Gundog Society trial cancelled

[Maureen Cooper]

Sadly I have to report that the Gundog Society trial on March 11/12 has had to be cancelled due to lack of support. How trialling will go in NSW for the rest of the year remains to be seen. Maybe we should follow Gareths example and 'emigrate' to Victoria where they seem to sucessfully trial from January until November. I know we have some absentees due to litters/ dogs in season but it is not looking good.

Maureen

[Peter Betteridge]

maureen
why has the gundog society trial been cancelled prior to the close of a reasonable entry date.Closeing entry's on the 17th for a trial that is being held 4 weeks later doesn't make any sense to me.most people tend to get their entry's late.I know that is not very considerate but thats the way it is and has always been I for one would have provided 6 entry's over 2 days.Has trhe gundog society run out of workers??? and can I help
cheers peter

[Jason Ferris]

Maureen - Sorry to hear that the trial wasn't viable. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come in NSW.

Cheers, Jason.

[Prue Winkfield]

Maureen - how sad for you. You would be most welcome here but lady handlers have much more success in Queensland! Just shows how careful we must be to look after the 80% of triallers Peter Doley referred to in the other thread. Prue

[Maureen Cooper]

Peter, in response to you, the closing date of Feb 17th was 3 weeks before the trial not 4 weeks. This is printed on the schedule as per the rules and regulations of the NSWCC. Despite this, Flo has often taken entries up to 2 weeks before a trial but this time she had had no feedback re anyone wanting to put in a late entry. Two phone enquiries had been received but she had no entry forms by Wednesday and still has not. It is not up to Flo to ring round ppl asking if they are going to put an entry in.

No, it is not very considerate and if that’s the way it is for you then be prepared to miss out on a few trials, Flo had already posted schedules out to non club members. I seem to remember a previous Lab Club secretary who would not take ANY late entries. There is game to organize, equipment, venue and camping let alone helpers as well as a good catalogue to provide and all done by Flo.

I was very sad we had to let down the Novice entries especially (and I was one) but we did not have the numbers for either AA or Rest. Stakes. Flo said it was unfair to get Bob to come all the way from the ACT to judge 4 dogs, 2 of whom were being entered just to make the stake. Same applied to Ronnie. Your 3 entries per day would have only given one handler. If you want to enter, put the closing date on your calendar so you don’t miss out. Don’t just assume the entries will be held open. Closing date means just that, closing date, though a few days late may be forgiven the odd time following a phone call, but it sometimes is the same ppl late every time, and by your own admission you are one of them.

As you are aware, we have struggled to make up a stake sometimes and with the occasional injured dog or bitch in season, then the stake might not be viable on the day. It is most unfair for someone to travel a long distance eg from the Central Coast area and then find out on the day there is no stake because someone has not turned up. The numbers are down in AA with bitches with litters and retired dogs and the handsome Gareth deserting us.

We had 2 bitches in season. We also found out last year that changing stewards in a low AA stake with most of the handlers going back to another stake left the judge with hardly a helper. As Gareth said in another thread, too often some ppl bomb out and go home without staying to help.

Financially, providing game, trophies, sashes etc for two days would have run the trial at a loss but primarily, the reason was lack of entries and maybe next time the ppl who have missed out might get their entries in on time.

The criticism is unjustified and unfair on Flo, myself and Ken. Most ppl do NOT put in a late entry but this might be a wake-up call for those who think it is OK. I am very sorry to Colleen,Wayne, and Steve to mention just a few, who are Novice handlers and were looking forward to the trial. The property owners are also very disappointed as they had offered to donate a trophy as well as acquiring more land and they do come and watch.

Maureen

[Peter Betteridge]

maureen
just over 3 weeks you are right.My point is that the entry's closed too early and I for one am disappointed that no effort was made to keep the trial afloat.In years gone by ring arounds have been conducted and even if some stakes needed to be cancelled, sweepstakes are often conducted.I would be happy to help if the gundog society needed a hand.I know Flo does a tremendous amount of work but i wonder if many of the other committee members are pulling their weight
What were the numbers Maureen?? and how many more entry's did they need to make the trial viable??
cheers peter

[Jason Ferris]

I have just edited Maureen's post above to include her full reply which she emailed to me because she was having trouble posting it herself.

