A Good Scout

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:29 pm

Someone asked yesterday what a good scout can do, that will put a dog "over the top," make it the number one dog in the stake. We were focused on one particular guy, so kind of brushed off the question, and I wanted to come back and answer.

In a good magic show, there are three people. There is a magician out front. It is his job to make the audience believe. And there is a subject. That is the lady getting herself sawed in half. Ouch! That hurts. And there is someone behind the scenes, a whole bunch of people actually, running around, making sure the trapdoor opens on time or getting it open if it got stuck, turning the spotlight on the right place so people are not watching the wrong place, sliding doors, moving things, pulling strings.

We have three things in a field trial. We have the dog of course, he is a little more unpredictable than the magician's assistant. It is his job to get out there and do it.

We have the handler, he is the magician, his job is to sit back and sell the performance to the audience, pretend he is levitating the pretty young lady when all he is doing is waving his hands in the air and jabbering.

And we have the scout. While the handler is sitting back there pointing the dog out and selling it to the judges, he is the guy pulling on the wires so that pretty young lady actually appears to levitate.

In trialing, the scout needs to be as much athlete as the dog. His horse needs to be fast and fearless. Where the handler and judges and gallery ride the established trail, he rides the edges, through the swamps and the sloughs. He needs the gallop to catch that dang dog.

And he needs to be invisible. Silent. A ghost in the woods. Making it look to the judges as if the dog turns at the handler's whim, when really the sucker was headed for the back of the course at full speed, scout had to lather the horse just to catch him, and then scout had to show the dog to the front, just where the judges were looking for him to appear.

Good scouts are also master tacticians. They know the particular dog. If it likes to take the bit in it mouth at 38 minutes, they know that, and they know which way the dog likes to go when it does it. They have seen him do it before.

Handler only needs to know the horsepath, the general course. Scout needs to know every back road and trail through the woods.

In the old days of trialing, every professional handler of note had a scout that worked for him full time, knew every dog and every course, had the fastest horse in the handler's pack, spent quite a bit of time in the emergency room. Now, very few can afford that luxury.

Still, it is the skilled scout that can make or break the dog. The one that does all without being seen or heard until distant "Point" is called.

What else makes a good scout?

Brittguy · Post by **Brittguy** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:40 pm

Everything you said John and also only tell the handler what was done.

tenbearsviz · Post by **tenbearsviz** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:15 am

Wagonmaster, Nicely written.

PntrRookie · Post by **PntrRookie** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:48 am

John,
Thanks for sharing. That was excellent. I would love to see it!

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:14 am

You don't get to see it.

The trial you can come see. You are welcome. But the scout pulling the strings, he or she should have thought to bring their invisibility cloak.

If scout is invisible, then handler is a magician, the dog turns to the front at his very thought - as if by magic.

If scout is seen, handler is just a guy waving his hands and jabbering while some other guy grunts away pulling on some wires just to lift a girl off a table a couple of feet. That's no fun.

PntrRookie · Post by **PntrRookie** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:40 am

Understood...bad choice of words.. clear as glass:)

Neil Mace · Post by **Neil Mace** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 11:55 am

It is interesting to hear John Rex Gates and D. Hoyle Eaton talk about their famous scouts, although they clearly admired and respected them, both had negative comments about their showboating. Neither thought there was any need for the hard riding, quick dismounts and remounts they were both famous for.

No, like John said, they believed a scout should be invisible.

I know I am judging the dog, and unless it gets blatant I try to igonre the scouts (blantant as in more than one out, or they are interfering with the bracemate), but much of what happens today annoys me as a judge. I see scouts in front of me, often hear them carrying on, come tearing back to the gallery, etc.

You never see the good ones leave or come back, the dog is either found on point or is seen to the front. Most scouts today take no pride in their craft. I am thinkful for their help, but too often they embarrass me.

sweetsong · Post by **sweetsong** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 2:25 pm

Great post John!

I am new to trialing and I'm working hard to learn everything I can. Are scouts used in all of the stakes or just in the all age?

Thanks
Terry

Brittguy · Post by **Brittguy** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 4:00 pm

I have heard some question the need in gun dog stakes, but I think most would say a scout is valuable in all of the stakes. If a gundog is on point you as a handler don't want to go off to the side or back to look for him.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 5:15 pm

They are used in all stakes, but differently in different types of stakes.

Hotpepper · Post by **Hotpepper** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:41 am

I feel it is abetter show and paints a better picture for the judges to look at if the scout goes off and finds the dog buried up on point and the handler, judges and gallery all get to ride over and go ""Ohhhhh"

It is a very necessary part of the game. The best scout that has ever helped me is Rob Creaney of Wisconsin. It seems that I have won almost everytime he scouted for me. Jeremy Stoltz of Spokane is Hoke's designated "go getter" and does a great job. Robbi Gulledge makes Keith look like a geniua more than you will ever know.

Pepper

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:14 am

Robbi Gulledge makes Keith look like a geniua more than you will ever know.

You put your finger right on that one Jerr. People have come up with all kinds of reasons why those two win at the GSPCA so much. The truth is, they are very good. And Robbi is one of the best scouts on the planet.

Rodger · Post by **Rodger** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:23 am

And Robbi is one of the best scouts on the planet.

John, Also as you know, a pretty fair handler too and arguably the most successful woman handler in the history of the GSP breed. As for good scouts, Keith does a pretty good job, as in those few occasions when they reverse roles. Robbi’s taught him well alright.

Blue Dawn Kennel · Post by **Blue Dawn Kennel** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 2:17 pm

Thanks for the compliments guys. I try my hardest at scouting and the handling and know Keith does as well. And I do that for BDK or whoever else I scout for. Robbi

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:08 pm

Keith who?

Rodger · Post by **Rodger** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:54 pm

Keith who?

Ruffshooter · Post by **Ruffshooter** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:49 am

Sure does sound like and exciting job. So basically the scout is gone right from the breakaway? Or only once the dog is out of site?

Hotpepper · Post by **Hotpepper** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:10 am

The scout's task is a lot more than holding the handler's horse, walking the dog away from a find while the handler gets on the horse, or etc. The best ones are never seen or never seen leaving the gallery, just slip away. Has to know the course, dog, handler and what he is trying to do and to where he is trying to get to.

All n all, it is a terrible job. It is a thankless task, not guessing but knowing.

Pepper

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:38 am

I don't know about thankless Jerr. I know a couple of guys who would rather scout than just about any other job in a field trial. Rick Heller just scouted for me in an ASD. We did not win, the dog blew up at 55, but Rick came back with a big grin on his face.

Hotpepper · Post by **Hotpepper** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:34 pm

When you win John, the handler takes the bows and the scout gets to get on his knees and pose the dog, and he had better do it correctly.

The best scouts that I know of are Rob Gulledge, Rob Creaney, Jeremy Stoltz, Rich Barber, you just never know they are out there.

The scout job is one that I do not do very well, just better at holding the horse and moving on.

My scout always gets a big thank you.

Pepper

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:44 pm

The scout gets to go at a gallop, where the handler needs to maintain his cool. If you like fast, you will like that scout job.

Mine gets a big thank you also.