There will be an email going out to chapter members later this week, but I wanted to get some information out concerning Kelley Farms (Kelley Land & Cattle Company.) I have been aware of the pending sale of Kelley for about a year. Along with many others, especially the Minnesota DNR and the Minnesota Federation of Field Trial Clubs, I have been in regular communication with the involved parties about the legacy of dog training, testing and trialing on these grounds and expressing the importance of maintaining that legacy.
In early June, a contingent of representatives from the MN DNR visited Kelley while we had our Utility Test and Aims & Rules Clinic dual event going on at the same time Northern Flight Retrievers had a big event going on. That contingent was impressed with the scope and scale of hunting dog activities that was happening on these grounds. We remain hopeful that we will be able to maintain the ability to train on some of the portions of land that will end up in the control of the MN DNR. Please keep in mind that this is a complex situation involving many large agencies and these things take time. There have already been many delays. The Northwest portion that includes what we call the “DNR Pond” was supposed to transition last spring, but was delayed. It now appears that portion will be in transition in the next few weeks, which will mean it will be off limits to training and will be “Posted” as such at that time. On the remaining portions of Kelley we should be business as usual for those with 2023 passes for the rest of our effective training season.
**UPDATE 8/1/2023** The NW portion referenced above has now been transferred and is OFF LIMITS to training. It will be POSTED.
We will update the chapter by email once we have more information about the future at Kelley, but this may not be until this winter.
Pete Aplikowski
President-Minnesota NAVHDA