Where have the little pack trials went to?

[LaMarr Rhoades]

I finally have some dogs worth trialing again this next fall but seems like most of the hunts that were around here either are not here or is not having many hunts.I can remember not having to drive over a hour and I could go to a trial every weekend.Just my luck I guess.

[mccall]

Get active in a club and help put some on.Thank the people doing all the work at the trials,not just the guy doing the talking ,but all that do the work behind the scenes.Most of all try to be a peacemaker when feelings get hurt and tempers are riled.The people that do the "dirty work" may not even run dogs in the trial.Who opens the doors ,cleans the place ,does all the paperwork and closes the place ?

[kybriarbuster]

mccall hit the nail on the head. we cant even get our officers to help with the dirty work, much less judges who catch all kinds of heck from handlers who dont win. moh from handlers who dont win. the same group at our club started at about 4 am putting out signs and fixing breakfast. free i might add.. 5am signing up dogs till deadline. 7am fixing lunch and cleaning up from the breakfast rush. the cleaning up the clubhouse is an all day job on rainy days and the spit cups turned over and left and the cigarette butts everywhere and now its time to serve lunch. lunch is over so back to the tables to clean up after the sportsmen? who leave the plates coffee cups and spit cups and such in a mess while people who dont make the last round are wanting their paperwork so they can leave. oh yea the club members who got beat the first round are already gone. at least the ones who bothered to show up. trials over now to the bathrooms to mop up after people have peed all over the seats and floor. all bucks with shorter horns need to step closer to the trough. mop the clubhouse and clean up spit cups and butts again. clean up kitchen the last time and its about time to go home. and the bad part is most of our little( click ) dont even trial. every year we have a group of people who want more trials. same group that dont ever help. i helped start this club a decade and a half ago and hate to see it close but weve gone from 11 hunts a year to maybe 5 next year. there are two classes of people doers and watchers. lot less competition in the watchers class. nekbc .we will keep the light on for ya. sam ps i still think you are my friends

[rabbitearl]

Amen to that briarbuster.I think everybody should be in charge at least one time so they will know really what going on.And to be a judge one time.I just paid everybody now.I am amaze what money can do.

[tinymwoods]

amen briar buster! We were talking about closing our club last fall. We have a small CD stored for rainy days. When talk went to splitting it among members....you should have seen all the people at the meeting. Hunt was following Sunday, 1 extra showed up. There are just 3 of us that run the club basically. Without the help of other local clubs and members we would not be able to function. We appreciate all the help we get. Alot of people do not realize all the clubs do. I say thanks to all the clubs I have been to and we welcome evryone to ours.

[bmpelesky]

The high gas prices have kept a lot people from traveling to field trails and the lack of interest to run a trail has hurt a lot of clubs. In the future I hope the field trails pick up again.

[Chris Shoopman]

I think a lot of the Reason, a lot of people do not trail anymore, is that NKC took the HOY runoff away and a Chance to run for $1,000 but that is just my opion

[tinymwoods]

I hope that is not true. I hate to think the reason people trial and run hounds is for the money. Call me nieve, but I do it for the friendships and all the fun you can have. Maybe I do not take them serious enough, but I go for pure fun. If I get screwed, atleast I learned how that person is. I haven't be doing this long and do not travel alot, mainly because I am just getting started and most of my dogs are not "trial dogs". Clubs need to be more of a meeting place for people who enjoy running hounds and less of a market place to try and make money. JMO.

[JCM]

I think a lot of the Reason, a lot of people do not trail anymore, is that NKC took the HOY runoff away and a Chance to run for $1,000 but that is just my opion

Chris, it's interesting how different people have different opinions. One thing for sure, nobody seems to know how to turn things around.

I think the HOY has caused more people to quit coming to hunts than any other 5 reasons combined. It sure seemed to take a lot of the fun out of it for a lot of people in my area. Guys that used to go to hunts just to hang out and have a good time seemed to quit having fun. They feel so much pressure to do well, that it makes it tough on everyone.

There is no doubt though, LP sure has lost some of its popularity in Ohio. I think at one time there were 15 clubs just in Ohio. Maybe in a few years without HOY, things will improve. We have had many years with it, and it sure is hard to say it made things better.

[Pete Tuck]

"ALL BUCKS WITH SHORTER HORNS NEED TO STEP CLOSER TO THE TROUGH" Now that's funny right there. But I also understand where you are coming from. At PCBA Anthony Kerr and myself basically do everything. We have one other club judge, the rest of the judges, if any are handlers. I helped start the Prospect Hill Beagle Club back in 1992, everything went fine for a few years, then attendance by club members soon fell off. Once they lost in the first round they split. Next thing we started running Progressive Pack and Little Pack. Well the judges were the same, but now the Progressive folks were not coming to help with Little Pack hunts and vice versa. Members began to fall off drastically until the club was almost finished. Being one of the Charter Members I did not want it fold. So Anthony and I decided to keep the club going in Roxboro. We have just enough members to have a club, but that's it. I hope things take a turn for the good because I love field trialing and meeting new folks and learning all I can about beagles and their bloodlines.

[rabbitearl]

I beleive money is the reason most people goes to field trials not to meet other hunters but money.And if there are not going to make money there are not just keep coming.I ve been putting my trials on here in march april may and june and had nobody wants to come because it is a fun hunt.But What if.I say the top ten will split 10 thousand in cash then see how many will come.

[hounddog]

I'll have to disagree with you Earl. I go to trials, Little Pack that is, and the only money you see is the money COMING OUT of my pocket. As I said before, if you find some good clubs with good people you will enjoy every minute. I think I wouldn't run at trials that offered money as prizes as it brings out the worst in some folks.JMO

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

[T LEE]

Jim, your right.

It's not about the money. It cost me with gas , entry fees and food around $300 PER TRIAL to attend Saltville ,Tazewell or Raphine.

We do it for the enjoyment and fellowship.
PS
And to TRY to beat Mike Crabtree every chance I get.

[rabbitearl]

Where you at.I done 12 trials in march through the end of may.We have good fellowship and I give out nice trophy.But it not a licn trial.But when They done two AKC licn trials here last year man they were here from everywere.MONEY going for them points.I did not say everybody but most do it for money.If you donot beleive me next time you go to a licn trial tell up frount that there will not be point giving out today.see what happens.And I not putting down hunter for doing that trying to get points for there dogs to make them FC.But what I saying throw all that out then see how many comes.I know I been doing trials for 21 years done ARHA for three years and then them two AKC trials last year. Why do people chase them points to make there dog FC if it not for money.

[hounddog]

You're right Earl, some people are in this SPORT for the money. Me personally, I've been raising and training hunting hounds, bear, fox, coon, and rabbit hounds, for thirty five years and have spent more money then I will EVER make off of them. I've give up on that part. Maybe that's why I enjoy trialing as much as I do. Win, lose, or draw, I'll have a good time.
We are located just north of you in Va. Come join us sometime!
Troy, I've given up on beating Crabby! All I do now is show up and hope his hounds don't embarrass mine too bad.

hounddog
Jim Umbarger