Field trials and hunt tests are where the sporting breeds—retrievers, pointers, and the flushing dogs like English Springer Spaniels—are put to the test. Participants travel from far-and-wide for camaraderie, the love of the dogs and the sport, and perhaps most importantly for the improvement of the breeds.

“Keeper is a beautiful dog that just oozes talent!”
— Judge Mike Ludwig

Bill began field trialing with Chesapeake Bay Retrievers in 1968. In 1970, while Bill was in basic training at Fort Ord, California, his two-year-old puppy, Chessie Cocoa Nut, won National High Point Derby Dog for the breed. After 7 years in the Army, Bill’s life went in other directions and he did not compete with his dogs again until 2005.

“Nicely done, Bill Brockett! Keeper put on a heck of a show!”
— Judge Dean Koehler

The three Springers that Bill has handled to date have earned Junior, Senior, and Master Hunter titles, and more recently Field Champion and Amateur Field Champion titles in the U.S. The six-year-old he is running today, FC AFC JoJo’s Easy Keeper, is from his own all-British breeding and competed in all four North American national championships in the fall of 2022.