Play for cash!!!

I have done the whole hunt test thing the last few years, (not so much lately) mainly because i have just lost interest in dog events, but i can't stop thinking about why this sport is so expensive and you don't win a dime at events! You pay 1500 or so for a well bred pup, for a good pro your another grand a month (if you send it to one), all the time, training equipment, time, gas, time, 75 bucks or so each to run the dog in a test or trial etc... and if your dog passes you get a hand shake, ribbon and a round of applause! Make a winner and a loser and put an incentive $$ out there, stop sugar coating it everybody doesn't need to win a trophy were not in little league wrestling anymore! Can you imagine how the sport would be if there were a earnings record on a dog and you went home from a test or trial with a few hundred or thousand back in your pocket? They do it with horses in multiple events hell even pigeon racing wins something! If you want to stop the high turnover rate in clubs after someone gets a junior or senior title then make it worth there time to take it to the next level. I don't see myself in the near future doing another dog event mainly because i look back and see how lame it was to put all that time and energy into something and the only reward is a ribbon and personal satisfaction. and for some people thats all they want and thats fine but they might as well have there neighbor huck some ducks in the field behind there house instead of financially getting bent over going to an event unless there trying to get a different ribbon color. I know i'll get some slack for this but i'm sure it's crossed your mind before.

if you want to play for money they have a competition called the SRS..Super Retriever Series


once you bring prize money into a game, that game changes forever,and not always for the better..you would drive the amateur out of the game, and they are the backbone of the sport, they are the ones that put on the trials (no offense to the PRTA)..if you think people biaatch and moan about the judging now, multiply that times a thousand when you are competing for money

the people that I know in the FT game don't do it for money, quite a few are rich or even wealthy by some standards, they love to compete, they love the satisfaction of training dogs, they do it for the love of their dogs..

The dog games are one of the few competitions where a broke guy can run his dog against a millionaire's dog and may the best dog win...its also one of the few sports where a broke guy can engage a rich guy in a conversation about something they have in common, the love of a good dog..It hard to do that in everyday life but at a FT/HT it really is all about the dogs

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Originally Posted by BonMallari

if you want to play for money they have a competition called the SRS..Super Retriever Series


once you bring prize money into a game, that game changes forever,and not always for the better..you would drive the amateur out of the game, and they are the backbone of the sport, they are the ones that put on the trials (no offense to the PRTA)..if you think people biaatch and moan about the judging now, multiply that times a thousand when you are competing for money

the people that I know in the FT game don't do it for money, quite a few are rich or even wealthy by some standards, they love to compete, they love the satisfaction of training dogs, they do it for the love of their dogs..

The dog games are one of the few competitions where a broke guy can run his dog against a millionaire's dog and may the best dog win...its also one of the few sports where a broke guy can engage a rich guy in a conversation about something they have in common, the love of a good dog..It hard to do that in everyday life but at a FT/HT it really is all about the dogs

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Chris, you REALLY should get us a LIKE button! :-P

To each his own. I took a couple years off from training and competing because of time comitment and $$$. Came back this year and failed our 1st. Master test in the 3rd. series. We ran the last Master test of the season in the N.W. Wa. and passed. My dog did outstanding, it was great teamwork. The gratification I got couldn't be bought. To me it's not about money, it's what I enjoy doing.

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Originally Posted by Jamee Strange

Chris, you REALLY should get us a LIKE button! :-P

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This is how I know that spent too much time on Facebook. I tried to like a post yesterday.

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Originally Posted by kurt a

I have done the whole hunt test thing the last few years, (not so much lately) mainly because i have just lost interest in dog events, but i can't stop thinking about why this sport is so expensive and you don't win a dime at events! You pay 1500 or so for a well bred pup, for a good pro your another grand a month (if you send it to one), all the time, training equipment, time, gas, time, 75 bucks or so each to run the dog in a test or trial etc... and if your dog passes you get a hand shake, ribbon and a round of applause! Make a winner and a loser and put an incentive $$ out there, stop sugar coating it everybody doesn't need to win a trophy were not in little league wrestling anymore! Can you imagine how the sport would be if there were a earnings record on a dog and you went home from a test or trial with a few hundred or thousand back in your pocket? They do it with horses in multiple events hell even pigeon racing wins something! If you want to stop the high turnover rate in clubs after someone gets a junior or senior title then make it worth there time to take it to the next level. I don't see myself in the near future doing another dog event mainly because i look back and see how lame it was to put all that time and energy into something and the only reward is a ribbon and personal satisfaction. and for some people thats all they want and thats fine but they might as well have there neighbor huck some ducks in the field behind there house instead of financially getting bent over going to an event unless there trying to get a different ribbon color. I know i'll get some slack for this but i'm sure it's crossed your mind before.

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Your only reward was a ribbon and some personal satisfation?? Really??

How about the time you spent off the sofa away from the T.V.?
How about that well trained dog you built from a stumbling clumsy puppy?
How about the great people you met along the way?

Most importantly though is the well trained dog. isnt That the reward?
You work hard at the training for this very reason . If ribbons and titles are gained, its just recognition of the main goal.... a well trained dog..

I cant imagine someone thinking it "Lame" that a group or organization recognizes your hard work by giving you a ribbon as a compliment of your dedication to developing a well trained dog.. The hard work involved and dedication is far from "Lame" in my opinion.

Gooser

P.S.

You folks that have dogs trained to the highest levels of dog work,, have my utmost respect.. as well as the the Pros that have enough confidence to take it on as a living.
I think this dog stuff is the hardest endevor I have ever participated in.

And what would make you feel better about curing the "lameness" would be a wad a money??? Really???


Gooser

If I could geta dog, that someday would be able to be in a holding blind behind Ted at a trial makin him sweat cause I was closin in on him,,, well thats would be enough reward fer Gooser:):)

Not necessarly to win,,, but just watch Ted sweat.:)

I will have to have a pretty well trained dog..:):)


Gooser

I am fairly new to this sport... I have a 2.5 year old BLF I train myself with the help of my local club and a two good friends in the FT game. I am quickly finding out the amount of money in currently takes to compete. I am in the Air Force and make a decent living but by no means can afford a Pro every month so I train very hard myself. I follow this site, entry express, and retriever results and its an eye opener as to what it can take to make FC/AFC. We are currently running in the Q. My short term goal is to get her QAA and see where to go from there. When I go to a trial and see a Pro bring 3-4 or more dogs to the line, it can be a little intimidating. If you brought money into this sport it would absolutely get rid of people like me(maybe that is what some folks want). Competitive as it is now, I can only imagine how it would become if you played for cash. I enjoy training my girl and watching her compete. Watching her grow, learn, compete is worth the time and money I have spent so far. I see alot of friendships and how a close-nit community the retriever world is, if you added the compete for cash scenario, I feel that would all change. The ole saying money the root of all evil...hahaha! Just my two cents from a rookie!

Jason

There were two events held, one in 2005 and another in 2006 that paid $20,000 cash to the winner and also paid out to other placements.

Some folks loved it. Some did not.

Money events have been held, and some are still being held.

If you want to go run a money event, you can find one. If you want to run an event that doesn't pay out prize money, they exist.

It is probably not a good use of time to try and turn a venue that does not pay out, into one that does.

Chris