Charging Pro's More?

[Losthwy]

Here's an idea. Charge a two tier entry fee. ____ for owner/ amateurs, and ____+ (fill in the amount) for pro entered dogs. The pro's don't throw birds, they don't don't Marshall, they don't help at the trial in any way. The owners don't don't Marshall, they don't throw birds, they don't help at the trial in anyway. In all fairness they are busy (trainers that is), but why not charge them more to pay to offset the cost of running a HT or FT? The pro's come to HT and esp FT and run the owners dogs. The owners/pro's don't add any benefit to the club other than the entry fee. Should the pro's pay more for the cost of entering a HT or FT. Since that is the only way they participate? This thread is not about the pros, they are hard working souls, it is about who shoulders the burden of hosting events. Point is a person with one or two dogs are regularly asked to volunteer their time as well as their entry fee, while the clients, via the pros, are not. Are not a charitable few being taken advantage of? Why should the the person who has one or two dogs pay their fee AND be expected to work the event, while the client only pays the fee? That is the question I will be asking myself in the future.
__________________

[Jason Brion]

"...they don't help at a trial in any way". Well If your club lost 70% of its entries they would probably be begging for these pros that do nothing.

[Losthwy]

"...they don't help at a trial in any way". Well If your club lost 70% of its entries they would probably be begging for these pros that do nothing.

Other than entry fees they do not. Why should I or anybody else volunteer to work a HT or Ft sit out in the summer hot sun and throw birds, when others (owners) do not, when the bird thrower works for nothing, and the pro running the dog for pay????? Give me a valid reason why they should not pay the their fair share of of holding a HT or Ft?

[EricW]

Other than entry fees they do not.

And the owner/handers with one dog that aren't helping? they far, far outnumber the pros. Maybe we should charge the junior handlers twice the fee. We only see them for a few weekends and they are gone.....usually all I get from them is a headache because they complained about having to wait too long to run their one dog and get their ribbon. Down around here, I have seen pros step in to help, but most of the time they can't because they are too busy making more than half of the clubs money on entries. In our club, we have a pro on the board, always a pro with a major position in every test we have, and we had a pro chair our last HRC test. So it sounds like to me, your problem is no respect so they don't want to give back to someone who doesn't respect them.

I am a owner/handler that serves on the board of the club and has held about every position in a test including chairman. I value a pro because they benefit us in many ways other than entry fees.

Eric W.

P.S. Also, with that attitude, good luck seeing me ever lift a finger for your club....let alone ever enter. Even though I am in Texas, I do have reasons to be in CO.

[Gawthorpe]

I think the quote about the pros doing nothing is not fair to the many pros that do help at the trials. What I have found is that unless the field trial chairman or hunt test chairman specificially ask competitors for assistance, very few volunteer. The ones that do volunteer are great, the ones that volunteer after being asked are also great.

Many of the amateurs would not be able to compete without the assistance of trainers to help in many ways.
Pros in our area that help or actually put on trials are
Scot and Joe Harp
Charlie Moody
Paul Sletton
Hugh and Al Arthur
Greg Lister
Jeff Horsley

Money is not a problem in our sport, the problem is lack of volunteers to share the work.

Erik
President of MTARC

[lizard55033]

See what nobody stated is that of the Amateurs and the up and comming rookies, and even more the youth; they see these pro trained/pro ran dogs on tv, videos, and the internet. Novice and people just interested in the sport go to the venues that are close to home to see these dogs and the handlers to watch, learn, and ask questions.

The spectators bring alot to the venues/clubs as well as potental trainers, club members, pup sales and training if club offers...

So to charge more for the pro's, would only cause issues with the pro's just not comming to said event/events...IMO

[EricW]

See what nobody stated is that of the Amateurs and the up and comming rookies, and even more the youth; they see these pro trained/pro ran dogs on tv, videos, and the internet. Novice and people just interested in the sport go to the venues that are close to home to see these dogs and the handlers to watch, learn, and ask questions.

Good point!

[lizard55033]

Thank you EricW

[Vicky Trainor]

Here's an idea. Charge a two tier entry fee. ____ for owner/ amateurs, and ____+ (fill in the amount) for pro entered dogs. The pro's don't throw birds, they don't don't Marshall, they don't help at the trial in any way. The owners don't don't Marshall, they don't throw birds, they don't help at the trial in anyway. In all fairness they are busy (trainers that is), but why not charge them more to pay to offset the cost of running a HT or FT? The pro's come to HT and esp FT and run the owners dogs. The owners/pro's don't add any benefit to the club other than the entry fee. Should the pro's pay more for the cost of entering a HT or FT. Since that is the only way they participate?

I beg to differ! I am a Pro. I have thrown birds; I have marshalled; I have helped with lunches; I have judged; I have helped at set-up; I have hauled equipment.....

I can think off-hand quickly of several other Pros who also pitch in or bring along their kennel/bird boy help.

I have encouraged my clients to participate in hunt tests when all they "wanted" was a "hunting dog". I have several clients that have gone on to participate in both hunt tests and field trials. From my encouragement to participate, clients have gone on to not only run their dogs but become officers of retriever clubs, have chaired hunt tests and more.

When judging, I have had Pros volunteer to go out and throw birds when needed.

Entering a hunt test is not the only way some Pros participate. So how would a club decide which Pro is to pay a "penalty" fee to enter a ht or ft or would all Pros, whether they give back more than others, still be penalized just because of their profession?

[Angie B]

Amen Vicky,

I recently chaired our first AKC hunt test in the Dallas area. I am a pro by the way. Now our club is a breed club, not real strong on the performance end but the breed people are very supportive and came out to help. To fill out the rest of the help I called the pro's. What a concept? I asked them for the moon and the stars and I got it. After all it's in their/my best interest to have a trial locally run smoothly..

So if you have a problem with pro's and their numbers. Call them for help. They don't know you need the help unless you do just that. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Angie