Types of Trials

Pre Trials, Closed Trials & Open Trials

Want to give your students the ‘SWUK’ trials experience?

If you are a club/trainer already running Scentwork UK classes, your students may wish to experience what goes on at a Scentwork UK trial. We offer to all SWUK trainers the option to run Scentwork UK ‘Closed Trials’.

Closed Trials

A ‘Closed Trial’ is similar to a ‘SWUK Level 1’ open trial with the following differences.

  • A ‘Closed Trial’does not need to be advertised on the Scentwork UK website or SWUK facebook group and the club/trainer can limit the entries to its club members.
  • As Scentwork UK does not require the results, points will not go towards ‘Excellent’, ‘Dog of the Year’ awards or ‘Progression’ to the next Level.

The dog club or trainer can purchase a ‘trials pack’ from SWUK. (Click here)

The Trials pack consists of:

  • Scentwork UK Trophy (optional)
  • 1st-4th place rosettes (optional)
  • 10 ‘Clean Sweep’ rosettes.
  • Running Order sheets (Templates)
  • Score sheets (Templates)
  • Personal Score sheets (Templates)
  • Certificates (55p each or Template which is free of charge)
  • Trial managers check list

NB – It is up to the Trials Manager whether they wish to award a Trophy and/or 1st-4th place rosettes.

All templates will be supplied free of charge.

‘Click Here’ – for more information

Open Trials

Open trials are run by designated venues please ‘click here’ to find your nearest venue.

Open trials are open to anyone and are advertised on the Scentwork UK website as well as the Scentwork UK facebook group. Competitors can progress to the next level if they qualify as well as gain points towards their ‘Excellent’ titles and the ‘Dog of the Year’ award.

Why are trials Capped?

The trials manager will often ‘cap’ (put a limit) on the amount of entries per trial and this will be stated on the trial’s advert.

Capping enables the trials manager to control the number of vehicles owing to car park restrictions and the number of entries a judge is allowed to judge per day which is 20.

If trials manager appoints a second judge, enabling more entries, this will be announced on the ‘SWUK’ facebook group.