Comments on: 2010 Cocker National

By: Randy Breske

Randy Breske — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 14:15:23 +0000

Hi Dan
Not sure if you remember me but I met you several years ago at my first hunt test in ND. I always appreciated that you took the time to talk to me and give me some good advice. I got the sense you were honest and forthright. So when I read your post regarding the 2010 cocker championship I gained another level of respect. Consider this I don’t have a cocker and have never run in a field trial but within a couple of days I had about the travesty at the cocker championship. As someone who aspires to someday run in field trials a incidents such as these are very disheartening. So I admire your courage to stand up and speak out against perceived injustices. I have been involved in numerous organizations and have found often times everyone knows about a problem but nobody will admit it. It is like a big pink elephant sitting in the middle of a room and everyone acts like it isn’t real until one person comments on it. Then the issues can be addressed and progress can be made. I commend you for speaking out and voicing your opinion.

By: Dan Murray

Dan Murray — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:14:44 +0000

I’d have to disagree with your hesitation to put words on paper, the truth is the truth whether it’s positive or negative.
Please take the time to read the journal again. In the entry it states that the dog in question was not the winning dog, but if it were, it would make no difference.
The dog and handler being referred to are well aware of who they are and what happened. It’s no secret.

By: Lynn Miller

Lynn Miller — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 13:14:03 +0000

Hello friends, I think one of the drawbacks to the internet these days is that all communication is committed to the written word. My father warned me years ago to think long and hard before committing thoughts (especially negitive) to paper. The written word is forever and the damage done is hard to fix.
I want to thank all of you who allowed Chuck and I to judge such an important event as the Cocker Championshp. I am not going to answer the content of Dans journal (there are answers) but I will say that Chuck and I did our very best to find the best four dogs. I assure you all there was no politics or favorites. We both were on the same page throughout.
I must admit to you all that I was quite distressed when I first read this but after thinking about it, feel that the real tragedy was not the disrespect shown by questioning the judges integrty, but was the disrespect shown to the 4 dogs and handlers that placed, including the man that taught Dan everything he knows about dogs.—Lynn

By: Dan Murray

Dan Murray — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:13:17 +0000

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment on the journal entry. This wasn’t a see and decide issue. There were a number things that happened with this bird that should have removed the dog from the competition.

By: Chris Dartt

Chris Dartt — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:25:59 +0000

Hey Dan-
You can speculate as to the reasons for the judging calls for 2010, and disagree with placements and/or lack of, but I think you’ll agree that this National was “politics free” and there was no personal favoritism demonstrated by these judges. That is certainly a step in the right direction.
Judgement is now and always will be an opinion – and with 70-something dogs over 3 days and 5 series, there are certain to be gallery calls that do not match what the judges sees and decides on the course.

By: Steve Lemanski

Steve Lemanski — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:11:30 +0000

I’m sorry that the trials went the way they did unfortunatly I was not able to get to the trials though I wished I had, things like this are happening all over the world in all walks of life (it’s not what you know but who you know) we like to see the best but it very rarely happens all we can do is the best we are able and hope we get the appropriate credit,I am glad that you are able to see the faults in your own dogs(although I think a good trainer is always more criticale of there own dogs)as this will make you the trainer you are striving to be and the breed will be better for it keep positive and don’t let the politics get you down.your dogs look fantastic they have that certain something special look in their eyes good luck in the future Steve