I have just finished reading an account of a British style retriever field trial held , I think , on a Mr. Milners land in Tennessee during 2012 . It could be that the British trial format could not be followed at that trial or maybe I just read the magazine article incorrectly but it did not sound exactly like a British retriever trial to me.
One of the things I noticed was concerning "eye-wipes." The article said 3 dogs were tried on a fallen bird one after the other. That is fair enough, the same thing happens here if the first dog or dogs fail to find the bird. The article then said the bird was never found by any of the 3 dogs and so even the first dog tried was kept in the trial. If that happened here the first dog tried would be eliminated from the trial unless there were some very extenuating circumstances ..... I know because it has happened to me twice !
If all 3 dogs have failed to find the bird in a British trial then the first dog tried would be automatically eliminated. The judges plus the gun that shot the bird would then walk forward into the fall area to look for the bird. If it was found by them then the remaining two dogs would also be eliminated and take no further part in the trial. The rules may have changed here in Britain by now but I think I remember seeing 5 dogs eliminated on just one bird once .
Has anyone reading this any first hand experience of these "British style retriever trials ?" If so what was your impression of them ?
Bill T.
British Style Retriever trials ?
Re: British Style Retriever trials ?
Milner's stuff is IMO, Balderdash.
In American Field Tests (not Field Trials) -- on the Scent Trailing portion -- if one dog fails to find the bird at the end of the scent trail, another dog is sent. If the 2nd dog is successful, the first dog is eliminated.
If the 2nd dog also fails to find the bird at the end of the trail, a new trail is drug and both dogs are allowed to try it again.
In American (vs British) Field Trials, unless there is a "No-Bird", you get one chance and one chance only.
In American Field Tests (not Field Trials) -- on the Scent Trailing portion -- if one dog fails to find the bird at the end of the scent trail, another dog is sent. If the 2nd dog is successful, the first dog is eliminated.
If the 2nd dog also fails to find the bird at the end of the trail, a new trail is drug and both dogs are allowed to try it again.
In American (vs British) Field Trials, unless there is a "No-Bird", you get one chance and one chance only.