WDC trial results!!! - Page 5

Phil
 
Given a man of your extensive experience I would think that you would have posted under your own name.
 
I would love to meet with you some day.  
 
While I don’t doubt everyone may not have enjoyed themselves at our event.. I find it a stretch that you have a friend.
 
Hugs and Kisses
 
Jeff

Most of the people I know / spoke with that had dogs ready for that level of competition couldn't attend for 2 basic reasons;
$$$ or not having enough time to prepare after the horrible weather in New England over the winter making it difficult to track or train continuously.
Many parts of our country suffered very hard weather conditions over the winter & early spring making it difficult to have their dogs competition ready at that level in time.
Plus as many have stated the economy also played a large role in it also. I haven't heard one person complain about the club / location / organization.

Fly to event with 1 dog + rent vehicle large enough to hold dog, 1 crate, equipment, luggage + gas during event + hotel + MODEST meals/beverages + 1 entry fee + 1-2 event memorabelia items (hat, shirt, extra program...) = $1500-2000... and that's if you can cram all your stuff in one suitcase weighing under 44 lbs. and a carry-on bag, buy your dog's food at the destination, only eat 1-2 cheap meals a day and stay out of the bar.
Subtract about $300. if you go to watch, to attend a meeting, don't take a dog.

Unlike the good ole days, when gas was 50-75% cheaper, f you live 1000+ miles from the event, drive a typical "dog vehicle" (15-18 mpg hwy) and can't drive 1000 straight through (read: overnight in a motel) its now almost certainly cheaper to fly.

Gee. I wonder why attendance and entries are down?

Talking to a participant, I was just told that the one day of tracking was rough. Luck of the draw. And MYSTERE, I didn't say that Iowa is a bad venue, just pointed out that with the economy, when you have an event closer to more participants, you will have a higher entry rate. It is simple to understand. I used Ohio as an example because it is centrally located, between a bunch of midwestern states and close to the east.

Davenport, Iowa is a lot closer to the East coast than the West, Ohio is even further. Its nearly 2000 miles from here. California's economy is much worse than that in most of the rest of the country, getting worse every day. That pretty much accounts for the lack of West coast participants. Historically the West is strongly represented at national events. Reno had a large entry last year, thanks to the locals, and it was a stretch for a lot of them just going a few hundred miles to get there.

Heck, the gas for a rental car from Chicago to Davenport and back is something to consider budget-wise these days. Schutzhund has always meant traveling... to training, to events... When I started a 2.5 hr. one-way drive to train with a friendly club or attend a seminar, trial, show, was nothing. Now an hour each way costs as much as a bag of decent dogfood, not to mention the "training fees" helpers charge nowadays, field fees, visitor fees, what have you... It costs a fortune to title a dog, AT ALL, let alone compete at regional or national level! Add a show for a conformation rating (damned few of those in the West anymore) and the breed survey, and the average earner with a family flat cant afford it. You aren't going to get ready for a antional event just training once a week either... go ahead and multiply that training cost by 2-4x a week as trial time draws near. Anybody here hear $300-600. month?
I do.
Hopefully the economy will recover enough that the sport doesn't lose too many of its enthusiasts. In the meantime, we need to quit picking on the people trying to save it.

S

Mystere, you're still confused. I don't give a shit where it is. I'm glad it was in Iowa. But I'll save you the trouble of googling a map. Iowa is surrounded by S. Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Please tell me how I am losing you? I never stated that the trial should have been in Ohio. I'm just telling you that in my opinion, the entries would have been higher because of location and the economy. Look at every national event. When they are on the West coast, it is heavy with west coast competitors. It's not hard to figure out. The US is huge. The economy sucks. This thread has gotten stupid and people get offended too easily. Ever notice that the Super Bowl doesn't go to every city? When is the last time Seattle hosted the Super Bowl?

Simple questions: Why was the AWDF the second largest trial ever held in the US? Did the economy change that much in a few weeks?

CS, no. It is all breed and centrally located like I said on the first page.

You Guys will have to excuse my ignorance of the way your Dog sport is run in your country because i am really not sure on this thread of what one or two are talking about, so please put me right
Judron put up a trial in which i guess was a trial for GERMAN SHEPHERD dogs to go forwards to the WUSV this year
Then we get from Chaz that the trial would have been better off in another city and he quotes
 the AWDF event in Bowling Green KY. then he says it was a Mixed breed Trial
I think i have this bit correct if not he will put me right i am sure
NOW' if the first event mentioned by Judron is a Trial for G.S dogs only, an official step towards the WUSV then you then you will not get a huge entry In ANY country and that includes Belgium , Holland and in most part Germany of which Belgium would fit in the corner of that country, Only the very best will go for those selection trials over here They are not like other SCH 3 trials you look at and comment on
The Judges are so tough on the Dogs and Competitors than the Handlers are under Pressure before they walk onto the field they know every single aspect of there performance will go under the magnifying glass, there is no where to hide out on that work field
So how can a Mixed Breed Trial be put in the same context as the Selection trial for the German  Shepherd dogs that is not possible. certainly not in the way of entries
Steve1