new, want to compete

[raven13]

I have a 1 yr old english pointer I am interested in competing in something with. Any suggestions on where to start in Illinois?

[S&J gsp]

What are you looking to do. There are several options I run NSTRA I the in Illinois region they had 13 trials in the fall season. Check NSTRA web site go to regions and the scedulewill come up. Go watch and ask questions

[PntrRookie]

There are a few walking NBHA trials not far from you. Check out http://www.nbhadog.org/ We have a very active club in SE Wisconsin http://www.12oclockftc.com/, there are NBHA trials in MO, S/E Iowa and some US Complete trials in Mid IL. Whereabouts are you from in IL? the NBHA and US Complete are walking, broke dog stakes. Whereas NSTRA is retrieving, non-broke dogs (not saying some aren't broke - but they do not have to be).

[smoothbean]

Where are you located ?
If you get me your contact info I can get ahold of you and tell you about what we compete in.
If you want to, just pm me so it is not out there for everyone in the world to see.

[Cajun Casey]

I second NBHA. The even let bobtails play.

[Georgia Boy]

UFTA may be an option.

[codym]

I think you need to take a hard look at your dog and see what he does well and how you want to compete. Is your dog a big running dog? Does he handle well? Does he retrieve? Back? does he quarter naturally or run edges? Do you want to walk or do you want to ride a horse? Do you want to kill birds over your dog or are you ok firing a blank pistol? Are you willing to train your dog swsf? I would take advantage of some of the other members suggestions and go check out some NSTRA, NBHA, UFTA, AKC, and AF trials. Ride and walk as many braces as you can, and find out what game appeals to you. Once you decided on a venue, try and latch on to someone that is successful and pick their brains. Field trials are so much fun and lots of great people and dogs, but most venues require certain things of a dog so you need to identify those qualities and train for them. Good luck.

[DonF]

I sent off an e-mail to Nat Bird Hunter's, I think that's the one. I'd done a bit of reading on them and they sound like little more than walking AF stakes, no kill. Been several weeks and not a word from them. Guess they are as big as they want to get.

[PntrRookie]

I sent off an e-mail to Nat Bird Hunter's, I think that's the one...

Don, if you are "SURE" that is the one, which email did you send it off to? I can help I am a National officer of the NBHA (National Bird Hunters Assoc.)... shoot me a message. And yes we are a walking organization running trials under the AF/AFTCA umbrella.

[raven13]

Wow! Thanks for all the responses. I am in central Illinois. I am very new to all this but I have researched the akc and nstra. I will look in to some on the other ones people have mentioned here. This is my third pointer, but all I have ever done with them is hunt so i apologize if I seem dumb, but I do not really know what it means when you say a "broke dog". And I am not sure that I want to ride a horse it has been a while since I have done that

[codym]

There are different deffinitions of "broke". A broke dog to me is one that is steady to wing shot fall and retrieves the bird when sent, backs on sight, and stops to flush. For AKC AF and NBHA you will eventually need your dog trained to this level. For nstra your dog just has to hold point until the bird flys and retrieve, it helps if they will back but i've seen plenty that dont and they did ok.

[smoothbean]

Get ahold of me I am in West Central Illinois.