From: srlee@beta.lanl.gov (Stephen R Lee)
Subject: Re: Requiring a title (was Re: Hunting ability ...)
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 22:31:35 GMT

In article <16850B498.X005CB@tamvm1.tamu.edu> X005CB@tamvm1.tamu.edu (Chris Barnes) writes:
>In article <1992Aug27.161749.8259@newshost.lanl.gov>
>     srlee@beta.lanl.gov (Stephen R Lee) writes:
> 
>>>Now the question is:  how do we get the AKC moving on this?
>>
>>How would one evaluate the sled dogs?  Number of sprint wins for Sibs?  Weight
>>pulling ability for Sibs or Mals?
> 
>Beats me.  Ask someone that has one.
> 
> 
>>Stephen R. Lee                 |
>>OooWoo Racing Kennel           | I'd rather be driving sled
>>E-Mail: srlee@beta.lanl.gov    | dogs.
>                                  ==========================
> 
>Hmm...I guess that would be you.  So how would YOU evalute a sled dog
>(only 1/2 retorical)?
> 
>      ----------------------------------------------
>Chris Barnes            |
>x005cb@tamvm1.tamu.edu  |  Only 5 more days until the start of
>(409) 846-3273 (home)   |           hunting season (in Texas)
>(409) 845-8454 (work)   |

I was using this as an example that I am familiar with.  It would be 
difficult to have "field trials" for sled dogs.  Not everyone has access
to sled, snow, or enough money to get involved.  I suppose breed clubs
might be able to buy *some* of the necessary equipment, but it would vary
according to climate.  Setting standards for such trials would itself be
rather difficult.  Note I am not saying impossible, but difficult.  

In addition, the differences in the sled dog breeds could lead to a more
restrictive role for the dogs in such a system.  FOr example, Sibs were
not bred as freighting dogs.  Mals were.  Therefore, one might envision
a "sprint" race or an endurance (longer distance) race as a "field" trial
for Siberians, but not necessarily a weight pull.  Therefore, people that 
use Sibs for weight pulling would be left out in the cold (no pun intended).  
The reverse is true for those with Mals.  You see what I am getting at?  For 
some dogs, it is, in my opinion, impractical to try and establish field 
trials.  Putting on a sled dog race is time consuming and very costly.  Much
more so than a hunting trial, just due to equipment alone (I can elaborate,
if you wish).  Trying to do something like this nation wide is virtually 
impossible (not every place gets sufficient snow).  Ironically, weight 
pulls (snowless) probably make the most sense from this standpoint, but 
unfortunately do not exactly evaluate a dog like the Siberian in its element 
(that is not to say that there are not some *excellent* weight pulling sibs out 
there -- I know there are).  My point is, that such things are probably out 
of the reach of most breed clubs and dog owners.  Just something to think 
about.  I still think your idea is a very good one.  Actually, if there *were* 
a reasonable field trial for sled dogs, *I* would certainly enter it! :-)  I
am certainly willing to try and think one up.  Just because one does not
occur to me at the moment does not mean it can't be done, of course.

-- 
============================================================
Stephen R. Lee                 | 
OooWoo Racing Kennel           | I'd rather be driving sled
E-Mail: srlee@beta.lanl.gov    | dogs.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs