How many people have bred this trait out of their hounds? Most people will tell you that they don't want their hounds to open on a piece of game until it's up and on its feet. I used to have quite a few that would trail and open on a track and now I'm down to 2 that will. I sure wished I had some of my old blood back in my pack. Maybe Ross has found a cross that will trail one. I see that he placed more in trailing than in hunting. I feel that if it was hunting scores I would have more questions. JMO.

Mr. Smith,
Take it for what it's worth- I don't have clue what a hunting, trailing score etc. is, but if my husband earned it- then he darn sure deserved it! It's not often I would take up for him - especially when it comes to dogs.... But his newborn daughter and I spend A MANY a day, night and weekend without him so that he can be with those dogs getting them ready for this very "field trialing" season. So for someone to have the audacity to think scores would be skewed, must not know the whole story.... Hope this helps a little. I'm sure he, or anyone else that knows the real story would be more than happy to fill you in on J&R.
Happy Hunting!
-Ross's wife