GSPCA National Amateur Gun Dog Championship

[Hotpepper]

GSPCA National Amateur Gun Dog Championship will begin on February 21 to conclusion at the Percy Priest WMA near Nashville Tennessee. It will start on February 21 to conclusion and it is a walking national championship.

The information for all of it is on GSPCA.ORG - go and have a look. It is a good trial and very competitive. Hope this helps someone out. Post up if you think you may go or how you feel about it. This of course if the parent organization of the AKC German Shorthair Pointer Club of America and is limited to shorthairs.

Jerry

[GoodTime GSP]

Was just down at the Mid TN GSP and there was alot of participants that will be attending from that area and from the Ohio, Kentucky and PA area. These grounds are very nice and it should be a great event.

[Greg Jennings]

I grew up across the lake from the grounds. All my and my wife's families are still there, so we get by the area quite often.

They're very nice. Close to I-24, restaurants and just a short drive to pretty much anything you'd ever want to do with the family.

[Dave Quindt]

While I am a big fan of this event, I'm a little confused on they managed to schedule a national amateur walking event for late Feb. Running it then basically blocks out anyone north of I-80 from training for the event, unless they send their dog's south with a pro. The winner of the '08 event lives in Green Bay, WI; how is he supposed to prepare for this trial with single digit temps and 18" of snow on the ground?

Also, it's in pretty poor form to schedule this thing at the same time that the NGSPA National is going on.

If we're going to schedule this thing to be a regional event, then call it a regional event. If this is truly a national event (which means more than just calling it a national) it need to either be permanently held in one location (like virtually all other national events) or held in locations and at times that encourage participation from as many people as possible.

I don't have a dog running this year, so there are no sour grapes on my part. I want to see this event succeed, as walking trials are critically important to the success of the sport as a whole.

JMO,
Dave

[Hotpepper]

Do you think that anyone going to Boonville Arkansas for a national would be concerned that an amateur stake for a national was going on in Nashville Tennessee. ????????????

Hmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pepper

[Dave Quindt]

Well Jerry,

The dog that won this deal last year was hauled out to Wyoming this fall to win the amateur shooting dog at the NGSPA Hun CH. Maybe Pat wants to run both events.

In addition guys like Terry Richter and Joe Vicari, among many others, have run their dogs in both events during the same year. Fritz, owned by our own Brenda Roe, has run in both events.

So yes, some do care.

[snips]

I do not own Fritz...Rick Hopkins does:)

[SFK]

While I am a big fan of this event, I'm a little confused on they managed to schedule a national amateur walking event for late Feb. Running it then basically blocks out anyone north of I-80 from training for the event, unless they send their dog's south with a pro. The winner of the '08 event lives in Green Bay, WI; how is he supposed to prepare for this trial with single digit temps and 18" of snow on the ground?

I'm north of I80 and have no problem with the date. It’s just how things fall. Just like Booneville or the quail championship. Roading in 18" of snow really gets the dogs in shape.

Also, it's in pretty poor form to schedule this thing at the same time that the NGSPA National is going on.

Considering that this event starts on the 21st and Booneville starts on 26th, I'm not quite sure where you are coming from. This event should be finished by the 24th which gives folks ample time to get to Booneville. Plus the NGSPA nats are starting with the AA this year and I am going to go out on a limb here and say that none of the dogs running in this event will be running in the AA in Booneville.

If we're going to schedule this thing to be a regional event, then call it a regional event. If this is truly a national event (which means more than just calling it a national) it need to either be permanently held in one location (like virtually all other national events) or held in locations and at times that encourage participation from as many people as possible.

The AKC All breed pointing dog championships does the same thing. Is it a regional event also? Think the idea with both trials is to divide the country in three parts and rotate it. This ensures that one particular geographic area does not have an advantage every year. Again, speaking only for myself, I have no problem with it.

[Dave Quindt]

While I am a big fan of this event, I'm a little confused on they managed to schedule a national amateur walking event for late Feb. Running it then basically blocks out anyone north of I-80 from training for the event, unless they send their dog's south with a pro. The winner of the '08 event lives in Green Bay, WI; how is he supposed to prepare for this trial with single digit temps and 18" of snow on the ground?

I'm north of I80 and have no problem with the date. It’s just how things fall. Just like Booneville or the quail championship. Roading in 18" of snow really gets the dogs in shape.

Just like Booneville! How was the weather for Booneville last year? We came out of last year talking about how we need to move trials OUT of the early spring because of chronic weather issues.

The walking deal is a 4-5 day, single course trial. Not terribly hard to find grounds for a trial like that, on a schedule that promotes maximum participation.

Also, it's in pretty poor form to schedule this thing at the same time that the NGSPA National is going on.

Considering that this event starts on the 21st and Booneville starts on 26th, I'm not quite sure where you are coming from. This event should be finished by the 24th which gives folks ample time to get to Booneville. Plus the NGSPA nats are starting with the AA this year and I am going to go out on a limb here and say that none of the dogs running in this event will be running in the AA in Booneville.

You are right; had the wrong date written down for Booneville. My mistake.

If we're going to schedule this thing to be a regional event, then call it a regional event. If this is truly a national event (which means more than just calling it a national) it need to either be permanently held in one location (like virtually all other national events) or held in locations and at times that encourage participation from as many people as possible.

The AKC All breed pointing dog championships does the same thing. Is it a regional event also? Think the idea with both trials is to divide the country in three parts and rotate it. This ensures that one particular geographic area does not have an advantage every year. Again, speaking only for myself, I have no problem with it.

Yes, the AKC all breed is pretty much a regional event. When was the time you saw Dan Hoke haul his dogs to Virginia or Jim Heckert haul his dogs to Nevada? There are some exceptions; Dixon will pull all over and Rabidou has pulled up to Sunnyside.

