Demystifying Field Events Workshop

This workshop requires signing up to attend (see below) and is open to VCNC members only (associate and voting). This is a one-time offered workshop.

Would you like to participate in AKC field events with your Vizsla but do not know if they are right for you, which venue is best for you and your dog or how to start? Or are you looking to broaden your current participation into a new field venue? The Vizsla Club of Northern California (through Nancy Colwell and Heather Kearn) is offering to its membership a free workshop that will take the mystery out of field events. This is different from our fun field day, where dogs and owners get to have fun in the field. It is geared towards educating the dog owner. The goal of this workshop is to provide owners valuable information about field in general and to provide specifics about each venue that is offered by the AKC – Hunt Tests, Walking Field Trials and Horseback Field Trials.

Location: The club house at Hastings Island (download directions)
Date: Saturday, July 23
Time: 9:00 until finished

We have arranged for 4 highly qualified speakers along with a club member panel that will fill the day with very valuable information. The information will be presented in four categories:

• A General overview about AKC field, preparing you and your dog, a live demo of three stages of training (young puppy, derby and broke dog) – Hosted by Randy Berry – professional trainer/handler and qualified AKC Field Trial Judge.
• Deep dive discussions about each field venue (Hunt Tests, Walking Field Trials, Horseback Field Trials). What is expected of you and your dog while participating in the different levels within each field venue. What the judge is looking for regarding your dog's performance. Hosted by:
  
  
  • Hunt Tests: Gayle Moynier – AKC Hunt Test/Field Trial Judge (who has personally handled dogs in field events)
  • Walking Field Trials: Kathi Boyd – AKC Field Trial Judge (who has personally handled dogs in field events)
  • Horseback Field Trials: Ellis Herz – AKC Hunt Test/Field Trial Judge (who has personally handled dogs in field events)
• Interactive situational analysis of things that can happen while participating and how the judge will assess and decide an outcome – Hosted by Ellis Herz
• Interactive panel comprised of club members who have personally trained and handled their own dogs in the different field venues – Gordon Strohmeier, Pam Lambros, Mike Menasco

This workshop will take most of the day and it is packed with a ton of valuable information. At the end of the day, you should have a good sense of which, if any, AKC field venue is right for you and your dog.

Because there are no eating establishments located closer than 30 minutes away, Bryan Kearn has offered to barbeque hamburgers. This lunch will be offered at $5.00 per person.

For planning purposes, please send an email to Nancy at ncolwell@pacbell.net if you intend to attend the workshop. Please include in your email if you are planning to purchase lunch.

Heather and I believe that this is an event that you do not want to miss. We hope to see you all there.