The Transvaal Hunt Point &
Retrieve Field Trial Club

THE HPR CLUB WAS STARTED SOME YEARS BACK BY A GROUP OF ENTHUSIASTS WISHING TO DEVELOP AND IMPROVE THE NATURAL ABILITIES OF THE BREEDS WHICH HUNT, POINT AND RETRIEVE.

THE CLUB IS ESSENTIALLY FOR WORKING DOGS AND HOLDS FIELD TRIALS AND WORKING TESTS WHICH ASSESS THE DOGS’ PERFORMANCE UNDER ACTUAL HUNTING CONDITIONS.

IT IS OUR AIM TO PRODUCE THE PERFECT HUNTING COMPANION AND IN THIS WAY IMPROVE RESPONSIBLE HUNTING AND CONSERVATION.

A TRAINED HPR DOG AND HANDLER ARE ESSENTIAL TOWARDS QUALITY BIRD HUNTING AND ARE A JOY TO BEHOLD.

THE VERSATILE GUNDOG

These versatile breeds include:
The German Shorthaired Pointer, Weimaraner, Vizsla, German Wirehaired Pointer, Brittany Spaniel, Griffon, Pudelpointer, Spinoni, German Longhaired Pointer and the Munsterlander Pointer.

A trained dual-purpose dog is one of truly versatile qualities. He is expected to eagerly search and find game in the field and hold it to a staunch point prior to flush, he is to remain steady to wing and to shot. Then he is to retrieve on command and is to deliver the game to hand.

In addition he must be quiet in a duck blind and retrieve in water. All this takes time and training to produce, but it can be a rewarding experience for both dog and handler.

THE HUNTER

In the interests of responsible hunting, the HPR club offers the services of trained dogs and handlers to bird hunters. If you would like to make use of these services, please contact the Club secretary.

TRAINING SESSIONS

In the weeks preceding the hunting season the HPR Club holds a series of training sessions for handlers and their dogs. These classes are run at both basic and advanced levels and cover all aspects of field work. Experienced trainers are on hand to identify problem areas and suggest appropriate remedies. All this is done in a fine outdoor spirit.

FIELD TRIALS

Members can compete in the dual-purpose field trials hosted by the HPR Club. These trials are so designed as to be as near as practically possible to real hunting conditions. It is the ultimate means of testing a hunting dog’s performance against that of other outstanding dogs and should be the supreme goal of every gundog owner. It is a matter of putting your dog where your mouth is. In this environment the best hunting dogs can be selected towards the improvement of the breed.

The HPR field trials make use of wild birds in their natural environment and are consequently held only during the hunting season: One at the beginning of the hunting season and the other at the end. At this latter trial the selections for competition in the World Championships is made.

NATURAL ABILITY TEST

The HPR Club will provide a Natural Ability Certificate to each hunting dog that pass a test on basic ability and hunting instincts. Such a certificate will not only serve as proof for the owner of his dog’s working abilities and thus improve its value, but will at the same time provide information to prospective buyers and breeders. This will lead to the improvement of the breed and prospective buyers and breeders will no longer have to rely on the unsubstantiated claims of sometimes unscrupulous owners.

It is a known fact that there are many gundogs which are gundogs in name only due to generations of breeding for show qualities only. Many a prospective gundog owner have fallen into the trap of buying a gundog without any of the basic hunting instincts. Thus, only those hunting dogs with a Natural Ability Certificate will be considered by the HPR Club for recommendation or breeding. This will serve as an incentive for every gundog owner to have your dog’s abilities officially recognized. A must for every serious gundog owner.

MEMBERSHIP

Our members come from all walks of life and have in common their love for dogs, hunting, conservation and the outdoor life. Being a small club we all know each other by name although sometimes the dog is remembered before its owner!

If after reading all this you are still not sure about joining us - consider you dog and contact:

The Secretary, HPR Club
P.O. Box 173
Montana Park
0159

Officials:
Slang Viljoen at  084 2020 184 (Chairman)
Gerhard Ebersohn (Vice Chair)
Louise Leech (Secretary) (louiseleech1@gmail.com
Izelda Warne (Treasurer)

E-mail: slangvil@iafrica.com

Website: germans-shorthaired-pointer.co.za

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