Union Springs, Alabama: Bird Dog Statue, Field Trial Capital of the World

You can make a quick stop at the bird dog statue in the middle of the road. There is a great mural of dogs also very close by.

According to a local brochure, Union Springs is known as the "Bird Dog Field Trial Capital of the World." 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.

The Bird Dog Statue is in downtown Union Springs.

The dominant feature on the main street of the Bullock County town of Union Springs, this statue of a pointing bird dog celebrates the town's reputation as the "Bird Dog Field Trial Capital of the World."

The life-size bronze statue of an English Pointer, sculpted by Bob Wehle, stands in a perpetual pointing position atop an 8-foot-tall granite pillar at the intersection of Hardaway Avenue and Prairie Street, the main drag of the downtown area. In honor of the holiday season, the statue is decorated with a colorful Christmas wreath.

Inscribed on the monument, dedicated in 1996, are the names of the 11 Bullock County men who have been honored as members of the Bird Dog Field Trial Hall of Fame.

Field trials, which test the skills of bird dogs and include both dogs and mounted horsemen, are held several times each year in Bullock County and attract thousands of visitors to Union Springs and vicinity.

Of the field trials held from November through March in the area, three are championships, two professional and one amateur. The February National Amateur Free-for-All, held on the 14,000-acre Sedgefield Plantation, often attracts more than 500 people.