Dissappointment at field trials?

[backyard beagler]

I was actually directing that question to the person that started the post. I've walked away from cast disappointed that i Didnt win thinking i should have and I've walked away shocked that i did win. As long as the judge trys to bring back the best dog according to the rule book and not his opinion I usually take the good with the bad and go on.

[Casey Harner]

I was actually directing that question to the person that started the post. I've walked away from cast disappointed that i Didnt win thinking i should have and I've walked away shocked that i did win. As long as the judge trys to bring back the best dog according to the rule book and not his opinion I usually take the good with the bad and go on.

+1

I thought a few times I had won when I didn't. I do not let it get me down. I pull up my big boy pants and go back to running my dogs and wait for the next available trial. I'm okay getting beat by a good dog. I sure don't wanna act like a fool or a cry baby. If that ever happens I will get out of field trials all together.

[rabbitatfarm]

The last time I judged(which was the first time I ever missed deadline) dog A opened on a track twice and dog B piped off three barks(and then some) running to dog A. I ignored dog B and put dog A on the clock when he gave his third bark ON THE track. I truly felt that dog A had a good rabbit and didn't want to give dog B credit for nothing. It goes that they couldn't put it together and I had to minus dog A. If we only use the rule book as a guide line to judging these hounds I feel the right dog took a minus, if we follow it as a bible I screwed the dog out of 10 points. Ive always had Mixed emotions about my choice and this rule.....
When judging all I ever wanted to do is judge that dog on that day on that rabbit at that time. I thought that doing that I eliminated any room for mistakes!!

I had the opposite happen. Dog A opened with two barks. My young female, who was quite a ways away, barked all the way to dog A and got put on the clock. Eventually, SHE bought the minus, straight by the rule book. Another judge may have scored it different. It's the judges discretion. I don't follow how you might have screwed dog A out of strike points. Most judges want some proof of a rabbit beyond another dog harking in. IMO, a strike is the hardest to judge. They can all take a track quite a distance before ending at a hole or brush pile to confirm there was a rabbit at some point. I've accompanied three different judges and they all score differently in what they are looking for. All most trialers ask, is judges be fair and consistent.

[backyard beagler]

3barks is 3 barks its not the judges place to decide if he wants to put that dog on the clock...you do it!!

[BB Beagles]

I agree. 3 barks is 3 barks, going by the rule book. Whether it be on a track, or booger barks. I've seen dogs that should've won cast get beat by the rules and dogs who shouldn't won, win due to the rules. Judges will catch everything that they can, and more or less it just luck of the hour( if the format is LP). Trialling is suppose to be fun, and yes working your dogs year around, looking forward to that trial day is exciting. Yes, everybody wants to win one every once in awhile, but guys have got to remember losing is part of it too.

It's kinda like this. Babe Ruth was greatest home run hitter of all time, but lot people don't realize he had most strike outs as well.

[tom summers]

Yes I have and still do walk away upset if not won. I as most others are there to win if not why go? I was at a trial 20 yrs ago and took third thought I should have been 1st or second and 2nd place dog should have been the other spot. I decided only way to fix this is to start judging. With that being said after judging a lot I found that judges see a small portion of what happens and handlers see FAR less , and what you think is happening usually is not what the judges are seeing.
So the next time you do not place as you thought graciously thank the judges for there time and hard work and ask them what they saw. Then walk away and have a honest look at your kennel or come back next time and hope for the best.
Best of luck.
Tom Summers

[MGT]

Yes I have and still do walk away upset if not won. I as most others are there to win if not why go? I was at a trial 20 yrs ago and took third thought I should have been 1st or second and 2nd place dog should have been the other spot. I decided only way to fix this is to start judging. With that being said after judging a lot I found that judges see a small portion of what happens and handlers see FAR less , and what you think is happening usually is not what the judges are seeing.
So the next time you do not place as you thought graciously that the judges for there time and hard work and ask them what they saw. Then walk away and have a honest look at your kennel or come back next time and hope for the best.
Best of luck.
Tom Summers

Well said.

[ackermanich]

The first thing that comes to my mind when i read these post is do you judge?

And what if BB Beagles, would have said no?
First thing that comes to mind is what most ( not all)
Judges seem to use quite frequently as an argument .

