USCSDA Horseback Scouting revisited

After some questions concerning horseback scouting in USCSDA Trials:

AT THE DIRECTION OF THE JUDGES-
The scout riding an edge or a particularly dense piece of cover, AT THE DIRECTION OF THE JUDGES, is perfectly acceptable.
The scout heeling the dog back to the front is NOT.

Please remind your Judges, Handlers, and Scouts about the rules governing Horseback Scouting!!

I continue to receive complaints regarding the abuse of Horseback Scouting. It's pretty simple:

1. Scouts dispatched with Judges permission.

2. Scouts can go to a specific area to look for a dog and then returns to the gallery - OUTRIDING IS NOT PERMITTED.

3. A SCOUT IS NOT ALLOWED TO HANDLE THE DOG IN ANY MANNER.

4. Scouting is either done on foot or on horseback. USE OF 4-WHEELER IS NOT PERMITTED.

Let's get a handle on this, before someone loses credit for a placement!

Thanks, Jim Bush

Hey guys and girls!

You can be the latest 'Cat in the Hat" with the Famous Highland Field Trial Hat, this hat will be available at the Trial-

You say when is the Trial?

It's March 14-15 at the world famous Highland Field Trial Grounds!

See you there, it will be a great time!!!!!

Use of Garmin GPS in US Complete Trials

News from the USCSDA message board

Last week I stated that the Garmin was authorized in all US Complete Trials - Open and Amateur Stakes. This was based on the American Field's authorization and not having seen anything official from the AFTCA prohibiting its use. This is not entirely true. After conferring with Linda Hunt, AFTCA Secretary, the AFTCA has NOT approved its use in trials held by its member clubs. A noticefrom the AFTCA will be published in the American

Field shortly.

What does this mean to US Complete Trials?

1. The Garmin DC-30 is approved for use in Open Stakes for the trial period specified by the American Field.

2. The Garmin DC-30 is NOT approved for use in Amateur Stakes conducted by clubs that are members of the AFTCA.

3. The Garmin DC-30 may be used in any stakes conducted by USCSDA Clubs that are not members of the AFTCA, for the trial period specified by the American Field.

4. The Garmin DC-30 is NOT approved for use in the USCSDA National Amateur Championship, since this is an AFTCA sanctioned trial.

Sorry for any inconvience. Hopefully this clears up any confusion.

Jim Bush USCSDA President

Highland Rec. Area, Field Trial Workday Schedule - January through June 2009

Here's a list of the scheduled stewardship workdays for the first six months of 2009 at Highland:

Saturday, January 24, 2009
Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, February 21, 2009
Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Barn Course FTA, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, June 13, 2009
Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

These dates follow the same schedule of workdays we've had in the past (1st Sat., 3rd Sat., etc.). Please consult your calendars to make sure there are no conflicts with scheduled field trial events.

If your club is planning to attend a workday please send me an estimate of how many people will attend at least a week and a half beforehand. These estimates will help us know how much the crew needs to prep. to keep all of the eager volunteers busy!
For a list of all scheduled workdays please visit http://www.blogger.com/www.michigan.gov/dnrvolunteers ; click on the "Calendar of Volunteer Stewardship Workdays" link under Current Volunteer Opportunities.

Don't be Shy- Volunteer Work Days at Highland Grounds

Fellow friends of the Highland Field Trial grounds, help is needed to keep the gounds in tip top shape. This is an on going process, which involves all individuals that use the grounds for trials or training needs.

We have included a list of dates, which were pulled off the Volunteer Match site. These dates will help the Highland Grounds clear invasive shrubs like buckthorn and autumn olive, also volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood.

Please make a note to mention that you are with the Highland field Trial Club, when volunteering your time for the grounds, as our club gets credit for the hours which are volunteered.

Description

Sunday, January 11, 2009 Highland Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The high quality woodlands at Highland need your help! Please join us as we remove invasive shrubs like buckthorn and autumn olive at this workday! Meet at the Goose Meadow parking lot just south of the park entrance on M-59.

