Play for cash!!!

Im happy to get a bucket of water dumped on me at the end of the day!

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Originally Posted by MooseGooser

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.

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Thanks!!! Today I needed a little perspective.

I would agree with what was said earlier. If you aren't winning enough ribbons to be satisfied, you probably wouldn't be winning too much cash either.
You'd just add the increased entry fees as another reason to see it as nearly impossible.

I'd be the first to agree that Field Trials can be very frustrating, but every once in awhile there is hardly anything that's better. The finances are the worst until you realize that it's a little easier with money, but money is only a small part of it. A lot of things have to happen to be successful.

Our games will never be for a purse. In order for a purse you have to have revenue. TV, paid admission, gambling, or entry fees would have to provide for the purse. Dog games fail at each......Thank God.

But can you imagine the hell that would break loose on here Sunday nite about the judges picking a winner for a test.....Now that would be worth the cost of admission. Wouldn't be peanuts around here, it would be grenades.

I love Gooser's posts - yes, it puts into perspective.

Their right, money changes everything and it changes the participants, but no matter your "hobby", it all costs money. For 5 years we participated in shoot to retrieve events, they are WAY more expensive to participate in than HRC as far as daily entry fees, because the payouts have to come from somewhere.

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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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Agree the Amateur would be gone! Don't want to see that. I like to work with my dog b/c he likes it and we work at what we are doing and just have fun! Love it the way it is and gas is cheap:) right now, Enjoy!! Like Bon says above play SRS if you want money.

I can't believe you actually posted this on this site. Were you just trying to "stir the perverbial pot"? Sometimes it is best to keep you opinions to yourself and this would fall into that category. It's never about the money! I started training about 2 years ago and absolutely love it. It has become such a staple at our house my 2.5 y/o daughter cries when she cannot go and train with us. My 8 y/o son is the worlds best bird boy and I enjoy spending quality time with home during training sessions and club training days. My wife and I often go to HT's together and spend quality time together while waiting to run. In my opinion the happiness that this brings to our family is "priceless" and no amount of money can replace that!!!!!!:p

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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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To each his own, but if the hunt test thing is satisfying enough for you, try to "run with the big dogs" and get into the FT game. The ribbon, no matter the color, at the end of that weekend is VERY satisfying and self-gratifying! (My new shiny green ribbon is my favorite of all the ones I have and I have never been more proud of my dog:D) It is more of a competition and if you really want money and can get a dog that is good enough, you can make money off of breeding and stud fees (IF you're in this for the money). Like I've said in other threads, I've been hooked on this since I was 11- it has NEVER been about the money for me. I'm in it for the dogs, but to each his own I suppose....

I have these jackets hanging in my closet. The first one I got was for Cinn (my first lab and one of the most expensive jackets I will probably ever own). Then I got one for Schooner which was even more special because it was for him earning 1,000 HRC points. Just last week I finally got an extremely special jacket for Wagars earning 1,500 HRC points. If I were to sit down and figure the cost of those jackets over the years, I could probably pay off my house.

Then last weekend I took my youngest dog Soul and we ran our first Derby together. My goal was for him to sit for the shot flyer in the first series. Not only did he sit for the shot flyer in the first but he was playing. Then he was still playing in the 2nd and then the 3rd and went out on the last bird of the last series. I was so proud of him and we had a blast.

All of the joy and friends that these dogs and the dog games have brought into my life over the 20 years cannot be replaced by money. And I am one of those "broke folks" referenced in a previous post.

Its the journey!!!!!

Janet

Kurt PM me. There are a ton of events for money and prizes. Hillman,Farmer etc. and a host of great trainers have run them . I like them and you do see FC/AFC/NFC dogs run them. They are not a walk in the park. But they are fun and a nice change of pace.