Proposed Pointing Breed Hunt Tests in Ohio

jetto · Post by **jetto** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:23 pm

Hi, I need some opinions. One of the breed clubs I belong to would like to put on a hunt test. The club hasn't put one on in awhile now. We do hold 2 AKC field trials each year.

We are kicking around what time of year to hold the hunt test. One of the proposals was in late August right before FT season around here gets started. This would be on new grounds that hasn't held AKC hunt tests before but does hold other types of pointing dog events. There are no AKC pointing breed hunt tests in this area at this time of the year. Around here they seem to run November-December and May-June.

Another was to hold one in conjunction with another breed club in December. This would be on grounds that are used fairly heavily for hunt tests. And is the last hunt test for the season around here.

Any thoughts? We're in north-central Ohio. I've been to hunt tests both in late June and in December so I have my individual thoughts on both times. But I was just wondering what others might think of the two proposed dates. Thanks for any input. Kristi

ckfowler · Post by **ckfowler** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:02 pm

I run tournament style events but have been to some HT style events. My thoughts after 6 years of events in Ohio is that early Sept is usually too hot and the cover too green. August is the hottest month of the year so would only be good for retriever water events. Late Sept/early Oct is usually good as 3rd weekend in Oct starts waterfowl seasons. Remember the youth weekends for small game end of Oct and for deer right before Thanksgiving. First two weekends in Nov are small game with pheasant releases and typically I lose folks to that so Nov is always in conflict with something.

December is tough with the holidays but you might sneak one in the second weekend in Dec if every other venue hasn't already targeted that weekend. Deer season the first week of Dec so lots of folks are busy with that and then the extra weekend two weeks later.

Have you found places to replace Killdeer?

bh99 · Post by **bh99** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:00 pm

I'm in NW Ohio and last year I ran 3 HT in Michigan and 1 in Ohio. The one in Ohio was bad, it was over 90 degree's I'm thinking it was end of May. I'd go for late April early May or end of Sept. Getting into Nov. & Dec. the weather could be bad.

Is your club going to have any field trials?

jetto · Post by **jetto** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:10 am

Thank you both for the input. We're still in the planning stages of holding a hunt test and actually just had our first discussion about it at our meeting on Saturday.

As far as KP we had a visit from Tom Honeker at our trial there on Sunday. They (ABDCO) are still working on the issue of KP and IC. There will be a meeting sometime next week- details haven't been worked out yet.

Right now our Brittany club is looking at a couple different options for a fall trial. We'll see how the meeting goes with ABDCO and probably go from there. Kristi

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:19 am

Kristi:

I was at your trial. We had the red dogs

The reason that hunt tests are scheduled the way they are is that most clubs do both Field Trials and Hunt Tests. Field Trial season always takes priority. So that usually covers from the beginning of March to the end of May. Also from September to the end of October.

That leaves June, November and December.

Why don't they usually overlap? Resources. Grounds, folks to work, etc.

The two places that most tests are held at in Ohio are at Smokerise in Nova and at Keetons in Cardington.

You can have them on public grounds, but it may cost you more and the facilities are sometimes lacking.

If you call Denny Keeton, he can give information about his place and Jesse Chapman for Smokerise.

You usually will have a good pool of judges to choose from in this area as a lot of the pointing dog club members are judges.

Let me know if you have any more questions, as I help to put on several each year.

Justin

P.S. I had a great time at your trial, even though the snow and ice was a bummer.

jetto · Post by **jetto** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:13 pm

Hi Justin,
So what would you rather see being an experienced hunt tester in this part of Ohio? Would you rather go to a hunt test in late August before FT season on different grounds or would you rather stick with basically what we have now in this part of the state and go to Smokerise an extra day in one of the "normal" hunt test months?
That was basically what I was looking for. Jesse Chapman trains our dogs so I'm familiar with his facilities. And we've been to Keetons several times to run dogs in hunt tests too. And I can remember freezing my butt off at both places, being in mud up to my ankles at Keetons and sweating half to death at Jesses....I've yet to figure out what the "perfect" month is for hunt tests- any of them I've tried have had their good points and downfalls! LOL!
Glad you had a good time this past weekend. Yeah the parking lot was pretty miserable and we could have used some rafts on Sunday- but hey that's Ohio in March and I know you had a good weekend as did we- so who's complaining! LOL! Kristi

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:45 pm

Kristi:

In Ohio it's a crap shoot as far as weather goes. We've had some dreadfully hot Junes and unseasonably warm Novembers. You just never can tell.....

I like the temps to be in the low 60's to high 50's when running dogs, but like most people I will run in about anything except the HEAT.

I think August may be bad for the heat. December is bad for the cold and wet.....

You definitely do not want to compete as far as dates go with so little entries going to either.....

I would say that November is the best month, or late April/Eary May. The problem is getting it scheduled so it does not conflict with field trials...

If you do look for new grounds you are going to need judges horses, bird keeping area, refreshment/food areas, etc.

Nice part about Smokerise and Keetons is at least you have a place to set all of that up, the horses are there, etc.

In Summary, I would say see if you can get squeezed in somewhere during the normal schedule. I know our club got a fall date after the Weimy's backed out last fall.

Justin

P.S. Going back to KP next weekend? If so, see you there!

jetto · Post by **jetto** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:57 pm

There are a few weekends at Smokerise that there is a hunt test only on one day. Those weekends would probably be an option for us. Living 25 minutes from Jesse's- I'm all for having them there, lol...

