what about a for hire trial hosting company?

[Ken Bora]

I/We have all read all about the issues of large trials and the possibilities of reducing numbers. We all have also read about how many of the existing and proposed restrictions may/could/will exclude the "little" guy who works the trial but is prohibited from running a dog. Many feel instead of restrictions more trials are needed. Trials on the same weekend close enough to split the heard. But again an issue, who will put on these trials? This got me pondering another option. Like other options it may require a rule modification, I do not know. It seems like the natural progression to me. In the beginning wealthy estate owners had grounds keepers and houndsmen training the dogs. These folk evolved into professional retriever trainers. In the beginning people sat, pen in hand and filled out and mailed in dogs entries. This process evolved into on line entry services. In the beginning individual retriever clubs hosted trials. Hired bird boys and/or used club members volunteers. Is it time for a for hire business to start putting on trials?
Farms go out of business every day. Some are developed into residential housing. Some are made into golf courses. Imagine a farm someplace with great land and water sites becoming a "We put on field trials and hunt tests" place. They have a staff that maintains the grounds and is trained and ready to fill all ALL positions of a trial except the judges. A club calls up and says I need to book a weekend in May for a trial. Here Are my 6 judges names. And BAM a trail happens. Everything is taken care of. Lodging for judges, workers is already taken care of. Birds provided or even raised on site. Meals, Port-O-lets, even camping if wanted. Every weekend, if in the right part of the country this place could have a trial/field test, hunt test. Then if successful it could branch out. locations in other states. Or even a mobile version. Club calls and the desired weekend an 18 wheeler and a couple campers pull up with people and gear and birds, EVERYTHING and once again BAM a trial happens.
Is this the logical progression of things? Is this already happening? No way I could have been the first to think of it. Rules say how many trials a club can host but this would not be a club but a service hosting for a club.
Your thoughts?
Ken Bora

[Margo Ellis]

Ken,
I know dog shows use a service but the club provides the grounds. Same but different, not even sure on the cost. This would be a lot more involved then even a three day dog show like they put on at the fair grounds every year.

[Ed Hogan]

Well,.... I have too been thinking about this. The money for the sevice would have to come from the entry fee's, so what happens to the clubs? A lot of clubs need this to continue land lease, equipment etc.... to train their dogs. This has been my concern. My family and I have concidered this for quite some time.

[Ted Shih]

I guess what I would say is that the marketplace does not seem to believe that the venture would be profitable, otherwise we would have the company you propose

[K G]

I can't imagine what would happen to entry fees to support independent "trial hosts."

I also can't imagine that someone would assume the liability (or the cost of insurance) to hold events. Think Bonnaroo or Woodstock....I'm not sure AKC's "hold harmless" agreement would protect a trial host, especially one for hire.

But I'm not an attorney, don't play one on TV, and didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so what do I know!

TGIF!!!!

kg

[John Gassner]

Was tried years ago and didn't last too long.


John

[tshuntin]

I would love to be able to make a call and hire a group to run the leg work of our trial. However I don't think there is any way a club (at least HT clubs in our area) could afford to do this. Great idea that I would love to see happen, not a reality I don't think.

[Brad Slaybaugh]

This is an interesting topic, I'm not sure of the feasability. The cost for a "for hire company" to purchase grounds, as you say they would be competeing against developers, golf/sports facilities among others venues. It would be hard to equalize the cost for a seasonal venue.

This is an interesting topic, I'm not sure of the feasibility. The cost for a "for hire company" to purchase grounds, as you say they would be competing against developers, golf/sports facilities among others venues. It would be hard to equalize the cost for a seasonal venue.

there is a group here, The Virginia Retriever Benefit.

http://varetrieverbenefit.com/

It's mission is to secure grounds for the future, either by purchase, lease, through the state or whatever other means. Funds are raised through a benefit test/trial held during the summer and donations. One property that I know of has already been leased and others are in negotiations. These properties are available for training and holding test under certain conditions. Several other properties have been worked on in the past 2 to 3 years that for one reason or another did not work out.

I think this is going to be the answer for the future of our sport. Similar to a Cooper Black only provided through private funding. This approach still leaves the burden of conducting the test to the clubs, but I think this might be a more probable solution to the problem, although the large entries is another matter.


If I hit the lottery tonight though, I'll try it and let you know if I make money or not!!!!!!!!
Brad

[Ken Bora]

Think of it as an event specific resort. Just as a Ski resort doesn't make a lot of your one $40 lift ticket, together over the season it does. Or a wedding hall. In my town I can watch fire works one day of the year. If I drive down to Disney I can see fire works every evening. Imagine folk looking at that 100+ Open and thinking "I can skip it and go the "X" any weekend that is good for me." Just like a banquet hall can be booked for any function this could be used by folk doing training seminars as well as hosting tests and trials. And in the theme of a resort have activities for non-interested family members. Imagine no matter that time of year your personal family vacation may be you all could go someplace together and you could still run a trial? And the kids could still have fun and Great Aunt Festus could play bingo and shoot whisky?

[Brad Slaybaugh]

Ken,

You've showed me that I was wrong!

Tipping a whiskey shooter to you