Rocky Mountain Interclub

ESSFTA Field Trial Gunners Seminar Leader for the Eastern Interclub
Steve Beyer  ,  Assistant to be named

North Dakota Sporting Spaniel Club     September 20 &21   Buzz Benson
Rocky Mountain Springer Spaniel  Association     September 27 & 28   Pete Davis
Northern Colorado Springer Spaniel Club     October 4&5   Mhari Peschel
Eastern Nebraska English Springer Spaniel Club     October 15,16,17   Larry Yost
Platte River English Springer Spaniel Club     October 18 & 19   Craig Foss
Central Kansas Springer Spaniel Club     October 25 & 26   Bob Murdock
Southeast Texas English Springer Spaniel Club     October 31 and November 1   Betty Somers
Houston English Springer Spaniel Club     November 2 & 3   Bob Iversen
 

Overview:
Chair:    Mhari Peschel parafarm@rmi.net
The Rocky Mountain Interclub of the ESSFTA is comprised of eleven active field trial and hunt test clubs and one newly formed club in the Dallas area that has already held a sanctioned hunt test.  Our Interclub includes Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota and the Missouri Headwaters club in the Bozeman, Montana area.  Not only do our clubs sponsor Springer trials but several clubs in this interclub also sponsor Cocker trials and Hunt tests.  In this Interclub people are used to driving long distances to attend trials but somehow we seem to congregate at the various trials throughout the year.  In 2001 this Interclub is also very proud to put on the National Amateur which will be held December 7th in Huntsville, Texas, beginning December 7th.
   (For more information on the 2001 National Amateur Field Trial, visit this link)

2002 Trial Dates:
Houston English Springer Spaniel Club    January 25,26,27, 2002     Contact:  Bob Iversen

Southeast Texas English Springer Spaniel Club  February 9,10, 2002     Contact:  Dana
Bowdoin

Rocky Mountain Springer Spaniel Association    March 2,3,  2002      Contact:  Dave Scott

Northern Colorado Springer Spaniel Club     March 9,10, 2002
             Contact:   Mhari Peschel

Northeast Oklahoma Spaniel Training Club     March 14,15, 2002      Contact:   Pat Bramwell

Central Kansas Springer Spaniel Club         March 16, 17, 2002
              Contact:  Bob Murdock

Platte River English Springer Spaniel Club      March 23, 24, 2002       Contact:  Craig Foss

Eastern Nebraska Springer Spaniel Club         April 5,6,7, 2002
               Contact:    Larry Yost

Missouri Headwaters Gun Dog Club              April 13,14, 2002
                Contact:   Heather Maxcy

Rocky Mountain Springer Spaniel Association    September 28,29, 2002    Contact:  Pete
Davis

Poudre Valley Springer Spaniel Club          October 1,2,  2002
                   Contact:   Linda Tholen

Northern Colorado Springer Spaniel Club    October 5,6, 2002
                   Contact:   Mhari Peschel

Eastern Nebraska Springer Spaniel Club     October 11,12,13, 2002            Contact:   Larry
Yost

Platte River English Springer Spaniel Club    October 19,20, 2002             Contact:  Craig Foss

Central Kansas Springer Spaniel Club          October 26,27, 2002            Contact Bob Murdock

Houston English Springer Spaniel Club          November 1,2, 2002            Contact:  Bob Iversen

Southeast Texas English Springer Spaniel Club   November 3,4, 2002            Contact:   Dana
Bowdoin

The North Dakata club is considering a fall trial.  When they get that settled I'll let you
know.
 

(For more info on Cocker Trials visit this link)
 

Rocky Mountain Interclub Newsletter  March 4, 2001

Just wanted to give you an update from our Governor about the recent Parent Club meeting.  Field Trial Issues
As usual the meeting was long and tiring.  I thought I would provide a short synopsis of what happened.  The ESSFTA announce list is alive and well and should also be posting a bullet list of what transpired shortly.
The definition of a pro was not changed.  The paragraph to clarify “once a pro always a pro” was added along with the format on how to regain your amateur status.
The rules for use of prong collars were not changed.  The Parent Club will be sending a letter to all Field Trial clubs letting them know we disapprove of the use of the collar and asking that they look at this question as individual clubs.
The rules for the use of orange are adequate, they just need to be enforced.
A new form for any judge that has apprenticed will be implemented.  The judge/judges must complete the form and pass the apprentice for the apprenticeship to count.  The form will be available and mandatory for use by the fall trial season.
Communications chair Debbie Schoene will now contact all clubs for info, put together a newsletter and send back to all clubs and the Parent Club website.  The Parent Club is also working on including judges bio’s on the website.
If a person is selected to judge the National Open, he/she will not eligible to judge the National Amateur the same year.
The Parent Club is not in favor of prize money for field trials.
A new position of Inter Club Safety was formed.  This person will be appointed by and report to the Field VP.
Our own gunning video and apprenticeship program will be completed this year.
There was no change for Field Trial judges qualifications.
The videotaping of the National will be left up to the General Chair.
Double dating appears to be working and there will be no additional interclub created at this time.
The selection process for the National Amateur judges----Delegate clubs can change procedure without a by-law change.
Hunt Test Issues
A preliminary for the “Beyond Master” Program has been developed and will be circulated to all clubs for input.  Input should be forwarded to Ron Haag the co-chair of this project
The AKC is redoing the hunt test judge’s sheet.  There was also conversation about redoing the judging seminar and additional evaluation procedures to determine when a hunt test judges can be considered experienced.
Also, Pete Davis, a member of the Rocky Mountain Springer Spaniel Association was honored with a cake for being the Parent Clubs 1000th member.
Thanks Pat for the update.
I would also like to remind clubs that you will soon be receiving a ballot for the selection of the judges for the National Open in 2002.  This process will begin earlier this year, as the Open judges must be selected by the end of June.  The first ballot will ask your club to select six judges.  An additional ballot will be sent with the names of the top six vote getters.  This time you will be asked to select two judges.  The two judges receiving the most votes will be the National Open Judges for 2002.  Please make sure to poll your members and return the ballots.  If you don’t participate in the selection process your voice will not be heard.  And by the way these ballots are easy, no pregnant, dimpled or hanging chads.
 If you receive this ballot in error (i.e. you are not a club representative) please contact Mhari Peschel at 303-682-1141 or parafarm@rmi.net , you may also forward the ballot to the proper person in your club.  Please remember that this will also be a dues invoice for the National Open.  If your club does not pay its dues your votes do not count in the final tally.
I would also like to remind people who are apprentice judging at field trials that (at least until fall—see discussion above) you are to have the judges you are working with sign a statement that you have apprenticed under them and included the date and location of the trial.  Those statements are then sent to the Interclub Chair or Secretary.  That information is forwarded to Jim Lightfoot who administers the testing.   I realize that this process seems cumbersome and may be changed in the future, but for now that is the way it works.  Also clubs who are inviting apprentice judges, remember that you should always ask the “official” judges if it would be alright to have an apprentice at the trial.
On a sad note we wish our condolences to Pat and Don Bramwell who lost AFC Tridon  Spontaneus Combustion SH  “Rocket” and Richard and Karen Bornes who lost AFC Fieldmasters White Christmas “Snow”.  Both were wonderful competitors and will be missed by many.
Good Luck and Good Trials and Hunt Tests
Mhari Peschel
 
 

Hi Folks,

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is looking forward to 2001 full of trials, hunt tests, hunting and lots of other dog activities.  This will be a busy year in our interclub since we are hosting the 2001 National Amateur which will be held in Huntsville, Texas.  Bob Iversen is heading up that event so if anyone has any questions please feel free to contact Bob.  His e-mail address is biversen@flash.net.

The RMIC trial season begins on Superbowl weekend with the Houston ESS Club.  That will be followed by the National ESS Shooting Dog Championship in Victoria, TX then back to Huntsville for the SE Texas ESS Club.

In March we have the Northern Colorado SSC trial on March 10/11 and  the Oklahoma/Kansas trials on March 15/16/17/18.  In April we have the Eastern Nebraska on April 6/7/8 and the Missouri Headwaters trial on April 7/8.  Platte River is still deciding whether or not to hold their Spring trial.  If they do it would be on April 21/22.

On a very sad note, we all wish condolences to the family of Barney Zeigler.  We will miss the tall quiet gentleman and his dogs at our trials.  His death was certainly a reminder that life is often too short.

