# Bird dog competitions



## goldcasmolly (Nov 6, 2006)

Wondering if anyone can direct me to information on local (5 state) competitions for bird dogs next year. I am looking at competing my dog next year.


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## lecub (Mar 14, 2003)

as far as AKC events try http://www.akc.org/events/index this will give you the events for pointers,flushers,and retrievers. are you looking for hunt test, or field trials? Lee


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## goldcasmolly (Nov 6, 2006)

hunting tests and field trials. I am looking for something that I can get a feel for how she compares to other dogs. I think she is the perfect hunting dog, and I'd just like to know how she compares.


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## lecub (Mar 14, 2003)

I run and judge in spaniel hunt tests, what type dog do you have?


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## goldcasmolly (Nov 6, 2006)

yellow labs


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

I know that they put on a Hunt test in Valley City, We, Northland Gun Dog Club had one here in the Spring in Grand Forks.

We are going to have one in the spring but have not set any dates yet.
We will start meeting in January after hunting season to set it up.


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## gundogguru (Oct 7, 2003)

goldcasmolly Try and find a UKC club also. They are a lot of fun and are more friendly than the AKC people.(at least down here) The UKC or HRC clubs are geared more to real hunting scenario. I run wirehairs and judge AKC pointing tests and run my labs and wires in the HRC tests. They are a loy of fun and you will meet some great people. Good luck.


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

define "competition". Are you looking to see how your dog stacks up against a given standard, or do you want him/her to go head to head vs other dogs? There's a HUGE difference between the two. If your looking to see how he/she'll do against a standard, then your looking at hunt tests. In which case you can look at NAHRA, AKC and HRC.

If your looking to go dog v dog...then you can either run AKC field trials or NATHA (North American Tournament Hunter Association). Field Trials are tough and I'm not sure if that's the relm your looking at getting into, but NATHA is those timed pheasant hunts where you need track shoes and not your hunting boots.  I've never ran in NATHA but have watched an event. They look like fun but it's pricey to get entered. Here's some info on NATHA: 
http://www.horseandhunt.com/natha/schedule.html
Or you should be able to google it and find out more info.

If your looking to run your dog though in a test against a standard, then I'd definitely look at running one of the entry level tests for either NAHRA, AKC or HRC.


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## tallgrasser (Nov 18, 2005)

There's a AKC Retriever club in Fargo. They also run Hunt Tests there and I believe Field trials occasionally. Check the AKC website that someone has already posted and see when the next event is. They occasionally run ads in the outdoor section of the Fargo and Grand Forks paper advertizing for seminars. You can get a point of contact from that ad. They have some nice training ground just a few miles east of Fargo that you can use if you're a member. I think!

Going to watch these dogs run in these events will open ones eye's at what a dog is capable of doing. First time I watched one, I went home and kicked my dog. Just kidding of course. But it really encouraged me to start spending more time training.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

http://www.ndrc.org/

Here is the website to Fargo's retriever club.


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## gonehuntin' (Jul 27, 2006)

I'll tell you flat out: If you've never seen or run in an AKC trial and you think you are going to compete in one, you're going to be a very embarassed handler. These trials are for the cream of the retriever world and the dogs have undergone years of intensive training. Look before you leap. There is also a tremendous difference in competing against another dog and competing against a standard. When you compete against another dog, "There can be only one".


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

I agree with Gonehuntin, for five years I trained my female alot all year long tons of time into her and thought I had the greatest dog in the world, then I joined a retriever club last spring that runs HRC tests most of our members have young dogs and i still thought I had the greatest dog in the world, then I went to a lic. AKC field trial and my dreams were shattered :lol: I no longer had the greatest dog .J/K she still is the best dog I have ever hunted over but I also have more time into her than any other dog I have hunted with, I just trained her for different reasons, she does well in the HRC games but strugles with the AKC set ups, but all this has made her a better dog and me a better handler. Best thing you can do is join a club, this has prompted me to join a second club get another pup and train even harder and with more of a purpose this time.

Have fun


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## fetchjake (Jun 8, 2005)

Field trials are definitely a different game. I've heard of a lot of people who have MH dogs try their hands at QAA and just get crushed. If you were to choose a FT, you'd be competeing against dogs that never leave a pros truck ie) the pro trains them month after month after month... if not year after year). So if you were to decide to try a FT, you should definetly go to one first and watch. For that matter, I'd suggest you go to a HT and watch as well. Each organization (AKC, NAHRA, HRC) is a bit different...but all are a ton of fun to run in!


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## hydro870 (Mar 29, 2005)

North Dakota Retriever Club Website:

http://www.ndrc.org/

They run AKC Hunt Tests & AKC Field Trials as well as informal events.

A good place to start if you really want to "get a feel for how she compares to other dogs".


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## goldcasmolly (Nov 6, 2006)

Thanks for all the great advise and links.


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## tallgrasser (Nov 18, 2005)

The Northland Gun Dog Club will be having an event on the 21st of April. The location will be at the Dakota Hunt Club, just 5 miles west of Grand Forks. We just established the date but haven't got any of the paperwork together yet. If you or anyone is interested send me an email and I'll send out an entry form.

It will be a Run and Gun (scoring as opposed to judging) format Pheasants for Retreivers/Flushers and Chukar for the Pointing dogs. At least those are the plans right now.


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