Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-05

Eastern Club trials which took place at HYDE
Park. N. J., were very successful this year. and
brought out an unusual number of fine dogs.
Lexington, n. c., the scene OF the Central Club
trials, has been the rendezvous of hunters and
valuable kennels from all parts of the country
for nearly a month past.
There has been a new departure in the meth
cd of judging at the field trials this year. For
merly the best dogs IN class were run against
each other in the field and the best of the brace
was accorded the heat. The trial generally was
an hours hunt. Under the new system, which
has just come into operation, no decision is
rendered at the close of the heat. They take
list of dogs and try one against the other, and
out of the whole list that have been run tile
judges select the most likely animal to compete
for the prizes They cut down the number to
five six to try for the first and second prizes.
All the competitions take place over the Ordi-
nary outdoor ground, through fields, farm land
and stubble. The dogs are shot over just as
though they were hunting instead of running
for premiums, the only difference being that
So as to make every possible point and bring
out their fine qualities. 1t is fact that our
dogs retrieve better than the English, from
whom they are descended.
MERITS OF THE NEW SYSTEM.
Whatever may be the merits of the new sys-
tenn, it can hardly fail to give better satisfac-
ton than the old, under which so many kennel
owners complained; the prizes were frequently
awarded to the merely stylish animals while
the best workers in the field were passed by.
Every sportsman knows by experience that it
will sometimes happen that where two dogs are
working together the dog that cuts out his field
in workmanlike way may be eclipsed by his
far less clever mate stumbling upon the covey
almost by accident. An award for such work is
manifestly unfair and takes no account of the
real merit of the dogs.
Every owner of kennel who intends entering
his dogs for the field trials gives them a private
trial in advance. He takes them out for actual
work, and watches closely to see which has the
better range, looks out sharpest for birds, and
excels for speed and style. An hour is suffi-
cient for test of this kind. To get the best
results the weather should be clear and COOL
with light breeze blowing. An open field is
the best, or piece of ground with sedge. In
high winds it is difficult to locate the birds and
the trial will be slow work. The dog that starts
out well. ranges widely. works out his ground
rapidly but Systematically, and follows this up
by finding his birds, standing them in good style
and retrieving carefully, is filling all the re-
Quirements of firstclass hunter and has a
fair chance of taking prize. He should not,
however, dwell too long ON an old scent, as
dog with poor nose is apt to do. With good
nose, and what is known as good "bird sense"
he will soon determine whether or not bird is
at the other end of the scent.
There is the widest difference in the style of
dogs working in the fields. OF a really good
brace one may range fast and wide and cut out
his ground in capital style, but he may have
Door nose.
The other may have a weak style. and yet, by
reason of his better scent may find his birds
quicker. There may be just as wide differ
ence working on single birds as on beves. One
of the best illustrations of this difference in
the manner of the working of a pair of dogs
was seen at the Eastern Club trials for the all
aged stake few days ago, when Rip-Rap, the
best pointer that has ever been entered in the
American trials, was matched against Count
Fauster, another famous pointer, in the third
series.
AN INTERESTING CONTEST,
They we're started on even terms in large
stubble field. At the word Rip-Rap took the
right side and went with all speed to the upper
end, where he made short cast toward the
center and came back, head well up, until