The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-02-18
NEw ENGLAND rlELD rRIAES.
An Interesting Article by E. Knight
 sperry

the pen Of our tOWnsman, E. Knight Sperry, appeared in the February 18th issue of the American Stockkeeper:
 NEW ENGLAND FIELD TRIALS.
 Editor American Stock Keeper:
 I have not been a very extensive trav- eler, not having been beyond the Rock ies on the west, nor the equator on the south, and yet have had some expert ence in the American Fields" and Forest and Streams" and therefore have had an opportunity to make a "Sportsman's Review of many hap penings with Mans Best Friend" al- though I have not been much of an American Stock Keeper" for I have not kept in any one year more than from twenty-five to forty bird dogs. I have seen and talked with quite a few of the fancy, but have only known of two who were outspoken enough to tell the truth about the desires and princi- ples of the field trial clubs south and west.
 One in Forest and Stream some twen- ty years ago said that there was as much difference between shooting dog
  tween a thoroughbred racer and a cart horse After few years they became more conservative and demanded bet- ter training and more useful dogs at their trials, dogs that would show some bird sense. Now again they want them more rampant and nothing will answer but the high class animal that the other man of the two, before ment toned, said they wanted when MT P. H. Bry- son asked him what he meant 1y class at the Missouri trials. He re- piled, speed, style and range. Is that all asked Bryson, and he answered, yes. I say "an honest man, the noblest work of God" That is right, talk it out just as you feel. and yet I don't think you have courage enough to match your racer against the whippets, neither do think it would be hardly fair, for style should count for something, particular ly when you leave out all that the bird dog is supposed to be bred for.
 A gentleman that met the other day said that he did not think retrieving amounted to much, for in England they took a dog along with them expressly for that purpose. told him that they ought to ''go the whole figure" and have greyhound to start the birds, then take him up and put down a dog that would carry the trail until you could see by the motion of his tail that he was near the birds, then put down the point ing dog, then when the bird was shot, bring out the retriever Then we could truly say "the world do move" This spirit of unrest" seems to have perva- ded our country even into our own New England, for the secretary, Mir Chapin, made very strong contracts with all that entered dogs in the All Age Stake in the Connecticut Field trials last No vember, inasmuch as in the running rules it is stated that all dogs must be well broken and good retrievers or not be eligible to any part of the money, and in filling out the entry blanks they bind themselves to run the dogs accord ing to the rules. This was not done and the judges try to hide behind the secre- tary by saying that he told them to use their own discretion about judging in reference to the rules, and yet had the rules in their pockets. Their discre- tion was to ignore the rules and conse- duently the awards were numerously At meeting of the Board of Governors held soon afterwards the protests were sustained, thus making the All Age Stake null and void. and voted that the money be refunded to those that entered in this stake. This action had the favor of all, except those that had won in the so-called judges aWards-the secretary being one of them, and as yet he does not comply with the vote of the governors, neither will be send a copy of record asked for. | What a ness-your plan does not favor l me and therefore I will not play. A house divided against itself cannot | stand What can be done to shield our | selves from dishonor
 F. KNIGHT SHERRY.
 Bearing on the same subject is the | editorial headed Dogs for | New England Shooting from the | American Field of February 15;
 DOGS FOR NEW ENGLAND SHOOT 1
 ING
 It appears that the American Fields deal dog for New England shooting loes not find favor with some good | ,portsmen who have bagged ruffed grouse on the hllsides and stopped the fight of the woodcock as he topped the l ,lders or white birches. But the gen. lemen who are finding fault with this log evidently do not know him and fan " he does not exist. This ideal dog ives in the flesh tot day just as he has lad his being since the time when many sportsmen were boys. This log can be found in the south and can ,e found in New England, Our corres- ,ondents would value him highly could hey see him at work on ruffed grouse. They might not agree with the Ameri- an Field as to the things which made i'm good dog for New England shoot ng. Herein lies the chief cause for the Inference of opinion expressed.
 To begin with, a dog for New Eng and shooting must not go fast. Mark his. No dog that goes threshing trough the brush at the pace of high lass field trial dog can be of much ser ice on ruffed grouse.
 But there is kind of dog that can go ast because of his forma tion, that will o at steady, even pace because of his because his pace ia not Il in his heels; because he has brains nough to adapt himself to conditions ecause he can be taught to work reg