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Have not read the write up yet for Nationals. (maybe smelling was bad) or at some other hunts not much game to trail. game not moving much ....And a lot of people are taking there dogs run in preserves a lot that have never had to learn to trail.
The things I could think of.
Although I read the post on speeddogs and masterfox, I rarely post anything. However, this is topic that I feel very strongly about. Look back over the years at the December/January issues of The Chase Magazine. Just a few years ago you would see a full class of trailing hounds on the futurity and national score sheets. Not anymore. Many want to blame this on the judges. I feel it is not near as much the judges as it is the hunters. For years you would hear the comments about "piddling scores" or "leaf flippers" getting scored or someone saying "they are just hitting covered tracks". Judges hear these comments as well. They do not like to be criticized or be pointed out as "the one who gave that trailing score". I have been going to Grenada to the Futurity and National for many years. I would love to see the trailing classes full again, that is why we use the HGA scoring system, to choose an overall well rounded hound. Has there ever been a hound get a trailing score on a covered track? Sure. Has there ever been a hound get a speed and drive score on a covered track? You bet. Any system based on judgement of man is not perfect nor fool proof. I for one feel that we need to encourage the judges to "score what you see". Let the system play itself out. If a hound is trailing and we don't "know" he is on a covered track, score him. If he is babbling or barking covered tracks someone will catch him at it. If he is not, he deserves the score for his work. If he is running, and we don't know it is a deer we score him for that. I really appreciate all the judges and I feel that the majority are honest and try to do their best. As hunters we need to be more thankful for them because without them we could not have trials. I really feel like giving money away and the calcuttas have hurt the integrity of our sport more than anything. Money has a way of causing problems on its own, but that is a topic for another day. I grew up in the 70's and 80's a wonderful time for foxhunting. Now I run in a pen, but still run the outside bloodlines. Daddy never went to field trials, he was a pleasure hunter. Started going to hunts when I got old enough to drive and fell in love with the competition of it. I love to compete against others hounds and will shake the hand of the winner. The prizes don't matter much to me, a dog lead is plenty. I just love "the game". Thanks again to all you judges and just "score what you see".
Jason Alexander
Director, National Fox Hunters Association
100% agreement that if a judge goes and looks at hounds he should write down the facts...Instead of looking for speed and drive only,,, "Score what you see".MOH's at outside hunts need to encourage across the board scoring.
Its All American time and again outside.Good place for some good trailing scores.Last time outside had some trailing scored and some high SD as well the last day.Hope the snow holds off for traveling.
Rooter,I would say no true foxhunter wants deer scoring.But don't know how 100% of the time a judge could know what a trailing hound is after.Sure if he jumps it close to the viewpoint of the judge but this may not always be the case.To follow the rulebook a judge can score what he sees if he sees trailing.
In my opinion from my judging stand point I will not score a hound for trailing unless I see the game. That is the only honest way to do it in my opinion. You say score for what you see but yet you didn't see what they are trailing so how can you really give the hound a trailing score?
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