AKC Trials

pabstman · Post by **pabstman** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:04 am

hey guys i was just wondering if you had to be a club member to an akc club if you want to go to an akc trial, if so, if i go to a trial can i join when i get to the trial and what is the fee. Thanks Shawn

E Rice · Post by **E Rice** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:20 am

No, you don’t have to be a member of a club to run in an AKC trial. However, AKC has several formats to choose from. Speed and style of each format can range from, walk beside the hounds, to hold on to you hat speed. Before I spent the time and money going to a trial call the club president and ask them what style hound they run.

Or find a trial you would like to attend and post the name/location of the trial and someone on here could probably tell you what type hounds they promote.

Hope this helps
Earl Rice

danny vansickle · Post by **danny vansickle** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:33 am

not to mention........each format has different judges that like a different style dog,some like them real consevrvitive and clean and some let them get a lil wild,so not only do you have to figure out wich format your hounds fit in,then ya have to figure out what each judge likes,i do well under some judges in midwest,then take the same dogs to another midwest trial under a different judge and do bad,i am still learnin,it is a science,hopefully i can figure it out before my hounds have one leg in the grave.

TC · Post by TC » Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:38 am

hopefully i can figure it out before my hounds have one leg in the grave.

Danny Once you Figure it out!!!!! Let me in on It!!!!!

E Rice · Post by **E Rice** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:53 am

Danny,
I’m not sure that you need to try to figure out the judges. All AKC judges follow the same rulebook. However, I understand what you are talking about. Some judges seem to place a harder hitting; faster hound and some judges place slower, track running hounds. What many handlers don’t realize is that conditions play a big part on what hounds place on that day. Not what the judge may or may not prefer. I’m typically known as a more conservative Mid-West judge. However, if you look back at the results, I’ve placed some of the roughest hounds in the Mid-West. In most cases if scenting is good and the running is head high the rougher/faster hounds look good and the slower hounds get out scored and normally don’t place. On the other hand, on those tough scenting days when rabbits don’t want to run big, it takes a big nosed hound that will slow down and work the check more. Normally on these days the faster hounds get caught swinging/squirting or blowing over the track, and normally gets picked up. So I guess what I’m trying to say is be careful trying to figure the judges out. Just when you think you know them and have them labeled they will prove you wrong!!!!!!

Good luck and keep them running,
Earl Rice

THALL · Post by **THALL** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:05 pm

No two judges see things the same. Any format you run, rules are bent this way and that way. You better hope you got what the judge likes.

Beagleman63 · Post by **Beagleman63** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:48 am

http://www.mid-west-gundog.com Shawn, This is the website for the Mid West Gundog Association. I think the bloodlines you run will fit in well here. If you see a trial on the site you'd like to go to, let me know, and I will meet you there and kind of show you the ropes. Guys, Shawn is a very nice young guy that does his homework on bloodlines, and runs his dogs! We need more new younger people like him in the sport! Take care Shawn, Bill Ennis.

pabstman · Post by **pabstman** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:10 am

thanks bill for the kind words and to all that has helped with my question, i normally run arha lp trials but plan on making it to some akc trials this year, but i have a little one on the way so i don't know how many trials i will make it to, im going to try to get to a few this year just to see what they are all about

J.C. Blair · Post by **J.C. Blair** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:28 am

I have ran in AKC a handful of times, and I enjoyed each one. Just go with an open mind and ask questions. Most people are very nice and will answer any questions you have about the format. And if you get picked up 95% of the judges will tell you why you got picked up, you may not like their answer, but they'll let you know what happened good or bad.

tommyg · Post by **tommyg** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:26 am

I've been to a few AKC Mid West Trials and realy liked them. I was use to seeing a hand full of hounds a year that could run a Rabbit right,at the AKC trials I've seen several,the competion is a notch above the other formats I tried. Sofar the Judges have been very fair and if my hound never made the second series I agreed with them on their calls. Judges don't see it all and they miss some stuff but if your hounds wins it earns it. By the way they may not score hunt but the Judges see it and it sticks in their mind,I've been told haw good a hound hunts or how bad by judges. I plan to trial in the AKC mid west only from now on the only down side is you have to travel alot more,but JMO