Retriever field trials are a family effort: a competitor's perspective
By: Jamie Woodson #63
Our prenational training group partner and friend, Chris Byers #40, snapped this shot yesterday as Keeper, Bill, and I were headed back to the truck after Keeper completed the seventh series watermarks.
I love this picture. For me, it's worth so much more than a thousand words. Retriever sporting (and all sporting with dogs really) is one of the few where men and women compete equally. Bill happens to be the spectator this week, but we are commonly trading places from competitor to cheering spouse, depending on the weekend and the running order.
There are so many incredible couples in this sport. For some couples, both the husband and wife compete. Couples like Lynne and Mac DuBose, Trudie and Tony Kuka, Judy and Jim Powers, Martha and John Russell, Lydia Fekula and Jeff Schuett, Linda and Mitch Patterson, Margo and Mitch Brown, Gwen and Milton Jones and many, many, more.
For others, one spouse competes and the other cheers/worries from the gallery/truck/home like Sue and Fred Kampo, Nancy and Jonathan White, Brenda and Ken Neil, Cheryl and Mike Robicheaux, Valerie and Bobby Lane, Suzanne and Mark Medford, Mary and John Stracka, Paige and Chad Baker and many, many more.
There is also a third group, lovely couples like Zan and Jake Fredricks and Kara and David McMahan, where one spouse cheered from the sidelines for years and now both are stepping up to the line and cheering for each other from the gallery (or will be soon).
Bill and I came to retriever sports via duck hunting. B.R. (before retrievers), Bill was an avid golfer and I was an eventer traveling the southeast competing with my horse, Mo Chroi. We worked and lived in two different cities (and still do). We realized pretty quickly that if we wanted to actually see each other, we might need to find hobbies that we could enjoy together. Since we both love to hunt and fish, we knew there were lots of ways to go. Needless to say, golf and the horses are in the rearview mirror for this season of our lives, but duck hunting, retriever sports and fly fishing have filled the gaps and made for some pretty incredible memories over the last 12 years or so.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I went out after the fourth series last year at the #2015NARC in Montana. Bill and his 3 year old dog, Baby, completed all ten series and were national finalists! It was one of the coolest experiences of our lives together so far. And not just because it was the first time in our marriage we were together for three weeks in a row! 😳
Retriever News follower Trevor Toberny commented that he always wondered if husband and wife competitors like Martha and John Russell are competitive with each other and if they like to beat each other 😜. I haven't asked Martha and John that question yet but I imagine they feel much like we do.
These dogs are so amazing, the venues are continual and stunning examples of the beauty of rural America, and this sport is so freaking hard. To have your best friend, your partner, and your sweetheart, experience the highs and lows, the great days and the tough ones WITH you - it is truly a wonderful gift.
I also happen to know that it is way harder to be in the gallery than up on the line. Without question, it is more unnerving to be a spectator than a competitor. It is like the world moves in slow motion and you have to watch each test unfold like its an out of body experience. At least when I am on line, I am distracted by working with my dog and the whole process of competing/handling. Watching someone you love is unequivocally harder.
As I sit in my truck on a gorgeous 60 degree morning in rural Vermont, typing my thoughts into my iPhone notes and trying to not be anxious about callbacks, I have this thought on my mind:
Whether you are a competitor, a spectator, or both, this is a great sport for couples and families.
Who are your favorite couples to watch? Who did I miss? (I know my quick list is very incomplete.) Can't wait to hear your perspective on couples who are crazy enough to be part of this wacky sport and all the other family members who love and support us on the wild ride!
All my best,
Jamie
