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Do you have to be wealthy to run field trials?

7K views 23 replies 21 participants last post by  captain2560 
#1 ·
NO but it sure doesn't hurt. My income is somewhere between middle class and poverty but I still love running field trials, you might say I'm living a field trial lifestyle on a hunt test budget.

I have definitely have had to make some compromises and sacrifices like telling my kids that I'm spending their inheritance money, thank God they are ok with that. I gave my golf clubs to my son because I don't have the time or money to do both.

I had to promise my daughters that I would never ask them to throw me a dead duck but my grandkids are another story. I have never paid a pro trainer but on the other hand my goals and accomplishments are probably not as big as people that do.

Being retired definitely gives me more the time to put into this very addictive sport and I've be blessed with hooking up with great amateur trainers along with access to great training grounds. Instead of spending my money on fancy clothes, expensive restaurants, and exotic places, it goes for Mike Lardy videos, Gonia whistles, white coats, Motel 6's and pheasant and duck flyers.

The last trial I ran this year was a 31 dog amateur with only 5 dogs finishing the trial, out of those 5 dogs two of them were mine. I was grinning from ear to ear and dancing around like a crazy person, you would of thought I just won a National.

No doubt about it I'm field trialer for life.
 
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#2 ·
Terry, to play and win consistently I believe one has to have deep pockets and the mentality you and I don't have in washing and selling those that don't make it and keep pups rotating until they have the ones that are extraordinary.
Congratulations on your accomplishments. Come on up and run Montana.

Jeff
 
#3 ·
Someone told me it is easy to become a millionaire in the Field Trial game.

Just start with 2 million!

I'm just sharing what I heard.
 
#4 ·
Terry...let me see...

You have two really nice dogs. You get to do what you love, as much as you want to. And you've got kids that love and support you, and grandkids. Grandkids.

Sounds like you're pretty wealthy to me. :)

(I think from now on, when I see you, I'll point you out to my friends. "There goes one of those wealthy field trialers. Raising the bar again..."
 
#5 ·
Well said and oh so true.

Ronan Bill
 
#6 ·
Wealth, like performances in a field trial, is relative...

Where I come from, having the disposable income to enter and travel to even one field trial would be considered wealthy. So yes, I think you do have to be wealthy, and I am thankful that I'm able to do it.
 
#9 ·
Own a really bad ass dog, and the financially wealthy will be your friend. You can replace money, but you can't replace a really good dog. They only come along once in a lifetime unless you're really financially wealthy.
 
#12 ·
the FT game has a long history of having some of the wealthiest people around running events, but it was minuscule compared to the common person who was able to compete and win with a far superior dog...Nowadays the demographic has changed, the sport and the lifestyle around it has taken more discretionary income, people of modest means can still compete at the highest level because of superbly trained dogs...the one advantage that the well heeled owner has nowadays is access to better and more abundant training grounds..but to break the other popular myths, they have the same trainers that most can access, they have the same breedings that most can access, they pay the same entry fee

People dont realize that you're not trying to emulate the lifestyles of the rich and famous, just beat them at the game..On the field trial grounds nobody cares about net worth, its all about who has the better dog on that particular weekend

IMO one of the reasons that the pro trainer has become so dominant in the sport is that people want instant success and using a pro gives them their best shot at competing rather quickly, within a few years . Very few amateurs are willing to learn on their own and go thru the growing pains and heartbreaks that accompany the process...
 
#13 ·
IMO one of the reasons that the pro trainer has become so dominant in the sport is that people want instant success and using a pro gives them their best shot at competing rather quickly, within a few years . Very few amateurs are willing to learn on their own and go thru the growing pains and heartbreaks that accompany the process...
Who want's that ? :D...If You are intent on competition
Life is short right ?.lol
Nice to sit in the porch with a pipe and a beer ...and wish.
I wish I had few more dollars,it sure would make this life a load better.
But that's the same for anything these days.It doesn't make the poor guys bad handler/trainers and it doesn't make the rich guys poor trainers . It does make the rich look like good trainers ,when they handle ;)...A trained dog. 'Sold'.
 
#14 ·
It is expensive, however a person can be creative in figuring out ways to make it work. Obviously It helps to have a training group to work with...training and trials close by saves on fuel. Also, for some it means making choices...for example I do not play much golf anymore and travel is cut down. It's also very helpful to have supportive family.
 
#16 ·
I think access to technical grounds/water is the biggest hurdle an amateur has to face. I have all the equipment I need to train, but access to tech water is a huge difference. First time I made it to the last final series of a Qual, dog got lost in heavy lake weeds going to the long mark, once handled she went straight to the mark. I walked back to the truck fairly frustrated, she had a chance to place or maybe even win, but for that one mark... As I walked to the truck I noticed all the people I passed on the road. Then I realized how much more access they have to grounds than I did. I was training on public wildlife areas and a few hay fields, the fact we were competing made me feel much better. That was about 15 years ago, ran some the following year, but then not again until 2016. Wow have they gotten tougher, dogs just get better and better, but even harder to compete without at least some technical grounds.
That is when I realized running trials was more like running 10K road runs. I am not going to win, but can I do better than last time.
 
#17 ·
You do not have to be wealthy in the dollar sense but if you cannot afford a good pro, you will (probably) need to sacrifice other things to make quality time for training. Obviously family and your job take precedence. You'll need discipline, structure, hopefully a good training partner and a solid set of reasonable priorities and goals.

If you can carve out two solid training sessions a week mixed in with short obedience and drill sessions, I would hope you could have a competitive MH dog. That would be a great jumping off point for moving up.
 
#18 ·
If you can carve out two solid training sessions a week mixed in with short obedience and drill sessions, I would hope you could have a competitive MH dog. That would be a great jumping off point for moving up.
Off the original subject, but if this is all you can train, you will be 4-5 years old before being a consistent MH. I don't think any hope of being competitive in FT.
 
#21 ·
So, while I would definitely consider Terry to be wealthy in some regards, I would agree that he's not "well heeled", as evidenced by how many uses he squeezes out of his flyers (uck!).

And I agree with what my impression of his original point was, which is that if you have realistic expectations and timelines, and a great dog, the "average" joe can still play the game.
(doesn't mean it's easy, and the value of training with people that know that game is immeasurable).

To be successful, consistently, in Field Trials, what do you need?

- A dog with the talent
- Quality grounds.
- Trainer/handler with skill and knowledge (or someone that can impart that skill or knowledge)
- Time

What else? Luck?

Financial resources certainly benefit all of these.
 
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