# Field trials



## redneck_billcollector (Apr 9, 2009)

Other than ZZWeims (I know what she does), do any of yall do field trials or hunt tests with your dogs?  If so, what do yall prefer and why? I guess you can answer too zz if you want to....


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 9, 2009)

Are you a member of NAVHDA maker?  I am a member, the problem with us in south Ga. is we are so far away from all the Ga. chapter events, heck I only think me and one other person is a member in Ga. with a 229 area code.  We are probably better off working with the Florida Chapter in Panama City, I know it is closer to me than the Ga. Chapter.  I do want to thank zzweims for all she and her husband did to help my dog and me, without them I would have been totally lost.  If you haven't done it, you need to go up there, I know they are busy alot of the time, but they have a heck of a training facility.  The use of their facility is about as good a deal as you are going to find anywhere too.  I have been fooling with bird dogs off and on my whole life and I have never seen a business set up like theirs is, it has everything a novice, or pro for that matter, dog trainer could want. Their prices for the use of their facility are as reasonable as you are going to find also.


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## maker4life (Apr 9, 2009)

I've looked into the Ga Chapter of NAVHDA but like you said it's a little far for me  . From my house to the Fl line is only about fifteen miles and I just about consider anything above Cordele N ga .

I think the Fl chapters training grounds are in Lake Wales which is Polk County and just a little further than Atlanta for me . I think my best bet is going to be to get involved with the GSP club of S Ga and go from there .


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 10, 2009)

Hmmm, north of Cordele, I figure anywhere without gnats are yankees.  It is strange that we are in the traditional bird dog section of the state and don't have the NAVHDA membership that the metro Atlanta area has.  The only thing I can figure is that most bird dog people in this part of the state are like I was until very recently, pointers and setters, and that is all they are supposed to do, point birds and be steady to wing and shot. Heck, as you know, in this neck of the woods, bird dogs are discouraged from retrieving a downed quail, let alone any of the other bird and heaven forbid, a duck. I don't know, but my new attitude has me feeling like a subversive at times, but I like it.  I didn't originally get my dog because I necessarily wanted a versital dog, I got it cause it would be an easier sale to the lil lady, she has a soft spot for goofy house dogs (something that until very recently it thought was a strange trait).


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 10, 2009)

Aren't there some really big trials on some of the plantations over your way? What are the rules on getting on some of these. I know some are invitational or your dogs ha to have won so many trials before hand but are they all like that?

Adam


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## tlsgcs (Apr 10, 2009)

I run UFTA and AKC Hunt tests.  UFTA is pretty big in the southern part of Alabama and is really growing right now.  Check out their site at 

http://www.ufta-online.com/index.html


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 10, 2009)

coveyrise90 said:


> Aren't there some really big trials on some of the plantations over your way? What are the rules on getting on some of these. I know some are invitational or your dogs ha to have won so many trials before hand but are they all like that?
> 
> Adam


Yes there are Adam, the Georgia-Florida Field Trial Club, it is mainly the plantation owners pitting their dogs against each other.  They are held in the red hills and the Albany belt.  They are fun field trials and I imagine the closest thing to what field trials were back in the days of yore. They typically are very steaped in tradition and you see some really great dog work.  They also have more wild bird action than any other field trial in the eastern U.S..  Unless things have changed since the last one I attended it is 110% pointers and setters.  No short tailed dogs are run.  When I am talking about plantations I am talking about the private ones not generally open to the public.  It has been at least 10 years since I have been to one of them though, the rules might have changed.


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## shotgun (Apr 10, 2009)

I like the AKC Hunt Test. I think if yu title a dog then when breeding time comes the title speaks for itself.Also Navhda
is something I might look into later but at the present my pup is not ready.


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## Luke0927 (Apr 10, 2009)

Thats what im wanting to get into this year...my 2 dogs that i can test, im going to run them in SH and some walking trails.  They are steady to wing which is whats needed for SH but im going to fully break them just for that extra little bit then if they do good in that I would like to put a MH on my female....My male has a little more run i would like to run him in some of the walking trials.


