Teastas
Mor is a certificate of gameness issued
to a terrier by the Irish Kennel Club.
Strict
Irish Kennel Club rules governed the
Teastas Mor (certificate of gameness).
It was considered that the discipline
ensured contests between terrier and
badger were fair. In the past, to become
an Irish Kennel Club terrier champion,
it was necessary for a terrier to be
in possession of a Teastas Mor. These
continued until the kennel ceased to
license trials in 1968.
Until
1966 the working terriers of Ireland
had to acquire a Teastas Misneac or
Teastas Mor (major trial) certificate
before they could gain their champion
status. In the trials the terriers had
to drag or take hold of the badger for
a set time, terriers that had shown
no signs of holding or pulling, the
judges who were uncertain that a particular
terrier failed would check the terriers
mouth and incisors to see if they had
any evidence of badger hair in their
mouth.
This
image is of the Teasteac Mor Certificate
that was acquired by Glen of Imaal Terrier,
Fearless Dan, Owned by Mr.Frank Fallon,
acuired certificate on the 7th september
1958 in Blessington, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Over
the coming weeks I will be posting other
Teastas Mor Certificates, won by other
terrier breeds such as fox terriers,
staffordshire bull terriers etc... so
keep checking back.
Beside
the Teastas Mor we also had the Teastas
Beag (minor trial) games that were organised,
in which we hunted rats and/or rabbits.
The
Teastas Mor Rules
Rules
1.
The trials must be conducted strictly
within the law and are restricted to
terriers and bitches which have not
already qualified for the Teastas Mor
certificate.
2.
a) A veterinary surgeon must be in attendance
at the trial. Under no circumstances
may a trial take place without one,
and his name and address must be recorded
on the application for a licence and
on the licence issued by the Kennel
Club.
2.
b) In the event of any serious injury
occurring to any terrier or badger,
the animal at the discretion of the
Veterinary Surgeon shall be humanely
and expeditiously destroyed
3.
The trial of any terrier must be in
natural setts. Under no circumstances
may tests be carried out in artificial
setts. A terrier may not be tried more
than twice in any trial.
4.
Once a badger is drawn, it must not
be released or returned to the earth
until the conclusion of the trials.
5.
Badger in captivity shall not be used
for tests or training.
6.
Sounders are expected to go the ground
with alacrity. When a sounder reports
the presence of game by a full and sustained
tongue, a reasonable time shall be allowed
before diggers begin to work. When the
sounders records persistently from one
section of the sett, digging shall commence
under the direction of the judges.
7.
The badger shall be drawn by a strong
terrier, with the assistance if necessary,
and the size of the badger and undergroun
conditions noted by the judges.
8.
If a sett is apparently unoccupied,
several terriers may be run through
it and their eagerness to search noted.
9.
With regards to strong terriers, the
Teastas Mor is to be awarded to the
terrier showing gameness in attacking
badgers. Five minutes is the minimum
period a terrier shall be in contact
with the badger, except when the terrier
draws the badger in less time. Each
terrier shall be withdrawn as soon as
possible after the five minutes have
expired. The judges may direct that
a terrier be again tried if , in their
opinion, the first trial was for any
reason an insufficient test.
10.
Five minutes are to be allowed a terrier
before being disqualified for failing
to get in contact.
11.
Barking shall be eliminated as much
as possible and disqualification will
follow barking after contact, provided
that no terrier is disqualified for
barking when in actual contact.
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