I am an old horseman but I have never done that kind of hunting. My weight dropped to sub 175 this past season in Montana with all the hiking I did chasing pheasants. Wonder if horseback would have made much difference. Probably not. It can do an amazing job of shaking the lard off in a hurry. But it usually is not a pleasant experience. Anyway, I wouldn't mind trying it. I'll check on line and try to follow the progress. I'll root for anything but a pointer to win just because I'm an underdog kinda guy like most folks.

I'm not a field trial guy any more than I am a golfer but I always watch The Masters. And I'll be following what happens in Grand Junction with equal enthusiasm.

Too bad there's no video clips of each day's progress. Just some still shots that really aren't that great (and a lot of them are just individual portrait vanity shots of owners, handlers, and their families ... really, who cares about that?) I certainly think this supposedly high profile affair could be much better done up for the media. Quite disappointed.

Sorry, swampwater, but, as you can see for yourself if you actually go on the sight, the personal portrait photos OF PEOPLE really dominates the pics album. Any still photos of dogs actually working in the field were few and pretty poor quality. Compared to the website of the rather humble breeder from whom I purchased my Britt pup last year, the site for this prestigious event was not very good (an understatement). The play-by-play summary for each day's event was usually two or three sentences (usually only a few that are complete) of total gibberish. To me anyway and I have been working hunting dogs for fifty years. Anyone who takes the blinders off and looks at the site must come to the same conclusion. Very poorly done. I was certainly expecting something a lot more "friendly" than this! And, by the way, everyone who has been on here any time at all knows my feelings about technocrap. Nevertheless, even this old anti-techy will admit that videos of a hunting dogs working are always more informative, inspirational, informative, exciting, etc. than just some still shots taken with a cell phone.

"While I'm not a horseback field trial guy, and I'm sure most of you aren't either, I never understood the disdain some gundog owners have for high-level field trial competition, of both the pointing and retrieving flavor."
Yea, I don't get whats bad about a sport that encourages breeding dogs that train well, have high desire, and stable conformation/temperments.

I didn't realize people were so touchy. I think it's a cool event. I'd much rather watch the field trial championship than a walk through a field dove shoot on the hunting channel where the only highlight of the working dog is a picture of it being pet during the credits. Although I am partial to my horses, it was a good read Chad. Thanks.