Yes judging is a Payless job! Yes you are appreciated! But it is your individual choice to be a trial judge.Just as some choose not to be involved in judging. I'm not saying every individual that looses shows great sportsmanship, and walks away with a great attitude. What I am saying is that a person does not have to be a judge, to be able to voice their opinion.
I always see post on here, where someone may have questions/ disagreements, and the first thing that half of the judges jump on the band wagon, asking the question" do you judge?"
Some people enjoy different aspects of the beagling world. If you want to judge, that's your decision . Again not taking away from the hard work you do, but an individual doesn't have to be a judge to get a fair shake or a straight answer.

[Chimney Rock Kennel]

The first thing that comes to my mind when i read these post is do you judge?

And what if BB Beagles, would have said no?
First thing that comes to mind is what most ( not all)
Judges seem to use quite frequently as an argument .

Yes judging is a Payless job! Yes you are appreciated! But it is your individual choice to be a trial judge.Just as some choose not to be involved in judging. I'm not saying every individual that looses shows great sportsmanship, and walks away with a great attitude. What I am saying is that a person does not have to be a judge, to be able to voice their opinion.
I always see post on here, where someone may have questions/ disagreements, and the first thing that half of the judges jump on the band wagon, asking the question" do you judge?"
Some people enjoy different aspects of the beagling world. If you want to judge, that's your decision . Again not taking away from the hard work you do, but an individual doesn't have to be a judge to get a fair shake or a straight answer.

And anyone can sit at the truck and say they dominated a cast to when they didn't. I think that's what most refer to just because you hear you're dog do something doesn't mean it's actually getting it. I've seen a lot of dogs blow holes in the ground but step back 100 yards and it sounds like a powerhouse.

[NorthBranch Rummer]

3barks is 3 barks its not the judges place to decide if he wants to put that dog on the clock...you do it!!

Thanks for clearing this up for me, ill be sure to come to you next time I make a judging mistake

[BB Beagles]

The first thing that comes to my mind when i read these post is do you judge?

And what if BB Beagles, would have said no?
First thing that comes to mind is what most ( not all)
Judges seem to use quite frequently as an argument .

Yes judging is a Payless job! Yes you are appreciated! But it is your individual choice to be a trial judge.Just as some choose not to be involved in judging. I'm not saying every individual that looses shows great sportsmanship, and walks away with a great attitude. What I am saying is that a person does not have to be a judge, to be able to voice their opinion.
I always see post on here, where someone may have questions/ disagreements, and the first thing that half of the judges jump on the band wagon, asking the question" do you judge?"
Some people enjoy different aspects of the beagling world. If you want to judge, that's your decision . Again not taking away from the hard work you do, but an individual doesn't have to be a judge to get a fair shake or a straight answer.

You are correct, you do not have to be a judge to get a fair shake or a straight answer. I myself do not judge every round, majority of time I am a spectator. If you have a question about your cast, politely ask your judge about it at end of your hunt.
When a judge is out with a cast of dogs, he or she is going to get all they can get. What that means is what they see happening. Not hearing or guessing, but seeing. Everybody wants to win, that's what were there for( it is a competition), but one thing you got to understand, to be a good winner you have to learn to be good loser too.
Now, if your winning all the time, I say keep on doing what your doing with your kennel.
If your losing all the time, I say it's time to re-evaluate your kennel.

[rabbitatfarm]

I watched a final cast where the judge jumped a rabbit and called for the dogs to be brought together. Before they all got together, Hound A or B or both hit the track. In the meantime handler of Hound C is bringing his dog to the area where the judge was. He was quite a ways away. When Handler C heard Hounds A & B, he put C down to join the chase. The rabbit came out of some brush and cut across an open field. Hound C spotted the rabbit and harked in. Hound B came out of the brush on the track. He lost the track and was in the check area after Hound C harked in. The rabbit went on through some brush and came out the other side. The tracks were clear. The judge moved the dogs to another area. When the hunt was over, the judge gave Hound C a strike on that rabbit. Neither A or B got any points. Hound C won the hunt. One of the handlers thought Hound B should have received a check. The judge said he couldn't because Hound C had already run the track. Under "strikes" in the rule book, Rule 6 clearly states "No strike or jump points shall be awarded if a rabbit is jumped by a judge, handler, or spectator and the hounds are called in and placed on the track." IMO, none of the dogs should have received any points. The judge should have called a "time out" and got the dogs together, then had the handlers cut 'em loose on the latest track. Hound C lucked into a win and the judge clearly scored it wrong.

[island ridge hounds]

some people get so use to winning its a have to case or they get upset. i do believe you never become a great winner until you become a gracious loser.