Van Qualls gave his opinion regarding FT judging. He discusses the need to see the marks, see the dogs pick up the marks. He liked Patti Roberts comments in the may 2011 issue and feels we all should read it. He then goes on to say "How do you "educate" or change the thinking of a man who has qualified his dog for both nationals, sat on the Board of the Retriever News, and had the privilege to train under a top pro for years?"
John Ball's letter discussed the "True Amateur" - that are dinosaurs of field trials and nearly extinct: this is the amateur that still has a job, one or two dogs they train themselves and compete in 6-10 trials per year. He equates the extinction of the True Amateur as what to has led to the inability to understand dog behavior, train and set tests. And, this is why tests have become more "mechanical." Dr. Ball also relates this to the lack of understanding of "the Standard" .....
Both well written, with great thoughts................. deserves a direct read.
