We are looking for a new training place for Flyball as the farmer has decided to winter his sheep on the field. We are struggling to find anywhere else that is suitable who will allow noisy dogs and 15 cars each sunday morning!

Please could you let me know where you train your teams (farmers field, recreation ground etc)

Could you explain briefly how you convinced the grounds owner, or council to let lots of noisy dogs to use the ground for a couple of hours a week.

Also, how much do you pay to use the ground!

Thanks for your help

Chris

we train at Brigg recreation grounds, we just rang the council and asked about the grounds they said that was fine for us to train there and we have ever since...(a lady in my team has a friend at the council so think that may have helped) We just have to provide a list of when we train(we dont have to pay if we're not there...they trust us to be honest as to when we are there) and we pay monthly!

it cost us £10 per day to use the grounds!

Our team trains on like a playing field/park type thing, every Sunday morning, the team just asked permission and it was given, although there looking for somewhere else for the winter thats indoors now i think.
Not sure how much they pay to use it.

i train down a rented field at the bk of someones house!
lou x

We train in a chaps paddock. The sheep next door haven't complained yet and the locals (all two of them) haven't said anything yet or they think it's the local dog kennels!!!!!

Get all your members to ask arond. That's how we got this place, and the best bit is we have exclusive use of it!!!!

Good luck in your search.

We train in a playing field over summer, we don't pay but we do a display at their summer fete in return for the use of the feild. In the winter we use the sports connexion in Coventry-quite a few teams train there so you can split the cost of hiring a court.

We rent a field for all our agility kit from a farmer, he doesn't seem to mind all the barking so we're quite lucky! Word of mouth got us this field, but ask around the local farmers if they have a bit of land suitable to use or call your local council, or any local village parish council to see if you can use their playing feilds.

Hope you find somewhere waggingd

If you contact the green spaces switchboard at your local council, they will help you find somewhere you can train.
I think the main worry with a lot of places is dog mess so if you assure them that you pick up after your dogs as routine, that might help you a little.
Also, links to your team website and all that might help show that you are genuine and legit.
I think that councils should help with these matters because encouraging things like this is a whole lot better than these dog owners who just let their dogs out to stray in the street and foul and cause a nuisance.

Thanks for all your input. After a call with our local council Parks division, I have sent the following email to them:-

Following on from our conversation this morning, I am a representive of the Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre Flyball teams. www.dbarc.org.uk

Our dogs used to train each Sunday morning for 2 hours on a farmers field in Eversley, and then compete in competitions across the country throughout the summer period. We have been very successful at these competitions (results listed at http://cbhughes.com/tinc?key=jHalpl2J&form...Flyball_Results ), and have raised much awareness for the Animal Rescue Centre as a consequence. A lot of the dogs that compete are rescue dogs from the centre. Flyball is a hugely growing and popular activity for both dog owners and the dogs themselves and our teams are registered with the British Flyball Association - www.flyball.org.uk . DBARC run Fun Days and Charity events to promote the Rescue Centre and to showcase the Flyball sport - http://www.dbarc.org.uk/funday.html

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the farmer needs to make other use of the field, and so we are unable to continue our Sunday morning training throughout the winter. We have searched for alternative locations but without success. Other Flyball teams around the country have suggested contacting our Council Parks and Countryside Service, as that is how they have located a suitable training site.

Our requirements are:
2 hours each Sunday morning (09:30 – 11:30 ) through the winter, and only occasionally through the summer (as we compete at weekends through the summer period and only need training facilities once or so a month.)
100ft x 50ft of medium surface grassy ground, such as a recreation ground or field.
Approx 12 – 15 people would be training with their dogs.
Parking facility for 10 – 12 cars nearby.

We would not suggest that we train very near to housing, as our dogs can be quite excited at the sport and the barking would be a disturbance (although not excessively). We are all very responsible dog owners, as would be expected from an Animal Rescue Centre, and so would ensure the location is as clean as we found it.

Some locations we have thought might be suitable, would be the Great Hollands Recreation Ground or Pope’s Meadow in Binfield, although I would take guidance from you as to whether these are suitable or not, or any other locations you can recommend.

I very much hope that you can help us in some way, and would be pleased to put you in touch with our Team Captain – Sarah North – who is cc’d on this mail. If you were even able to put us on a trial basis, so that you can observe how this would all run, that would be a great start.

Regards
Chris Hughes

Here's hoping for a positive response! runningdog