We knew Gurley was precocious from the beginning. We were running Nappy Brown, our other AWS in a started United Kennel Club/Hunting Retriever Club hunt test when we realized that four-month-old Gurley was running the same marks in practice. A prompt gate entry resulted in her first started pass. The rest fell into place quickly, with Gurley earning her HRC started title (SHR), seasoned title (HR), upland hunter title (UH), and finally, her finished title (HRCH) - just one week after her second birthday. "The rest fell into place quickly, with Gurley earning her HRC started title (SHR), seasoned title (HR), upland hunter title (UH), and finally, her finished title (HRCH) - just one week after her second birthday." With AKC spaniel classification attained by our breed parent club, the American Water Spaniel Club, in June of 2005, new hunt test avenues opened. After all, upland game hunting is what Gurley really loves to do. She entered her first AKC spaniel hunt test, the Sussex spaniel test in Wisconsin in June of 2005 at the master level. We knew she could do master level work because of her HRC successes. The Sussex test was a dismal failure! We were not used to the way AKC hunt tests were conducted. However, in failure there was lots of learning for Gurley as well as her handler. Mr. and Mrs. David McCracken with Gurley Gurley’s next try resulted in one qualifying score for a two-day test. She was learning. Fortunately, hunting season arrived and hunt tests were put on hold until Spring. After a few months of hunting and upland training, Gurley went five for five. She completed her AKC master hunter requirements at the Clumber spaniel hunt test in Indiana on March 20, 2006. This completion made UH HRCH Nighthawk’s Carolina You Go Girl MH WDS the first American Water Spaniel to receive the American Kennel Club’s highest hunt test title. Before an American Water Spaniel can receive an AKC field title, it must also pass a Retrieving Certification Test (RCT) administered under the license of the parent club, the AWSC. This RCT must be passed twice in addition to the required number of spaniel qualifying scores. This test was put in place in an attempt to preserve the waterfowling heritage of the AWS. At the master level, RCT involves a triple water mark of 60 yards, a 60 yard water blind, and the honoring of another dog. Gurley passed her two RCT’s in two tries on a rainy day at Lavonia, Georgia, when the temperature never rose above 38 degrees; waterfowling weather at its best!