- The Amateur Field Trial Clubs of America, Inc. celebrated
its 75th anniversary in 1992, having been established on May 19, 1917, with
five member clubs. The object of the corporation is to restore and perpetuate wild Upland
Game Birds, increase interest in and knowledge of such, and to promote, regulate, control,
advise, and conduct field trials on Upland Game Birds.
- The first National Amateur Quail Championship was run in
1918. The first National Amateur Pheasant Championship in 1933, and the National Amateur
Shooting Dog Championship in 1952. There are now 15 National Amateur titular events. Clubs
are divided into 18 Regions, which are eligible to sponsor up to three Regional
Championships each year.
- The AFTCA has the broadest geographic realm represented by
any organization dealing with pointing dog field trials. The approximately 500 plus member
clubs represent membership encompassing all 50 United States, Canada, Mexico and Japan.
Membership rosters in these Clubs would be close to 100,000.
- The AFTCA is the regulatory body for these field trial
clubs. Its duly elected Board of Trustees has the sole authority to set and administer
By-Laws and Running Rules by which field trials are conducted. A Twentieth Century Fund
has been established to aid in the perpetuation of the field trials and field trial
grounds.
|
- The Field Dog Stud Book registers about 5,000 litters of
puppies each year. Club membership should represent some 500,000 dogs in their respective
kennels plus household pets.
- Last year there were 1,450 American Field trials with 4,880
stakes conducted. The total number of dogs running in those trials was 60,920. About 4,000
winner’s certificates are issued each year by the AFTCA to amateur winners in stakes
other than puppy stakes.
- Additionally, the AFTCA sanctions breed championships for
several breeds, including the American Brittany Club and German Shorthaired Pointer Club,
basically dealing with dogs registered with the AKC.
- Trialers will spend an average of $165 a day in attendance
at trials which will be turned over five times before losing its impact on the community.
The average amount of equipment necessary for the sport would represent some $30,000 per
trialer.
- With added hunting pressure, field trials are enjoying good
growth as a non-consumptive sport. Due to the non-consumptive nature of the sport, field
trial grounds officials’ and field trialers’ prime interest is conservation and
game propagation.
|