2017 Field Trial Schedule

[ForestDump]

For the guys and girls who like to play games in the off season

2017 Field Trial Schedule


February 23-26
AKC Walking Gun Dog Nationals, Conway, AK

February 27-March 2
AKC Gun Dog Nationals, Conway, AK- Wayne Yama*censored*a judging
March 4th
Field Trial Seminar

March 10,11,12
East Seattle @ Scatter Creek

March 11th
NWFTC Dog of the Year Award Banquet

March 18
NWPDA Boyce Corral- Work Party/ Training Day

March 25-26
Open Weekend

March 31- April 1-2
Oregon Brittany Club- Boyce

April 4-5
Oregon Brittany Western Shooting Dog Championship-Boyce

April 8-9
Inland Empire GSP- Fishtrap, WA
Whid Isle Britt- Ritzville, WA
Idaho GSP- Payette, ID

April 15-16
GSP of WA-TBD
Washington Britt- Ritzville, WA

April 22-23
GSP of OR- Tygh Valley, OR
Idaho Britt- TBD

April 29-30
GWPC of OR- Boyce Corral, OR

May 5-7
NWPDA- Boyce Corral, OR

May 8-10
NWPDA Championship- Boyce Corral, OR

May 13-14
Oregon Britt- Boyce Corral, OR
GSP of OR- Hunt Test- Sauvie Island

May 20-21
Trails End Vizsla- SI

May 27-28
GSP of Oregon- SI

June 3-4
GWPC of Oregon- Sauvie Island

June 10- 11
Oregon Britt- Sauvie Island

June 17-18
NWPDA- SI
GSP of WA Hunt Test- Ellensberg

June 23-25
Will Weim Club- SI

July 1-2
Open weekend

July 8-9
Will Weim Club- SI

July 21-23
Stumptown Dog Show and Specialties

July 29-30
Open Weekend
GSP of OR Water Test

August 5-6
Will Weim Club- SI

Aug 12-13
Trails End Vizsla- Hunt Test- SI
GWPC of OR- Hunt Test- SI

Aug 19-20
East Seattle- SC

Aug 26-27
GSP of WA- Hunt Test- Oakdale

September 2-3-4
Oregon Britt- Boyce
GSP of OR- Tygh Valley

September 9-10
NWPDA- Boyce
Whid Isle Britt- Ritzville, WA

September 16-17
GWPC of CO- Boyce
Wa Britt- Ritzville, WA

September 23-24
Inland Empire GSP- Ritzville, Wa
Idaho Britt- TBD

[Happy Gilmore]

The Brits... 😊 

[scottr]

I've never run my dog (3 YO setter) in a trial but would like to give it a shot to learn and dip my toe in the pool, are there any local "fun trials" for weekend warriors like myself? Something that would be a few hour dive and 1 day commitment?

[10Key]

The Brits... 😊

Yeah, they are awesome, aren't they?!

[jetjockey]

The Brits... 😊

Yeah, they are awesome, aren't they?!

Sure are.  As a matter of fact they won last years AKC GD nationals at Ames! 

[wildweeds]

No such thing as "fun trials" in Akc or American field venues, NSTRA used to be quite popular in the NW, but it appears to have waned to almost extinction. There is a spring NSTRA trial in Moses lake.You would most likely get more enjoyment out of a late winter/early spring preserve hunt.

I've never run my dog (3 YO setter) in a trial but would like to give it a shot to learn and dip my toe in the pool, are there any local "fun trials" for weekend warriors like myself? Something that would be a few hour dive and 1 day commitment?

[scottr]

No such thing as "fun trials" in Akc or American field venues, NSTRA used to be quite popular in the NW, but it appears to have waned to almost extinction. There is a spring NSTRA trial in Moses lake.You would most likely get more enjoyment out of a late winter/early spring preserve hunt.

Are there any local gun dog clubs that run trials that would be good for a beginner? Would like to check it out, see how my dog would do but probably don't have the time to make trials a regular thing.

[ForestDump]

I've never run my dog (3 YO setter) in a trial but would like to give it a shot to learn and dip my toe in the pool, are there any local "fun trials" for weekend warriors like myself? Something that would be a few hour dive and 1 day commitment?

I just recently moved out here from the east coast so there might be others who can tell you more about the scene but the Oregon Bird Dog Challenge is a pretty loose atmosphere with a training day the day before the trial. NSTRA is a great trial for meat dogs but its a bird finding game. Check the AKC website for clubs in your area and get in contact with the club's secretary. They will tell you about training days, how active they are and if the club is more hunting or trial focused.

