Yes Di I very much agree with your take. (going a bit off thread) I have attended many trials this year, I have been dog steward, judges steward, game carrier and some just watching from the gallery. I have heard all sorts of critizism, the judges the guns and even the ground. Firstly without the guns paying to shoot the birds there would be no trial,the clubs could not cover all the costs,the days have gone when the big estates would give the birds for a trial, the cost is around £25 per bird, Novice Trial needs 30-50 birds and an Open around 100, work it out.
Secondly the gallery do not see all that happens, a good example was a bird shot that glided on to a dip in the field, the gallery saw it fall but the judges who were in a low part did not, quiet cries from the gallery why did'nt they send a dog 'they are favouring ???' The rule is the judge must see the fall before sending a dog.
Competitors need to realise the work involved in firstly persuading the landowner and keeper to hold a trial,and then getting the guns who are prepared to pay for it, and getting harder and harder to get Judges who are prepared to give up their chance of a run to judge. Yes there are mistakes made, humans are involved but on the whole everyone is doing their best to keep this sport alive, and a thank you in the right quarters go along way.
My take on things was it was a bloody hard trial (but this is coming fresh from novice), considering the winner takes a spot at the championship in my mind it has to be testing.
It has basically shown me that to be any good at this level your dog has got to be able to multi-task, look stylish but obedient, cover ground but not look out of control and in my opinion be able to take as straight as line as possible through whatever bunker may be in the way to reach the destination of the retrieve.
Sitting through the 1st drive in the wood was a heck of a test just on it's own. We had several birds fall directly in front of us (one of which was just a bit too tempting for the dog next to me) and alot fell in the open onto the field directly to our right. On top of this and during the drive we had three deer charge directly at us, swerving of at the last second and I mean six foot in front.
Our retrieve came after all the birds that fish had seen come down in the wood had been cleared. We were taken through the wood, cross a bridge that spanned a sunken river (this river had 6 foot sides fairly steep ) and out into the open field. Our retrieve was across the river, up through the wood and just into the field on the other side. Fish negotiated the river in one cast, but rather than pushing back up through the wood he kept wanting to pull to the left to where he had seen the birds fall during the drive. I had a bit of a fight on my hands and was eventually called up. The dog before me had successfully completed the same retrieve so it was definately do-able.
It was a pleasure to watch those dogs that were successful during this trial and it has made me realise just how much I have got to raise my game if I want to join the high flyers.
As with any trial if you get dropped or marked down you are going to feel a little hard done by. BUT lets be honest the only truly happy person at the end of an open field trial is the one holding the red card and trophy, it wouldn't be a competition if everybody could win. Things do get a bit more serious and frustrating but thats because the stakes are so much higher, not to mention the amount invested just to get a run in the first place. Something our kennel is about to experience with both of us now going to have to join as many clubs as possible in order to stand a better chance of a run next year.
I have decided over the last few years, trialing is almost as open to insecure anaysis as showing is. Showing there is no real way you have to justify your decisions. You have to write a critique, but it could have no relation to the dog the rest of the world saw in the ring that day. Trialing, the birds fall randomly, the retrieve difficulty will always be hugely varied, and so there will always be talk and speculation about why this, and why that, and almost conspiracy theories.
I do think there is a bit of jealousy of some of the top people, both in showing and trialing. I think we forget when *we* maybe got cut a bit of luck or slack but always remember 101% and relay to six million others when *they* do because naturally, we are always looking for ways to knock them down, bit like tabloid celebs on a minor scale.
Anyway, I think it was a really great southern trial and to hear the winner say that it was easily as tough as a Northern one is saying something seen as I know up North think the South is the 'easy route'
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
I do like to stir it up a bit but really. All i did was for Als opinion on a trial in which more than few people who were running had called me to pass comment. I was not there. (1st reserve ) There have been two trials in the south which have caused a lot of interest lets say. One being the SEGS the other being a novice near Chichester. I was at neither so will not comment on either. I was interested only in how Al saw it as a first time open trialer.
However, i would like to respond to a couple of points made.
Firstly, as a part of the gallery you can't possibly pass judgement on how easy or fair a trial is. Stand beside a dog and you'll see a different picture.
Secondly, in what rule book does it say a judge must see the fall before sending a dog? In that case why do you have people marking down when the judges can only use the birds THEY have seen down. Three times this season i have been sent for pricked birds flying away beyond a hedge where no one saw them down.
Thirdly. Why does everyone constantly bang on about cost. Yes trials are expensive but look at it from another view. I spend about £200 joinng clubs in which all i want is to be able to enter one trial a year. I don't want their training or tests, it's just so i can't enter a trail. So, the majority of clubs get a £10 - 15 donation from me. Then take the recent trial i went to at Great Livermere. The two days cost me £267 in entries and expenses. Thats one trial. A trial in which i went out 1st dog down on my final bird. I had absolutely no gripes with the judge in fact i think the standard at that trial was superb. But, had it been a poor decision damn right i'm going to be Pee'd off. I have seen enough inconsistant judging this year for me to buy a spaniel to trial next year. This is just my own opinion apart from one incident i have been judged extemely fairly at all trials but i have seen others subject to decisions which made me scratch my head.
" Firstly, as a part of the gallery you can't possibly pass judgement on how easy or fair a trial is. Stand beside a dog and you'll see a different picture. "
Totally agree Ian but standing beside a dog can also make an awful lot of people suddenly get rather suddenly kennel blind, for want of a better word. We've all seen it.... watching a dog go pretty badly, not listening etc, then they come back to the gallery and it was all the 'lay of the land/ridiculously difficult' or that age old chesnut, 'setting the dog up to fail'.... NO! Actually Sir, your dog wasn't listening to you!!
I wasn't getting on your case because obviously people have a right to express disatisfaction at a trial, and patently not being there you didn't start the 'stories', but I do find it scarey people will moan and moan but not actually speak to anyone who could answer their moans. I know one competitor who doesn't know why they were dropped, and is bad mouthing the trial, but hasn't asked ANY of the judges why!!!
I know we all gossip, its human nature..... but it was a trial that suited a certain type of dog and to be honest looking at the final 4, all were very similar fast, punchy, handling dogs.... so, i don't know.... ;-(
Anyway good luck with the spaniel, someone recently told me their trials are HUGELY moaned about and the top names always win too, so I'm not sure the extra grooming will be worth it.... big grin....
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
I totally agree when it comes to people seeing their own dogs through rose tinted glasses. I would have dropped myself after day. 1 of the coventry. . I always see things worse rather than better. At least with spaniels i won't be drawn. 179/180!!!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
) and out into the open field. Our retrieve was across the river, up through the wood and just into the field on the other side. Fish negotiated the river in one cast, but rather than pushing back up through the wood he kept wanting to pull to the left to where he had seen the birds fall during the drive. I had a bit of a fight on my hands and was eventually called up. The dog before me had successfully completed the same retrieve so it was definately do-able.
) There have been two trials in the south which have caused a lot of interest lets say. One being the SEGS the other being a novice near Chichester. I was at neither so will not comment on either. I was interested only in how Al saw it as a first time open trialer.
