Gun Dog Forum

I think it starts on Monday, who is going or sending dogs.

Doug, will you be there. MY J R dog will be there for the allage, hope he shows his stuff.

Been hot so lets hope it cools a bit for the dogs , horses and people.

Pepper

It strats this Saturday.

TC was going to take a Shooting Dog of ours but had to change plans and wait a week to head north. Now it's Nebraska for the Chicken and Region 17

I know Ray is running a few dogs.

Been out here for two weeks goofin' off. Got my dogs pretty worn down and not looking too spry so doubt we'll have much to offer but we'll line 'em up and give it a go. I'll keep an eye out for JR for ya' Jerry. Hope we get a good turnout - heard the grass and cover down in that country is at an all time high so might really beat the dogs down. Haven't noticed too heavy of cover just 30 miles to the north.

Any news?????

Brenda talked to JW and Alex tonight they finished up the Amateur Shooting Dog today they were going to announce the placements around nine tonight (their time) when they draw the Open. If I find out from JW or Doug and crew I will post the results!

Great! I did not know when Open ran.. Maverick is running.

Anyone have any Sharptail results yet??? Doug you were talking about the cover, Eureka is heavy heavy and more than last year so hope all whose coming dogs are in great shape and don't mind bucking the brush cause we've got it good this year. Our hay meadows could be cut again if it would screw up the amounts for next year the cover is so good and still very very green too. Bean fields should do Awesome, we turned 3 of our hay meadows (had bad johnson grass population growing) so turned it under and planted beans, well the beans are waist to chest high on me. It's unbelievable how well they're doing. This ground hasn't had anything planted in it for over 30 years, course all the early rain we had helped a lot too. Let us know some results anyone, Brenda???
Doug great sharpie (??) shots those are to cool !!

Robbi

Have not heard much, I guess they do not get a signal out of there. Heard they took a rain day yesterday, and Rich (Mavs owner) said he should run tomorrow.

I heard that Mike Aldrich won the amateur. Don't know who got runner up. I don't know the results of the AA other than nearly all of the dogs were picked up.

Aline
http://sitekreator.com/zzfarms

All age - withheld
AM SD- Mike Aldrich won , Cliff Mesnard was the runner-up

Heard only one dog in the All age had a find, with no race.

Yea I heard they withheld the AA,,, seems like they have been doing that alot this year? To me when you start withholding championships more than awarding them you should re-think your standards?

I heard they got a real nice turn out compared to previous years,,, some top ranked am. and pro's. Sounds like its time for them to step up to the majors cause the bush league trial stuff won't fly for very long. The biggest concern most trials have is enough grounds and enough birds and it sounds like they have plenty of both up there,,,, so you would think setting your alarm clock so you could start on time would be a breeze????

Yea I heard they withheld the AA,,, seems like they have been doing that alot this year? To me when you start withholding championships more than awarding them you should re-think your standards?

No, we should rethink our breeding and training programs. The judges had the ability to name a winner and withhold the championship title; they didn't even do that. If no dog meets the standard of the stake, you don't start grading on a curve.

We have a long history of withholding championships in the GSP world; heck, the first American Field-sanction NGSPA National Championship was withheld way back in '53. We went on to withhold that same title 4 times between '83 and '91. I'd venture an educated guess that there have been no more withheld GSP championships this year than the long term average.

JMO,
Dave

NO COMMENT except:

Heard only one dog in the All age had a find, with no race.

Better check your source, they were probably sitting inside out of the wind and rain - I had first hand, up front view of a great race with 3 awesome finds that would've won about any SD championship in the country, just not AA application on a tough windy day where there was only one other find in the stake - you'd love to have your dogs perform so well.

Good point Dave. I guess all and all your right it is up to the judges and I guess I can live with that. But the not starting on time, the dog wagon not having the right dogs on it or even the right amount of dogs. How hard is it to round up four dogs,,,,, you think you might stop and think when you have only 3 and an empty box. The drawings not being announced the winners not being an organized announcement,,,,, the list kinda of goes on and on? One of the real kickers to me is the not going to run over 80 degree rule. Its what people pride themselves on and you "bleep" well know people use it to sell pups,,,, its one of the reasons why people go to the prairees,, separate the men from the boys who can run in the heat and who can't. heck I heard one day they didn't run in the morning because it was to cold??? Apparently the GSP has a short thread of temp. it can run in,,,, somewhere between 55 and 80.
IMO they should have named the AA a classic and awarded some kinda of recogonition,,,, instead of keeping all the entry fees and prizes and looking at it as a "non event".

Since when does a trial ever start on time? I don't think people go to the prairies to run in the heat...they go to escape the heat and run on wild birds. I, for one, do not like running dogs in the heat. It is not safe for the dog...they can die! What kind of race can the dog have in 80+ temps when you have to keep stopping to water the dog? They didn't run in the cold? I don't know about that.

