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Chairman update 18th March 2021 - ISDS Major Trials

Council held a Zoom meeting on 10th March and discussed the Society major trials for 2021. It is the intention that if government regulations allow, the Nationals and an International will go ahead.

Due to the level of uncertainty regarding COVID-19, Council have decided on some changes from the normal trial procedures, please find details below. I have tried to include as much information as possible to ensure clarity.

  1. Local committees will be advised not to order grandstands or marquees due to the considerable expense of these items and the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 restrictions. National presidents will consult with their relevant local committees.
  2. Catering should be confined to low outlay solutions unless it becomes certain that unrestricted spectator numbers will be allowed.
  3. If government restrictions do not allow spectators, the Society will make every attempt to run Nationals with competitors and necessary officials only.
  4. An International will only take place if all four nations have been able to hold their national trial to select their teams.
  5. Entries for nationals will be selected from:
  1. Dogs which ran in the 2019 International.
  2. Dogs with sufficient points gained in the period 1st June 2018 to 31st May 2021.
  3. Competitors entering a pointed dog can also enter an alternate dog for each entry.
  4. To be clear, a competitor entering two pointed dogs can also enter two alternate dogs but must state which dog is substituting for which. This follows the conditions found in world trial entry.
  5. The above alternate dogs do not need to have points. This arrangement will give some of the talented young dogs which have been unable to compete in open trials for points a chance of competing at a national trial.
  6. Council would respectfully ask that competitors keep in mind that these are major trials, and they should try to ensure that alternate un-pointed dogs are able to keep up the high standard of national trialling.
  7. Any pointed dog whose ownership transferred after 10th March 2021 cannot be replaced by an unpointed dog.
  1. Points awarded at open trials will become available once national restrictions allow open trials to be held.
  2. In an effort to discourage unnecessary travel, please note that until further notice, open points can only be gained in the competitor’s country of residence.
  3. In Ireland points will only be awarded when restrictions in both north and south are the same, therefore creating a level playing field.

Council agreed the above measures for this season only due to the unprecedented circumstances which COVID-19 has presented. We must however do our utmost to allow the major trials to proceed, and hopefully you will appreciate the commitment of your office bearers toward this end.

I will furnish more information as it becomes available, however, meantime I would ask that you do not contact the office staff with any queries regarding the above information. The officer staff will not be able to answer your questions, and the accumulation of telephone interruptions disrupts their day. I would ask that you direct any enquiries that you have to your national president or nearest council member who will be better placed to provide the information.

Kind Regards

Ian Fleming

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