Cast Agreeing to Allow Cast-Mate to Carry Controlling Device, Other Beagle News

Full Circle

August 23, 2016

Source: Allen Gingerich

2016 Hunting Beagle World Championship Notes

With the World Championship just around the corner, here are some reminders.

• Your dog must have qualified for the championship via a WQE. The very last opportunity to get a dog qualified for this years’ World Championship is at the Don McVay Senior Memorial the weekend after Labor Day. Any dog winning its first round cast with a total score of plus points at the Memorial will qualify.

• Be sure to mark Round 1 (a) or Round 1 (b) on your entry application. Dogs in Round 1 (a) will hunt on Friday morning, while dogs entered in Round 1 (b) will hunt on Friday afternoon. Know that Round 1 (a) entries may be cut off at the first 120 dogs that entered. UKC staff is always willing to try and accommodate (a) to (b) changes; however, they are not obligated to. Know that such changes not only create extra work, but also affect the flow of being well-organized. UKC greatly appreciates those who stick with the round they originally submitted, so if you are one of those who usually enters all your dogs in the same round then waits to decide which dog to put in (a) and which dog goes in (b) on the day of the hunt, we thank you for having your ducks in a row this year.

• Advanced entries only. The deadline to enter for the World Championship is Friday, September 16. Your advanced entry application must be postmarked no later than that date. Know that if you place your entry in the mail on that Friday, there’s a good chance your entry may not be postmarked on that day. You would be better advised to drop it off at the post office and request they postmark it in your presence to be sure. Of course your safest option is to mail it off way before the 16th.

• Confirmation. After UKC has processed your entry, you will receive a confirmation letter in the mail. If you waited to send off your entry until the last couple weeks before the deadline, don’t expect to receive your confirmation until the week before, or possibly even the week of the event. Confirmations are mailed to the owner’s address on the dog’s record. If that address is not accurate, you should be sure to complete a Change of Address Form and mail it in to UKC, along with your entry. Simply updating your address on your entry application does not meet the criteria needed to change the dog’s record. Download Change of Address Forms.

• Refunds and Substitutions. No refunds will be issued after the advanced entry deadline. In the event you have a female that comes in season, or have a dog that is deceased, you may bring a substitute. However, a substitute must be a dog that is 1) also qualified and 2) owned or co-owned by the same owner(s) of the original entry. In the event of a dog being hurt and not being able to hunt, it may be substituted provided the owner is able to show a veterinarian statement.

• Confirming Entries at the World. All advanced entries must be confirmed at the event. UKC staff will confirm entries on Thursday night for both Rounds 1 (a) and Round 1 (b). All dogs, unless permanently measured, must be measured first before the entry can be confirmed. Entries will also be confirmed on Friday morning until deadline.

• The World Championship Bench Show will be held on Friday between Round 1 (a) and Round 1 (b). Show entries will be taken on the grounds on Friday. All current show requirements are in effect. Any dog with less than 50 championship points and not qualified for the World Hunt may be shown provided the dog was entered in a World Qualifying Event and was not withdrawn or scratched for not hunting. Nice trophies for the winners and a nice prize package for the Overall World Bench Show Champion.

• There are a couple hotels in Mountain City. UKC would recommend the Americourt, but you’ll need to make your reservations asap before they fill up. Otherwise, there are numerous good hotels available 16 to 18 miles from Mountain City to choose from. You’ll find a couple of those hotels included in the World Ad in this month’s issue of American Beagler.

As the host club, Woody Crowder and the members of the Doe Valley Sportsman Beagle Association are tickled to have the World Championship back in Tennessee and are putting a lot of effort into this event. They have the rabbit population and running grounds to make for a great championship. The facility is brand new and easy access off the highway just 4 miles south of Mountain City, Tennessee. It’s a beautiful area with lots to see and do so bring your whole family and make it a mini-vacation.

Youth Only Events for Clubs

Q: We took our boys to the NHBA Youth Championship in June in West Virginia, and they had a blast. The club did a great job with it and all the kids were having fun. We loved the format for hunts and that there was an option for the younger kids to enter the Assisted Hunt. We were wondering what our club would need to do to put on a youth event? Or is that not an option?

A: All the smiles on those kids’ faces at the NHBA Youth Championship certainly confirms that it was a success and we need to have a lot more youth-only events. Yes, definitely, any UKC approved club may schedule a youth-only event. Clubs may choose to use a date they already have or they may contact UKC for any other available dates. Actually, UKC will allow clubs an extra date (on top of the seven allowed) for a youth-only event. UKC does also waive all license and recording fees for youth events so there would be no charge to the club.

Youth rules, as noted in the current rulebook, were recently amended to allow for an Assisted Hunt along with the licensed hunt for the older kids. This format was introduced at the NHBA Youth Championship and will be the format for all youth events moving forward.

In a Youth-Only Event, there are two separate hunts, a Licensed Hunt and an Assisted Hunt. The Licensed Hunt is for youth between the ages of 9 and 17. The running rules for the hunt are the same as any regular UKC hunt, but with non-hunting judges. Championship points and wins are awarded to the winners of the Licensed Hunt.

The Assisted Hunt is for kids between the ages of 5 to 7 who may be assisted or coached with calling their dogs, watching for lines, etc., by a parent or chaperone. Any youth older than 8 may also enter the Assisted Hunt if they would rather. Another notable item for the Assisted Hunt is that dogs cannot be scratched out of the hunt except for females in season, or fighting. Complete information can be provided by UKC to any club interested in having a youth only event.

Cast Agreeing to Allow Cast-Mate to Carry Controlling Device

Q: Last weekend, a handler in my cast asked me to carry his Tri-Tronics controlling device. The way that I interpret Rule 10 g (2) is that these devices must be left in the vehicle, and there’s no provisions to that. The judge in our cast claimed that it was okay for a cast-mate to carry the transmitter as long as the whole cast agreed. I try to keep up with any changes and have never seen any such policy or any interpretation other than what seems to be clear to me in the rules, so is it permissible to have another member of the cast carry a controlling device if all members agree?

A: No, it is not an option to have a cast member carry the handheld of any device capable of controlling a dog. Not in the Hunting Beagle format. Rule 10 g (2) clearly states that the handheld controlling device must be left in vehicle. The rules do not give any provisional “if all cast members agree” option. When you agree to do something the rules say you can’t, then you are just as guilty, even when it doesn’t pertain to you or your hound.

I would hate to see someone get barred over something as silly as a violation of this rule. If you read the whole rule, you’ll see that violations could result in suspension. I wouldn’t recommend sneaking around it. If this comes up my advice would be to politely ask the judge to refer to the rule on the back of the scorecard. It’s not a voting situation. If anyone still insists that it’s okay, then go on and don’t make a big deal of it. Report it to UKC. This is kind of like the cast agreeing the track went into a hole without anyone even making an attempt to look for a hole. Then someone in the cast wants to make you feel silly if you even suggest we should first make an attempt (per the rule) to look for a hole. The point is, if it’s a rule, it’s a rule. As simple as that. Thanks for the question. It’s one that needed to be addressed.