Can a novice compete?

[Reveille75]

I have hunted over dogs for years and trained a few with varying degrees of success. The lack of quail the last few years has cut back on my weekends with dogs and I was thinking about going to trials. I have a fine pup who came from good lines and I think he might be a candidate. For the sake of argument lets say this pup is the finest animal out there and picks up on every lesson I deliver. Can I, as an amateur handler, compete with the guys who are campaigning dogs on a regular basis. I don't mind a learning curve and I know I'll never be a Delmar Smith but can an average Joe have some success within a reasonable period of time. I'm asking because there is a trial in Laredo in a few weeks and it is an opportunity to meet some handlers and trainers and to see how an event goes. I would be interested in hearing from you guys how you think I should get my feet wet, I'm sure a number of you remember your initiation into the sport.
David

[ymepointer]

If your dog is good...YEP

[deseeker]

You HAVE TO HAVE a good dog Run in amatuer stakes to start with, because you aren't running against the pros and usually the ams have fewer dogs running in them(better chances of getting a placement). If your dog does well in the ams, then try some opens. Good luck

[ezzy333]

But first go to a trial and see what they are and the caliber of the dogs competeing.

Ezzy

[larue]

I have found open stakes are not harder then am stakes.The reasons are a few,such as am stakes give out money some times,owners run there dogs in am stakes even after they are titled(most pro's do not run a fc in an open stake but move on to limited stakes).A 4 point am retrieving win is the best win a dog can get,in terms of finishing a dog,you get all your retrieveing points and your major's for both the fc/and the afc in one win.
All of these tend to make the am stakes tough.
The bottom line,put your dog on the ground,you dont know what will happen.

[Reveille75]

Thanks for the input. I won't be doing it for anything more than bragging rights and until deseeker piped in, I didn't even know there was an amateur event. There is an event next weekend in Freer, Tx I'm going to and I'm sure I'll pick up a bunch there.

[PntrRookie]

I have found open stakes are not harder then am stakes.

Agreed...good dog can win/place in either.

[mudhunter]

GO CHECK IT OUT, you might be surprised how helpful people will be!

[Neil]

Yes

[gittrdonebritts]

I have been trying to go to a trial with an "experienced" dog guy and he keeps making excuses like I'm to old or my bones hurt or the weather will make my joints ache , who could this person be ? hahahahaha

I would say yes as long as you can handle your dog and get a good idea on what is expected at the trial your going to.

[Cajun Casey]

Laredo? Might not be a good place to begin as a competitor, but I'm sure you'd learn a lot if you could watch a few braces. What breed and breeding do you have and in which sanction are you interested?

[pointshootretrieve]

SURE!! I jumped in and ran against pro's and am's, had never even watched a trial. We took a 2nd in our first and a 1st in our second in the coverdog scene I have a great dog ! Unfortunately she has a crook in her tail and I was told by many I would not be put up in the advanced trials so I never made an attempt the following trial season. I had handled dogs in different venues NAVHDA etc but never in a field trial it was a great experience one I would like to attempt with another dog.

[Reveille75]

I've got GSP's. I entered an older dog in an HRC event in College Station Texas and had a ball. There must have been 300 labs and my gsp Charlie. We got the first leg of his Started title despite the mistakes I made as his handler. Charlie is not from great bloodlines but we have killed a lot of birds together and enjoy each others company. My new pup is well bred but I all I can remember is Oudibar's Moon Pie on one side, I'll post the other side when I get it tomorrow.
When I was in College Station, I met a dog man who got me interested in the AKC trials so here we go.

[Cajun Casey]

Well, you are definitely in Uodibar country around Laredo. AKC trials are not anything like HRC,though. And, it is an expensive game.

[northern cajun]

Well, you are definitely in Uodibar country around Laredo. AKC trials are not anything like HRC,though. And, it is an expensive game.

Good point Casey but he may have the stock to kick "bleep" with some experience. Don't discourage em let em scratch there knees and go from there.

[Cajun Casey]

Well, you are definitely in Uodibar country around Laredo. AKC trials are not anything like HRC,though. And, it is an expensive game.

Good point Casey but he may have the stock to kick "bleep" with some experience. Don't discourage em let em scratch there knees and go from there.

Dude, I have Clown dogs. And I run NBHA! I don't know what "discourage" means.

It's a lot more fun if he falls off a horse when he doesn't have a dog to worry about! Go hang out, look at the dogs, talk to the folks, and get comfortable.

[northern cajun]

Well, you are definitely in Uodibar country around Laredo. AKC trials are not anything like HRC,though. And, it is an expensive game.

Good point Casey but he may have the stock to kick "bleep" with some experience. Don't discourage em let em scratch there knees and go from there.

Dude, I have Clown dogs. And I run NBHA! I don't know what "discourage" means.

It's a lot more fun if he falls off a horse when he doesn't have a dog to worry about! Go hang out, look at the dogs, talk to the folks, and get comfortable.

Good point Casey.

[kensfishing]

Thanks for the input. I won't be doing it for anything more than bragging rights and until deseeker piped in, I didn't even know there was an amateur event. There is an event next weekend in Freer, Tx I'm going to and I'm sure I'll pick up a bunch there.

I just left the trials in Ardmore and judged the open shooting dog. Most of the people there are going to Freer, Tx. They are a great bunch of people and will help you in any way. It was the most fun I've had at a trial in a long time. Go have fun no matter what anyone says. Oh by the way I beat six pros in a 56 open dog stake in Colorado a five point major as am amt. It's a high you can never match.

[Reveille75]

I spoke to a couple of folks who were socked in in Ardmore, evidently the roads really got nasty up there. One guy I spoke to even offered to let me use one of his horses to watch some events in Freer so I'm pretty excited. I appreciate everyone's thoughts and encouragement.
David

[Brittguy]

Everyone was a novice at some time

[raven34]

Sometimes I think the amateur has the advantage over the pros.... for this reason the pros are usually working someone elses dogs and several of them. I think their job is hard. The amateur is usually running one or two dogs that has their owners undivided attention and the owners full concentration is on that dog/dogs.
Also, you are usually competing against the same dogs in both amateur and open stakes. Just different handlers. If you go into it with a dog who is reliable and has that certain something it doesn't matter what stake you enter.

Just an opinion though....

My husband entered his first trial. He won a 3 point major at that trial and it was the start of an addiction!!!! So I guess a novice can compete. In a little over a year and a few trials later we had a FC/AFC. As long as you are having fun it just does'nt matter.
Jen

[Cajun Casey]

Just keep in mind that a lot of AKC Pointing Breed judges and AF judges are pros. That surprises some people.

[northern cajun]

Prepare your dog the best you can period. Drop em on the ground. It doesnt matter if the judges are pro or not and if the pro is judging I don't have to beat him. Go have fun and learn as much as you can.

[kensfishing]

Just keep in mind that a lot of AKC Pointing Breed judges and AF judges are pros. That surprises some people.

That's BUNK. I'm not a pro and I judged the open shooting dog in Ardmore.