The other grounds are all set up for pointing breed trials but we would have to supply horses. There is a clubhouse there for our use which would be a plus. And I even think real potties! Yippeee!

But yes- August can be brutal so that is definitely a drawback.

Thanks Justin- gives me some more things to think about and bring up to the other club members as we try to figure out what we want to do here.

Yep I sent my entries in for next weekend. Hopefully the weather will cooperate a bit better. But hubby says put him in the Open juvie stakes- He doesn't want to WALK next time at KP with the youngster! LOL! Although I may talk him into it before they close. Kristi

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:52 pm

I wish I could run Open, but alas - they are closed to my red dogs

jetto · Post by **jetto** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:11 pm

Well if you have any broke dogs you can run them in AGD and AAA. Then you won't have to walk! Although if this weather keeps up we may be running dogs from boats, lol...Kristi

bh99 · Post by **bh99** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:56 pm

Not trying to start something here but why do most Britt clubs only allow Britts in 90% of the stakes they offer? I've been wanting to try a FT but it's hard to find one on the right date and right club. I noticed the GSP, GWP, and Gordon clubs only have a couple stakes that must be the breed holding the FT?

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:14 pm

bh99 wrote:Not trying to start something here but why do most Britt clubs only allow Britts in 90% of the stakes they offer? I've been wanting to try a FT but it's hard to find one on the right date and right club. I noticed the GSP, GWP, and Gordon clubs only have a couple stakes that must be the breed holding the FT?

I understand that Brittanys need to win a major at a Brittany trial in order to complete their FC. That could be why.

Brittguy · Post by **Brittguy** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:33 pm

Also they must win every year to qualify for the Nationals. Most clubs fill up and turn dogs away. Some Brittany owners get disappointed when a stake is closed in a trial that they have been supporting and they see other breeds are entered.Some of the trials I go to I have entered 8 weeks in advanced to assure I get in. Personally I would rather win in a Brittany trial where it would get published and be recognized by other Brittany owners than in another breed trial where it would go unnoticed. I would feel the same way if I ran GSP I would rather go to GSP trials. I opened the amateur stakes to all breeds this year and we received hardly any support from other breeds.

Buckeye_V · Post by **Buckeye_V** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:27 am

Not me. I like vizsla trials, but my dogs don't get any better running with them every weekend. I run different breed trials to see where my dogs and my eventual breeding program stacks up.

I think that most breeds are starting to open their trials to other breeds any more to just make it. I know our local breed trials aren't making it on just vizsla entries. We open it to draw some more entries and to attract off-breed judges for new perspectives, etc.

I see your points about closing, but I think the Britts are the minority because of that major thing. I could be wrong.

I will run in Britt, GSP, Setter, and Vizsla trials this spring. I'd run in weim, wirehair and others if I could, but scheduling conflicts and time prohibit from tasting all "flavors."

Justin

bh99 · Post by **bh99** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:38 am

For me just wanting to start in FT's I look for ones close to come. To me I wouldn't care which breeds trial I ran in, the more breeds involved I think would make for better competion.

jetto · Post by **jetto** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:18 am

We go to mostly Brittany trials but will do setter and other breed trials on occasion when time/money permits.

One time I emailed a secretary for an AKC Irish Setter trial like two days after the trial opened- trying to get my Irish Setter in- they were full already - with Shorthairs, Gordons, Vizslas, Brittanys- a few Irish and I couldn't get my Irish in- that was pretty depressing, lol...

I do agree with Bill that it is more fun with a Brittany to place at a Brittany trial because it does get recognized. Our derby won a 17 starter Open Derby horseback stake at 12 months old and no Brittany people knew about it because it was at a setter trial. Carl was the only amateur handler making it even sweeter and it was under setter judges but it didn't even count towards her juvenile placements that were recently published in our Brit magazine.

It's a shame those amateur stakes in the trial Bill mentioned aren't getting any entries from "off-breeds" but around here at least- alot of the "off-breeds" seem to be run by pro's. Whereas in the Brittanys in this area (Ohio) we have very few pro's and you see mostly amateurs at our trials. Kristi

WildRose · Post by **WildRose** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 12:52 pm

Jetto I think either you are mistaken or Brittany folks just don't talk to each other as much as owners of some of the other breeds.

A couple of years ago I ran a freind's V in a 44 dog OGD in Ne. He didn't win the stake but he took a 4th.

The Vizsla "wire" was screaming like a telegraph operator on crack! It was really big news to have that dog do so well, in a stake that was mostly GSP's, at a GSP club trial.

We'll run my wife's little britt anytime anywhere and his wins and placements didn't come in closed breed trials, they came running against all comers of all breeds. Sure it's nice to run him in Britt trials as well but I think we get a much better feeling for what kind of dog he is by running him in open cometition against all breeds.

A quality placement or win in a major stake of dogs not primarily of your own breed is usually pretty big news. CR

jetto · Post by **jetto** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:26 pm

Well there's "talkin" and then there's seeing your dog in the results in your breed magazine and maybe a pretty picture along with it. There is no monetary return in this game so I look forward to the ego return...

Actually there isn't much talk amongst the Brittany folk about placements in "off-breed" trials UNLESS it's an AF pointer/setter event. Then there is plenty of talk on the chat lists about those placements- as there should be. Kristi