[sgc]

Has anyone ever seen a Formal Pack dog run solo? With all the breeding behind them I'm curious how they would search, track, etc., solo. I would think they've been bred for brains and conformation.

 

[Huntsman]

I have judged and watched them at the National Beagle Club’s Triple Challenge event in Virginia. That’s a brace, pack, show event. Hounds from packs have won that event.

There is a variety of bloodlines among the packs. Some use SPO bloodlines. Others use show, others use English. Most would be fine solo if trained that way, especially those with gundog bloodlines.

I think every beagler should see the formal packs at Aldie, VA, at least once. You will be amazed at the control they have over their hounds. It makes you realize what is possible. Most of the packs hunt really well too.

 

[sgc]

When is it? I'm going to be ready for a road trip soon.

 

[Huntsman]

When is it? I'm going to be ready for a road trip soon.

I don’t know if Covid has affected their pack trial schedule, but the beagle trials are generally the second week of November and second week of April each year. They last 4 or 5 days, with classes for 2 couple (4), 5 couple (10), and 8 couple (16), plus a show and a stakes class where each pack can enter 2 hounds. Judges are on horseback. The Club also has pack trials for basset hounds. I think you could find details on the National Beagle Club’s website. The NBC has a 500 acre property in Aldie, Virginia, where these trials are held.

 

[Huntsman]

This is Institute Farm near Aldie, Virginia. Home of the National Beagle Club. Trials and shows have been held here since the Club purchased this historic property in 1916. All the great beaglers of past decades have been here at one time or other.

 

[KyBrushBuster]

Now that's where we need to have the hunt next year! My dogs would think we were at Buckingham Palace!!!

Thanks for the info Huntsman. I've read about their hunts before. I would love to go check it out sometime.

 

[S.R.Patch]

I have judged and watched them at the National Beagle Club’s Triple Challenge event in Virginia. That’s a brace, pack, show event. Hounds from packs have won that event.

There is a variety of bloodlines among the packs. Some use SPO bloodlines. Others use show, others use English. Most would be fine solo if trained that way, especially those with gundog bloodlines.

I think every beagler should see the formal packs at Aldie, VA, at least once. You will be amazed at the control they have over their hounds. It makes you realize what is possible. Most of the packs hunt really well too.

Tim(Huntsman), I assume the English blood you refer to is from the Kennel Club of the UK, as the Hunting Packs (AMHB) are kept totally separate. The Kennel Club hounds were reestablished after the Wars with imported American show hounds. The AMHB are the native English hounds that made it through the wars on food coupons. They do not sell their hounds and all hounds are entered into the hunting Packs as hunters. They do have shows and show champions but they are first hunters.

 

[Huntsman]

Patch: The packs that have English hounds, such as Clear Creek, Ardrossan, Nantucket-Treweryn, etc are using hounds from hunting packs (AMHB) Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles. Some more than others. They are a racy, active sort.

There is very little of the modern English Kennel Club (show) blood in this country. They are too blocky. Even the American show breeders don’t use them much.

 

[S.R.Patch]

Yes, your talking English packs. I visited Buck and his Clear Creek hounds years ago when he had Woodfield Major of Mrs. Humphrey's Woodfield Pack as a stud hound. I looked to breed my North Bucks Diva to him but she was past her time as it turned out. I did get to talk to Lowell Holsted, her Kennelman, a super nice fellow.

 

[Huntsman]

She must have been quite a lady. Took her whole pack to Florida each year. Judged a beagle show in England. She didn’t come to the pack trials, to my knowledge, and I never met her. Must have been well off financially, and loved her hounds. Too bad you didn’t get to make that cross, Patch.

I had a beautiful hound in the 80s who was a grandson of Bolebroke Heiress, a hound the Sharps got from Phil Burrows in England. He was a little tight with his mouth and I didn’t keep him. Wish I had him today. In those days, hounds with great conformation and ability seemed to be everywhere, so I think we took it for granted in a way.