I guess that I just didn't get my invitation to that last field trial. I did everything by the book. I got my dog entries ready ahead of time. I contacted the field trial committee person about my intentions of entering my dogs. I postmarked my envelope on the day that I was directed to do so by the field trial premium and was also told to do so by the field trial committee person. I even called to follow up that my entries had arrived. What more could I do?

Unfortunately I was informed the following day that the stakes were full. Unofficially I was told that the stakes were full before the premiums were even mailed.

Hey! Wait a minute! How am I supposed to enter my dogs in an event that will only allow me to send my entries AFTER the event is full?

Some people have told me to report this to the AKC. Well that will be a pretty picture. Others have said that I should confront the field trial committee. If I do either of these I will NEVER get my invitation, not to mention that I might not get other invitations.

So why did I not get my invitation? Did they want to narrow the field of competition by not competing against my dogs? Did they want to send me a personal message to "Stay Away. You are not wanted here!"? Have I not passed some test of eligibility or not meet some standard? Did I not make friends with the right person?

Bottom line is that I am hurt. Worse yet my dogs have been hurt. The little time that they have to compete has been robbed from them. The opportunity to compete for position has been diminished. All of the training and conditioning that they have gone through is for nothing. Now they get to sit in a kennel as a reward for their hard work.

Perhaps we should have a new designation for those clubs that have invitation only and open to the public policies. That way we could also have two times the number of awards. How about an FC and a BIOFC? "Field Champion" and "By Invitation Only Field Champion". A dog could have both! Imagine. NFC/FC/AFC/BIONFC/BIOFC/BIOAFC Bubba IV /JH/BIOJH.

Oh well. I think that I will just go out and do some bird hunting that weekend. At least I don't have to have an invitation.

Anonymous