The rotation thing is an attempt to solve a problem that doesn't exist, IMO.

JMO,
Dave

[Greg Jennings]

I do not own Fritz...Rick Hopkins does:)

He hasn't let you "do an Amos" on Fritz?

[Boxa]

I ran my dogs in this event last year and it was a blast! Have attended some of Middle TN GSPC's trials in the past also and they do a phenomenal job, looking forward to running there again this year. I am relatively new to field trials and the walking events have been a really fun way to get involved. Who knows, I may even 'graduate' to horseback trials after this!??!

[snips]

Good luck!! Wish we could come watch!

[zzweims]

Dave:

If you want the event moved farther north, then all you have to do is contact the GSPCA and offer to host it next year. For all of you who will be attending this year, good luck to you!! These are nice grounds, close to everything, and the local field trial community is top notch. Wish I could go, but my dogs are the wrong color

Aline
http://sitekreator.com/zzfarms

[Vonrommel]

So who's gonna be there from this crowd?

[High Roll-N-Angel]

I think we are going.

[SAGEMAN]

I think the thing that everyone has to remember about this trial is that since it does rotate around (2005-WI, 2006-NJ, 2007-AZ, 2008-MO, and 2009-TN) the date has to be a date that DOESN'T conflict with other trials close to the area as well Championships and being able to reserve the grounds that can handle it. How would you feel if we came in and said you can't hold your trial this year since we're going to run the NAGDC instead and take your date. I think the sponsoring clubs have done about as good as they can and I really don't think it matters when trials run since it's always to early, late, cold, hot, dry, wet, windy, etc in somebody's eye's. And that's how I see it

[Vonrommel]

Just got word that the NAGDC has been cancelled due to lack of entries. (16 entries)

[fuzznut]

with the weather the way it has been in the east, I'm not surprised. Between the cold, snow, ice......too early in the year for this type of event!
And then toss in the economy...... not a great combination.
Fuzz

[larue]

I think it shows that it is simply too early in the year to run this trial.Anyone north just simply cannot get there dogs ready,or even in shape,unless you send your dog off to a pro who is down south training.
I myself have looked at the trials in our area,and the first one I will run in will be at the end of march,a full month later,and not a championship.
I hate to say it,but we need to get better turn out at the championship if we want to continue to hold it.

[Boxa]

It is unfortunate when anyone loses any chance to run their dogs when they truly want to...

I live near St. Louis where we've had a pretty rough winter, though I'm sure its been worse in other areas. I have been affected by the economy just like everyone else. I have no convenient access to a pro. I had three dogs ready to roll for this event.

Maybe it just boils down to the simple fact that some people like to look at something and make excuses or complain about what is wrong with it, while others strive toward a goal. When its all said and done, I have to hope that those who work hard get rewarded.

... next time don't let it be your event that gets cancelled.

[Blue Dawn Kennel]

I heard from one of our clients who has his two dogs entered @ Booneville for the NGSPA National Championship and National SD that they don't have a great big number of entries for any of their 4 stakes (that was as of when he entered his dogs a week or so ago). Guess we'll see (well hear in our case) what happens there. We'll be hitting the NGSPA Region 5 Championships & the NGPDA Nationals in Pickneyville, IL. the middle to end of March. Hope to see some of you all there.
Good Luck to everyone this spring!!!!

[larue]

boxa, you seem to think weather is something you can ignore.I looked up the averages for Wi,and St louis.
Southern wisconsin came in with a yearly average in feb of 22 degree's,with 42 inch's of snow,while your home town came in
at 35 degree's and 19 inch's of snow.
For jan,when you will be training for the event,we come in at an average temp of 17 in madison,while St Louis is at 30 degree's.
Now that is the average,last year in madison we had 99 inch's of snow,and we actually had more early this winter than last.
The temp difference does not seem like much,other than that when we get snow in november,it stays for a long time.
We are right now having are first major snow melt,and I just was able to run a few dogs around on our property.
Could I go and run a trial with my dogs in poor condition? Sure.Do I want to take a week off from work,drive 800 miles
and run a championship with a dog out of shape? Not really.
It is no accident that there are so many of the pro trainers from this far north in texas,or arizona right now,they just cannot get the work done they want to with the conditions we have.
I have trained in weather so cold,that the birds we planted were frozen before we got the dogs to them,I no longer train
when it gets below -5,as nothing works well.
The other issue with snow and ice is a dogs health issue,my eva tore a tendon in her shoulder on the ice one winter,and her shoulder will never be 100%,something I feel would not have happened on ground.
The bottom line is the date must have had an effect on a number of people,as the turnout was the lowest ever for this event.

[Boxa]

As I stated previously, I think its unfortunate when anyone loses any chance to run their dogs if they truly want to, due to weather or any other cause.

With all due respect, if people feel strongly about when to hold an event they should get involved in the club and petition the membership to hold it at a date that is more amenable to the nation. Please don't criticize the good people of the GSPCA and the GSPCMTN who worked hard and offered to host this fine event. I for one will continue to support their events in the future as I am able.

That said, I want to give my greatest appreciation to all the people that make the smallest of trials to the biggest of championships take place. Too often these people seem to get all the criticism and none of the appreciation, again thank you.

[ezzy333]

Boxa,

I think you are preaching to the crowd that has made those trials go in the past and probably will in the future. I too think it is too bad to have a trial cancelled but it sure isn't a major thing considering we are dealing with weather past and present, economy, health, and a hundred other things we have little if any control over. And on top of that if we miss a trial its pretty minor in the over all scheme of life and we will try to make the next oneif we can.

Ezzy