If you could have a new venue what would you require in terms of "everything"
and - are any new venue's required?

Area (size, type - woodland, field, etc)
Facilities
Water

I know next to nothing about Field Trials but need to learn so the more you can tell me about what's needed the better

If you reply I would ask for permission beforehand to print off your replies and use them to create a report for the people who may be able to offer this facility

Christine

Hi Christine.
I don’t work in Field Trials so I’m not the best person to answer this but for the want of hearing my own voice, here goes!
Obviously birds, (usually Pheasants) are required! For this reason Field Trials are almost exclusively held on shooting estates. The shoot I pick up on includes 2 moderate size farms and is about one and a half miles from end to end looked at on an Ordinate Survey map. This kind of area allows us to not have drive the same areas all the time. Cover will be needed to hold the birds which is usually made up of areas of woodland, hedgerows and game crop (Rape or the like). Water is desirable in fact to become a champion a dog needs to prove itself in water. Trials can be held without water but the availability of it enhances the trial.

The problem with holding a Field Trial is that a shoot must lose a day or more shooting to allow the trial to take place because obviously it will need to be held during the three or so months of the shooting season.

As a for runner to a Field Trial a land owner might feel like allowing his or her ground to be used for a Working Test. The same type of land is desirable (although a novice Test would not need quite such testing ground) but are held during the summer so do not interfere with the shoot which uses the ground and of course gives the land owner and gundog people a chance to get to know each other.

If you need any more just drop me an email

Regards John

I think John has covered it all Christine.

I am always on the look out for ground that I could hold a gundog working test (no game) or field trial training days (run like a shoot day or trial). If you have access to any such grounds, please keep me in mind :-)

One of the problems with Field Trials is they have to be KC licensed and the rules and regs can be a nightmare. Also there are only a limited number granted by the KC each year and the breed clubs tend to get first pickings. Gundog Training days have no such restrictions.

Feel free to give me a ring if you need more info.

Leigh

I think I meant Working Test as opposed to Field Trial - shows how much I know

Thanks -

Christine

Working Tests, as Leigh says are a much easier proposition. In retrievers it's usual to run something like a Puppy and Novice dog/Novice handler test on one day. The amount of ground needed is nowhere near as large as a Field Trial. Usually there are around 5 tests and both classes would use the same tests. Novice, Intermediate and open need slightly more room but any organisation approached would bite your hand off for the chance of a new test ground!

Regards John

You would also need a KC permission for a working test :-) Leigh

This is a long term project and there is no hurry but I would like to talk to you sometime about it - not having gun dogs I know nothing about their "working" requirments.

Best wishes
Christine

Anytime Christine ...you've got my home number ? Leigh

Just another spoke for the wheel Christine.....what about working trials?????
I helped organise one a few years ago...what an eye opener after nonchanantly competing in them for 10 years beforehand!!
10 thousand...yes TEN thousand, acres required to put one on.

Hi Sam,

Can you give me more information? I am not sure whether 10,000 acres would be available (as it is used for other purposes as well) but if you give me as much information as possible I can put it forward.

I put a request on the WT list similar to the one here and have not received even one reply so was not going to follow it up <g>. I decided am not going to do the work if people cannot even respond so if you can help I would appreciate it.

TIA
Christine

Basically the ideal scenario is no railways, no roads (other than minor lanes), no deer, no sheep or electric fencing! Sounds a tall order but it has been almost achievable when we had trials in Norfolk. The college valley was also excellent although tends to be bloody steep if you have to run 2 or 3 miles up a verticle hillside!!!
Dartmoor was good although hill sheep can be a bit gamey unfortunately.

I don't know about deer, I imagine there are some in the forest but none of the others you mention <g>

Christine

which forest?

Christine, have a word with Sophie M. We used to hold Gundog working tests and training days on her ground :-) Leigh

Hi Sam,

At the moment it is still at the idea's stage so I can't give too much information because we need to know what is practical and viable and what is not.

Hi Leigh

Yes, I remember Sophy's set up - I will have a word with her.

Best wishes
Christine