Defining a Circle; Other Beagle News

Full Circle

June 12, 2017

Source: Allen Gingerich

Defining a Circle

Q: The rules require a rabbit to be circled before it can be scored. Please define a circle.

A: This is an age-old question that only comes up because, if were being honest with ourselves, weve all seen where lines are being scored far too soon. Its easily one of the most abused rules in the entire rulebook. Frankly, it is troubling to see what some consider to be a circle. Ive seen it, youve seen it, weve all seen it. Apparently, some elementary teachers are failing to teach shapes correctly. Rabbits dont always run in a perfect circle, but they usually do run a path that brings them back to the general area where they were jumped.

Basically, the rabbit must be taken away from the point where it is jumped and return to that area. After it returns to that area, the rabbit is eligible to be scored as soon as you can spot it. Then again, we should all know and easily understand that so this is simply a friendly reminder to not call lines before you should be.
That said, there are situations where a rabbit is jumped and doesnt come back to the same general area where it was jumped. Sometimes they will head out and then legitimately circle back and forth in another area, and not come back. In this case, common sense comes into play, and you should move in for scoring purposes.

May a short 50-yard circle be scored? Not by UKCs definition of a circle. Just because a rabbit runs around a bush, does not make it a circle. Handlers need to use common sense and, ultimately, let their conscience be their guide. If a handler calls a line before the rabbit has actually returned to the general area where it was jumped, then by all means, we should speak up and do it right. If we dont then were not doing the sport any justice and we lose all consistency between casts when it comes to scoring lines.

Speed and Drive Witness Requirements

Q: When scoring speed and drive, does a majority of the cast have to be present when using a non-hunting judge? When using a hunting judge, can a majority of the cast score speed and drive without the judge being present?

A: Rule 3 (a) states: {When the non-hunting Judge, or majority of cast if hunting Judge is used, are present as Judge scores dogs on speed and drive at point rabbit was seen by a Judge or cast member after completion of circle.}

A non-hunting judge is in complete authority of the cast and is to make all scoring decisions. Therefore, a non-hunting judge does not need the majority, or for that matter anyone, present when scoring speed and drive.
When using a hunting judge, it is different. The rule includes {or majority of cast when hunting judge is used, are present as Judge scores dogs on speed and drive}. By virtue of the words as judge scores being in that sentence mandates that the hunting judge must be included as one of those in the majority to score dogs on speed and drive. Either way, the judge must always be one of those involved in the scoring regardless of using hunting or non-hunting judges.

Cast Winner Failed to Sign Card

Q: There are two Hunting Beagle Champion casts. Each of the two scorecards were turned in to the Master of Hounds with a plus point cast winner. The owner of the dog that had high score in the winning cast forgot to sign the scorecard, and the dog was scratched. Should the plus point cast winner from the other cast get the win in this hunt?

A: Not necessarily. If a cast winner is scratched for any reason, it does not necessarily mean that the rest of the cast is scratched. In this situation, the cast winner must be scratched for not signing the scorecard. That now makes the second place dog in the cast the cast winner, if they signed the scorecard. The new cast winners score is now in contention and should be considered for placement in the event. Whichever score is now higher, is the dog who receives the win.

Progress Clock Stops and Restarts Whenever a Dog is Declared Struck In

Q: During a hunt, we have Dogs A, B and C declared struck. Its a tough track and they are opening here and there, but not going anywhere with it. The judge runs a progress clock on them. With 2:50 gone on the progress clock, Dog D has now opened three times and is also declared struck. Ten seconds later, the track still has not progressed. In such a situation, do you restart the progress clock after Dog D was declared struck, or is it just bad luck that Dog D only gets ten seconds before being minused strike points, while the other three hounds had all of three minutes to work out the track?

A: The rulebook does not actually indicate whether to start a new clock or keep the progress clock running, in this situation, so its a great question to address. It has been covered in the past, but its been a good while. Whenever Dog D is declared struck, you should stop the progress clock for all dogs on that track, regardless of how little or how much time had been used. The logic is a common sense thing that gives every struck dog the opportunity to recover or progress the track within the same minimum time period. Whenever you have the progress clock running on a track, you should stop each time a new dog is declared struck on that track.

If the Dog D would have struck in elsewhere on an obvious split track, you wouldnt have stopped the clock. The same is true on any split track situations. Again, the clock is stopped only if it is considered to be the same track.