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## Jetjockey (Apr 10, 2009)

Im gonna to hopefully run my pup in NSTRA events.  NSTRA is great for the guys who don't have horses or the money to train and run their dogs in traditional horseback trials.  My pup will be in SD this summer being trained by an all ages field trial trainer.  I don't want to put her on the Derby or All Ages FT circuit, but who knows.  My breeder thinks that the trainer is gonna wanna keep my pup and run her in the circuit since she is doing so well at 10 months old.  But at that point its more like owning a race horse rather then a hunting dog.  Unless she shows really, really well and looks like she could be a champion I'm gonna bring her back and run her in NSTRA.  In NSTRA the dogs only have to be broke to wing, and they have to retrieve.  In traditional FT's dogs have to be broke to wing and shot and they don't have to retrieve.  All ages dogs tend to run a lot bigger then NSTRA dogs but NSTRA dogs still have to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time.  The only problem with that is my pup is showing she likes to run with the all ages dogs.  Unless you have seen an AA dog run, your missing out.  They cover a LOT of ground very fast.  They run HUGE.  But some guys don't like a dog that runs really big.  No matter what, a field trial dog is gonna run a lot bigger then the normal hunting dog.  At least the good field trail dogs will.


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## zzweims (Apr 11, 2009)

I've done a lot of different venues, but I prefer field trials by a longshot, because I am competetive and I'd rather ride a horse than walk.  I figure if God wanted me to cover that much ground in a day, he would have given me four legs and a tail.  Plus, I'm much less likely to spill my cocktail whilst astride a good gaited horse.

Slightly OT--while at the NAVHDA test last weekend, a group of people were complaining about the lack of navhda chapters in the south (navhda is huge up north).  They were discussing possible locations for a new chapter, and I suggested S. Georgia.  These Atlanta/Orlando/New Jersey folks looked at me like I was daft.  Then one Orvis clad guy spoke for the group when he said, "NAVHDA is designed for REAL hunters.  Nobody hunts quail in south Georgia!"

I just chuckled and walked away.


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## shotgun (Apr 11, 2009)

Where are the NAVHDA chapters located in Georgia?
One in Central Georgia around Covington/Milledgeville would be nice.


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 11, 2009)

Well, if you happen to see that gentleman again, why not give him my phone number.  I would love to have a conversation with him. I would be willing to bet him good money that there are probably more working bird dogs in Dougherty, Baker and Lee Counties than all of Metro Atlanta combined.  Those three county's human population is probably less any one of the smaller metro counties.  I know of some plantations where any one of them have as many working bird dogs as there in most metro counties. If you were to throw in Worth and Thomas Counties  you would have the majority of working bird dogs in the state. Notice I am talking about working bird dogs, not bird dog breeds that have never hunted.

SOWEGA is where the wild bird population is and probably has as much acerage operating as pay hunt places as the rest of the state combined.  Can you tell that that might have ticked me off just a tad? Dang, the two biggest nationally known field trialers in the state live in Lee County (the County due north of Albany), Rick Furney and Robin Gates.


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 11, 2009)

Be honest ZZ, you posted that just to get me fired up...  In all honesty, there aren't but two members in SOWEGA (looking at the phone numbers) with moi being one, I guess there are a number of factors, mainly this is english pointer and english setter country, though you will see some GSPs and Brittanys at times.  Most folks that hunt quail use those and have a dedicated retriever for any dove or waterfowl hunting down here.  I reckon it might be easier for those of us that don't live in urban areas to have more dogs and have kennels for those lovable, stand offish and aloof pointers.  One other thing, most of your bird dogs down here are dang near discouraged to retrieve, at least on the big properties (private and commercial) and face it, that is where the majority of the bird dogs in the state are.


