# National Conformation Judges Attend FT



## lhowemt (Jun 28, 2013)

That is great! I think it can only help the breed to have as diverse as possible pool competing in all venues. Good for you for helping make this connection. 

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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

It is an outstanding idea to have the Conformation Judges see lots of goldens doing the work the breed was created for. It is a great opportunity to see the traits they're looking for applied under real working conditions.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I, too, think it's wonderful! 
I've posted this photo before, but here's Tito doing a water blind at a SH test. After he (successfully) did the blind, someone standing nearby who runs nice field goldens commented that conformation judges should have seen what he just did. 
Short upper arm or long back, no way would he have been able to get across those logs,which were floating and required some interesting moves for him to get over them. Long, drippy or soft, open coat would have weighed him down so much he couldn't have come back over the logs. Lack of coat and he would have been shivering, as we had just gotten the ice off the ponds. If he hadn't been in hard working condition, no way could he have done that 3 times. Incorrect neck or lack of forechest and he wouldn't have had the strength to come back with the bird. You can't see it in the photo, but he had to go through many yards of flooded, swampy grass area to get to the water, and again to get the bird on the other side of the water. Overly straight back legs wouldn't have provided the shock absorbers he needed to get through there. An incorrect head would have made it impossible for him to see around the bird to get back through that mess. And so on and so on, form follows function.....
And to me, of the hunt tests we've run, that one was probably the most *realistic* in terms of what we would expect of a hunting dog, not just a dog playing hunt games.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I LOVE this, my hat is off to you for making the trip happen. I am a member of the hosting club for this year's National and I will be asking if the conformation judges can have a trip like this organized again. Unfortunately the site of the field trial is hours away from where the conformation judging takes place, I am hopeful it can be worked through if it's not planned already.




luvgld7 said:


> At last year's National in Wichita Falls, TX, I organized a trip for the Conformation Judges who judged BOB and WD to attend the first day of the FT.
> 
> They spent the day with two FT mentors. This hadn't been done in a long time at a National. I hope it becomes a tradition at future Nationals.
> 
> ...


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## luvgld7 (Jan 23, 2008)

Kristy,

Feel free to PM me if you want details, etc as to how it was organized. I know that Glenda Brown would be more than willing to help with the organizing and the two guys who were mentors have told me they would be happy to help again.

What was really nice was the welcome the judges received at the trial. Many people came over to tell them they were glad they were there, and were honored they could see their dogs work.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Just updating this for the people who might be following, I have emailed the appropriate chairs and was impressed with the prompt responses I received. Unfortunately the answers were not what I hoped for. It appears that the distance and scheduling of the events will prove to be too much of a hurdle to overcome. I will keep you all posted on this if anything changes. Thank you Ann for being so helpful - I hope to meet you in person this fall 

I'll be honest, I'm a little taken aback that it appears I was the only person to ask about this and that no planning was carried over from the previous National. I guess it's a small lesson in not ever assuming that the wheel isn't being re-invented every year.


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## luvgld7 (Jan 23, 2008)

You're very welcome Kristy!

Certain things are carried over from year to year so that National Host clubs don't have to re-invent the wheel. But this event was an optional one and something that had not been done in a long time. So, future clubs will have to make that decision if it is something they want to do. 

And I would be more than happy to share that information with clubs who would be interested.


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