I just returned from Judging the Boykin Nat. Championship Trial
I have a new found Love for Field Trials
It was unlike any of the All-Age or Shooting dog trials i had ever been to.
The Folks were great and most everyone got along. Everyone was willing to help and i never saw or heard of anyone trying to mess up anothers dog.
I don't know how many folks have ever seen or participated in a field trial.
However; i think that no matter which breed you prefer it is a good way to see how your dog works compared to others.
I am never to old nor to wise to watch other trainers and learn from them.
I saw Pro Handlers and Amatures that really knew how to handle a dog.

They let you judge a trial in which you had never run a dog?
Very strange to me.




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i want to get into Trailing but have no mentor to help some me the ways

Once when I was a youngster, I helped in an AF field trial held on Lanai, Hawai'i. It was a yearly fly-in affair. My job was to care for thirty odd dogs. Participants stayed at the local hotel, Dogs and I stayed at someone's home (slept in servants quarters).I had towalk, feed, general care for thirty dogs for two days.

The events I've seen up here are much too involved. Most have multiple trial dogs, horse trailers, etc. Too much for the casual person with one dog to compete. But I still enjoy going to them and watching the dogs.

WhatI have seen here is all foot trails, but, I have not seen all that they have in the notheast either. They consist of old logging roads that have grown up and foot trails cut along alder swails. walking through those braces was alot of fun and I recieved alot of advice. Those folks were very friendly and keeps the door open for new members. It is a great sport to witness with several different breeds going through the braces. My only problem was watching a national field trail. I noticed one group had lost there dog and we had hunted along time to try and find it. When the dog was found it was over where another brace was getting ready to start. This was a champion dog competeing for a national title. From what I saw I thought wow and this one made to a national? I mentioned it to one of the organizors and he said yeah sometimes you have to wounder about it.
Perhaps it was just a bad day or something, as some were chasing rabbits as well. But, all in all it was a great thing to see going on and helping them out any way I could as a thank you to them for letting me tag along.

I hope to trial this year but, it depends on my work. As I work a 3 on 3 off 12 hour shifts night and day. With the downsizing and all sometimes I am stuck with 7 days and7 nights back to back. But, I am trying to get them in a trial here.

No Comment?




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Doc,
What are you asking?
I have Judged many field trials before and have owned lots of dogs of different breeds.
Just because i have my favorites does not mean that that i think that one type of dogcan not compete. However, they will not win against each other.No
Pinting Lab will everwin in an all-age stake or shooting dog trial or anyhorse back competion. nor would any setter or pointer ever win in a retrieving trial.
You talk about a Versatile Dog but, the only things in the real world that are vesatile only do half a job
Like your Car Half Truck Half Suv
About Half of nothing as far as i can see

Daleh,
My question must have been stated poorly. I'll try again.

You judged a Trial which was in a venue that yu had never run a dog. I didn't knowthatany organizations do this. Example : You need to have run/titled a dog in most organizations in order to be able to judge, but the way your post sounded, you had never run a dog in this organization before.

I'm a judge in NAHRA, and in order to be licensed, one of the requirements is that I had to have run/titled a dog in NAHRA............I guess this isn't the case with the Boykin folks.



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Sorry Doc,
I have never competed in a Bokin Trial before, However i own Boykins and have Trained for others as well including some of the top Boykin Upland Dogs in the country.
To answer your question AKC just started requiring Judges to be certified.
I have completed the questionares and test.
American Field does not currently have any requirements what-so-ever to judge trials.
Along with multiple problems in AF field trials. Have lead to this year some of the top handlers leaving. Not to say exactly why. I will not run under some of the Judges that are in stakes today.
AF is very political and the best dog sometimes does not win.
I will always name the the bestdog a winner in a stake no matter the breed.
What the dog did at the last trial or last year has no bearing on their performance at this event. Also i do not care who the owner is or what trial that owner or handler is judging next week.