[jetjockey]

No such thing as "fun trials" in Akc or American field venues, NSTRA used to be quite popular in the NW, but it appears to have waned to almost extinction. There is a spring NSTRA trial in Moses lake.You would most likely get more enjoyment out of a late winter/early spring preserve hunt.

Are there any local gun dog clubs that run trials that would be good for a beginner? Would like to check it out, see how my dog would do but probably don't have the time to make trials a regular thing.

Call the FT secretary involved with the trial you want to watch.  Tell them your story and see what happens.  If your dog is broke, throw it in a gun dog stake and have fun.  You can walk the stake or someone will most likely have a horse you can ride.  While there are no "fun trials" per say, weekend trials are pretty laid back.  I've run my young green broke dog in a GD trial knowing she was holding place. But I wanted her to get the experience.  Turns out she ran pretty well until a small bobble at the end.  Give it a shot and have fun, just don't take it too seriously, and talk to the judges about why the look for the things they look for.   Sometimes new people don't understand why a dog with 1 find can beat a dog with 4 finds.

[wildweeds]

I think it bears mentioning the "broke" standard, broke means points, you flush birds,fire gun and the dog remains completely still until you walk back to the dog and grab it by the collar, no hops, no chasing allowed. More than one person has entered only to have their dog on a rope 5 minutes into it because the dog isn't broke or even green broke.

[scottr]

I think it bears mentioning the "broke" standard, broke means points, you flush birds,fire gun and the dog remains completely still until you walk back to the dog and grab it by the collar, no hops, no chasing allowed. More than one person has entered only to have their dog on a rope 5 minutes into it because the dog isn't broke or even green broke.

Thank you! Very informative. My dog is a foot hunting dog from trial stock. He's not steady to wing & shot yet so maybe next year.

[jetjockey]

Don't forget he has to back and stop-to-flush as well.  There's a lot of "foot hunting"
dogs out there that could be National champions if they were given the chance.

[wildweeds]

I will give you the stop to flush but backing isn't necessary if the dog runs the front. My dog didn't back ever,he ran the front.

Don't forget he has to back and stop-to-flush as well.  There's a lot of "foot hunting"
dogs out there that could be National champions if they were given the chance.

[jetjockey]

I will give you the stop to flush but backing isn't necessary if the dog runs the front. My dog didn't back ever,he ran the front.

Don't forget he has to back and stop-to-flush as well.  There's a lot of "foot hunting"
dogs out there that could be National champions if they were given the chance.

You didn't trial much then.  Even if a dog stays to the front, it will end up behind after a find.  That's why they say you won't win a trial with a back, but you could certainly lose one without it.

[wildweeds]

The dog trialed 3 years worth, and in that time placed/won 33 stakes. The dog never ran the horsepath, was in the front and alot of the brace mates were either picked up or lagging way behind. The dog is dead now, but he really was a freak of nature. In his handlers top 10 dogs of 35 years of trialing and training.

[jetjockey]

So!   A dog that at finds birds will come from behind and better back.   To tell newbie a dog doesn't need to back in an AKC/AF trial is simply not true.  I've seen National Champions and Dogs of The year run, and they all back!

[ForestDump]

I think it bears mentioning the "broke" standard, broke means points, you flush birds,fire gun and the dog remains completely still until you walk back to the dog and grab it by the collar, no hops, no chasing allowed. More than one person has entered only to have their dog on a rope 5 minutes into it because the dog isn't broke or even green broke.

Thank you! Very informative. My dog is a foot hunting dog from trial stock. He's not steady to wing & shot yet so maybe next year.

Take a look into NSTRA. It's more of a foot hunter friendly game you course the field gobbling up as many birds as you can before time. The dog does not have to be properly broke and you will get scored on shooting as well as finds. He can break on flush as long as he's not flushing the bird himself. Most hunters just need a dog steady enough to let the gun get into position. NSTRA also scores for backing though so it would be nice if your dog honors.

[Happy Gilmore]

Everybody is very friendly in the local trial scene. Even to a guy with chessies. I've helped set up water tanks, shoot and plant birds.

[AspenBud]

I think the advice to look at the Oregon Bird Dog Challenge is sound. Most people new to the game don't have a dog that is 100% broke, might only work well with an e-collar on, and might be best run in a singles event. BDC events, by all accounts, fit that bill.

The Port-Van Pointing Dog Club isn't a bad place for newbs either.

NSTRA would have more traction if events were not so far to the east.

AKC and AF trials draw the dedicated. That's where pointing dog perfection is required.