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www.pbgv.org

Summer2014

ISaberTails

Hunt

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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