Where has fun in Rabbit hunting, and field trials gone?

[kybeagler]

I think all the fun is just about gone. That is why I have sold everything but 1 dog and its a pup that is just started. Something I can run with buddies and just have good time with. Some people out to make a dollar, some people just dont care about the beagle dog at all, and everytime ur at a trial some body gets mad and accuses somebody of cheating. Cant get anybody to judge for this reason. Everytime I go to trial I judge and work my butt off and try to do a good job. Dont even get a chance to take my own dog out. I have probally went to my last trial and if I do go it will probally be to spectate but I will more than likely NEVER judge another cast. I will be up front about it I may cut up with people and joke around about according who Im judging how long a check has to be or if I see all the checks. I have never give an advantage to a buddy. Sure I like to see him win but if I dont see it I dont score it even if I know the dogs mouth. But in all honestly I have never cheated as a judge and if I have judged you I have never said anything about a handler staying with me or how close. I always like the handlers to be staying with me. If you watch me and have had me as a judge I will count every second with my hand so you can see when I started counting and when I stopped. And 9 times out of 10 I will yell out if check is open. I know I miss something sometimes but if you have had me as a judge you see me running my butt off. I have judged Ronnie Newsom my uncle numerous times and he has only won 1 cast under me as a judge. He is the closest rabbit hunting buddy I got. The reason I say all this is at the finals at Martin County in the champion class I had to judge a buddy of mines dog and someone elses dog and the owner of the other dog didnt go out with it. Asked someone else to handle it for him. Go out and my buddies dog beats it fair and square strike jump by hisself seen the rabbit and ran it way over the hill by hisself for a long time and finally the other dog gets in and they run for another 10 minutes then holes up. I scored everything I got and seen. I come back to the club house throw down the score card and the first thing somebody says no way thats the score. Then all it was buddy this buddy that. Well I told em what I thought to them UP FRONT TO THEIR FACE. I know I used some select language but I was Hot and I need to apologize. The thing was they wouldnt even out on the cast. Well after I leave the club house and go home I hear that some other people say it. They wouldnt even out on the cast. I thought about going to the next hunt and letting them ALL know what I think about it all TO THEIR FACE but I will probally just be quiet or probally wont even go. But I told the owner of the other dog the whole story but the whole thing was I judged the dog in its first cast it won and had a buddy in that cast. I didnt even use names and probally shouldnt have even mentioned it but now that I have reeled my self back in like I asked Where has the fun gone? Even buddies get mad at each other? I hardly ever get mad but it just went all over me when people accused me of cheating when I know in my heart I did judge it fair as I could and did the best job I could do.

[kybeagler]

Something else. I have had only 1 cast protested and I have judge alot of cast in my 4 years of judging. That cast was about how far I moved the dogs after a minus.

[bondsbeagles]

Kinda stinks to be wrongly accused even though your gonna get that judging trials still stinks huh????

[J.C. Blair]

Hey Kevin,
My advice to you is to just let it roll off your back buddy. There are haters everywhere. I know the champion dog that won, I ran against him in the open semi-finals at Tazewell Va. You and Hatfield was judging it together. That dog flat out beat me and the others, he wasnt given anything. People always are lookin for an excuse, dont let em get to you. You are a good judge in my book. Keep your head up buddy.

Blair

[kybeagler]

It wasn't that dog but I know I got mad at that man that said and I really need to apologize if I go back. I have seen him before but I dont know him. But it wasn't him saying stuff behind my back.

[J.C. Blair]

I have been judgin for about 14 years on and off and this has been the same ol song and dance since I started back in 92. Dont give up judging or trialin' over people like that. I have seen my share of people like that come and go. They are there today and gone tomorrow. Some people just need to "dog up"

[kybeagler]

Both dogs are very good. It wasn't the owner of either dog. It was people at the the club house that didnt even have a dog in the race. But my trialing days and judging days are probally done. I will let you know one thing if I know somebody in the cast I will not judge it.

[Hatfield]

I would like to see more of Scarberry's hound. I thought he looked extra good at Taz/Bland. He showed a powerful nose and could drive when the rest couldn't.

