Reciprocity Issue

Long time NRSFTC member and friend, Craig Opel, read the Reciprocity Editorial in the current issue (November December 07) of The Flushing Whip (www.nrsftc.com/PDF/Whip.pdf). He immediately sent me a wonderful story with some interesting background about the 32 year reciprocity ban. Let me share it for you here:

Hi Deborah : Great Flushing Whip this month . Could not hold back after reading your excellent article on the reciprocity issue to give you the inside scoop on what lead to the banning of it in 1975.
In the fall of 1973, ISCA was holding it's first in many years, a national field trail ( preview of a national championship the next year ) at Lenexa, Kansas in November . Bob Peterson and I decided in early fall that we would go with his two dogs , Miss Collen of Kaymar , Shawn of Kaymar and, my dog,e Vickie of Kaymar. All three of these dogs had many, many FDSB wins all over the country but they also had all three achieved an AKC Championship along the way . After we sent our registrations , we were informed that they were adding a shoot to kill stake ( they knew we did not train our dogs on this and were sure they would win ) .I took that as a challenge and, in three weeks, had Vickie retrieving shot birds . I won that stake .
Well, we all gathered in Kansas in November for the big trial. AKC people drove from all over the country to get their field placements for the Champion title . Well, it didn't quite work out for them that way . We had three dogs in it, 4 stakes , 4 placements . Open All age - we took three of 4 spots-Open limited All age -we took 1st , 2nd and 3rd , Open gun dog--we took three of the four spots including 1st. In the Shoot to kill and retrieve, I ran Vickie as our only entry and beat all of their dogs .The outrage was so severe we needed to get out of there as fast as we could . One problem was Peterson had left early and I had to collect all of the trophies and with three dog kennels plus stuff I could not get it all of the trophies into my station wagon .
The entire group was so upset over the fact that they had driven all that way and for all practical purpose had not gotten any points towards a Championship status for their efforts . At that time, they decided that the only way to keep this from happening again was to ban us from the event . The board of directors met in 1974 and by 1975 ,the ban was in place.
Never thought that event would pop up so many years later to have to straighten the record out .
A final event that happened as I was packing up to leave was the Kansas City Newspaper was there covering the event and wanted a picture of Shawn on Point ( he was a great looking high tailed dog - added insult to injury with that aspect also ). They planted a bird and while many watched Shawn slammed on to a perfect high at both ends, solid as a rock, point for the picture . Well, the photographer said the light was wrong and Shawn needed to be on the other side of the bird --could I fix that . Sure--I picked him up by the collar and tail and move him around to the correct spot. I let go and he once again, he was like a rock . I could here the buzzing about that and most of them turned and walked away .I heard people telling that story for years after not knowing I was the one involved.
Well ,now you know all I know on this subject and how it came about . You can share this with whoever you please.

And that, as Paul Harvey says.... is the rest of the story! WOW!! Thanks Craig for sharing this great story !