Irishwhistler
Been spending a lot of time on here!
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Aye Mates,
I recently attended an HRC Licensed Hunt Test event hosted by the Long Island Retriever Field Trial Club as a handler for my younger gun dog MAC. During the event, I had the opportunity to watch and photograph the youngest participant at the weekend long dog games. A young girl of nine years named Abbey, this was to be her first time participating as a handler in an actual hunt test.
Given the current state of the outdoor sports with so very few kids participating, low recruitment and retention rates are a well identified challenge for the longevity of the field sports. It was both refreshing and encouraging to see young Abbey's genuine desire to work with the Labrador Retrievers she ran throughout the weekend in the Started Hunting Retriever Stakes. Equally, it was great to see the hunt test community rally around Abbey with support and encouragement in making the experience for her a positive one, and an activity that she will likely want to continue doing.
Sugar and Spice, camouflage clothing and a duck call hanging from her neck, nine year old Abbey waits pensively in a holding blind, her first hunt test experience as a handler just moments away. Recruiting and retaining kids like Abbey is key to the future of field sports as we know them.
Kids and dogs, the two go together like bread and butter. Clearly seen here is that most special of relationships between handler and gun dog. As I had the opportunity to photograph Abbey and her interaction with the multiple retrievers she worked with throughout the weekend, it was most evident that she shared a very special love for her K9 partners
ON THE LINE ~ One can see the intensity mirrored in the faces of both Abbey and her hunt test partner, B's Little Sassy Stella as Abbey works the duck call in signaling for the mark for the dog to be thrown. It was awesome to watch Abbey's confidence as a handler seemingly progressing right before my eyes as she completed each required element of the test handling her retriever with proficiency while under judgment.
WATER MARK ~ Abbey waits patiently on the line for a water mark to be thrown for her hunt test K9 partner. I had watched the judges instruct Abbey with regard to what she needed to do as a handler to succeed in the event, and subsequently put into action those heeded instructions as she sent her gun dogs on retrieve.
THE SEND ~ As I watched Abbey send her gun dog off the line on this land mark, her connection with the retriever was so obvious as she leaned forward seemingly as if to momentarily sprint off the line herself. The excitement of this wee lass as she ran her gun dogs in the test was a fine balance struck between a young girl's charm and a proficient handler being forged.
JOY X THREE ~ One can clearly see the joy in the faces of Abbey, her gun dog, and the gunner as Abbey sends her K9 partner off the line to make the retrieve. It is so awesome to seeing this young girl having so much fun with a duck call in hand rather than a cell phone. As one that has loved waterfowling, upland bird hunting, and working sporting dogs for half a century, I derived hope for the future as I watched Abbey's most evident love for those same cherished traditions.
THE END GAME ~ Abbey is congratulated as she collects a ribbon for the successful qualification of a retriever she handled during her first HRC hunt test experience, an award well deserved. Ribbons are nice, but the much more important and intrinsic value for Abbey is to be found in her self confidence gained, skill sets developed, her fun had with the retrievers, and with her many friends made within the retriever hunt test community. Looking at the end game, it is kids like Abbey that will be the decisive factor in the future of our beloved field sports. That future is now as we must mentor them in passing the torch to keep the fire burning.
CRITICAL SUPPORT ~ Abbey is so fortunate to have the love and support of her Mom Nicole and friend Tommy seen here. The smiles say it all, pride for Abbey's accomplishment, and a developing love for the field sports that will hopefully follow Abbey throughout her life.
Great job Abbey, you give me hope for the future!
Cheers,
Mike
I recently attended an HRC Licensed Hunt Test event hosted by the Long Island Retriever Field Trial Club as a handler for my younger gun dog MAC. During the event, I had the opportunity to watch and photograph the youngest participant at the weekend long dog games. A young girl of nine years named Abbey, this was to be her first time participating as a handler in an actual hunt test.
Given the current state of the outdoor sports with so very few kids participating, low recruitment and retention rates are a well identified challenge for the longevity of the field sports. It was both refreshing and encouraging to see young Abbey's genuine desire to work with the Labrador Retrievers she ran throughout the weekend in the Started Hunting Retriever Stakes. Equally, it was great to see the hunt test community rally around Abbey with support and encouragement in making the experience for her a positive one, and an activity that she will likely want to continue doing.
Sugar and Spice, camouflage clothing and a duck call hanging from her neck, nine year old Abbey waits pensively in a holding blind, her first hunt test experience as a handler just moments away. Recruiting and retaining kids like Abbey is key to the future of field sports as we know them.
Kids and dogs, the two go together like bread and butter. Clearly seen here is that most special of relationships between handler and gun dog. As I had the opportunity to photograph Abbey and her interaction with the multiple retrievers she worked with throughout the weekend, it was most evident that she shared a very special love for her K9 partners
ON THE LINE ~ One can see the intensity mirrored in the faces of both Abbey and her hunt test partner, B's Little Sassy Stella as Abbey works the duck call in signaling for the mark for the dog to be thrown. It was awesome to watch Abbey's confidence as a handler seemingly progressing right before my eyes as she completed each required element of the test handling her retriever with proficiency while under judgment.
THE SEND ~ As I watched Abbey send her gun dog off the line on this land mark, her connection with the retriever was so obvious as she leaned forward seemingly as if to momentarily sprint off the line herself. The excitement of this wee lass as she ran her gun dogs in the test was a fine balance struck between a young girl's charm and a proficient handler being forged.
JOY X THREE ~ One can clearly see the joy in the faces of Abbey, her gun dog, and the gunner as Abbey sends her K9 partner off the line to make the retrieve. It is so awesome to seeing this young girl having so much fun with a duck call in hand rather than a cell phone. As one that has loved waterfowling, upland bird hunting, and working sporting dogs for half a century, I derived hope for the future as I watched Abbey's most evident love for those same cherished traditions.
THE END GAME ~ Abbey is congratulated as she collects a ribbon for the successful qualification of a retriever she handled during her first HRC hunt test experience, an award well deserved. Ribbons are nice, but the much more important and intrinsic value for Abbey is to be found in her self confidence gained, skill sets developed, her fun had with the retrievers, and with her many friends made within the retriever hunt test community. Looking at the end game, it is kids like Abbey that will be the decisive factor in the future of our beloved field sports. That future is now as we must mentor them in passing the torch to keep the fire burning.
CRITICAL SUPPORT ~ Abbey is so fortunate to have the love and support of her Mom Nicole and friend Tommy seen here. The smiles say it all, pride for Abbey's accomplishment, and a developing love for the field sports that will hopefully follow Abbey throughout her life.
Great job Abbey, you give me hope for the future!
Cheers,
Mike
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