SIERRA (2019 Bowie x Gracie) was awarded Third Place in the National Field Futurity yesterday. As one of her owners, I can say that I am very appreciative of the placement. I also want to say a few words:
To me, the Field Futurity is a stake where a dog’s village (breeders, owners, trainers, and handlers) presents to the world, HERE’S OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE NEXT BEST THING OUR BREED HAS TO OFFER. It’s “the future” of field trial dogs. Hence, FUTURITY.
As the stake manager for the National Field Futurity, I was compelled to share my opinion with our two judges, which was, “Please don’t feel obligated to award a ‘First’ placement if you don’t feel any dogs you see this morning has enough merit to earn it.” Fortunately, they were already on the same page.
As a handler in the stake this year, I had two bullets in the chamber. One didn’t have birds, but even if she did, she lacked application. The other lacked a lot of things, but she was also the only dog of the day that checked the “point a bird” box. Good enough to win? Certainly not. And if I thought she might, I would have hooked her at 29 to demonstrate my own judgement.
In my opinion:
There are two things everyone needs to know about this sport, game, whatever you want to call it.
1) Know the game.
2) Know your dog.
The game is not supposed to be “easy.” This isn’t a place where you get a ribbon for showing up. (And if it is, I don’t want to be here.) But back to the game, what I love about it is that it requires among other things, Preparation. Dedication. Perseverance. Success only comes after a mastery of such elements.
Just like people, dogs come from different pedigrees, and in all shapes and sizes. And level of aptitude. Competing with a dog who literally carries the blood of field dogs who came before him is not a magic bullet, but it does stack the cards in your favor. Even then, you still have to come prepared. Be dedicated to honing your craft. And if you lose, come back next year even more prepared. Or don’t. 🤷🏻♀️
Back to my two Futurity dogs. I came prepared as I could be. Both have successful field trial dogs in their pedigree. Both have been exposed to quail. Both have run in front of horses. Both have run in competition at local field trials. Both understand that birds hide in cover. And I just now realized – Both have been to Ardmore!!!! And one even placed in the Puppy stake last year. 😲
However:
Neither have run in cold weather. Neither have run in high wind conditions. Neither have seen cover this tall.
So I did I really expect to come in and win the whole stake?
No. Heck no.
We’re here on a hope and a prayer, and the odds weren’t in our favor. Fortunately, I know what I have and I know what we need to work on. And if we’re successful, we’ll be back in a few years. In the meantime, I agree with the judges’ decision to withhold First and Second, and I know that if I want to win next year, I better be more prepared.
That’s on me.
Someday, when we do win the National Field Futurity, I want it to be worth every blood, sweat, and tear it took to get there. I want to beat other very worthy participants. I want to jab my friends in the shoulder and say “I whooped your ass this year.” 😉
As much as I want to increase Field Futurity participation, and I DO want to increase participation, I don’t want to sacrifice what winning a Futurity would mean to me: Knowing that what I have in my truck deserved his or her win. How we do that? I haven’t a clue. But at some point, I can’t worry about what others do, I only have the bandwidth to worry about myself.
Times are tough. Entries are down. Regardless, I’m in support of nixing regional events until such time that entries are back up again. In the interim, I’m in support of having one National Field Futurity, in a program that is separate and apart from the Show Futurity Program, and if the dogs don’t perform, I’m in full support of withheld placements.
I’m also I’m support of breeding good dogs, coming more prepared, and hoping for better weather. 😁
Finally – Congratulations to Carey and Rhyme on their placement!!!! 🎉
And thanks for coming to my TED-TALK. 😇
Nicely said my friend!!
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