I don't think you offended anyone, Bev. We seem to be a pretty opinionated bunch as it is...
I agree that getting participation in hunt tests is difficult. While our club (and other clubs in the area) may not have many entries in hunt tests, our entries do fill up in Field Trials...So, the clubs in the southwest have gone to sharing a weekend with another pointing breed club so that 4 tests can be run...entries improve and a Jr. can be gotten in one weekend's 4 test dates. We share judges, use horses (kind of have to do that) and have a better entry. It still isn't good. Entries are down in most all the venues...conformation, field, perfomance....people don't have the disposable income that they had in previous years and fees increasing, bird costs increasing, superintendent fees, etc....it becomes a pick and choose...and sooner or later something falls by the wayside. Our club holds a specialty (or designated specialty with our local all-breed club) and two field trials each year. There are very few in our particular club who have interest in hunt tests (maybe I'll make that my next venture-LOL!)
However, in all this, I'm kind of surprised that no one mentions or even talks about field trialing. While I am in agreement that Hunt Tests are great, particularly the junior tests, for getting new people involved and showing them what their dogs were originally meant to do, field trials are also going to bring the athletic nature of our "beasts" into play. There is as much fun watching puppies, and even derby dogs, discover their legs and their first covey of wild birds as in anything. I know there are those of you who will disagree saying that back East, in particular, there are insufficient areas for good field trials. I don't even pretend to understand all-age dogs, even though my Dede appears to be one , but I am here to tell you that even at 7 am, in 3 degree weather riding on a 4-wheeler watching a Derby brace that is way out and totally on point...its an exhilaration that you won't understand unless actually seen.
Must be nice to have so many judges available too....out here they are few and far between...and very much in demand. Totally jealous over that!
Phyllis and the Singltrak Furtribe
On Sun, Sep 18, 2011 at 9:40 AM, Beverly Quarles <gsptx@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Ouch, seems like a hit a nerve. Just for
the record this was not directed at anyone, but to state what I do with my
dogs. Everyone has to figure out their own activities, finances, etc and then
determine where they spend that time and their money. Again, this is what I do
with MY dog and what is important to ME. Sorry if I offended anyone as that
was not my intention.
Bev
Excuse
me,but my dogs are very important to me too,and I spend a lot of time with my
dogs. I take them out for a field run every morning.
I
unfortunately have a job that requires me to work every other weekend, so that
cuts a big chunk out of the time available to do both shows,and hunt tests.
Other
than me having bragging rights on a dog with a hunting title, I don't
think my dogs give a two cent whether they have it with the fact that they
probably see more field time than most titled dogs. They might not be out there
actually hunting planted birds, but they don't seem to mind the
far,and few between wild ones they do find.![<img src=]() happy">
From:
Beverly Quarles <gsptx@sbcglobal.net>
To: gsp-l@shorthairs.net
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2011
9:42 PM
Subject: RE: [gsp-l] Re: [gsp-l]
Hunt Test question
I do hunt tests,
obedience, show and one of my shorthairs is a therapy dog. I also work full
time to pay for my shorthair habit. I have 4 shorthairs and they all have
multiple jobs that I train them for. Time? Since my dogs are important to
me, I find the time. I bred my first litter last year and have gotten one
of my puppy buyers involved in the hunt tests. She was terrified of the starter
pistol when we started, but now she helps me train my dogs and hers. I
love the hunt tests, but this year in TX it is going to be tough. The
snakes are really bad and all the creeks and tanks are dry. The retriever
folks are cancelling their tests. We are still holding the pointing tests, but
I don’t know what the numbers will be this year. It seems to cycle here
with some years getting great attendance and others not as much.
Horses don’t seem to be a
problem here as many own their own and the judges usually own their own horses
too. We usually have a hunt test each day and use quail, and unless it is
really wet the quail are pretty good flyers. We usually have a barbecue
or venison chili where everyone chips in to pay for lunch and a raffle of
whatever we can gather up. Typically it is the same folks that
participate year in and year out, but we work hard to get new folks coming to
the hunt tests too. Once in a while one of the pointing breed clubs holds
a training day and those are always fun. It was through one of those
training days that I got hooked.
Personally, if I could only
do one, I would probably do the hunt tests and drop the shows. The hunt
tests are a ton more fun and once you see a shorthair running on birds, well
you know what they prefer.
The
Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the
Princess (Fauna)
LOL...time?!?
What's that???? We're two full time working parents of an active 10 year old.
Somehow we belong to several dog clubs and actively do hunt, show, obedience,
rally... Must be why I can't remember my 30s.
Hunt test judging without horses...
We have two sets that alternate braces and judge on foot. We pick them up and
drop them off at the line with a golf cart so they rest up in between. So far
it's worked very well.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
So, What if you don't have the time to do both ?
From:
Charlene <whiteriver@embarqmail.com>
To: gsp-l@shorthairs.net
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2011
8:05 PM
Subject: Re: [gsp-l] Hunt Test
question
I think Diane hit on a key point in her original post. She mentioned that
most Club members were "show only". IMHO there is a big part of
the problem. In our breed nobody should be 'show only'. If they
are, then they really don't understand or appreciate the finer points of our
conformation standard. All "show" folk should be familiar
enough with the function of the GSP in the field to successfully take their
exhibit/breeding stock at least through a Junior title. Until you've done
that I submit you don't understand the Breed.
Also, you're missing out on a boatload of fun! From the Club's
standpoint, Junior entries are the gravy. You can run 4 Junior braces to
2 Senior/Master braces. The Junior braces bring the new owners out to
learn about the Club & activities (and hopefully get more involved!)
Char Rutar
Ann Harris <katlady@xplornet.ca> wrote:
>Diane we are suffering the same in Canada . Right now our test this
coming week has six master hunters eight seniors and two juniors if this holds
after closing we are going to put on a field training session after the test
and invite all we can. I think it's just the year or perhaps we have too many
hunt tests now. In this area we have eight Spring and fall.
>Ann
>
>Sent from my iPad
>
>On 2011-09-17, at 3:48 PM, dise454@aol.com wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Sleepy Hollow had our annual hunt test today and the entries were
low. I'm wondering if the other clubs are finding this as well.
>>
>> What does your club do to get the word out?
>>
>> Also, we would love to get more field focus in the club, however as it
stands the majority of the members are focused on show. Any suggestions
from our hunting friends?
>>
>> What do you do to increase membership in general?
>>
>> Appreciate your thoughts and perhaps others would as well
>>
>> Have a great day.
>>
>> Diane
>>
-- Phyllis McNallSingltrak Shorthairs
AKC Breeder of Merit Las Cruces, NM "Look To 'the Past, Breed For The Future"
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