Performance Events Department
August 2021
To: All Clubs Licensed to Host Retriever Hunting Tests
Subject: Clubs Allowed to Use Waiting Lists
This is to inform your club of an upcoming change to the Regulations & Guidelines for AKC Hunting Tests
for Retrievers. This change provides clubs the option to create a waitlist for Master test level entries that were
received after the entry limit was reached but prior to the closing date. The owner/handler must agree to have
their dog placed on the waitlist. If up to the start of the Master test, the club is aware there are dogs that will
not participate, those vacancies can be filled using the entries on the waitlist in the order they were received.
If a club chooses to use a waitlist, it must be published in the premium list along with the timing of how it will
be done.
This change becomes effective September 1, 2021. The exact wording of this change is underlined and will
appear in the next printing of the regulations as follows:
Chapter 1. General Regulations. Section 16. Closing and Drawing of Entries, Running Order.
Entries for an AKC-licensed or -member club Hunting Test may close at any time prior to the Hunting Test, but shall not close later than the third day preceding the start of the Hunting Test.
(New paragraph)
Waiting List. A club holding a limited entry Master Hunter Test may, at its option, create a waiting list for MH entries that are received after the test has filled but prior to the published closing date. If, after closing and up to the start of the MH test, there are entries that are known will not be participating, dogs may be taken from the waiting list to run in the position of the absent dogs. Owners/handlers must agree to have their dog placed on the waiting list. It must be stated in the Premium if a club is going to utilize a waitlist to fill in for absent dogs and the timing of how this will be done. Dogs called from the waiting list shall be prioritized in the order the entries were received. Dogs selected from the waiting list shall pay the published entry fee. Dogs that were on the waiting list but were not able to run shall have their entry fee refunded in full. For dogs that have scratched and been replaced, it is up to the club to determine the refund policy. The refund policy must be explained in the premium and must be the same for all dogs. If a club using an entry service wishes to use a waitlist as explained above, it is up to the club and entry service to work out how this will be achieved. Neither the club nor the entry service may charge potential entrants a fee for placing their dogs on a waitlist above any fee that was in place on January 1, 2021.
This regulation update has been posted to the Retriever Hunting Tests News And Updates webpage and is being communicated to all retriever hunting test clubs and approved judges. Please send any comments or questions to: huntingtest@akc.org If you send a request to update your email address, please provide your name, city and state.
Performance Events Department