Pat Bramwell,  the RMIC Governor will be attending the annual ESSFTA meeting on February 23/25.  There are several items on the agenda and Pat  would appreciate any input that you might have  before the meeting.  The issues on the agenda are:
Professional/Amateur definition
 Prong collars--should they be allowed or not and what is a training device?
 The need for more Orange clothing in the field
 Field Trial prize money----good or bad
 Judges qualifications
 September trials and double dating-- In some interclubs the only way for each club to hold a fall trial is either to double date or start in September when the weather can bee too hot.
 Should videos of future Nationals be approved?
 Do we need additional interclubs?
 Interclub gunning seminars
 Nat'l Amateur by-law revision 1) Voting for judges 2) Judge cannot judge both the National Amateur and the National Open in the same year.  The proposal is that instead of clubs voting that trialers vote.
 The need for more and timelier information on the ESSFTA web site
 Bird Dog Hall of Fame--the selection criteria
 Health Certification for ESSFTA awards
 Breeder Referral Program--how is it working?
 There will also be hunt test issues discussed---the quality of judging, club training, hunt test video, manual of operations, level beyond master.

If you have any comments regarding any of these issues  please e-mail me or Pat Bramwell  kstridon@websurf.net  .  Pat would really appreciate input before the meeting so that she is representing the RMIC views on these issues.

Good Luck to all of you this Spring!!!

Mhari parafarm@rmi.net
 
 