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## Jim P (Apr 11, 2009)

The way I see it, I don't care if my Britt stands on her head when she finds a bird (as long as there is a bird in front of her) and I know that she is not the best bird dog around, but she is my dog and I'm satisfied with her, I didn't spend thousands haveing someone train her and she does just fine for me, when we both was younger she even retrieved a few ducks for me.


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 11, 2009)

Jim, I hear you, I sure like watching feild trials though, you can see some down right good dog work.  I would not get overly envolved with them, simply because it would cut into too much of my hunting time.  I like the American Field variety simply because of the horses, and the big running dogs and it actually is somewhat similar to hunting on some of the bigger private plantations. My favorite ones are the ones run by the Georgia-Florida Field Trial Club, simply because of its history. There also tends to be alot of wild birds encountered during those, they are always held on private hunting plantations in either the red hills or Albany region.


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## Jim P (Apr 11, 2009)

I gues I'm just an old Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----, I always thought that it wasn't realy hunting, but who knows if I would have tryed it I more then likely would have liked it, I probly would like the walk behind your dog kind of trial.


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## Jim P (Apr 11, 2009)

I didn't put any profanity in my post. Any way's I guess I'm just a old godger, I hope that's a better word.


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 11, 2009)

There are several big trial in the Black Belt of central AL. I stopped at a plantation there in March and they hold several trials (on wild birds there) but I never did get to watch one.

Here is the place. Kowikee Creek Plantation.






They are several others but I never made it to any of them.

A few years ago, I visited Shell Creek Plantation in west AL. The owner, Bud Moore, is a big time trialer and 3 of his dogs have won the national championship at Ames Plantation. Once again, I planned on watching some of trials he held at his place, but I never made it.

His place is actually for sale now. You can see it here.
http://www.shellcreekplantation.com/recreation.php#close

Adam


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## JFS (Apr 11, 2009)

I liked NSTRA over AKC because you get to do your own shooting.   It's all good though.


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## zzweims (Apr 12, 2009)

shotgun said:


> Where are the NAVHDA chapters located in Georgia?
> One in Central Georgia around Covington/Milledgeville would be nice.



There is only one chapter in Georgia (actually, it is a 'sub-chapter' to Mid-South in Tennessee).  Fortunately for you, it is located in Covington.   They train at Doc McGarrity's farm (now Buckeye Plantation) on Jersey Social Circle Road.  It's a beautiful place.  The chapter holds monthly training days there, starting, I think, next weekend.  Visit their website for details http://navhdaga.org  Then go to one of the training days.  Just show up with your dog and ask alot of questions.  They are very nice people.


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## zzweims (Apr 12, 2009)

redneck_billcollector said:


> Be honest ZZ, you posted that just to get me fired up...



Hee hee, guilty as charged  When the guy made the comment, I instantly thought of you.  Perhaps it's a good thing you didn't make it to the test as I suspect you would've given him a good old fashioned southern 'talkin to.'


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## whitedog (Apr 13, 2009)

I have a couple of dogs that run AF open horseback stakes. Michigan Open Shooting Dog Championship starts today. I have a derby and a shooting dog running.
Redneck, do you know Ricky Furney?


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## timetohunt (Apr 13, 2009)

When exactly do the field trials in Georgia start up again? I really need to get my dog ready and in one.


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 13, 2009)

I don't know if yall have ever seen any of his work, but Chris Chantland has got some great paintings depicting field trial scenes.

This is a wagon from Elsoma Plantation at a trial at Borderline Plantation.






Gallery at a trial on Ted Tuner's Avalon Plantation.





Wagon-master from Pineland Plantation at a field trial.





Judge at Georgia-Florida owner's trial.





Gallery at Avalon Plantation.





Owner and his dog.





Wagon team waiting for the trial to begin.





Point!





Adam


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 13, 2009)

whitedog said:


> I have a couple of dogs that run AF open horseback stakes. Michigan Open Shooting Dog Championship starts today. I have a derby and a shooting dog running.
> Redneck, do you know Ricky Furney?


