It has been bought to my attention what has been going on behind State RAFTS’ closed doors.
Perhaps it’s time for the general retrieving world to get a small insight into the dilemma that I/we in QLD are facing.
FACT
Dogs QLD board put through a motion stopping cold game of any form being used in retrieving trials. (This action was taken without consultation with those involved in the sport in Qld.)
They then put forward a motion to Dogs Australia that artificial game be added to the list of retrieve items & it was passed by Dogs Australia.
Contrary to what many believe,we do not have a problem accessing game. After realising that DQ would not bend on this issue, our retrieving clubs have chosen to purchase Dokkens.. By doing this we have been able to conduct retrieving trials in 2024.
HOWEVER & this is where it hurts, to add insult to injury, there are factions down south who want: (& I do realise this is not everyone.)
1. To have the added items of game removed from the list of game to be retrieved. This basically would leave QLD triallers with nowhere to go. (Our DQ will not reverse their ruling.)
2.That there be no Championship points given to our dogs for winning All Age( which means we
cannot gain our RTCH titles.)
The problems personally as I see them.
I will not be eligible to compete with my up and coming young dog in Championships outside QLD because my wins will not be recognised.
I have given many, many hours to this sport in training my dogs to a competitive level all for naught.
I have held executive positions both in the RAFT in the past & still hold an executive position in my local club which will have accounted for nothing. There will be no club.
I have & am judging interstate, spending time & a considerable amount of money to support my sport in other states, which would no longer happen.
I live five hours north of Brisbane and travelling south (Interstate) to compete will be out of the question due to the expense & time away from work & family.
Consequently my loved sport & pastime of 20 odd years will no longer exist for me or my dogs & my well-trained dogs will enjoy early retirement & sadly become pets.
Putting aside my personal issues, I have watched this issue break long standing friendships & watched members of our QLD team become withdrawn and talking about walking away from a sport they love.
These people have given 30 & sometime 40 years of their time & effort, judging, competing & organising endless trials, only to see it taken away through no fault of their own.
Surely common sense must prevail. We are a sport where we get $30 or a trophy for a win, & spend hundreds of dollars travelling to venues. There are a small few who make some money from breeding purpose-bred dogs for our sport.( not make thousands I might add.)
We have already lost our Field trials ( real hunting) with this decision by DQ & have no doubt if these 2 motions above are passed behind closed doors & with secrecy acts in place, we Queenslanders will lose our sport of Retrieving.
Many life long friendships have been formed all over this wonderful country because of Retrieving .
What a pity to see this wonderful sport, enjoyed by many, being torn apart by the few who are staying in the “Tradition of the game” whatever that means!! Surely there is a way forward that can & will be inclusive for all, not just decisions made by people who are putting their own emotions before the needs of others.