[Txcutter2]

We were coming up to visit family and were planning on going to the KCHT. It was cancelled a month before the test date. This is the second time this has happened and it's starting to get old. First, if you're going to plan a test and post it, people make plans and it screws their schedule up after taking vacation to do it. Second, it prevents ANY OTHER club within 300 miles from hosting an event. Third, if you can't handle the responsibility of hosting a test, then either elect people within the club who CAN put together an event or don't host events. This is twice this has happened, why bother scheduling any more trips up there if it's just going to get cancelled again?

 

[fetchbrowndog]

sent a pm.

 

[Gordy Weigel]

We were coming up to visit family and were planning on going to the KCHT. It was cancelled a month before the test date. This is the second time this has happened and it's starting to get old. First, if you're going to plan a test and post it, people make plans and it screws their schedule up after taking vacation to do it. Second, it prevents ANY OTHER club within 300 miles from hosting an event. Third, if you can't handle the responsibility of hosting a test, then either elect people within the club who CAN put together an event or don't host events. This is twice this has happened, why bother scheduling any more trips up there if it's just going to get cancelled again?

Send this to the President of KCRC (Kansas City Retriever Club, their web site is http://www.kcrc.net/)

 

[Joanne Wilbanks]

I'm sure if you had all of the facts you would understand why the club had to cancel both of these events. But then again, maybe you wouldn't! We are not the only club that has ever had to cancel events. Some cancel due to extremely low entry levels, some cancel due to weather, some cancel due to no water, some cancel due to too much water and flooded out, and other cancel due to no help. There are a lot of reasons why clubs have to cancel events and some aren't know until the last minute. I was disappointed that my young dog couldn't run Derbys due to all of the canceled Derbys last year, but I understood why they were canceled. I am a board member and if you would like to discuss your "rant", I'd be happy to discuss over a PM or a phone call. I'm not going to discuss why the board had to cancel over a public forum. As Gordy stated, you can contact any board member by way of our web site.

 

[JS]

I'm sure if you had all of the facts you would understand why the club had to cancel both of these events. But then again, maybe you wouldn't! We are not the only club that has ever had to cancel events. Some cancel due to extremely low entry levels, some cancel due to weather, some cancel due to no water, some cancel due to too much water and flooded out, and other cancel due to no help. There are a lot of reasons why clubs have to cancel events and some aren't know until the last minute. I was disappointed that my young dog couldn't run Derbys due to all of the canceled Derbys last year, but I understood why they were canceled. I am a board member and if you would like to discuss your "rant", I'd be happy to discuss over a PM or a phone call. I'm not going to discuss why the board had to cancel over a public forum. As Gordy stated, you can contact any board member by way of our web site.

True. No club likes or wants to cancel an event, and won't unless there is good reason.

TXCutter, did you perhaps write the club and inquire if it was a problem with manpower, and that you would be happy to help out if that was the case? Just askin'.

JS

 

[HiRollerlabs]

Many clubs operate on a shoestring--few active/working members, loss of grounds, lack of water in a drought year, can't find any help to hire, lots of reasons an event can be cancelled. KCRC is a good club with good people, and I am sure there are valid reasons for the cancellation.

Possibly you could look at running somewhere else and spend your vacation there, even though you may not be able to see family. It's still a vacation!

 

[M&K's Retrievers]

I understand ducks are hard to come by.

 

[shawninthesticks]

Really? you guna throw a rant on a public sight about a club cancelling without even knowing the fact's. I'm sure there is a good reason for them to cancel ,every event I've ran with this club they have been nothing but gracious and welcoming with good grounds and hard working people that seem to enjoy putting the tests/trial's on. But maybe since it inconvenienced YOU so much they will go ahead and put the event on for YOU.

I am also disappointed that they cancelled this event but will be looking forward to the next event they put on! Thanks to all the members that have worked hard in the past event's!

 

[Txcutter2]

My understanding was they cancelled it due to lack of help, not flooding, not drought, not lack of funding, not lack of birds. Don't tell me you can't find boy scouts, girl scouts, ROTC, NHS members, 4-H, FFA kids, church groups, etc. in an area that populated. These orginazations need community service hours and are seen at hunt tests all over the place. This is an issue of someone not willing to get off their ass and find people to work an event which isn't a legitimate reason to cancel a test. Tests all over Texas were cancelled due to lack of water last year. That's a legitimate reason. And yes, I can comment about a public hunt test on a public forum. I'm sure there are some really great members of the club and they ought to be pissed off and disappointed that this was allowed to happen. Someone dropped the ball.

 

[Brad]

We had a test a while back and had a group of FHA students lined up. Teacher was supposed to bring them, They were no shows, exept for just a few and then they had to leave early. I was Chairman and had to marshal, find bird boys set up test blablabla. Feild rep kinda suggested that I wasnt supposed to be doing all that, I was supposed to be checking on all the test. We had no other choice. Yes things do happen

 

[Sue Kiefer]

WOW really.
Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!
Sue

 

[cpmm665]

My understanding was they cancelled it due to lack of help, not flooding, not drought, not lack of funding, not lack of birds. Don't tell me you can't find boy scouts, girl scouts, ROTC, NHS members, 4-H, FFA kids, church groups, etc. in an area that populated. These orginazations need community service hours and are seen at hunt tests all over the place. This is an issue of someone not willing to get off their ass and find people to work an event which isn't a legitimate reason to cancel a test. Tests all over Texas were cancelled due to lack of water last year. That's a legitimate reason. And yes, I can comment about a public hunt test on a public forum. I'm sure there are some really great members of the club and they ought to be pissed off and disappointed that this was allowed to happen. Someone dropped the ball.

