|
 On
February 21, 1996, Union Springs and the Tourism Council
dedicated this life-size bronze statue of an English Pointer.
Sculpted by Bob Wehle, the monument pays tribute to the 11 men
honored by the Bird Dog Field Trial Hall of Fame. The names of
the honorees are engraved on the south side of the monument.
It pays tribute to Bullock County's unexcelled
upland game country, bird dogs, and the men and women who
participate in the sport of field trialing.
Located at the intersection of Prairie Street
and Hardaway Avenue, the statue is situated atop an 8-foot-tall
granite pillar. The names of eleven Bullock County residents who
have been inducted into the Field Trial Hall of Fame are
engraved on the south side of the monument. Donors, including
some memorials by family members, are engraved on the north side
of the monument.
Bird dog competitions, commonly known as
Field Trials, both professional and amateur, date back to the
early 1920s in Bullock County. While riding on horseback, dog
handlers, judges, officials and gallery follow the dogs that run
along designated courses. It is permissible to follow on foot or
horse-drawn wagon. Motorized vehicles are not allowed.
In 1951, the National Amateur Free-for-All
was sanctioned and was held on the hunting preserve known as
Sedgefield Plantation, an area of land that consists of
approximately 14,000 acres. The acreage was combined in the
latter years of the 1920s by the late L. B. Maytag who is known
for his patented washing machines. There are several other game
preserves in the county, ranging in size from a few hundred
acres to the thousands.
The city of Union Springs welcomes many tourists during the
annual event. Downtown stores have window displays decorated by
local organizations using a field trial theme.
Union Springs is known as the
"Bird Dog Field Trial Capital of the World."
Click here for more
info on local Field Trials |
Bird
Dog Monument