Hillsboro Walnut 2017 (Hillsboro William 2013 ex their Sable 2013) is Grand Champion of the 2018 Southern Hound Show. (L-R): Hillsboro huntsman John Gray, whipper-in Leilani Gray, Orrin Ingram, MFH, and Lee Ann Ingram / Leslie Shepherd photoThe twelfth Southern Hound Show, hosted annually by the Live Oak Hounds (FL), will be remembered for the rain and the Hillsboro Hounds (TN) entries that swept four of the five Championship classes.
Hillsboro Walnut 2017 was judged Grand Champion of Show and Champion Bi*ch. Hillsboro hounds also won the Champion Unentered and Champion Two-Couple classes. Live Oak Assault was Champion Dog Hound and Reserve Champion of Show. “For Hillsboro to win all but one of the championships is a major accomplishment for Master Orrin Ingram and Huntsman Johnny Gray,” said Daphne Wood, MFH, Live Oak Hounds.
A two-inch deluge of rainfall began late morning, driving the hound show into the stable for the remainder of the day. Seven packs competed: Bear Creek Hounds (GA), Fox River Valley Hounds (IL), Green Creek Hounds (SC), Hillsboro Hounds, Live Oak Hounds, Midland Fox Hounds (GA), and Whiskey Road Foxhounds (SC). Four restricted classes—a welcome addition to the usual class list—were added for packs that had not won a class at this show during the last two years.
Walnut, this year’s Champion of Show, was Reserve Champion Bi*ch last year. “She was a lovely, deserving winner of the Grand Championship as she is a good moving, quality bi*ch that stands over a lot of ground,” writes Daphne. Walnut’s sire, Hillsboro William 2013, is a Crossbred hound that goes back three generations to Fox River Valley and Heythrop bloodlines, top and bottom respectively. Walnut’s dam, Hillsboro Sable 2013 is an English hound by Live Oak Farrier 2010, a Grand Champion at Virginia whose littermate, Fable, was also Grand Champion at Virginia. Sable’s dam was by Duke of Beaufort’s Bailey 2003, who bred more than ninety bi*ches during his last year standing in England, according to Daphne.
Grand Champion Walnut, an English foxhound, won the Entered Bi*ch class, and two of her littermates, Waggle and Wafer, placed second and third in that class behind her. According to the judges, this was the best class of the day. We’ll all look forward to seeing Walnut, Waggle, and Wafer this season as the shows move northward.
Live Oak Assault 2013 (Live Oak Hannibal 2009 ex Moingona April 2008) is Reserve Champion of Show. (L-R): kennel huntsman Sam Andrews, Marty and Daphne Wood, MFHs, huntsman Spencer Allen / Leslie Shepherd photo Reserve Champion Live Oak Assault is still a handsome dog hound, especially considering the wear and tear expected after five seasons of hunting. The only other foxhound in the show as old as Assault was Hillsboro Sable, Walnut’s dam, and she won the Brood Bi*ch With Three Produce class. However handsome Sable might be, she surely had a little help in that class from Walnut, Waggle, and Wafer!
“Assault has never been beaten in a stallion hound class!” says Daphne, as we can well imagine.
Show judges were Major Tim Easby, Director of the British MFHA; Dr. Charlotte McDonald, MFH, London Hunt (ON); and Apprentice Judge Joy A. Crompton, MFH, Farmington Hunt (VA).
Posted April 12, 2018