Not knowing if you ever Chaired an AKC HT, I'm assuming you haven't, let me 'splain something about "volunteer" HELP. I need a person at least 16 years of age with a Hunter Safety Certificate to operate a popper gun. If the Club doesn't have a sufficient number of wingers, I need strong arms to consistently hit a target...(my Granny would make lunches all day, but don't ask her to throw 40+ birds). I need accurate/consistent live bird gunners. I need Marshals with good people and time management skills. I need someone to haul equipment to stakes. I need someone to manage birds at the end of the day and during testing. My Master Judge, his momma just passed, I need a Master judge ASAP. I can tell you, QUALIFIED HELP is challenging to procure. Kansas City Needs You, volunteer to Chair in 2013.

 

[shawninthesticks]

Not knowing if you ever Chaired an AKC HT, I'm assuming you haven't, let me 'splain something about "volunteer" HELP. I need a person at least 16 years of age with a Hunter Safety Certificate to operate a popper gun. If the Club doesn't have a sufficient number of wingers, I need strong arms to consistently hit a target...(my Granny would make lunches all day, but don't ask her to throw 40+ birds). I need accurate/consistent live bird gunners. I need Marshals with good people and time management skills. I need someone to haul equipment to stakes. I need someone to manage birds at the end of the day and during testing. My Master Judge, his momma just passed, I need a Master judge ASAP. I can tell you, QUALIFIED HELP is challenging to procure. Kansas City Needs You, volunteer to Chair in 2013.

And if all of that isnt just right and someone has to wait around more then they think they should or if the gunner throws a bad bird for your dog then you'll hear "This club doesnt have their sh#t together,is this the best they can do? Why would they put on an event if they cant do any better than this."

 

[Eric Johnson]

I think that the OP issue was that this was the second time the club had done this. Don't know it it was "second consecutive time" or not. The point seemed to be that if a club knows that they are tight WRT some resource, tight enough they may have to call off the test, perhaps they shouldn't schedule the test in the first place until that's resolved.

Just saying that's what it appeared to me he said.

 

[mwk56]

Once you have a date with AKC, it is hard to get a new one. So the clubs leave the dates on the calendar and hope that everything falls into place and you can pull it off year after year. I belong to Mid-Iowa Retriever club and the club cancelled our HT this June. Basically the same handful of members do all the work for all the events--fun matches in the off season, two FTs and one HT. When the club president asked time after time for some new members to step up and help, no one did in time to pull it together.

Being an active club member takes lots of time, energy, and dedication--people BURN OUT if they don't get new blood to help. I understand that several members have come forward to work on the 2013 HT so hopefully we will be back on track.

STUFF HAPPENS and the clubs do the best they can.

Meredith

 

[M&K's Retrievers]

When you think about it I guess it's a good thing that this is all the OP has to gripe about in his life.

 

[fetchbrowndog]

Thank you for your response to my PM to you. Thought I would be 'kind' not to shame you any more then you have shamed yourself on this forum. See....this club is OLDER then you...or at least started before you could walk. I know who you are...did some checking. We....we are lucky not to have people like you run your dogs in our areas. And....for goodness sake....do you really have to use language such as 'a$$' to express your feelings or thoughts. My.... Anyway, as I said I sent you a PM and you replied in a very sorry sad way, at least all three of your messages are the same, public or private. You, the HT exhibitor from Texas....is JUST that: an exhibitor who bashes the rest of the dog world and most likely is a centered dog handler....or that is what was shared with me in the last 24hrs. I close by saying on a public forum YOU OWE these people of these two clubs, Kansas City RC and MidIowa RC the utmost APOLOGY. SHAME ON YOU.

 

[clipper]

nol...they wern't consecutive.. I ran their spring test..
the last cancellation was due to low entries..

 

[cpmm665]

I think that the OP issue was that this was the second time the club had done this. Don't know it it was "second consecutive time" or not. The point seemed to be that if a club knows that they are tight WRT some resource, tight enough they may have to call off the test, perhaps they shouldn't schedule the test in the first place until that's resolved.

Just saying that's what it appeared to me he said.

IDK, the times I've been with a significant other and made a negative reference on the part of "WE", it usually refers to the fact that I'm pissed at myself for agreeing to concessions. EX:, "S.O. wants me to join in visiting relatives on one of my two weeks off for the year. For a $75 Hunt Test fee I have a valid reason not to be joining the Family Reunion, but I'm a hero 'cuz I'm driving my sweety there. Test Canceled, I'm pissed because I could have gone to Vegas with my buddies....for a HT?

 

[Joanne Wilbanks]

One thing you need to get straight is, per the AKC Regulations & Guidelines for AKC Hunting Tests for Retrievers Chapter 1, Section 3, Page 3 is that the distance is only 200 miles. Not the 300 miles that you mentioned and I don't believe there is any club in that 200 mile distance that was wanting to put on a Hunt Test that very same weekend on a holiday weekend to boot. The issue had nothing to do with getting paid help and NO ONE in the club dropped the ball. The ones in charge did everything they could. Like I said, you don't have all of the facts.