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Judging AKC field events
By Sandra L. Hoesel © July 2007
If you spent any time on the front page of this website you already know how much I love dogs, but possibly don’t have an understanding of my passion for performance events and enjoyment of dogs performing work that comes naturally to them.
Field trials differ greatly from hunting tests so any person judging both must have participated in both and gained their judge’s license based on practical experience.
I have put many titles on many dogs in hunt tests and run many field trials. Additionally I have chaired or been secretary for these AKC events. I am honored to judge the GWPCA National Hunt Test this fall in downstate Illinois.
Why do I enjoy judging hunt tests and field trials? Several reasons the first one being sometimes I get to see an exceptional dog/handler team performing at the top of their game on that day. Others are the camaraderie of these sports and the opportunity to ride my horses in typically beautiful settings all day. You take the good with the bad and I have judged in the pouring rain, driving snow and gale force winds. I even had an idiot in an ultra light aircraft hover right above us during a call back. (He needed to get closer to the live fire apparently – I proudly state my horses stood thru it tho!) I have hopped off my horse to pick up handlers that have stumbled and fallen down in the field and roaded in lost dogs during field trials. It is something a little different every time. Most of all it is the enjoyment of watching dogs work. While the Master, All-Age and Open stakes are really more my thing the puppies in the junior and derby stakes are really fun to watch as they figure out how to use the wind and scenting conditions to their advantage.
Hopefully I am able to help people understand their dogs and the game better on some occasions and I am always honored to perform in this capacity for the clubs.
AKC Judge’s number ZE121
PS: The AKC site does not show me as a field trial judge as I haven’t had an open calendar when asked the last few years and/or I wasn’t physically able due to being sick.
AKC claims this is something with their database not being able to show both however I am still on them as I want credit for all the trials I have judged. I am qualified to judge both field trials and hunt tests as the senior judge.
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