Setterguy - spring grouse trials

[gspman]

Setterguy (or anyone else that knows),
Is there a calendar listing the spring coverdog grouse trials in the MN area and the locations and dates on which they are being held. I'd like to attend one this spring just to see what it's all about. I'm assuming a coverdog field trial is a walking affair, no horses or other transportation for the gallery.
gspman

[setterguy]

http://members3.boardhost.com/coverdog/msg/14507.html

Here are the dates for the grouse trials, sometimes they are pushed back because of snow cover so check before you make the drive. These are walking stakes but I'm not sure if there are galleries allowed in grouse trials or not. I used to run them but don't anymore. Check out the Minnesota Grouse dog association web site. Scroll down to the message board and try and find out there. They are a good bunch of guys that really know a lot about grouse dogs. Hope this helps.

P.S. Our club also has a walking stake this spring, and I know that you can walk with any brace you would like. If you would like more info just drop me a line.

[email protected]

[bigeyes]

Does anybody know what types of trails GSP's run or don't they have any? My GSP is 6 months and I would like to do some amature fun stuff with him any idea where that can be done? I was under the impression that GSP's are good hunters, when I got him. Now that I am learning a little more about trials all I ever see is pointers and setters. Are GSP's just not as good of hunters as these other breeds?

[gspman]

bigeyes,
There's lots of stuff GSP'ers can do with their dogs. The GSP club of MN has walking and fun trials and they host a horseback trial as well. You could start there. http://gspcmn.info/
I think the area GWP, and Brittany clubs do the same sort of thing. The Northstar Weimaraner club does too. Not sure about the Vizsla club. There's NSTRA events too that I think several different clubs host. I used to belong to the Southern MN Pointing Dog Club and they hosted NSTRA trials. You might be able to run in the grouse trials too. Hope that helps.
gspman

[gspman]

bigeyes,
I wasn't very thorough. I just read the bottom half of your post.

Practically every AKC pointing breed has trials/hunt tests/etc... for them. The pointer/setter trials are American Field sanctioned and are by no means the only field trials there are. Do a google search on "gsp" and "field trial" and you will have a ton of hits. Pointers, setters, and shorthairs are the most trialed dogs of all the pointing breeds.

GSP's are indeed excellent bird dogs. Some would argue they are the best all-round pointing dog there is. But a good bird dog is a good bird dog no matter what type of breed it is. And you get out of your dog what you put into it. Because of the size of the GSP gene pool, your odds of getting a good hunting shorthair that will do what you want are very good if you've done your research. Remember it's a personal preference thing. Personally I love English Pointers and think Setters (English, and the Red ones) are very cool too. But upon doing my research I just felt that the shorthair breed would give me the best chance at getting the type of dog that I needed for my style of hunting. Sometime in my life I will own a pointer or a setter though. I've never seen a pointer or setter hunt in person which is why I'm going to see a grouse trial this spring. I need to see for myself if one of these beasts could fit my way of hunting.

By the way. If you could name some dogs in your pups pedigree I or someone else might be able to give you some idea of how your pooch might hunt.

Another rambling disertation by the gspman.

Good luck with your pup.
gspman

[bigeyes]

Thanks GSPMAN. The link you had did not work for me? I will try to find more info on this Minnesota GSP club. So if I understand you right, the reason we don't see GSP's in things like the nationals is because they are of german decent while the others are american?

[bigeyes]

Setterguy you have mail.

[gspman]

bigeyes,
I noticed the link didn't work either. It did a month or 2 ago.

The country of origin has nothing to do with why you generally don't see GSP's run against pointers and setters. It's because the trials are run by 2 different organizations. The field trials for pointers/setters are run by the American Field (ie. FDSB - Field Dog Stud Book) and the Continental breeds events are run by the American Kennel Club. Generally FDSB and AKC don't mix much. The field trial pointers and setters are usually only registered in the FDSB, and the shorthairs usually only in the AKC registry.

Trialers and judges for longtailed dogs look for different things then maybe the trialers and judges for the bob-tailed dogs do. Also tradition probably plays into it as well. Generally bobtailed dogs don't fair too well in trials for the longtailed dogs. Not because they don't perform, but that they perform "differently" than what the judges are looking for. The message board link below discusses this a little before the thread kinda goes out of control. http://members5.boardhost.com/maritimefield/msg/5388.html

Anyways, the All-age pointers and setters at the National run at extreme range. And I mean EXTREME (easily 1 mile plus on the prairies). Many GSP's can and do run like that, but most don't and wouldn't be competitive. I would think that a good shorthair could run in the American Field shooting dog stakes as well as any walking stakes or cover dog stakes and turn in a good performance though.

There is a GSP National Championship Field Trial as well as an AKC All-breed National Championship Field Trial and these are quite the affairs as well.

If you want more info shortairs in MN go to
http://www.gspca.org - GSPCA site, click on the Member Clubs link on the left and then click on Minnesota to the contact info for the GSPCMN secretary.

For trial info start with this guy. He's the GSPCA field trial chairman and lives near Red Wing. Tell them Clark Koenen sent you and he deserves a discount when he sends his dog down for training. They'll probably roll their eyes and mutter some expletives under their breath. 8^)
Phil & Anne Mathiowetz • Phone: 651-923-4348
http://www.windwalkerkennel.com

Good luck.
gspman

[setterguy]

I thought that I would let you handle this one gspman, seeings on how you are the expert on gsps.
In addition to your post I would add that you may enter any breed into a pointing trial as long as it is a recognized pointing breed. (pointing labs are excluded). There are many gsps, and brits and wirehairs in our club with all of them fairing very well. The reason that most of the dogs you see in the "BIG" trials are setters and pointers is mainly because of range at which they hunt. Field setters and pointers have been bred to be a little more ranging than most of the contintal breeds. Of course there are always going to be shorthairs that can run with the big Miller pointers and conversly there are always guys selling pointers and setters because they don't range far enough for them. Now these dogs can still make fine hunting dogs and actually probably make better ones than the ones that dominate the trial circut. Some of the best trial dogs I have ever seen I would never let out of the truck on a hunt, and some of the best hunting dogs I've seen wouldn't make it through the first 15 minutes of a trial. If you would like some info on our spring trials just drop me a line, we love it when we can get some new dogs into the club... If you have any more questions on trials or anything feel free to post or drop me an email.

[email protected]

[gspman]

setterguy,
Thanks for the compliment. But I am no expert on GSP's or any other breed for that matter. I do a good job regurgitating info that I've picked up through the years though. 8^) I'm definitely going to try to get to one of the coverdog trials in Mora in April. I'm very interested in seeing how the pointers & setters run in the grouse woods compared to my old girl.
gspman

[bigeyes]

GSPMAN thanks for the info. Jake fianlly fetched his first downed bird this weekend. Pretty exciting! He didn't bring it right back, just walked around showing it off. By they end of the day he picked up and brought back about half the birds. It sure is fun to have a hunting dog.