The American Pointing Labrador Association (APLA) sponsors Certification, Advanced, and Master level hunt tests to identify Pointing Labradors and to judge their abilities. Here is a link to the APLA’s page on the General Rules pertaining to hunt tests. In order to run your dog in an APLA test, owners and handlers of the dog must be APLA members in good standing when the entry premium is received. Here is a link for joining APLA. As of January 1, 2020, there is no longer a requirement to title in any of the lower stakes (CPR or APR) to run in a higher stake (APR or MPR).
Certified Pointing Retriever (CPR). The purpose of APLA’s Certified Pointing Retriever Test (CPR) is to evaluate a combination of basic natural abilities and basic trained behaviors in the upland field and waterfowl retrieves. Natural abilities and trained behaviors are equally important components of a good hunting companion. To score well in this test the dog must respond to basic obedience commands and have had enough exposure to hunting upland birds and water retrieves to show beginning proficiency in each. There is no minimum age for dogs running this test. The test will have two working parts: Upland Work (hunt for 3 birds in 15 minutes, point for 5 seconds on each bird, retrieve to within 1 step of the hanlder) and Water Retrieves (two single water marks of 50 yards or less). To earn a CPR title, the dog must successfully pass the CPR test twice.
Advanced Pointing Retriever (APR). The purpose of APLA’s Advanced Test is to provide a format for Pointing Labradors to demonstrate a significantly higher level of natural abilities and trained behaviors than are evaluated in the Certified Pointing Retriever Test. The tested abilities and behaviors are important components of a proficient hunting companion. To score well in this test the dog must respond to its handler’s commands and must have had enough exposure to hunting situations to demonstrate that it is a good working pointing retriever. The test has four working series: Upland Work (hunt for 4 chukar in 20 minutes, point for 10 seconds on each bird, retrieve to hand), Land Retrievers (double land marks of 75 yards or less), Water Retrieves (double water marks of 75 yards or less), and a Blind Retrieve (50 yards or less). To earn an APR title, the dog must either already hold a CPR title and successfully pass APR once, or hold no prior APLA title and successfully pass the APR test twice.
Master Pointing Retriever (MPR). The purpose of APLA’s Master level test is to provide a format for Pointing Labradors to demonstrate the highest level of natural abilities and trained behaviors that the American Pointing Labrador Association tests. To accomplish this, all dogs entered are tested on Upland hunts and on both land and water retrieves and blinds. They are then scored on a noncompetitive basis in ten (10) categories. These categories are NOSE, COOPERATION, DESIRE, SEARCH, POINT, STEADINESS TO WING AND SHOT, LAND DOUBLE, WATER DOUBLE, LAND BLIND, and WATER BLIND. Nose, Cooperation, and Desire will be evaluated throughout all parts of the test. Search will be evaluated throughout all parts of the test except the Blind Retrieves. Point and Steadiness to Wing and Shot will be evaluated in the Upland Field (hunt for 4 chukar in 20 minutes, point for at least 10 seconds on each bird, remain steady to wing, shot and fall, and retrieve to hand; double land marks of up to 100 yards). There will also be double water marks of 100 yards or less, and either the land or water double will include a diversion bird. The blinds will include both a land and water retrieve requiring the handler to challenge the line to the blind. The tests are designed to prove at a high level the versatility of the Pointing Labrador as an all around working dog, bred and developed at the highest levels both for upland bird hunting on a variety of species and for waterfowl hunting. To earn an MPR title, the dog must either hold an APR title and successfully pass the MPR test once, or hold no prior APLA title and successfully pass the MPR test twice.
Grand Master Pointing Retriever (GMPR). After the MPR title, the next MPR pass earns a Grand Master Pointing Retriever (GMPR) title. A third pass earns a 1.5XGMPR title. Each additional qualifying score adds “0.5” to the title through to a maximum of 4XGMPR.
UPCOMING APLA HUNT TESTS IN WA/OR
