Trial Season has arrived!!!

With the arrival of cool weather come thoughts of the upcoming bird season, along with getting dogs in shape at the TBDC trials. The trial grounds with benefit of much rain are in prime condition and will be worthy of putting on quality hunts. The spring trial standings hold over to the fall so we will see who will come out on top. Good luck to all.

There have been some increases to our dues and entry fees for the trials. I realize that this all seems to have come at a bad time with costs of everything around us on the rise. That is the very reason that we had to raise our fees because our costs have increased too. For instance; last year birds cost $3.00 to $3.75 and sometimes an additional $50 to $60 to go pick up the birds. This year birds it will easily cost $3.75 or more. We should be in good shape for awhile but we will have to monitor our costs very carefully.

There also has been a change in the field trials locations. The open gun dogs will run on the east half of the trials grounds to provide better viewing from the gallery especially for some of those close finishes. The novice gun dogs will run in the west grounds slightly to the north and puppy gun dogs will remain at the same location. We will be staking off the grounds at the work day on September 13, 2008 or September 20, 2008 if rain delayed.

Mike Hill our Web Master will be on vacation, so for the first trial you must call Keith Lindsay to sign up. He asks that you please leave a message on his answering machine.

Our next meeting will be September 23, 2008 at the library, please try to attend. I was not able to attend the last meeting because we were at the hospital getting a new grand baby girl.

When getting your dogs ready for the season I find that starting back at the basics helps to refresh their minds. Some short retrieves with praise, changing directions, handling commands and here.