Saturday, January 24, 2009 Highland Recreation Area
Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Join ongoing efforts to restore this area to an open grassland. Volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood. Meet at the Silo Field Trial Area parking lot off Livingston Road, between Pettibone Lake and Beaumont Roads.

Saturday, February 14, 2009 Highland Recreation Area ,
Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Join ongoing efforts to restore this area to an open grassland. Volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood. Meet at the Silo Field Trial Area parking lot off Livingston Road, between Pettibone Lake and Beaumont Roads.

Saturday, February 28, 2009 Highland Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Haven Hill Natural Area needs your help! Help us remove invasive shrubs that are moving into the area and crowding out native species. Meet at the Goose Meadow parking lot just south of the park entrance on M-59.

Sunday, March 8, 2009 Highland Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Want to help protect woodlands at Highland? Then join us as we continue removing the non-native shrubs that threaten to take over Haven Hill Natural Area. Meet at the Goose Meadow parking lot just south of the park entrance on M-59.

Saturday, March 28, 2009 Highland Recreation Area ,
Barn Course Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Join ongoing efforts to restore this area to open grassland. Volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood. Meet at the Barn Field Trial Area parking lot on the north side of Cooley Lake Road between Duck Lake and Beaumont Roads.

Skills
These workday activities are not suitable for children 12 or under. An adult must accompany children between the ages of 13 and 16.

Highland FTC First trial info

We will post more info as the first trial comes together.
This is an American Field sanctioned, US Complete Shooting Dog Association (http://www.uscomplete.org/) sanctioned, walking trial. We will run the Shooting Dog and Derby at the Silo course and will use the Barn course for Puppy stake. We run 2 trials per year, March 14 & 15 this year, weekend 11 and Sept 12 & 13, weekend 37. We will request the same weekends each year. We will be paying purses in the Open events, along with Rosettes. Amateurs stakes will be given Rosettes.

We would love to see entries from all the pointing breeds and the Amateur Shooting Dog stake would be a great stake for folks new to AF field trials to enter, compete and enjoy what we do in this format. If you want to review the rules, again go to the US Complete Web site and review the rules for this format.

The club is a member of the Association of Michigan Field Trial Clubs and all of our stakes will qualify for Michigan Walking Dog of the Year standings. Additionally, as a sanctioned club with US Complete, points will be earned for US Complete Dog and Hander of the year in both Open and Amateur and also the US Complete Invitational Championship.

The Highland Field Trial Club will run its first trial March 14-15, 2009 at the Highland Field Trial grounds in Highland, MI. This will be a U.S. Complete walking trial. Stakes to be run: Open Shooting Dog, Open Derby, Open Puppy, Amateur Shooting Dog. An Amateur Derby will be run time permitting.

Membership levels were discussed at the recent meeting of officers and directors.
Levels being- Founder: $200.00, Life: $100.00, and Yearly: $30.00 -Founding members will receive a Life Membership, name on Club stationary as Founding Member, Club embroidered cap, and free lunch at all trials held by Club. Founding membership deadline is March 15, 2009. -Lifetime membership will receive a Club embroidered cap. -Yearly membership is just that. All are welcome to join and support this new Club.

*** Membership dues can be mailed to:
Club Secretary- Dave Fletcher, 9517 S. Morrice Rd., Morrice, MI 48857

Ron Sposita, President
Mark Beniak, Vice-President
Dave Fletcher, Secretary/Treasurer
Bob Wheelock, Director
Greg Tereck, Director
Paul Tutro, Director

Highland Field Trial Club Spring date: March 14-15

Dates are set for the first Spring Trial for the Highland Field Trial Club.
The date for the spring trial will be March 14-15 of 2009. Please stay tuned for further details.
We will keep you updated at this blog and will post at the Coverdog web site. The trial will be in the US Complete format which will be listed in the American field one month prior to the running.