The Growth of Women Participation in Hunting Dog Events
By Ryan Eder, Upland Gundog Association, Goldeneyes Retrievers
Simply put, our hunting dog sports need to expand to survive. This means educating more people, including women and youth, about various sporting dog games available to them and what potential benefits they (and their dogs) stand to experience.
I have always found it odd that while among the most popular registered dog breeds are so many sporting dogs, participation in field trials and hunt tests doesn’t seem to be growing significantly. Is it the costs associated with participating? Maybe; but I would venture to say no, as the dog (overall pet industry) is a multi-billion dollar market and consumers seem to have no problem spending money on their animals for quality food, veterinary care, etc.
Certainly available property and resources to train dogs for such activities is harder to find access to, and while that does not help our cause there are all kinds of clubs and groups out there to help people train dogs for hunting, hunt tests, and trials. The bottom line is that this sport needs to be shown to more people, young and old, men and women alike to grow interest and participation.
As the president of a growing upland organization, I have the privilege of observing hundreds of dog and handler teams each year. While we do participate in youth events, the most significant growth we have experienced is the number of women handling dogs in our venue. I can say the same about other hunt tests and trial venues as well; I have personally seen a growing number of female dog handlers at events, and it is fantastic for our sport.
To further explore the growth in women dog handler participation in field trials and hunt tests I asked a set of basic questions to a few women who are very active in dog training and handling. Each of these women brings different experiences and expertise to the table, so the feedback was diverse and well-rounded.
What (if any) were your hesitations about participating in field events with your dog?
Brenda McCarthy – Upland trial competitor – NBDCA (National Bird Dog Circuit Association) World Champion, 2x Lady Player of the Year and first lady “Black Jacket” recipient: “I had never shot anything before, much less held a gun. The thought of killing an animal kind of turned my stomach. To help, my husband kept throwing birds up and made me shoot. I kept asking if I hit it and he would say yes! At the end of the day with my confidence high, I was looking at it more like a challenging target versus an animal. Of course it was two years later my husband finally confessed that the birds were all dead before he threw them up! Men… they’ll do anything to get the women shooting!”
Rachel Wirth – Owner, Guide at Wirth Woods Preserve Story City, Iowa: “I had a lot of hesitation to participate in field events. My hesitation was probably mostly because of my lack of knowledge about hunt tests. I did not know what to expect as far as how the fields would be set up, what the competition and judges would be like, and what the gunner and dog would be judged on in the field”.
Why do you think more women are running hunt tests and trials?
Rachel: “I believe women in general are becoming involved in all aspects of hunting. As far as hunt tests, I believe more woman are getting involved because of the enjoyment of running the dogs. It’s a sport where women can participate alongside men and be very competitive. Woman can handle, train and run dogs just as well as men.”
Brenda: “When I realized how much fun it was, I pushed other women to give it a shot. Why should the men have all the fun? In reality, we are just as competitive as the men and we want to win too. Since finding my “competitive juices,” my husband claims he created a monster! He competed for years and now it’s me pushing to be in the tournaments; I’m trying to make up for lost time!”
What is the most rewarding part of running these events?
Lauren Hays – Amateur AKC retriever field trial handler: “The most rewarding part of this to me is the sheer amazement I feel as I watch my dogs do what they’re born to do. You think of all the hours, all the time you spend problem-solving, driving, enduring heat and cold and rain, finding creative ways to fine-tune their skills, and yet still you’re in awe of their God-given talent when they step on a difficult bird. Winning is wonderful and I’m very competitive; but at the heart of it I love teaching the dogs, watching them learn, and watching them love their work!”
Aleah German – Amateur handler AKC pointer & retriever events as well as NAHRA: “There are many rewarding parts to running these events. I love meeting new people, seeing other dogs succeed, and traveling all over; but the most rewarding thing for me is passing pointing and retrieving tests with my vizsla. Many people thought I was nuts when I began this journey with her, and I still often hear that ‘Junior tests are easy — you won’t be able to pass a senior test.’ I can’t wait to prove them wrong!”
What is the hardest part of participating in these events?
Lauren: “The hardest part of this sport is probably learning how to fail. When you work so hard at something and devote all your extra time and resources to it, it’s hard to go home without a ribbon or realize you’ve handled poorly or your dog made a mistake. I was told more than once, “You’ll lose a lot more than you’ll win in this game, so you have to learn to be good at it!” On the hard training days or the ribbon-less weekends, I try to remind myself that there’s always a chance to learn in the midst of failure. And there’s going to be another training day and another trial where you have a fresh start.”
What benefits have you experienced in your own personal life, as well as your dog’s life from participating in these events?
Patsy Hove – former Regional Director of the Central Region for NAHRA: “The rewards I gained from training and running a dog are huge. Grace brought out things in me that I didn’t know existed such as, yes I am very competitive when I give myself a chance to be; I am not as laid back as I thought; I do want things to be perfect at times; and I do have high standards.
“Grace instilled in me a confidence that no one or anything else could. She went from being my ‘baby’ to being my soulmate (yes I can see your eyes rolling now). The connection was so strong, so deep and so complex I still don’t understand it. We connected on every level and every way which in turn brought me a peace, calmness, and happiness that I never experienced before. I also traveled to places I had never been, met people who turned into friends and some more like family, [aquired] new skills such as public speaking, judging, and event planning.
“I wish I would have had the opportunity to do this when I was younger as I would have has a much easier time of accepting who I am, as it was it took me until I was 40 years old and running a dog to feel comfortable in my own skin.”
Aleah German – Amateur handler AKC pointer & retriever events as well as NAHRA: “I have met so many wonderful people through these events. Many are going to be lifelong friends. I’ve gained so much confidence and also learned that failing only means you’ve got something to work on when you get home. My dog absolutely loves retriever events, and it has really helped develop an incredible bond between us. Trust me — when it’s 35 degrees and pouring rain, Sully goes into the water very hesitantly. But, she goes in for me just because I ask her to. That’s a pretty cool feeling.”
The insight gained by conversing with these women made something very clear to me: Our sport is moving in the right direction. The greatest barriers to entry in any activity boils down to two things; education and experience. As dog trainers and participants of hunt tests and field trials with sporting dogs, it is critical to share the sport with our families, our friends, and other community members. These “dog sports” have brought husbands and wives closer together, and they have provided countless memories between parents and children, friends and so forth.
Let us not forget that our dogs benefit greatly from daily training and our dog ownership experience is enhanced. Success can be measured in ribbons, but it is best measured by gaining self-confidence, fulfilling ourselves emotionally, meeting new people, and enjoying our dogs.
This article appeared in the October/November 2016 issue of The Retriever Journal.
