Everybody Knows Where Broomhill's At!

Field trials for Setters and Pointers have been run in Manitoba since 1886 when the Manitoba Field Trial Club held its inaugural Derby and All-Age Stakes near Morris, about 50 miles south of Winnipeg.  

Field trials are still held in Manitoba today, but further west, just outside of Broomhill, a small hamlet that most people in Manitoba have never heard of. But among field trialers, Broomhill is almost as well-known as Grand Junction Tennessee. When I interviewed Hall of Fame trainer and handler Colvin Davis last fall during the Manitoba Championship Trial, I asked him about Broomhill. Here is what he had to say.

Stay tuned for more video of Colvin and more on the history of field trials in Manitoba including first hand accounts from over 120 years ago!

12 Things I Learned at Broomhill, Manitoba.

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting some of my photos, videos, thoughts and opinions on pointing dog field trials. Today I'd like to start with what I learned when I attended the Manitoba Championship Trial in Broomhill, Manitoba last September.


1. There is a great big sky over Broomhill.







2. And a lot of big trucks.


And big trailers.


And cool license plates.




3. You meet a lot of nice people at Broomhill.



People who love horses.



And wide open spaces.



And each other.


People who really love their dogs.


And dogs who love their people.



4. The dogs only have two speeds: ZOOOM...


And chill.



5. The dogs greet you in different ways.


Some are super happy to see you.


Some aren't quite sure.


Some dogs couldn't care less.


Some think that you are bringing them a nice meaty soup-bone.


And all the young dogs give you the 'take me home' look.





6. All the dogs have awesome dog names.




And they travel with horses in trailers.





7. Trial folk spend a lot of time in the saddle


And they love every minute of it.







8. Trial judges judge on horseback.


Handlers handle on horseback.







And everyone else follows along to watch...on horseback.







9. Each dog waits for its turn to run.


So they relax in a cool dog-wagon.





10. And when it comes time to run..





They run...


And run


And run... for an hour or more.



11. When they're done, they head back in.









To chill out in the dog-wagon while the others get their turn to run.







12. When everyone's done, it's back to camp.


Near the Broomhill Hilton.


Where all the nice people sit and visit under sage advice written on the wall.


And the dogs go back to day-dreaming...


about running again, under the great big Broomhill sky.


To view a slideshow of these images and more from the Broomhill trial, click here.