I have met him a time or two.  Actually his family and my momma's family go back aways.  Back when they were on Tallassee


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## Jim P (Apr 13, 2009)

Adam real nice pictures, that one looks like the cavalry fixing to charge.


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 13, 2009)

Nice art work Adam.  I have seen most of those, heck, the Georgia-Florida Field Trial Club uses some of his work to raise money if I am not mistaken.  Alot of those works are associated with that organization to some extent or other.
Have your ever read "This Land I Have Loved" by Thomas Balfour?  It would be right up your alley I imagine.  It is about the history of the red hills plantations.


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 14, 2009)

redneck_billcollector said:


> Nice art work Adam.  I have seen most of those, heck, the Georgia-Florida Field Trial Club uses some of his work to raise money if I am not mistaken.  Alot of those works are associated with that organization to some extent or other.
> Have your ever read "This Land I Have Loved" by Thomas Balfour?  It would be right up your alley I imagine.  It is about the history of the red hills plantations.



Never have but I'd sure like to. Where can I find a copy?

Balfour Land Company owns the pineywoods Pine Hill Plantation operates on.


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## redneck_billcollector (Apr 14, 2009)

coveyrise90 said:


> Never have but I'd sure like to. Where can I find a copy?
> 
> Balfour Land Company owns the pineywoods Pine Hill Plantation operates on.



I found my copy at Stafford's in Thomasville.  It is an interesting book mainly about the growth of the red hills Plantations and the culture of hunting that developed with them.  Thomas Balfour started out as a forester and ended up with tons of land down there.  He was an outdoorsman who loved to bird hunt and duck hunt and the book has tons of vintage photographs of both of those pursuits.  He also loved golf and there is a chapter about the growth of the Thomasville Country Club which as you can well imagine was tied in with the plantation owners. It also has a little bit about the Albany Plantation belt and how it was tied in with the red hills plantations.  For regional history buffs it makes for some fine reading. Strangely the book has durn near as much about the great duck hunting as the quail hunting of days gone by.  Something I didn't know was that the early plantation owners were fanatic duck hunters and the lakes around Talahassee were great duck hunting venues in their day.  There was a whole culture of ex-slaves, decendants of slaves and a couple of indians thrown in that lived on those lakes and made a living paddleing, and guiding the northerners for both duck hunting and fishing in the early 20th century.  Mr. Balfour was unique down there, he was a major land owner that was local in origin and was one of the only locals that socialized with the northern plantation owners.  The Albany belt was a little different, Richard Tift (A native Albanian) was the individual responsible for most of those and a good many were started by Southerners, with a high precentage of Georgians.

Oh yeah, I am sad to inform you that another individual associated with the Plantation scene down here died of natural causes friday night, Mrs. Rena Divine, who was best known for here series of prints called "Plantations of Southwest Georgia" though she did many other prints of wildfowl and song birds native to this part of the state.  The Queen of England owns an original of hers (so do I, I grew up with her as my next door neighbor) along with many other famous people.  If you have ever been on any of the private plantations in the Albany area you have seen her work, or for that matter, in most Lawyers and Doctors offices in Albany(at least the ones that hunt) you have seen her work. Governor Busbee was her husband's law partner and he would give one of her works of art as a gift to visiting dignataries.


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 15, 2009)

Sorry to hear about Mrs. Divine. I always enjoyed looking at her plantation maps.

I am going to find me a copy. Sounds like a good read. I'll call Staffords and see if they got a copy.

That article I posted about Horseshoe Plantation in Tallahassee show some pictures of a duck and goose hunt on some of the lakes. Here's the link in case you didn't see it. Go to page 40. They talk about and have pictures of a traditional quail, a dove shoot, and a duck hunt.

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/edb/reader.html?magID=SI&issueDate=19550124&mode=reader_vault

Adam


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## coveyrise90 (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks Redneck for the recommendation. I called Staffords today and ordered their last copy. I look forward to receiving it. 

Adam


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