Hounds

Los Altos huntsman Matthew Cook and Nicassio / Kimberly Kavish photoNicassio, an un-entered Crossbred dog hound from the Los Altos Hounds (CA), was judged Grand Champion at the Western States Hound Show. The show was held on May 21–22, 2011 at the Santa Ynez Valley Hounds kennels in Santa Barbara.

“It’s not often an un-entered hound can beat an entered hound—fully developed and muscled—but Nicassio moved really well,” recalled huntsman Matthew Cook, who is in his sixth season at Los Altos. “That’s what sold it!”

Nicassio is by Ninja 2006, an un-registered dog hound that Cook obtained from his friend Martyn Blackmore, huntsman at the Loudoun West Hunt (VA). Blackmore? Again? This is the second grand champion hound this season in whose story Martyn Blackmore played a prominent role!

Canadian Grand Champion Eglinton and Caledon Noel 2006 / Paul Wilson photoA lovely English bitch—a veteran of five hunting seasons—was judged Grand Champion at the Canadian Foxhound Show at the London Hunt and Country Club on June 11, 2011. To emerge as Best in Show with that accumulated mileage is quite an achievement. There had to be a story here, so I looked up her pedigree.

Eglinton and Caledon Noel 2006 is descended from all modern English on the sire’s side and fell hound bloodlines on the dam’s side. The answer to her achievement was there, but I didn’t put two-and-two together until I talked to huntsman Steve Clifton.

Lurchers in flapper race chasing the lureThe annual Rockview Harriers Working Terrier, Hound and Lurcher Show in County Kilkenny, Ireland enjoyed a large turnout with working dog enthusiasts traveling from all over the country. The show drew representatives from England and Wales as well.

Judges J.W.Y. “Duck” Martin and Otis Ferry (the latter standing at well over six-feet) give the Nantucket-Treweryn beagles a fair look at the Blue Ridge Hunt Puppy Show on Memorial Day, May 30, 2011. Martin is MFH of the Green Spring Valley Hounds (MD) and a former president of the MFHA. Ferry is MFH of the South Shropshire Hunt (UK) and judged the English ring the previous day at the Virginia Foxhound Show. Candi Kobetz is showing the beagles. /  Denya Massey Clarke photo... This content is for subscribers only.Join NowAlready a member? Log in here

Live Oak Fable 2010, shown by huntsman Charles Montgomery, is Grand Champion at Virginia. / Janet Hitchen photoFor the second straight year a live Oak English hound was judged Grand Champion at the Virginia Foxhound Show. Last year it was Live Oak Maximus 2009, a dog hound; this year it was Live Oak Fable 2010, a first-year bitch.

“That’s the most unexpected win we’ve ever had,” said Live Oak Joint-Master Daphne Wood.

Myopia Godfrey 2008 (Toronto & North York Godfrey 2001 ex Myopia Devon 2004) / photo by Curve27 StudioMyopia Godfrey 2008, a lovely moving white, modern English dog hound, was judged Grand Champion Foxhound at the New England Hunts Foxhound Show on Sunday, May 8. Godfrey is full of Exmoor and Heythrop bloodlines going back to the halcyon days of the brilliant English hound breeder Captain Ronnie Wallace, who served as MFH at both hunts.

New Market-Middletown Valley Unity was Champion American Foxhound / Karen Kandra Wenzel photoFor most of the horse world, the first Saturday in May means the Kentucky Derby, but in Maryland and much of the Mid-Atlantic it has come to mean hunt races at the Howard County-Iron Bridge Hunt on Saturday and the Maryland Foxhound Club puppy show on Sunday. This year the dates fell on May 7 and 8.

Brazos Valley Meadow, shown by Sandy Dixon, MFH and huntsman, is Grand Champion. Standing (l-r): Dr. Robert Smith, ex-MFH, Ringmaster; Bobby Dixon; John (Jake) Carle, ex-MFH, Judge; Terry Olsen, MFHIt was Mom’s day out on Mother’s Day weekend for Brazos Valley Meadow 2006. She was judged Best Hound of Show at the Central States Hound Show on May 7, 2011. Among the other division champions over which she prevailed was her son, Brazos Valley Mystic 2010, who just a month earlier had been judged Grand Champion at the Southwest Hound Show.

(l-r) Dennis Foster, judge; Sandy Dixon, MFH; Nancy Jones, presenting trophy / Bryan Hall photoThe Master’s Cup for the grand championship of the Southwest Hound Show was awarded to Brazos Valley Mystic 2010. Mystic is a Brazos Valley-bred American dog hound with strong Potomac bloodlines on the dam’s side. Mystic’s maternal grandfather was the knockout-handsome Potomac Jefferson, Grand Champion of the Virginia Foxhound Show in 2007.

“Mystic was a bit exuberant when he entered,” said Sandy Dixon, MFH and huntsman at the Brazos Valley Hunt (TX). “He had a tendency to run too fast without taking the time to search for scent. However, by the end of his first season [2011], he had learned what a coyote was and how to slow down until he had the line before turning on the speed.