NBHA Futurity Judging Standards
Puppy Standards: Puppies are judged on the natural qualities they should possess: incentive to hunt, intelligence, good constitution, nervous energy, courage, good conformation, instinct to point, style and appearance. Heats are thirty (30) minutes with no birds liberated, and the puppy winners are not required to point, back or retrieve.
Futurity Standards: Dogs must show determination under adverse conditions, and intelligent adjustments to terrain and cover, hunt independently of brace mate with speed and be able to demonstrate endurance. Extreme range will be considered undesirable as it would be in any Shooting Dog Stake. Dogs should handle willingly and at a range adjusted to comfortable handling on foot. Dogs must display an intense desire to find birds, a keen nose to detect the presence of game, and the ability to locate that game quickly and accurately by body scent. Dogs should show staunchness, intensity, positiveness, and style on point. Dogs are required only to be steady to flush. Backing and retrieving will not be mandatory as in National Bird Hunters Association’s Shooting Dog Stakes. There will be qualifying heats of thirty (30) minutes and the judges will name those dogs; that they wish to see in the final one (1) hour heat. The type of dog to be honored is one which shows the potential to go on to win the important shooting dog events in the country, such as the National Bird Hunters Association’s Regional Championships and the National Bird Hunters Association’s National Shooting Dog Championships. A Futurity placement qualifies the dog for the next year’s National Championship.
NBHA Futurity Nominating Rules
Litter: Nominations will be accepted for females and stud dogs now registered in THE FIELD DOG STUD BOOK. Litters nomination Fees will be set accordingly by the Futurity Director. This payment to the NBHA Futurity and enrollment of the litter in THE FIELD DOG STUD BOOK will make each puppy eligible for entry.
Puppy Classic: The owner of a Futurity Puppy has the option of entering the Puppy Classic, which is held in conjunction with the Futurity. A puppy must be registered in THE FIELD DOG STUD BOOK. Entry in the Puppy Classic is NOT mandatory to keep the dog eligible for the Futurity.
Futurity: Dogs must be registered in THE FIELD DOG STUD BOOK.