Running into Darkness; Other Beagle News

Full Circle

February 7, 2018

Source: Allen Gingerich

Note: This months column relates to UKC Performance Pack, with exception to the last topic (Multiple Entries) that includes the Hunting Beagle format as well.

Master of Hounds Requirement in Performance Pack

Q: What requirements are in place for an individual to serve as a Master of Hounds for a Performance Pack event? Is there a test an individual can take to become a Master of Hounds?

A: Licensed Certification Judges are the only individuals who may serve as a Master of Hounds at a UKC Licensed Performance Pack Event. Not that many years ago, individuals were not required to pass any type of test, or to even be licensed to serve as a Master of Hounds in Performance Pack. Since then, the Rules Committee recommended a change be made to what we now have as stated. This criterion assures event participants that the individual is qualified.

How do you become a Certification Judge? The individual must first be a licensed Performance Pack judge. Beyond that, experience and the integrity of the individual is key. Lastly, the Judges Advocate Committee will approve qualified judges as Certification Judges as needed in their area. Certification Judges are also the ones who judge and approve dogs by hunting alone in a certification process to prove they can jump and trail a rabbit by themselves before UKC will award a Champion Degree to those dogs.

Required Number of Entries in Each Category

Performance Pack requires a specific minimum number of entries in each category in order for Championship points or wins to be awarded. Each category requires a minimum number of entries as follows:
Registered five (5)
Champions three (3)
Grands two (2)

Six Dogs Entered in Category or Six Dogs Remaining in Finals

In Performance Pack, a total of five dogs are drawn out in each cast. However, when there are a total of six dogs entered in the category, or when there are exactly six dogs remaining in the hunt, all six dogs are drawn out in the same cast. Instead of having just one cast winner, you will now have two winners. The highest scoring dog in the cast will place first, and the second highest scoring dog in the cast will place second.

If this is a Registered category, then both dogs will earn championship points as well as State Race points. If this is a Champion category, the rules require a minimum of 21 Champions be entered in the trial in order to award more than one Champion win. In the event that two Champion wins are not available, the highest scoring dog only will place in the event. However, the second-in-cast dog would receive 2nd place State Race points. The same would be true for the Grand category.

This rule does not apply in any other scenario of the event other than when you have six dogs entered in one category only, or there are six dogs remaining in the hunt.

Example 1: Lets say you have 11 dogs entered in the Champion class (or any other category for that matter). You would draw those 11 dogs out in three different casts and not make it one five-dog cast and one-six dog cast. Example 2: Likewise, when you have 11 dogs remaining in a semifinal. You would draw them out in three casts and you would be required to have a final round, unless of course no dogs are eligible to advance from the semi to the finals.

Running into Darkness

Performance Pack Rule #8 covers finals casts that run into issues with darkness. The wording for that is as follows: b. {In Final Casts Only: If 30 minutes have been used and time out is called, due to darkness, the hunt may be called and the dogs placed by current scores. If failure to begin hunt or the cast has been judged for less than 30 minutes, dogs are placed by reverting back to previous round scores. Master of Hounds shall make a reasonable effort to complete hunting time.}

This rule should be easy to understand as written. It is imperative that judges use common sense when it comes to issues with darkness at days end. Obviously, the objective must always be to try to get the hunt in. However, if it simply gets too dark, where judges cannot judge dogs in a fair manner, only then should this rule come into play.

Dog Not Yet Transferred to New Owner, and Splitting Multiple Owner Entries

Q: When a new owner enters a dog in the event that has not been transferred into their name, is the event official required to split the entries when that same owner has another dog entered in the event?

A: Owners having multiple entries in an event may only be intentionally split if the dogs are actually registered in the same owners name. In order to be considered as registered to the owner, the new owner must have sent the dogs Registration Certificate to UKC to be transferred into their name. The new owner must also have proof of this in terms of showing the dogs UKC Easy Entry Card or the dogs Registration Certificate. The registered owner is the name on the front side of the dogs Registration Certificate as well as the name listed on the dogs Easy Entry Card. Otherwise, multiple entries may not be intentionally split. The individual the dog is registered to is what the official must go by.

The only two exceptions to this rule are: 1) a dog(s) that was single registered on the day of the event or is still pending UKC registration; and 2) a non-registered dog(s) that is entered in the event. These entries should be split, if possible. Deciding whether multiple owner entries should be split is not the decision of the owner or the handler. Its the officials responsibility to split them unless its not possible. The only way it would not be possible is if there are not enough casts available to accommodate splitting the entries. For the record; when we reference splitting entries, were referring to drawing those dogs to separate casts. This rule applies to both Hunting Beagle and Performance Pack events.