Idaho Red Dog !!

Gary Kirkpatrick of Idaho sent some pics of his red dog during a training session last year... Thanks Gary... great pics!!

Red dogs...

Ryan McCourtney of Colorado sent us some pictures to share of his two hunting dogs...

Thanks Ryan !!

National Walking Futurity...

My field trial friend Ed Bartlett of Painesville, Ohio won the National Walking Futurity this past Saturday April 17 with his Enlish pointer Joy. Joy ran a scorching forward race with 3 nicely handled spring derby finds and a great performance that was a pleasure to watch. Joy is a really animated and stylish dog, and she really shines when she gets out in the open. The Futurity this year was run at the McDonald Sportsmans Club in McDonald PA... it's a open venue that looks a lot like Dakota prairies, but with more objectives for birds to hide. Joy gobbled up the course and showed how to do it right!

Great job Ed Bartlett! Ed is an Amateur handler... he trained Joy from the time she was a puppy. Awesome job to both of you!

Ed and the complete group of Futurity winners!

Ed Bartlett with Joy... Ed's good friend Al McKinney holding the plaque.

Support the National Walking Futurity... nominate your litter!

Don't Pass On The Past...

Walking Shooting Dog winners at the 2009 National Red Setter Field Trial Club trials

Supporting Walking Stakes supports The Purest Challenge!

Jan A. Zarebicki writes...

Walking Field Trials are without a doubt, the foundation of our sport. They may also may provide us with our long term salvation. Unfortunately, multiple modern constraints including but not restricted to; diminishing natural resources (i.e.grounds & wild birds), negative public sentiment towards hunting sports and the current perhaps even future economic condition are all concerns which are creeping ever closer to curtailing or even terminating our mutual activities.Walking handler field trial have a multiplicity of benefits including an affordable entry point for new postulants into our time honored sport. Let's not forget that FIELD TRIALING offers a viable ECO FRIENDLY (Ecologically &Economically) program of family oriented outdoor sporting activitites for both spectators and sporting dog enthusiasts.

An early trial at the Delaware Setter & Pointer Club...

showing the multitude of WALKING DOGS entered!

With those thoughts in mind and in an effort to promote walking handler bird dog field trials in the Middle Atlantic Region, the 100 year old, time honored, DELAWARE SETTER & POINTER CLUB, INC., an AFTCA member and the 2nd oldest existing field trial club in the United States is planning to celebrate it's CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY with a US COMPLETE sanctioned field trial including both Open and Amateur stakes, October 30th through November 1st 2009, at the Norman G. Wilder State Bird Dog Field Trial Grounds and Ralph Kellam Conservation and Recreation Center at Petersburg, Delaware.

If you would like to participate in planning the activities of this venerable institution let me refer you to their website which includes contact information...

http://delawaresetterandpointerclub.blogspot.com/

It may not point, but...

...that's one happy kid!

Triple Threat

The Red Team, Spring Training in Minnesota

Exclusively Setters

I ran across a pretty interesting site. They're all about the Irish Setter in the UK. Here is a video of their 2008 Championship. It's an interesting video. The dogs have a different style than ours here in the US, but they find birds. I'd love to get a chance to hunt out there someday.

Enjoy the video.