand why or how a judge can keep him or her from declaring their dog treed. A well versed handler knows that at a point when it becomes obvious that his or her dog is obviously split they would simply wait until then and declare the dog treed. And if all dogs were now declared treed they could handle the split dog without waiting a separate five minutes; no big deal.
However, using the current procedure of not accepting a tree call when the tree is closed, there is one scenario that can become a factor - the end of a hunt. We have all seen situations where it was not obvious that any dogs were split from one another until you actually arrive at the scene and see it. An example of that might be where you have three dogs declared treed. The five expires and hunt time is running out and will have expired before the cast can get to the tree. The fourth dog is now also treeing but it is “not obvious” that the dog is split.
Under current procedure the judge cannot accept a tree call unless the dog is obviously split. In this case the handler is caught at the mercy of a bad break should they find the dog to in fact be split upon arrival. Especially, if the situation might make a difference in terms of winning the cast or hunt due to hunt time or the expiration thereof.
A Rule 4(k) will be added to read: {Any dog(s) declared treed after five minutes expires and tree is closed; call will be accepted as a split tree. If dog is on closed tree when judge arrives, points will be minused.} Even with this change nothing will change in regards to declaring split trees in accordance with Rule 11. The judge will still declare a dog as split and record it as such when it is obvious to him/her. The only difference will now be that the judge will no longer have the authority to not accept a tree call after a tree has been closed.
If a handler chooses to declare their dog treed then it would be recorded as a split, even when it’s not obvious to the judge. (in this situation only)It is very important to note or remember that this change will add more responsibility on the part of the handler. If a handler chooses to declare their dog treed after a tree has been closed it would simply result in tree points being recorded as split, regardless of whether the dog was obviously split by the judge or not, (in this situation only) and if the dog is found to be treeing on the closed tree; those tree points are minused and strike points scored accordingly in accordance with Rule 4(g).
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