Beltrami County dog trial set for April 25 in Solway

Beltrami County dog owners and hunting-dog handlers will get a low-pressure chance to put their dogs to work when the Mississippi Headwaters Hunting Retriever Club holds an informal trial at Anderson's Gravel Pit in Solway.

The event is set for Saturday, April 25, at the site on Jones Townhall Road NW. Registration begins at 8 a.m., the trial starts at 9 a.m. and the entry fee is $15. The club says the trial is open to all hunting dog enthusiasts and dog breeds, which should make it easier for both experienced handlers and first-time spectators to take part.

The format is meant to be approachable while still giving dogs a real test. Participants can enter their dogs in several age groups, and the setting offers a chance to measure obedience, retrieving and field behavior without the pressure of a formal competition. Jerrie Olson is listed as the contact for additional information.

The event also fits into a long-running national tradition. The American Kennel Club says retriever hunt tests were first held in 1985 because hunters wanted a way to test hunting ability without the competitive pressure of field trials. That first year brought 13 events and 681 entrants, with the first licensed tests run by the Jayhawk Retriever Club of St. Joseph, Missouri, and the East Texas Retriever Club of Lufkin, Texas.

AKC retriever hunt tests are judged against written hunting standards, not against other dogs. The organization says the main levels are Junior, Senior and Master, and dogs are evaluated on marking, memory, perseverance, steadiness, control, response and delivery. AKC also says the tests are typically held on weekends, which helps create the kind of communal atmosphere local clubs are trying to build in places like Solway.

Eligibility is broad enough to draw a mixed crowd. AKC says dogs 6 months of age or older from eligible breeds may participate, including retriever breeds and some spaniels, pointers and poodles. That wide eligibility, paired with the club’s open invitation, should make the Solway trial a practical stop for people in the Bemidji area who are training for the fall or simply want to see how a hunting dog trial works before the season ramps up.