I was thinking that same thing when Tracy (or someone) mentioned that the successful HT in W NY didn't have another HT around for 100 miles. One of the problems we traditionally have here in New England  is that so many of the clubs have their dates squished into Sept because the grounds are open to public hunting beginning in Oct (and also the members who hunt want to take advantage of those elusive few weeks). So you have multiple clubs competing for entries on the same Sept weekends. As well as there is a NAVHDA test almost every weekend in Sept in New England -- and some of those haven't been full, which is unheard of because they can take so few dogs each day.

 

I really wonder about the 50% rule -- I haven't done much these last couple of years with Bob's illness and my broken knee cap and two foot surgeries, but the few times I've judged, the 50% rule didn't make any difference, the dogs that qualified did, and the ones that didn't just didn't. Of course you never know the number of people who would have just brought a completely untrained dog and hoped it would point -- maybe those people stayed home. But if people are at that level (and I have judged some) do you think they even know about the 50% rule?

 

I do think that because of the economy people just aren't putting money into the extras (just like all the non-regular classes at shows have dried up). I remember particularly at least one Vizsla owner who used to bring her titled dog to run at least once every season spring and fall, just because the dog loved it so much. And there were at least a few other people with titled dogs who did that occasionally. And I think you'd have at least a few dogs that may have titled a week or so earlier, but the owners just didn't scratch them because they'd already paid their money. In today's economy, people want their $35 back.

 

And one shouldn't forget that training to prepare for a test isn't free either -- if you work with a trainer, gas, birds, time -- you have to figure that into people's disposable income.

 

Sandra Kretz

MARIAH

 

In a message dated 9/18/2011 11:20:47 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, janetmcz@comcast.net writes:

Diane,

First, I think the low entries are a sign of the times.  For the last two years entries have been lower--especially the junior entries--which I personally attribute to the 50% rule (juniors must point 50% of their birds).  Master/Senior have been a bit stronger as those are the folks that invest the time in training, and thus tend to want those titles on their dogs.

Remember, you also had a HT on the same weekend as Katahdin in NH.  Their entries were low also.

Mayflower GSP and VCCNE have done a con-joined HT a couple of times--both quite successful in terms of entries.  I suspect that one reason they chose to do that is that Crane WMA is a somewhat more remote location than other grounds--if they can have 4 tests in one weekend rather than 2, they have made it a more worthwhile HT destination.

Just my thoughts.

Janet

---

From: dise454@aol.com
To: gsp-l@shorthairs.net
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2011 3:48:50 PM
Subject: [gsp-l] Hunt Test question

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