Are field trials necessary?

Having been ‘just a hunter’ my whole life I could easily argue that hunters will try to breed the best to the best but then that wouldn’t be true. Too many times two hunters will say “hey, I have a male Brittany and you have a female so let’s breed ‘em!” with no regard to ancestry, faults, strengths etc. This sort of breeding IMHO ‘dumbs down’ the breed.

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There are conscientious hunter breeders! Those are the folks that know their blood lines and try to breed the best to the best. They want strong hunting dogs with desirable hunting traits. Unfortunately, they are not organized collectively as breeders and thus often times are in their own world of what a good hunting Brittany should be.

Then there are the breeders who know and keep up with good field trial stock and use it as a way to produce solid bird dogs that do well hunting or trialing. They make informed decisions as to what traits they want and what they do not want. They also breed for natural abilities and personality. I think I fit into this category.

Very few of my clients actually have any desire to trial. Their primary concern is to have a great companion hunting dog. Of the few who do trial, they are successful. Again, I think my dogs are fulfilling the hunting companion / trial dog needs.

This past weekend was successful for my dogs. There were two who won and two who placed second at an AKC sponsored horseback handled field trial. I was pleased to say the least. IMHO, this confirms or validates my program in just one of many ways. The other ways my program is validated is through referrals and folks providing positive feedback about dogs they have obtained from me.

So, back to the question…are field trials necessary? I say yes. There must be a ‘collective’. A body or group of folks whose primary interest is in the betterment of the breed. Folks who know what the breed is and are striving to improve it. Though field trials may not resemble actual hunting, it is a way to measure successful animals.

There must be a measure for success in any endeavor.

Field trials test elements of what they should be able to do well. Those elements are improved upon continually thus elevating overall abilities of the dog over time. AKC / American Field venues test more than the hunt in the dog. They test stamina and many other factors. For example, in the hour all-age stake the dog must cover great distances all the while it is hunting for game. It should be perfect on its bird work, which is a test of trainability. The dog demonstrates biddability by handling for its owner as asked…and so on and so forth.

So the bottom line is yes, field trials are necessary though it is definitely not hunting.

Take care and happy hunting.

Dave