Field Trials and Hunt Tests

[curlybackdogs]

Do any of you guys trial or test your dogs?

I do a little hunt testing but train with the "white coat" guys over the winter when they are down here.


I was just wondering if any of yall are involved or just have hunting only dogs?

[gundogguru]

Last year was the first year I did the reteriver hunt tests. I have been hunt testing my wirehairs and other pointing breeds for almost 15 years. I have been judging pointers for 3 years.

[Greenhead3184]

Are any of you guys goin to be at Cooper Black in October for the hunt test? I'm goin to head home so I can go see how it is. I hope to get my pup in a hunt test after she gets forced fetched so she can get her junior title.

[Candor]

Hunt tests but on sabatical right now with a 10 month old and one on the way. Wish I didn't have to travel so far to get access to good water. It just takes too much travel time for me to get to the grounds I need to get good setups.

Training partners run field trials. The group includes 2 pups, one AFC/FC lab (NFC finalist), one AFC golden (NAFC finalist), one MH golden, one MH lab. All amateur trained from start to finish. Good group of people and I am fortunate to be associated with them.

I did do a bit of training down in Sally (somewhat close to you) at some good ponds a while back with some white coat folks from Connecticut (I think).

[Palmetto Bug]

I've run in and judged pointing dog Hunt Tests. In fact, I think I may be judging with Gundogguru in December. Kevin, aren't you judging Dec. 12 at Wassamasaw?

I've had two seniors hunters, one of which had two legs towards his master when I discovered Nat'l Shoot To Retrieve Assn. field trials and quit running the HT's with him. On his last master hunter test, Turbo found and retrieved 10 birds in a thirty minute brace without screwing up. He went on to become a NSTRA champ and won the state regional to go to the national invitationals. He was a bird finding machine.

I've been to the Quail Unlimited Invitationals a few times too. One year, I missed shooting a bird that knocked Turbo out of a top four placement and a chance at winning.

I've also run in a few Nat'l Birdh Hunter trials but it's hard to compete in those with a shorthair.

I ran my current shorthair in one NSTRA trial last year but he wasn't impressive. He just doen't have that passion. The competition has gotten a lot stiffer since I was in it too. I may try him in the HT's just for kicks.

Tommy

[curlybackdogs]

Candor, I am sure we train with some of the same people from time to time. I know that some of my training group goes to Salley every now and then to train on some different ground.

All of my crowd is still up in Canada. They will get here around the middle of October. It is a mix of amateur and pro trainers with one Hall of Fame inductee trainer.

On some days, I will have my hard head dog running the same setups as the FC-AFC's. One day last year we ran 41 dogs in two different land setups.There were probably 10-12 FC, AFC or FC-AFC dogs that day.

It is an awesome sight to see dogs trained to that level work.


Palmetto, I ran a few National Birdhunter local trials years ago also. You are right, it is hard to win that game unless you have a big running English Pointer.

[gundogguru]

PB I just looked at the calender and yes we are judging together. Last time I talked to the weim people they didn't have a secound judge Kool. Look forward to seeing you again. If gunner is ready I hope to have her in master on saturday. I have a test to judge in NC in Nov. and another 1 in Feb. I think that will be all for me this year as far as judging go's It looks like I'll about 6 head of pointers to train this fall.

[curlybackdogs]

Guru, you ever sell any of those wirehairs? I had one in the seventies. She was a natural birddog. She never would have won a trial but she could find a quail if it was around. I want another one someday for pheasant hunting and if we ever get enough quail around here to hunt again.

[gundogguru]

Curly I will have 9 10 week old wires here this week end. They are grand babies from my master hunter. I am putting them on quail for the first time. Can't wait. these pups should be great hunters. I will be working the sire on his master title this fall and he has some feild trial points. both sire and damn have great tempermnet. I will be breeding my girl next December she should have her master this fall.Let me know or if you want to come and see the pups PM me.

[BrownDog]

I run HT. I have since 1990. I got started because I wanted a well trained hunting companion. I prefer HT over FT but I use allot of FT concepts while training. IE...Stickmen, long marks… I like the HT because I am a hunter. I prefer UKC over AKC because I want to handle the gun just as I do while hunting, however I think that if you train for both you will end up with a much better dog in the long run.
There is also a HT in Rembert/ Boykin area in Nov.