I will just say this..... it was an eye opening experience for myself at my first horseback event. The grounds are awesome and if the courses were laid out right they could of been excellent. As for the overall organization of the trial, I felt it was short of organized. I did get to watch some nice dogs and met alot of really great people. I do hope this trial takes place next year though. I think it should be considered one of the greatest GSP trials in the country. This is the real deal trial, the only thing missing is shooting an actual wild bird. Mother nature does one fine job as a bird planter. Have a good 1. JW


BTW- when I get time I will post the pics from the 5 days I was there.

remmy wrote:Since when does a trial ever start on time? I don't think people go to the prairies to run in the heat...they go to escape the heat and run on wild birds. I, for one, do not like running dogs in the heat. It is not safe for the dog...they can die! What kind of race can the dog have in 80+ temps when you have to keep stopping to water the dog? They didn't run in the cold? I don't know about that.

Are you kiddin' me? I'd be willing to bet that 90% of the dogs entered in that trial have already spent a month or so on the Praries already this summer. If there not in shape enough to run in 80 degrees then there's something wrong. I don't think I've ever been to a trial in the fall that hasn't been over 80 degrees.

If anything, it should be cooler than it has been in the past month. JMO

Doug

remmy wrote:Since when does a trial ever start on time?

Remmy,,, IMO they should all start on time. To me its pretty simple, you get your judges and the dog wagon to line 10 minutes early,,, and any handler worth his salt should know better than to keep the judges waiting. Its a defiantly a "lead by example" situation. If one judge sits back in camp and whole camp sits back at camp.

I agree with you that probably 90% of the dogs have been out there training a month or two. I wasn't there so I don't know what happened. I'm just saying that I do not like running my dog in the heat...that's all. It's tough on the dog...trained to run in the heat or not.

All trials SHOULD start on time is right...Unfortunately, they all don't.

I wasn't there either, but I have heard it was pretty confusing. In the little bit of experience that I have had, I have found it best to communicate well to the participants. Set drawing times and be specific with the location, start on time, make announcements what time to start after lunch,,, all make a trial run smooth and keeps everybody happy. Especially for the pros, people forget how many chores they have in the mornings and evenings it takes time and they need to be aware of what is going on so they can plan accordingly.

DGFavor wrote:NO COMMENT except:

Heard only one dog in the All age had a find, with no race.

Better check your source, they were probably sitting inside out of the wind and rain - I had first hand, up front view of a great race with 3 awesome finds that would've won about any SD championship in the country, just not AA application on a tough windy day where there was only one other find in the stake - you'd love to have your dogs perform so well.

That is what I was told. Sounds like they need new judges.

I don't know about new judges. If you did not have an AA dog to use you should not put up a SD just to name a champion.

Mr Jerry Paddock,,, you haven't given your opinion yet and I'm sure you have heard and have some thoughts,,,, I would be interested to hear?

Yea the whole AA thing is tough,,,,, some people like to see an AA dog 3 times in the hour and find them standing one time. Others like to see them the whole hour. I do think people in general have a mindset that an AA dog has to be out of sight most of the time and IMO you probably aren't getting anything done if your gone for any more than 10 minutes. After all it is our job as handlers to show off our dogs and how can you do that if the dog can't be seen?

My thoughts are if only had a shooting dog race in an AA stake then with hold the placements, just as it sounds like the judges did. Doug do you know what dog of Mike's won the Amateur?? I'm betting Cliff's runner up was his young Jak or Mick dog (I think are his young boys)?? Have you heard anything on the SD?? Wish it wasn't so far out there, would love to see the country!!! We'll be hitting the Chicken and the Region 17 next year, just didn't/isn't going to work out for us this year. Rabidou told us the new 17 grounds are great, courses will be run in huge hay meadow's with treelines and creeks. Will look forward to hearing all the Championship placements coming up.
Everyone take care, be safe and happy trialings. We start trialing in two weeks @ Branched Oaks is our first.
Robbi

Robbi, yea I agree as far as the withholding and not being there makes it even tougher. Even if your there the judges can do whatever they feel is right. My question for Jerry was more on the organization of the trial? Cause a little bird told me Rich was a little mift at times. But then again I don't know Rich so maybe he walks around a little mift all the time,,,, kinda of like myself.

This message is for R. Heaton. You stated that you do not know Rich,,,, however you have been invited to any of the championships or Field Trials (Region 17, Michigan) to meet Rich in person. He is looking forward to meeting you and find out why you say he was a little mifted at the Sharptail. My question to you is, your were not there, nor do you understand what was going on, nor the conditions. Where were you when the pros had to cut the grass with a walk behind brush hog, and cut the area for 35 dogs, 5 horses, and the truck trailer, with a raddlesnake looking at you waiting to attack because you invaded his space. All you know if what you read from the forum sitting at home on your computer. In my opinion, all of the pros work very hard to prepare there clients dogs for these championships and Field Trials, whether the weather is hot or cold. As far as the organization of the trial, you really should take that up with the Field Trial Chairman. Don't second guess someone on how a Championship or Field Trial is run or the organization of the trial until you have tried it. It takes a lot hard work from many individual's to put a trial or championship. If it were not for the pro's training and campaigning dogs and some of the amateurs who campaign their dogs, there would not be any Championships or possibly Field Trials. If you decided to walk around mift all the time, it doesn't mean everyone else does. The pro's work hard at what they do and there clients expect results, therefore, until you try training as many dogs as the pro's, I do not believe you have the right to speak about someone you do not even know. I wonder how gossip got started before we had computers.

I believe the trial has been well covered an there isn't much more to be said that would be new or helpful to any of us. Before the thread starts down hill I will lock it for now.

Ezzy