I read this also. The basic facts in it are true, though I may disagree with the opinions and conclusions.) HT's came along in response to the absurd tests that were being used in FT's when (presumably) judges had to decide placements for 1rst, 2nd, 3rd, etc. And HT's were supposed to simulate a hunt. (Camo, shoulder a gun, can't point out the gun stations before calling for the birds... etc.) I think probably the major contributor to the problem was the Master National. (And we'll see, but maybe the Master Invitational for Amateurs).
And the e-collar was a big part of the increasing difficulty in FT's. Rex Carr was the pioneer and he revolutionized training, not just with the use of the tool, but in the whole way he analyzed dog training. Apparently he is the progenitor of all the big-time training programs in use today. Folks have definitely refined his stuff since then, but he started it. And the dog that made the case for the collar was NFC-2XNAFC Super Chief. "Supy" was, I am told, the archetypal hard-charging, high-roller. And he was the major stud for field labs during his life time. Here is an article from 1967...
The Belmont's and Rex Carr from the SI vault [Archive] - RetrieverTraining.Net - the RTF
So I have to agree with the facts in the article. I think the reason most people use a pro is because they just don't know how to get a handle on the project a young dog presents. It's easier to turn it over to someone who knows what they're doing. And the other reason people turn to pros is their lack of time. People often have more money than time. But they want a well trained dog and they are drawn to field performance because they either hunt or... they're just masochists (like me.)
BUT
!! The dirty little secret most pros will tell you (if you ask) is that an amateur who has a close bond with their one or two dogs, knows what they're doing (or has someone to tutor them) and maybe the time
and grounds
and training water
and a support system to get the necessary training in... and if they began with a well bred dog... that amateur will beat out the pros every time. (Or most times.) Think about it... a pro may have 20 dogs to run through in a day. How much actual time do they have to spend with YOUR dog?
I use and have used a pro. I wanted Rocket Dog's basic training and force fetch to be flawless. And it was. And she was and is always rock steady when the pro runs her. But not so much for me. A year ago, she was a screaming, insane banshee when I tried to run her. It was bloody awful. With no other recourse, I began working her on heel, sit, stay, wait, place literally a hundred times a day with her throughout the fall, winter and spring. No collar. Just NILIF. Nothing good happens if you're noisy, if you move. Not 20 minutes a day with a pro. But all day long here at the house and drills in the park (largely.) And since February 3-5 times/week out in the field with the group.
So, I don't know what to tell you. The jury is still out. Last summer she hammered her first Senior (except her awful creeping... not tolerable.) We'll see what this year brings. But my goal (if RD and I live long enough) is to go to the Master National. You gotta dream big.