[BonMallari]

all the judging thread got me to thinking of an incident that happened about a decade ago at a field trial..the scenario went like this :

a national named pro was running the Open and executed a double blind with about a total of four whistles..the gallery broke into a big and well deserved ovation for a job well done

the following contestant, an unknown amateur stepped up and proceeded to line BOTH blinds with his young dog...the gallery was silent, the only one who clapped was the training partner of the handler, said training partner who was no stranger to the National spotlight, even admonished the gallery for failing to acknowledge the good dog work, much to the embarrassment of the handler

the point being : do you really know what GOOD dog work is, and do you acknowledge that work even if you may not know or even care for the team that executed that work..I know from a personal standpoint when I attend FT's I look for familiar faces so I can watch their work, but when I see a dog step on a set of marks or line or do a 1 whistle blind,I like to let that person know how much I enjoyed their work...gotten to know a lot of strangers that way

There is more to a FT besides the dogs that got ribbons at the end of the trial

 

[helencalif]

I have not experienced many times when the field trial gallery applauded good work. Field trials just don't have the same atmosphere as a hunt test where there is a lot of applause and back slapping. I've heard clapping and wahooing at a hunt test even when a dog did marginal work. Heck, recently at a hunt test there was applause for a dog who switched. Guess the gallery either wasn't watching well or maybe they were supporting the handler's efforts and decided to applaud anyway. (I was marshaling; the dog was dropped.)

Field trials are competitive; I think this makes for a different atmosphere. Most of the handlers are dead serious about it; the pros are definitely serious about it as it is their livelihood. That's not to say that the gallery NEVER applauds good work, but I would say that the field trial gallery is a tough crowd. I think that they are more critical of the work they see because that is their competition..

A silent gallery ... are they thinking.. was that better than my dog who ran earlier? or, uh oh, that was a good job and will be tough to beat. Often times I think this is the case. The field trial gallery is not large and the folks in it are critical observers. You and your dog have to do really, really good work to get a reaction from the gallery.

On the other hand, I have been in the field trial gallery when good work was applauded and the handler recognized the applause with a tip of his hat. I don't see this often, but it does happen on occasion.

Helen

 

[bfarmer]

I enjoy seeing great dog work. One of the advantages of judging a great field of dogs. I don't care if it is my dog or not. I like to watch a dog mark a bird like no other dog in the trial has done.
Bobby

 

[Judy Chute]

..."On the other hand, I have been in the field trial gallery when good work was applauded and the handler recognized the applause with a tip of his hat. I don't see this often, but it does happen on occasion..."

I have seen FT " tip of the hat" here on the East Coast.... just as important as the applause in my humble opinion.

Silence..new amateur handler in an Open ...vs the well known pro...

Maybe the gallery was...blown away by the great team work?

 

[Guest]

The sport would be better off with people like you!
It's not always,What you know,But who you know.
Such is life.

 

[Annette]

Tip of the hat used to be seen a lot here on the west coast but not so much anymore. I have seen some pros do it. I even had occassion to do at times. A very good cutom to bring back.

 

[huntinman]

Tip of the hat used to be seen a lot here on the west coast but not so much anymore. I have seen some pros do it. I even had occassion to do at times. A very good cutom to bring back.

More handlers would tip their hats if more galleries would cheer good dog work...;-)

 

[BuddyJ]

Although I have been running hunt test for several years and consider myself a veteran I have just started fooling around with field trials and ran my first amateur a couple of months ago. The first series was a pretty big quad and my two year old smacked the marks earning us applause from the gallery. It was a pretty good feeling and ,yes, I did tip my hat. At my local retriever club we try to make it a point to show our appreciation of a good run and encourage the owners and handlers especially in the junior and senior. If we don't encourage the new and young people our sport will suffer the consequences. Hats off to all who can appreciate a good run be it FT or HT.

 

[JS]

I have not experienced many times when the field trial gallery applauded good work. Field trials just don't have the same atmosphere as a hunt test where there is a lot of applause and back slapping.
.....

