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Summer2014
ISaberTails
Hunt
continuedfrompage37
laterthatweek.Tworaffles
weresetup,oneeachdaywithwonderfulPBGV-related
itemsandothernicethingstowin.Ticketsweredrawnfor
thefirstraffleafterdinner,andagreattimewashadbyall.
Bydaytwotheskieslookedmuchfriendlier.Itwaspartly
sunnybutstillonlyinthe50’stomid-60s;prettygood
huntingweather.Peoplewereabitquieterandslowertofill
theclubhouseforbreakfastandrollcall.Thedaystartedoff
againwith57PBGVsraringandreadytogoanotherround
huntingforthoserascallyrabbits.Onthisfinalday,there
wouldbeonemorenewdogpassingtheHITand31other
PBGVswithqualifyingscoresintheregularhunttest.
Toexplainabitaboutwhatittakestopasstheregular
hunttest,thesolo,brace,orpackdog(s)mustgointocover,
findarabbit,givevoiceandgivechase.Ideally,ifthedog
losestherabbithewillusehisnosetopickuptherabbit’s
scenttrailandfinditagain.Bearinmind,theserabbitsare
wildrabbits,andthejudgesandhandlershavenoidea
wheretheserabbitsmaybeatanygiventime.Wefollowthe
houndsuntilarabbitisfound.PBGVscancoveralotof
groundinjust60minutes.Itcanmakeforalotofwalking
upanddownhills,sometimesoverroughterrain,butoh,
howwonderfulwhenyourPBGVpicksupthescent,works
ituptotherabbit,andthentearsoutinhotpursuitwith
theirwonderfulhoundvoicebeingusedfreely!Agoodchase
rechargesthedogs,handlersandjudgesalike.
Intheregularhunttest,thehoundsarescoredoneight
differentcriteriawithascorefromzeroto10,andmustpass
agun-shynesstest.Theyarejudgedonendurance,useof
nose,useofvoice,searchingability,willingnessand
determinationincover,pursuingability,cooperationwith
handlerandcooperationwiththepack,andareshotover
withastarterpistolforgunshyness.Eachdogmustreceivea
scoreoffiveorbetterfrombothjudgesineachcriterion,
andatotalscoreof100orbettertoqualify.PBGVscanearn
sixdifferenttitlesfromPBGVCA,eachwithslightlydifferent
requirements.ThereisaprocesstoturnyourPBGVCAJunior,
Senior,andMasterHuntertitlesintoAKCrecognizedtitles.
Theatmosphereathunttestsisverylaidbackandcasual.
Thenationalhuntwasnoexception,withplentyoftimefor
peopletositaroundandchitchatwitheachother,meetup
witholdfriendsandhavethetimetomakenewones.
Severalpeoplevolunteeredtomarshalandgooutwithother
packsasitisagreatwaytoobserveandlearnmoreabout
huntingwithyourhound.Beingamarshalinvolvesbeing
inchargeofthosewhoarewatchingthehuntasspectators
and,normally,beinginchargeofthestarterpistolforthe
gun-shytest.Asanaddedbonus,followingPBGVsisan
enjoyablewaytogetsomeextraexercisefortheweekend.
Thehuntprogramhasreallytakenoffinthelastfew
years.Ithasneverbeenmoreevidentthanatthisyear’s
nationalhuntwithjustaboutthesamenumberofhunt
entriesperdayasconformationentries.Thenationalhunt
hadagreatgroupofdedicatedindividualswhoputona
wonderfulhunt.Ifyoueverhavethechancetoattenda
hunt,pleasegiveitatry.YourPBGVswillthankyouforit!
Youcanfindmoreinformationabouthunttestsonthe
PBGVCAwebsiteatwww.pbgv.org.JustclickontheBreed
Infoheadingacrossthetop,thenclickonField&Hunt,
whichwilltakeyoutothehuntinformationpage.
Now,enjoythese“wewerethere”storiesfrom
competitorsatthenationalhunttests.
JoanBurkeandHarvey
TallyHo!WhatagreattimeIhadatthenationalhuntin
Carlisle,Pa.ItwasmysecondnationalhuntsincemyPBGV,
HarveyHound,andIattendedthe2011Charlottenational
whereHarveypassedhisHIT.Theexperiencejustthreeyears
latercouldnothavebeenmoredifferentasHarveyHound
hassinceearnedseveralhunttitlesandIhavebecomea
judge!Theotherbigchangewashowmanyfriendswehave
afterattendingsomanyhuntsandgainingmoreknowledge