This is a new club that was started in September of 2009. You can visit our website here: http://midarkbeagleclub.blogspot.com/ The format is American Rabbit Hound Association Gundog Pack. To learn more about ARHA GDP you can visit their website at: http://arha.com/gundogdivision/gdd_frameset.htm. Right now this is the only GDP club in Arkansas and we are looking for new members. If youre interested dues are only $10 per year or you we have a lifetime membership for $35.
Whats going to be the differences in GDP and SPO? I have never seen either, but have heard more about SPO
Very close to the same thing, GDP is going to be a little cleaner hound (not always slower, but cleaner). They should line up and run it as fast as conditions allow. You wont see 3 and 4 dogs wide in GDP.
Ive heard people describe ARHA dogs as loose, wild, crazy, etc. and all I can say is that theyve never been to a Gundog Pack trial. These dogs are way cleaner than some of dogs that Ive seen at SPO trials or at least the ones that win or place are. It aint about speed or whether or not your on the front all the time, its all about line control and not over running or reaching out too far in a check. Well, not all about those things but theyre a big part of it. No big name trainers or professional handlers/trialers, just a bunch of good old boys that run dogs when they can.
Iwent to a PP hunt years ago. It wasn't GDP. It was wild and crazy. Probally the reason people think they are that way
ARHA Little Pack and Progressive Pack are the money makers for ARHA and they are the majority of ARHA dogs. Thats why so many think ARHA is rough, Little Pack hounds can also run in UKC Hunting Beagle (Same type of hound). But like Freddy said we dont run those kind of hounds, we run Gundogs that are suppose to be clean, tight in the check, and hunt hard, jump their own rabbit, no taly ho sticks here. I keep trying to get these Arky boys to come see a ARHA GD Brace trial, we use the same dogs, but man you can see some nice work done. For example: Last year at a Kansas Hunt we had a brace running the hair off the rabbit (Little to no break downs in Brace) I mean you had to jog fast or run to keep up with the brace. Then the rabbit went along the lake in the mud. Them two Beagles slammed the brakes on and walked it (like traditional brace speed :wink across that mud, never missing a thing. Then hit the grass again and took off like a rocket. It was cool to see the hounds use thier brains like that. In a pack chances are they would have lost it right thier, just becouse of the competativeness (not sure thats a word) of a pack.:thumb:
Ive been to quite a few PP trials and some of the dogs were stronger than what I like but they were still good dogs. Ive seen some SPO dogs that were stronger than what I personally like too. Thats why there are so many different formats. There's something out there for everybody, you just have to find which one fits your dog's style. Alot of people like a dog thats stronger than what we generally run. From reading different threads I think alot of you Blackcreek guys would like this format and do pretty good in it if we could ever get some of yall out to one. But I understand if yall are skeered. :hide: :razz:
I was a ARHA man back in the early 90's. I was actually at the first Progressive pack fun trial held in Arkansas. When it started, it was pure, line straddling rabbit dogs. I now run all Blackcreeks and I believe that they would have done well in early progressive pack. Within six years it had turned into something completely different. In fact, I culled a hound that I thought was too rough for Little Pack, and he ended up being a Grand Champion in Progressive Pack. I swore that I would never go back, but Gundog Pack sounds like a good format.
Some of ya'll blackcreek owners should come and give it a try don't be scared i'm not and i got a blackcreek gyp i run in them but i guess we will understand if ya'll true blackcreek owners don't come
From what youve said I think youd like this format too poorboy. I know I sound like a broke record by constantly harping on it and trying to describe the style, etc. but its because Im trying to get people that like this type of dog to give it a try. There are alot of people out there that would like it but they dont know our club or this format exists. More people run spo, pp, lp, etc. but even though we're in the minority there are lots of us out there, we just have to find em and get em together. There are expenses and travel involved but you dont have to do it every weekend and the expenses can be shared. Get someone to go with you and help with gas. Or maybe theyve got a better or more dependable truck and you can catch a ride with them and help with gas. Anybody that can get to Cabot is welcome to leave your truck here and ride with me. I havent done all that much trialing and so far Ive only been to Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas but I couldnt tell you how many people that Ive met and some of them Ive even made friends with. Not just acquaintances but friends that I talk to pretty often at least on the phone or internet. The very best advice I could give is to go for the whole experience not just winning. Dont get me wrong, winning is great and I expect my dog to be good enough to win/place or I wouldnt have brought him but if it ever gets to the point that I have to win to enjoy it or have fun Ill quit going.
Okay, is the procedure still like it used to be? Can you bring an AKC dog and single register it and run it the same day. I glanced through the rules page. I used to be a Lp and PP judge, Master of Hounds and on certification committee for PP. Is there still a brucellosis test requirement? How many hounds are at a typical hunt?
Yes, you can register your dog and run it the same day. And that goes for grade dogs too. The brucellosis test must have been before my time. Its not required. At our first hunt we had 27 dogs if I remember right. From the trials that Ive been to thats probably about average.
All the dogs I run in gundog pack are AKC SPO bred dogs.I've had to single reg. them witch can be done at the club house.This is the one format I've seen that has the most consistant judging.No politics no buddy judging all about the dogs and a few laughs. Aaron