For my 2c worth, the trial secretary has enough to do without ringing people to find out if they are entering a trial. As the trial secretary for the Working Gundog Club last year, I did this for both our weekends of trials and it amounts to a lot of extra work in the lead up to the trial, when you are trying to finalise catalogues etc. Flo does a great job and deserves high praise for it.

Cheers, Jason.

[Kerry Webster]

I think it is always a shame when scheduled trials have to be cancelled. Is there a shortage of Novice and Restricted dogs and handlers that has caused the trial to not make numbers ?

At a time when the sport is really trying to attract new people, this does not fare well for its future.

Just wondered also, does having trials so early in the year with heat still being a problem, affect decisions as to whether to enter or not. Our first trials are at Easter and even then the temperatures can be in the mid 30's, and, snakes are still very active, as we have encountered them on runs, and had dogs bitten.

Kerry

[Maureen Cooper]

Kerry, numbers were fair in Novice with 9 entries but we only had 2 Restricted entries and 2 of the AA handlers were also entered in a lower stake, as well as one Restricted so we only had a total of 11 actual handlers.

As far as the weather is concerned, Queensland start in February going by last year's programme and go until October and our trial was to be held in the Blue Mountains which is chosen for the cooler atmosphere. Queensland would have hotter temps than us. I think some do not enter because they feel it could be too hot.

The GDS already has the lowest entry fee of all the local trials and posting schedules to non members costs 50c and then having to ring round and remind ppl????

I might also add that over the past year I know of four letters containing cheques that have not been delivered and one friend today has commented that she is sure Australia Post has some way of knowing when cheques are in the envelopes. I tend to ring and check my entries have been received. Note: This is not an excuse for late entries!!!

Pat Green also is a great help to us with running the trial and so are Chris and Peter so I will not criticise the committee. This gives 5 ppl who actively help and support the club at trials with Ken consulted re viability.

Maureen

[Colleen Davis]

Hi Maureen
I am very sorry to hear that this trial has been cancelled. Tony, myself, Ernie and Elsa were looking forward to it.

On another topic are you planning a training/intro day this year similar to the one we attended last year?
Regards
Colleen

[Garrick Bridges]

Hi everyone,
I too am sorry that this trial has been cancelled. I had intended to enter two dogs on both days but the closing date crept up on me and I missed out on getting my entries in. Generally, I think the closing date for trials I have entered in the past has been two weeks prior to the actual date of the trial.


As an aside, I think it is unreasonable to expect the trial secretary to ring around in an effort to make up numbers for the trial to go ahead. Trial secretaries already have enough work to do without additional tasks being heaped upon them.


Flo, thanks for mailing me the schedules for your Club's trials (even though I am not a member). I will get my entries in the mail for your trial on the 1st April.

Garrick

[Maureen Cooper]

Thank you to those who emailed to thank Flo posting out schedules and also here. I will let her know.

Garrick, I think Victoria has either a 10 day or 14 day closing date. Will get Ken to find out about the 21 day closing date.

Colleen, a training day will be discussed at the next meeting.

Maureen

[Peter Doley]

The Golden Club in Victoria close our trials the Friday a week before the trial. It makes it hard for the secretary but gives us maximum opportunity to get every entry. Just to add to the comments of a recent thread about where Rt is going. There was concern when suggestions were made on how to improve numbers about the standard being lowered. Well if you don't have any trials you don't have to worry about the standard (if you get my drift)

[Maureen Cooper]

Our entries are often delayed until 14 days before the trial but Flo does part-time work as well as looking after a grand-daughter many times and she also does not print the catalogue which means she has a 60 kms round trip to get the catalogue printed so 14 days before a trial is maximum to her. You have to work with ppl who carry the workload.

This trial site was also a 2 hour drive away for most competitors and even further for many of the Novice handlers. Had the venue been closer we might have been able to do something just for the Novices. We are EXTREMELY pushed for trial sites, losing many to the Olympics and housing. They are all usually 2 hours away.

Maureen

[Prue Winkfield]

Maureen - the GSP Club here closes on Thursday the week before the trial and think the catalogues are usually run off on the following Monday. It helps having a data base but that can run into trouble with a very well known lab handler recently being shown to be running a GSP! Think most clubs in Victoria do the same which means everyone knows what to expect which also helps. Prue