Kev, I hate what is going on too. One happy, One knows what's going on,Two mad and looking for excuses, and the other doesn't have a clue why he is there.

I am usually the latter. LOL!

[TC]

KYBeagler,
Really hope you don't throw in the towel, the sport needs judges that have integrity, I know I have told some of my friends that are judges if I get rolled into their casts, don't place me if it looks questionable. I just don't want them to even appear to be someone that would buddy judge, yes we all want first, but sometimes, when it comes to my friends reputation or mine I would rather take last place then have tarnished my friends name and I certainly wouldn't allow someone to say they were buddy judging.

I have seen you guys out there judging and you guys do put forth more effort and probably see more then what the handlers see from their position.

Like the others say let it roll off yer back...

[warddog]

It appears that this is the same ole song and dance when folks get into competition. I've stated on these boards numerous times that when dogs come between friends it's time to move on. I've also stated that I have never put a dog down in a beagle trial but have cut many into the night after the masked bandit. It appears that it makes NO difference whether it's over a ribbon, trophy or cash seems competition brings out the worst in folks and if I want to argue and fight or even listen to it I'll stay home with the wife. This is exactly what happens to the good hunters and judges they get fed up as most are not of the adversarial nature and they too stay home.

[THALL]

I've been to about 10 field trials. I could tell who would win and place before they ever turned loose. for a person who has never been to a trial to win or place, they must have a dog that just totally dominates the trial. How can this be fun for anyone? This is why I only rabbit hunt. if i ever trial again it will be akc large pack. I think it's probably the best format.

[wildcatfan0309]

i have recently been wondering where the fun has gone my self, what ever happend to a good group of guys just having a good time listening to sound of hound music. i have a good pack of high breed trial beagles that i trial every week end,its almost became a job, ive been fox hunting in the wild like they used to, not in a pen,and i will have to say its been a blast just 4 or 5 guys trying to pick out their dogs and arguing about whose got the lead as the big trim fit hounds jet from hill top to hill top.
i bought my first hound sunday but ill always have a spot in my kennel for beagles.
i think if every body would forget the money and enjoy the sport for what it was meant to be, their would be a lot more happy hunters.

[DRamey]

Kevin, you can't avoid it by quitting. Sunday at Millard a dad got mad at the referee and ended up punching out the president of the league in LITTLE LEAGUE BASKETBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The other day my team had a 10 point lead and i hadn't played my littler players since the 2nd quarter so I put them back in and got beat by 3. It's not about what a lot of people think it's about, but in any and every aspect of life, you will encounter people who are out to win at any cost and dang the consequences. I heard that Ky's finest found the man at his house later that evening and he will get a MINIMUM of 60 days on a felony battery charge. I would like to see him get about 6 months. Integrity is a rare thing and to quit to avoid those kinds of people will just bring you into contact with more of the same in some other venue.

[gus]

Kevin, beagling should be fun. Life is too short to be aggravated all the time. There has been a lot of beaglers that quit trialing for the reason you gave. I don't know you well but you were honest when dealing with me so I have no reason to believe you weren't honest in judging.
Enjoy your hounds.

[danny vansickle]

I've been to about 10 field trials. I could tell who would win and place before they ever turned loose. for a person who has never been to a trial to win or place, they must have a dog that just totally dominates the trial. How can this be fun for anyone? This is why I only rabbit hunt. if i ever trial again it will be akc large pack. I think it's probably the best format.

i have called the winner so many times just by lookin who is judging and in the cast,liscence plates work too,and this post proves i aint the only one that can see it,i put long nights and days getting dogs ready,spend a lot of cash trialing,and when you know you got shafted,if you say somethin you are in the wrong,so i started keeping my mouth shut,still goes on but i keep spendin cash tryin,eventually the right peices will fall in place and i will get my chance,that is what keeps me comin back,it is the few bad apples out there that makes it hard for good honest judges,every handler goes into casts now on the defense,thats justmy 2 cents,


GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE GOIN TO THE WORLD