Ethics and field trialing at its worst

Everyone who knows me understands that I am an avid bird hunter and that its all about the dog work to me.  Bird dogs doing their job is what makes it awesome.

Bird dogs come from somewhere.  The breeds get better because of breeders breeding the best.  The best are measured either through a home grown hunting dog breeder program where dogs are tested each year on wild birds or perhaps the testing is done through field trials.

I agree with horseback field trials though my dogs are mostly proven through working wild birds year in and year out.  I do seek out new blood for my program from time to time and the only way to find proven blood is with a fellow hunter / breeder or perhaps a proven field trial dog.

The proving methods can be questioned.  A breeder who proves his dogs through wild bird hunting can lie about how good his dogs really are.  Field trial dogs can be a ‘lie’.  There are dogs that are titled by virtue of who the owner/handler knows not necessarily on the merit of the dog.  I have seen this.  In simpler terms, cheating.

There are field trial judges in the trial system …  …who give in to their own bias and blindly select dogs of their ‘friends’ as winners.  This is the part of the bird dog world that turns my stomach.  Backyard breeders who are clueless about breeding are no worse than biased field trial judges and the handlers who expect it.

Bird dog judges like real life criminal judges can be biased crooks.  The line between what is real and what they want to happen becomes blurred.  They want it so bad they are willing to overlook mistakes ‘their’ dog made while being critical of the ‘unfavored’ dog.  It’s enough to make you puke.

Some judges have been around so long in the game that they feel they are above reproach.  They become high on their own self-importance.  They are willing to ‘bend’ the rules when in fact it is breaking the rules.  The ‘pro’ this person favors realizes this and makes every effort to make it to trials that this judge is judging at.  Who’s worse?  Both are sleaze in my book.

Let’s not forget the field trial committee chairperson / secretary who influences the 2 judges final decisions.  This person is a bully and intimidates the judges into making placements in favor of the way they think it should be done.  Of course the ultimate double whammy is the secretary who is also judging at the same trial.  If you aren’t “in” you don’t stand a snow balls chance in you know where.

So Dave, why trial?  Because the minority does not represent what is right with trialing.  Trialing is a time honored tradition that is an awesome way to prove dogs as many folks are not as fortunate to prove dogs on wild birds.  Trials set forth a standard and on a level playing field, the best dogs do rise to the top.

Some folks have been involved with trials and won’t go back.  I didn’t want to either but circumstances have changed my opinion a bit.  I do believe in the trial system, flaws and all.  One thing I won’t do is sugar coat trials like they are some sort of panacea.  They are not and like any other organization out there, it has its issues.

Prove your dog the way you want to and be happy with it.  You don’t have to join a club to be happy with your hunting dog but if your dog does have trial dogs behind it and it hunts very well for you, you can thank your breeder and field trialers.

Dave