It seems to me that the field trial people have forgotten that this breed was developed by the Germans who wanted a close ranging dog they could hunt behind on foot through farmers' fields and woods, and still live with them in the house in town.  Germany doesn't have high deserts where the hunters can send their dogs into the next county, while their handlers ride horseback over the countryside looking for them.  If you want a big running dog get an English pointer!  Hunt tests are a much better test of the dogs' natural instincts and trainability for the average hunter than any field trial will ever be.  There are many conformation folks like me who also hunt over our dogs, and sell many of our puppies to homes looking for a GSP sound in both mind and body, and also able to go hunting on the weekends.  This was the ideal the Germans were looking for.
  Just for the fun of it I went through this year's NSS catalog and found that of the 13 entries in the Veterans Classes there were 4 with a JH and 3 with an SH.  The BOB class had 79 entries of which 21 had their JH and 3 had their MH.  Just out of those 2 classes 1/3 of the entries have proved they have the hunting instincts as well as correct conformation.  How many of those field trial dogs could ever get a show point?  Why do you think there are so few duals in our breed?  It isn't because the champions can't hunt, it is because you are asking a conformationally correct dog to break his genetic instincts to do something designed for an English style pointer.   If you want a big running dog get a Pointer.  If you want a great hunting dog you can live with in the house, get a well bred GSP, not something from strictly field trial stock.  And don't think I haven't attended any field trials either.  I was even a trial secretary once.
    Pam Parshall  
    Roggenfeld Shorthairs