GLOSSARY OF TERMS
DOG – a male
BITCH -- a female
CONFORMATION SHOW – dog show given either by a specialty club (like the Rio Salado Vizsla Club), national club (like the Vizsla Club of America) or an all breed club (like the Sahuaro State Kennel Club.)
OBEDIENCE TRIAL – the obedience competition, given either by a specialty club, national club, an obedience club (like Phoenix Field & Obedience), or an all breed club.
HUNTING TEST – a field event that involves a course the dogs run along, game birds placed in a designated area, two dogs and their handlers, the two judges, and the two gunners.
FIELD TRIAL – a field event involving a course, game birds, two dogs and their handlers, two judges that are often on horseback. It has different levels of competition and entry requirements than a hunting test.
VERSATILITY – event that combines conformation, obedience, and field.
CANINE GOOD CITIZEN (CGC) – event that shows your dog is friendly and obedient enough to be out in public.
RSVC – Rio Salado Vizsla Club
AKC – American Kennel Club
VCA – Vizsla Club of America
CLASS – a division where the entrants can share a common denominator such as age, sex, relationship to handler, experience, or prior title.
PREMIUM LIST – the brochure sent out advertising an event (show, obedience, hunting test, and field trial.)
JUDGING PROGRAM – notice sent out just before a dog show or obedience trial that lists the number of entries in the classes and judging times. Also confirms your entry in the event.
CATALOG – the booklet that lists all of the entrants in a show or obedience trial. Not available until the day of the event.
RUNNING ORDER – notice sent out just before a hunting test or field trial that lists all of the entries by level, the bracemates, and handlers.
EVENT CHAIRPERSON – person who coordinates an event.
EVENT SECRETARY – person who sends out the premium list, receives the entries, and records the results of an event.
BIRDY – reference to when a dog shows interest in birds.
STEADY TO WING – when a dog remains in place while a bird is flushed from cover in a hunting test and field trial.
STEADY TO SHOT – when a dog remains in place while the bird is shot in a hunting test and field trial.
SEND – when the handler gives a command to the dog to fetch a shot bird.
WHOA – command handler gives to dog to stop or steady them while in the field.
STAY – command handler gives a dog to stay in one place in obedience trial.
BRACE – a pair of dogs that run together in a field event, each with a separate handler; or a pair of dogs that work at same time with one handler in an obedience trial.
STACKING – the positioning of a dog in the show ring.
GAIT – The movement of the dog around the show ring.
SHOW STEWARD – person that assists judge and calls entrants to the ring in a show and obedience trial.
BACK COURSE – The section of the course in a field event where the dogs show their independence and natural desire to hunt.
BIRD FIELD – The area at the end of the back course where the birds are placed for the dogs to find, the gunners to shoot, and the dogs to retrieve the birds.
MARSHAL person in a field event that calls the dogs to the start line or is in charge of the spectators that follow the dogs in a field event.
GALLERY – spectators that follow behind the dogs in a field event.
BYE DOG – a dog in a field event that does not have a brace mate due to uneven numbers entered in that level or due to a dog withdrawing from that level. It is NOT the term used for the dog that is chosen to run with the un-braced dog.