I know this should stir up some comments and I will take the abuse for even asking but help me out here.

I don't have a local club and brow beat buddies to help me train and I would like to run my dog in a derby. There are a couple coming up.

Since I have never attended a FT but understand the concepts. As near as I can tell, derby dogs are not handled or shouldn't be since they are only doing marked retreives. Correct?

Are there multiple mark retreives? Water and a land? What are the normal distances of the marks? Visible gunners or hidden or both? Derby dogs 2 and under correct?

Do you have to qualify for a derby?
Do you have to wear white?

All marks are shot flyers? Ducks, pheasants?
All runs, some eliminations, then there are call backs for the next day, repeat until winners are chosen?

I would assume good clean marked retreives, with style score highest? How are the dogs eliminted (times, judge scores, etc)

What are they scored on?

Thanks

Jeff

Thanks

Jeff

Please! Please! Don't take this wrong. You seem like a really nice guy who loves chessies. You are a beginner and Derby is not really for a novice. I would really recommend you start in junior hunter level. The dogs that run derby are well schooled and mostly pro 's running. Derby list is serious business.

You cannot handle in derby - your out.
lead must be taken off dog before you signal for birds
all guns are exposed
distances are long 200 maybe 300
dog should take terrain and have been de cheated
for water marks.
The dogs that run derby cannot be over 2 years old.
get one live flyer per series (sometimes only one flyer in land series)
you can expect doubles
white jackets are worn but it's your preference (wear white jacket)

Thanks, I know that the derby is serious and it seems alot of dogs never go past derby points. I am assuming that is where the FT game starts is in the Derby rounds. I see some MH and SH dogs running in the derby (as long as they are under 2 years old).

I am a novice to the FT, never been, never had an interest, maybe I still don't. I did go to a field day sponsored by a FT club in Billings about 12 years ago. Most of the people there were pretty full of themselves and their black skinny lab/whippet mixes. They said Chessies couldn't compete very well and were too sluggish to score, didn't take well to training etc. I kinda ignored them and any budding interest in that game.

As to the dog game I was a finished HRC judge and trained as a judge under Omar Driskoll when he was the 1st president of HRC, so new to the dog games I am not.

I won't talk no smack though cause it is a new game to me, just trying to do some recon before getting too carried away.

Thanks

Jeff

Okay then now I'll talk. I have run Derby with my young dog and got some jams but never placed. Not because he was a chessie but because the other dogs were better schooled than mine when it came to water. Yes he was a senior hunter at the time. I have also judged Derby.

Comming to the line - have a choke or collar that can unclipp rather than pull over his head. point out the birds focus him on the memory bird take lead off call for birds. When taking lead off do it with the least amount of eefort so you don't distract dog from focus on memory bird. Remember you lose at the line.

first set up always a double with live flyer
second series can be a very long single with an obstacle like a log or brush they have to take or it could be another double
third series water double with plenty of opportunity for dog to cheat and get in trouble. The water separates the well schooled from the no schooled dogs.
plenty of opportunity to go around water or square off instead of an angle entry or angle exit.
Distances are very long and they should be because that's what his future holds if he is going to do field trials. The distance should not be an obstacle it's the placement of the birds that make the test.

Oh yeah don't bring dog to line without lead and wear a white jacket so dog can see you when returning.

I personally like field trials. Like the people and the quality of the dogs and handlers excluding me the handling is of the highest quality. I also do hunt tests and there is a big difference when talking about quality.

Now we are getting somewhere...Thanks

Once you are accepted I am sure they are nice folk, most dog people are...

I enjoy watching well trained dogs run and I am sure field trials would be no different. The trainers/handlers are dedicated and they have to be to get to those standards.

I have access to tons of training areas, however most the water is moving, not what you normally see at a trial I suspect. I have had moving water on hunt tests, that seperates the haves from the have nots, pretty quickly.

Handling usually is key, I blew a great finish test once when I was younger and too excited by handling errors. Now I am older wiser, put my hands in my pockets and keep my whistles out of my mouth until I know I need to help out, otherwise trust the Chessie....

I do appreciate the information.

thanks and good luck

Jeff

Jeff - not sure where you are in MT but did you know the ACC Specialty Field Trial (Chessies only, once annually) is in Ronan MT starting 9/16?? Would be a great place to learn more about field trials. Would also be a great first Derby for your dog IF you think she is ready.
Entries close tomorrow. Should be some info at www.amchessieclub.org and www.rftentry.com
Need more, let me know...
Diane (Boise)