So I was just working at a hunt test this weekend and I was listening to people complain about not having enough help. I have listened to this for a lot of years and from all different clubs. I think the answer to this problem long term is getting newer people into the sport. I think we are failing the sport by not agressavly getting new people involved. Ask your self something what is the average age of the members in your club? Well do the math before you know it we won't have to many members In the club period. What about focusing on doing more youth days in clubs and at hunt test really cantering to the Junior hunt test folks. These are the new up and coming people . Make them feel welcome and get them involved . Give everyone a membership application at the start of day and even at ribon Delivery give them a member application. Also look at events where they are promoting hunting shows . Set up a booth to promote our sport. If we all work together I think it will start to be fun having new members in your club and become a mentor for someone or we will have a conversation in 20 years about how come there are no clubs left anymore. And let's face the facts without clubs you have no events ! Hunt test or field trial !
moving our sport in the right direction
davidvanryn
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So I was just working at a hunt test this weekend and I was listening to people complain about not having enough help. I have listened to this for a lot of years and from all different clubs. I think the answer to this problem long term is getting newer people into the sport. I think we are failing the sport by not agressavly getting new people involved. Ask your self something what is the average age of the members in your club? Well do the math before you know it we won't have to many members In the club period. What about focusing on doing more youth days in clubs and at hunt test really cantering to the Junior hunt test folks. These are the new up and coming people . Make them feel welcome and get them involved . Give everyone a membership application at the start of day and even at ribon Delivery give them a member application. Also look at events where they are promoting hunting shows . Set up a booth to promote our sport. If we all work together I think it will start to be fun having new members in your club and become a mentor for someone or we will have a conversation in 20 years about how come there are no clubs left anymore. And let's face the facts without clubs you have no events ! Hunt test or field trial !
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318 Posts
Ran a Jr/Sr only event this weekend. Our test had three junior handlers. The oldest was 9. All three passed.
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471 Posts
Quite right, most kids would rather be playing video games whether it is at home or on a phone or an I-pad in the truck while their parents are training/running a test. It is oblivious, when you go out to eat, you will see kids as young as 2-4 years old being entertained by some electronic device.
When you do get people in the 20-30 year old range involved, eventually most will have kids. When they reach an age where they are involved in athletics of some sort, of course they are going to spend more time attending their child's game then training or running tests with their dog.
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2,375 Posts
NOTHING will fix the lack of participation and the trend of fewer people will continue. While very year the percentage of dogs that are running events are trained by pros increases because of numerous reasons, events getting harder, less training grounds and so forth. That's the way it is. The Sport started with the affluent and now it's going headed full circle. Good luck.
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415 Posts
We have started a new club....Northwest Montana Retriever Club with the express purpose of holding picnic trials. We are helping folks learn how to judge during these events and introducing new people and their dogs to our sport. The bonus is old hard core dog folks get to come out and have a fun day. We are on our third picnic trial so just getting started. Also, we have pros judging super singles events.
Bill
Bill
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15,660 Posts
Age has very little to do with the sport...the retriever games and all that goes with them are for people with discretionary disposable income...in reality its not apathy or lack of success that drive many out of the sport, its that people figure that the ROI for that discretionary income would be best spent elsewhere
Well said!
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1,207 Posts
Two children of a pro trainer. Always fun to see the young ones out there.
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5,026 Posts
Here's a way to attract new participants.
Invite your local Wounded Warrior or similar group to bring a van load or two of veterans to your events. Arrange for handlers to chat with them in the gallery to give them the low down on what it's all about and answer questions. For folks who have been badly wounded this is a sport where it's possible to participate with little physical effort if need be.
Next, if some veterans seem interested, invite them to the local training groups training days (NOT to a once in a blue moon club training day).
Next, to help them get started, arrange for them to receive a gift of washout dog that has been through basics and transition. This way it may be easier for them to get up to speed.
To cover cost of wash out dogs that may not be free it may be possible to drum up sponsors or what have you.
Invite your local Wounded Warrior or similar group to bring a van load or two of veterans to your events. Arrange for handlers to chat with them in the gallery to give them the low down on what it's all about and answer questions. For folks who have been badly wounded this is a sport where it's possible to participate with little physical effort if need be.
Next, if some veterans seem interested, invite them to the local training groups training days (NOT to a once in a blue moon club training day).
Next, to help them get started, arrange for them to receive a gift of washout dog that has been through basics and transition. This way it may be easier for them to get up to speed.
To cover cost of wash out dogs that may not be free it may be possible to drum up sponsors or what have you.
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45 Posts
Typical human behavior . We are so reluctant to change! All good responces but at the end of day we need to change what is happening whatever the reasons. I love the diff ideas (wounded warrior's) picknick events. I do agree that this is for the most part not a cheap sport we can still teach people how to have fun. Here in ct we started a similar things for waterfowl hunters because the numbers where dropping at a scary rate! So we have developed a mentor program to get younger new hunters involved with a mentor.
At least you're not bitter about it. You've got that goin for you.
Guess we have been doing these types of things for the last 25 yrs. Today had a group of people new to the sport and a few veterans. invited the new people to a sanction event on the 16th. Will hold a FT here next weekend, have done a seminar for new people to the sport, have put on 2 demonstrations, will hold a youth day in August, put on 2 hunt tests in September, judged an event last May and invited all and sundry to come to training days THe list goes on and on. My dogs will get to run their first event this weekend, my pup will head for a pro as soon as her second teeth are in. With all we are doing for others I don't have time for my own dogs. The thing that perhaps galls me the most is that after busting our butts for new comers once they are up and running we never see them out to help the next batch. Have a young fellow that really needs to work on FF, have given him tapes and books, offered our help. He can't find 5 minutes in his schedule to teach hold, yet wants the dog to hunt this fall. This year will be the last for me. Next year my dogs get my attention and if some of the new guys don't step up there will be no events. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Once some of these people see just how much work goes in to doing the training, organizing the training days and events etc they would rather going boating or golfing. So to be such a downer but I am really tired right now.
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5,202 Posts
These games are about developing friendships and relationships. Unless you have the money to send them off or buy your own farm you need lots of friends.
As time and technology marches forward and our country's outdoor traditions fall by the wayside, I'm afraid to predict what will happen to dog sports.
I talk to a lot of people who think agility if cool and have never heard of or seen a solid retriever work...
That tells me something.
As time and technology marches forward and our country's outdoor traditions fall by the wayside, I'm afraid to predict what will happen to dog sports.
I talk to a lot of people who think agility if cool and have never heard of or seen a solid retriever work...
That tells me something.
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3 Posts
Hell ya well put - I have a couple dogs and love hunt tests but also have a couple kids that love track, cross country, 4H (ever raise a show hog??), soccer, straight teeth -yep there goes $6000 on braces and you name what else... The $1000 bucks I want to slap down on the next pup keeps being spent on something else - and for good reason...
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167 Posts
And mid that is the downfall to our society. I have a son on the way, he'll be here middle of October. Mark my word, he will not be being entertained by electronic bull crap. It is all up to parents and how they want to raise their children. I'll do my son just as I do my dog, he will go everywhere I go and behave while he's there. And if he's not welcome to be there then I don't guess I really need to go.
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806 Posts
Not trying to hijack but I for one would like weekly updates on how this goes.
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