Welcome
I would like to start by thanking Pat Bramwell for all her years of dedication and service to the Rocky Mountain Interclub.  We especially should thank her for all the work and support she has given to all the spaniels in this region.  As they said on the old Hee Haw show--  “SALUTE”-- and Thank You Pat!!!!
The Future
There is much to look forward to in the future!  The Millennium is just around the corner.  I hope with time, growth and strength will come to the interclub.  In the last newsletter, Pat informed you of the change to the officers.  To balance out the remainder of an interim board of directors, I have asked Barney Ziegler from Oklahoma, Pat Bramwell from Kansas and Mark Hairfield from Texas to help.  They all have graciously accepted. There is a great amount of experience with this combination of professional and amateur handlers.  Jim DeVoll from Nebraska is the regional governor to the Parent Club.
Why do we need a board of directors?  Well, there are lots of things happening and many needs for the interclub.  The list is just starting but we are at: the 2001 National Amateur; creating a formal Rocky Mountain Interclub Association with trial license and bylaws; Regional Championship trials; financial management of the Interclub; Judging seminars, and water tests.  This is in addition to improving the quality and strength of the clubs and events within the Rocky Mountain interclub.
National News
2001 National Amateur
The biggest news is the future separation and rotation of the Nationals starting in the year 2000!!!  The 2000 Amateur National will be in the East Interclub.  The 2000 National Open will be in the West Inter Club.  This leads to 2001 National Amateur in the Rocky Mountain and the National Open in the Mid East Interclub.  This puts a National Open in Rocky Interclub in 2003.  Thus, all interclubs get a National event every 2 to 3 years.
Interclub News
Restructuring The interclub
The first order of business is to create a formal organization called the Rocky Mountain Interclub.  There are several reasons for this endeavor.  With the creation of bylaws, there will be a written format for procedural happenings in the interclub.  With a set organization, this then allows us to hold AKC licensed trials and distributes the financial burden to all the clubs in the interclub.
In the past, there has been no written format or charter creating a set organization called the “Rocky Mountain Interclub”.  This, first and foremost, assures consistency for the future management of the interclub.  It allows the interclub to apply to the Parent Club and AKC to hold their own regional trial if they wish.  When Pro Plan first started making contributions to the Spaniel sport, I do recall that they encouraged this kind of regional structure. To what degree of support the Parent Club and Pro Plan will give, I will have to look into.
Rocky Mountain Interclub Championship
This brings us to the next thing -- The Rocky Mountain Interclub Championship!!!  There seems to be an interest in the Interclub holding it’s own “Mini National”.  The reason to do so is to have a level of competition above a local trial that would be a qualified stake (a placement in an interclub {local trials} trial in the year prior to the event), for those that normally would not attend a National because of the travel involved.  This could happen by 2000 if we start now!!!!.
Financial Management of the Interclub
The formal structure, with the possibility of a Regional trial, will require greater financial concerns than in the past.  At present, all of the working capital for the interclub has come from donations and the Pro Plan money given from the Parent club.  I have been told that in the past the money donated by Pro Plan will not cover even the cost of postage for the news letter on a regular basis.  This needs to change.  This is YOUR INTERCLUB.  There are two options that have been presented to date:  1) through the creation of the interclub, to require a  membership “dues” fee from each club (say $50.00 per year.).  Remember, it has been the hope that each member of each club in the interclub receive the newsletter!!  This costs Money!
2) The other option is that each club pays $5.00 per year, per person, on their club roster to the interclub.  Thus, big clubs pay more than smaller clubs.  Each club secretary should send Mhari Peschel (address on letterhead) a copy of marked catalogs and once a year an updated club member roster.  Please note:  YOU WILL SEE A FINANCIAL REPORT once a year.  Mhari is a professional accountant.
Judging seminars
It is the wish of the Parent Club that each interclub put on a judging seminar once a year.  I have attended the first two that were held and observed that more people were there to learn how to become better handlers than to become  judges.  This is a “gray area”, but the teaching of handling and training is the responsibility of the local clubs and the experienced handlers in the region, not the Interclub judging seminars.  It is the goal for this interclub to support new judges in our region.  Are there enough new experienced handlers in the interclub that have not already attended a seminar and fulfilled the criteria for a potential judge, to warrant a judging seminars in 1999?  Please let me know at Tim DeGroff HPFSPANMAN@aol.com or (970) 897-2374.  There is a great deal of time and money involved in putting these on.  Will you help???
 While on the subject of Judging:  there have some great thoughts on new prospective judges from Dean Reinke and the late Dave Lorenz in the last two issues of the Parent Club Spotlight.  I have to add my two cents to this.  Please remember when looking at apprentice judges, what the GREEN BOOK ( Field Trial Management Book)  states (page 13): “No one should attempt to be and apprentice judge until they have trained a dog or two from weaning to competition, as well as gained a reasonable degree of experience from actual competition, or other capacities, at trials.”  This makes a great deal of sense!!
Water Tests
I received a letter from Jim DeVoll stating the Parent Clubs wish for each interclub to hold a “stand alone” water test.  The Green Book (mentioned above on page 23) states “each interclub should endeavor to schedule at least two water tests each year and these should be scheduled by the interclub chairman.  Well here I am!!  Do any clubs out there have good ponds and plenty of daylight at the end of there normal trials?  We need water!!!  Clubs that have water, please consider offering water tests.  We can talk about “stand alone” water test in the next issue.
Improving The Quality and Strengthening Clubs
The Oklahoma club is offering a weekday trial backed up with Kansas.  The trial will be March 18 and 19th (Thur, and Fri).  It will be in Kansas at the same general area as the Kansas trial.  They need a lot of help to put this trial on!  If you can do some planting, shagging or marshaling they would greatly appreciate any and all help.  Contact Cliff Hankins (Chairman) at (405) 721-5373 or Chad Betts at (316) 283-0243.
Conflict of interest is another concern that has been brought up to me.  This happens in every interclub and needs to be addressed.  That is:  clients judging their trainers or trainers judging their clients or employers dogs (both with the trainer having the client’s dog(s) in for training).  This puts a bad taste in other people’s mouths’!  Clubs please try to consider these concerns during the judge selection process.  There are a great deal of good judges outside the area that could bring in bigger entries for your club, making more money for your club.
Hot Fall Trials?  With the Nationals being moved back a few weeks, there is the potential to move the whole fall trail schedule back (later) one week to try for cooler weather.  I am sure you will be hearing more about this later.  Think about it!
This Newsletter can be viewed on the internet Rocky Mountain Interclub web page that Tom Radde’s set up.  Thank you Tom for all the help!!!!!!!!!  The address is http:www.essft.com/rmic.html.  If you do not want to receive the mailed version, please let Mhari know; we can remove you from the mailing list.  The internet version will be out a week or so before the mailed copy.
Let me or any other board member know any of your feelings on any subject that concerns our trials or dogs in the interclub.
Well, this is my first newsletter and I hope that it finds you well recovered from your holiday bliss.
Please remember that We are here for you.  Talk to us!  We can not improve and grow it we don’t communicate.
Sincerely
Tim DeGroff ---HPFSPANMAN@aol.com------(970) 897-2374 (Mountain Time)
January 10, 1999

Back to top
Back to Home page<essft.com>