Helen

I have run 2 field trials in Caul-ee-faun-i-ah and have to say I had a similar feelings. Not enough to draw a solid conclusion but I couldn't help but notice.

It is not that way here in the mid-west. Usually plenty of mutual support and "back slapping". (Maybe by the 4th series it's a touch more subdued. :-x )

Just my observation.

JS

 

[Becky Mills]

When I see good dog work or even a good effort by dog and/or handler I try to show it with applause. Except for here lately when I've been pressed into duty as marshall or assistant marshall or duck fetcher or whatever. I'm not good at multi-tasking.

 

[Gun_Dog2002]

Good dog is a joy to watch regardless who is on the line

/Paul

 

[phillip1119]

^^^^^^^^^ +1

 

[DoubleHaul]

I applaud good dog work, and most folks on our circuit do as well. I find it more common at FTs than HTs, probably because the gallery is paying more attention to what the other dogs are doing.

 

[runnindawgz]

Good dog is a joy to watch regardless who is on the line

/Paul

+1

At my last derby with my young dog I was walking back to my truck with her. I had just heard call - backs and was disappointed to not hear my number - that’s the game , those are the shakes

... anyway ...

A stranger made a point to stop me, say:
“Thats a very nice little dog.”
I replied: “Thank you, not nice enough this weekend I suppose.”
He answered: “Doesn't Matter, its a nice dog.”

I DO appreciate good dog work and good handler/dog team-work when I see it. at a test or trial... and that exchange was proof to me that others do as well.

 

[Travis Schneider]

Of course I know what good dog work is.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9uvyp9OJPHs

 

[BonMallari]

+1

At my last derby with my young dog I was walking back to my truck with her. I had just heard call - backs and was disappointed to not hear my number - that’s the game , those are the shakes

... anyway ...

A stranger made a point to stop me, say:
“Thats a very nice little dog.”
I replied: “Thank you, not nice enough this weekend I suppose.”
He answered: “Doesn't Matter, its a nice dog.”

I DO appreciate good dog work and good handler/dog team-work when I see it. at a test or trial... and that exchange was proof to me that others do as well.

THAT is exactly what I am talking about, for many people that one series may be the highlight of their weekend, so many times it gets lost in a results oriented game, but if it werent for other competitors like you , we have no game,good dog work in the first series is just as good as good dog work in the fourth series, its just that sometimes many never get a shot at that fourth series

 

[runnindawgz]

THAT is exactly what I am talking about, for many people that one series may be the highlight of their weekend, so many times it gets lost in a results oriented game, but if it werent for other competitors like you , we have no game,good dog work in the first series is just as good as good dog work in the fourth series, its just that sometimes many never get a shot at that fourth series

Thanks Bon - I felt understood your question and thought my situation applied. However, it was certainly NOT the highlight of my weekend ha ha... but “good dogs” got picked up. “Good dogs” no - goed, “Good dogs” could not get deep enough to find birds and “good dogs” cheated water... From where I stood my dog did none of these things. She also had very nice line manners and trust me ... many “good dogs” did NOT....

Despite all that ... I do not blame the judges, My dog had 2 hunts & she back-sided 2 guns .... other dogs did not. IMO my dog did GOOD work (I guess that gentleman who stopped to compliment me saw it too) but others out-scored her and I saw the reasons why ... Sure, I felt as if we deserved to be called back to try for a green but again ... thats the game; not thick enough skin ... stay home.

 

[JustinS]

I really like watching good/great dog work it sometimes gives me chill bumps when I can see a dog get handled through a ball busting setup to a blind a couple of hundred yards away, I also enjoy watching a meat dog during hunting season that will never give up on that damn crippled bird that keeps diving when the dog gets close, reguardless of a placement or a title I enjoy watching a dog put all of its training together - congrats to all of the handler/dog teams who work hard and the work has paid off, and to those who the pay back has not yet come keep trying it is a great feeling when it does and it is worth all the headaches you have dealt with