politics of our sport that need to be addressed

[jdmart]

Being a field trial secretary is a thankless job. No one, but these guys, knows the hours of work it actually takes to get 8 judges agreed upon by club members, committed and contacted and at the trial. And that is just the beginning, then their is AKC paperwork, Mid-West paperwork and Better Beagling paperwork, all that must be completed shortly after a trial.
Obviously the guys talking about a list of so many judges, really do not not much about the truth. Of a list of judges only about 10% even have a desire to judge for various reasons. Several individuals take the course just so they have a better understanding of the rules and don't have a desire to judge. People get older and are still on the lists or even get out of beagling and still are on judges lists. I have went through as many as 10 judges before getting two that can make a class. I can also tell you that an Ohio club went through more than 10 before getting 2 to commit for a class. So the internet judical committee need to make sure you know all the facts. Why do you see the same judges? 1. The are willing to travel anywhere, anytime including Fridays. 2. They are excellent judges. 3. When they say they will be there, they are. 4. People like to run under them because they are good judges and they draw good numbers. Hum! Maybe they do their job effeciently, quietly, and without controversy. And trialers come back to run under them again and again.

My club does use new judges and will. We used one our last trial and we ask one for the Spring trial but he is expecting a baby the same time as the trial. Clubs are very cautious in using unproven judges, their reputation is on the line. It is not like some other formats where their are several trials a year and a judging mishap is easier to forget. As someone stated earlier derbies and other trials are the best way to get started. Are we always going to agree with a judge, not always. But remember they say it from a different view than you did. Until you have tried it don't complain. One thing to remember only one guys leaves totaly happy from a trial! Lol

There is a saying a high basketball coach of mine used to have posted on the wall. "Those who do, do and say nothing, those who don't critcize, gripe, complain and make excuses.

[Ohiohntr]

As a FTS I have personally called 30+ people to get 8 judges this past spring....guess what....the ones who committed were some of the same ones you probably see week in and week out, they all showed up, and we had a great attendance. Club members always have great ideas on names to throw to the FTS for potential judges but in reality most of those names are either not physically able to, not willing to, or have a history with them that will ruin your attendance.

This fall I tried using 3 new judges....guess what....only 1 of them showed up to judge. Not to say they didnt give me notice but this is one more PIA that I have to deal with aside from what Jeff mentioned....why mess with it when I get great attendance and compliments on the judging without the headaches. Is something I should do to please you, who doesn't, or wouldn't attend our trial anyhow? Give me a break....my life and time is not built around you....I have other things to do than to worry about pleasing one person....usually there are anywhere between 100 to 125 entries who are more than happy with my judging selections.

To be honest...I am so sick of seeing guys jump on the net b*tching and complaining when they haven't even been to a trial in YEARS!! Why do you even care? Run your dogs, have a good time, invite everyone who will listen to come run with you and keep your score on your terms....it sounds like you would win...that is great.....as much as you talk about them, I am positive you have the best dogs ever...awesome....congrats!! Why come on here and run people down, most of who don't even use the computer. Is it just to make yourselves heard with your old axe to grind to make you feel better? I am just guessing that they probably don't even care because they are too busy out running dogs or making themselves better.

There are still great people doing great things to promote fine rabbit hounds in each and every format.....leave it at that....stay away...or jump in and help. Better yet, start your own gig and maybe you might find out how hard it is to please everyone....you can't.....or won't....because it is hard work, you need thick skin, and you might just find out that nobody cares about "your" format because it fits such a small percentage of dogs and it isn't a level playing field....because you created it, with your own rules.

[Buckeye Bob]

As a FTS I have personally called 30+ people to get 8 judges this past spring....guess what....the ones who committed were some of the same ones you probably see week in and week out, they all showed up, and we had a great attendance. Club members always have great ideas on names to throw to the FTS for potential judges but in reality most of those names are either not physically able to, not willing to, or have a history with them that will ruin your attendance.

This fall I tried using 3 new judges....guess what....only 1 of them showed up to judge. Not to say they didnt give me notice but this is one more PIA that I have to deal with aside from what Jeff mentioned....why mess with it when I get great attendance and compliments on the judging without the headaches. Is something I should do to please you, who doesn't, or wouldn't attend our trial anyhow? Give me a break....my life and time is not built around you....I have other things to do than to worry about pleasing one person....usually there are anywhere between 100 to 125 entries who are more than happy with my judging selections.

To be honest...I am so sick of seeing guys jump on the net b*tching and complaining when they haven't even been to a trial in YEARS!! Why do you even care? Run your dogs, have a good time, invite everyone who will listen to come run with you and keep your score one your terms....it sounds like you would win...that is great. Why come on here and run people down, most of who don't even use the computer, just to make yourselves heard with your old axe to grind.

There are still great people doing great things to promote fine rabbit hounds in each and every format.....leave it at that....stay away...or jump in and help. Better yet, start your own gig and maybe you might find out how hard it is to please everyone....you can't.....or won't....because it is hard work, you need thick skin, and you might just find out that nobody cares about "your" format because it fits a small percentage of dogs and isn't a level playing field....because you created it, with your own rules.

Well stated. Ditto

[Ohiohntr]

Also, Chapko...

I (as well as other) judges drove from OH, WI, KY, MI and other states...spent hundreds of dollars...many hours on the road....in horrible weather....to judge in 20 degrees and 30+ mph winds for a club in AR. I would say that club had a great attendance and support from all over the Midwest (including locals) because of that. Guess what chief....these are many of the same names in the mags you are reading from your couch.

I know myself.....I knew I did not have my dog ready.....yet I went....because I said I would be there. Yes, my hound was picked up. Would you do that?

One dog....not ready.....basically only to judge for a club where you do not know anyone, 11hrs from home....only because you gave them your word that you would be there, two weeks prior to Christmas with young kids at home.

Some of you guys (2 in particular) need to think....then not type....because you really have no idea what you are talking about and end up looking really silly in the end. I think most would agree.....

[Aaron Bartlett]

Some of you guys (2 in particular) need to think....then not type....because you really have no idea what you are talking about and end up looking really silly in the end.

Ive been sitting here reading some of Chaps posts that he has made over the past year or so and I think thats putting it pretty nice. Ive came up with a few other words that fit a little better........but I wont go there.

[mybeagles]

Derek,

The military Physical fitness (PT) program 5 days a week is not meant to break people, but condition them and keep them in shape. Im 37 years old and its a challenge to get up every morning at 5 am but Ive learned to accept it and make the best of it. It's much easier to get up at 4 am to go run dogs.....

You claimed to be able to run 10 miles in 60 minutes. My $100 bet is still there.........I dont think you can do it. I know guys that can, but like the guys that win trials every week, they dedicate their lives to being able to run that fast. My priorities are God, family, work, then beagles......it's gets cloudy sometimes, but I try to keep things in that order.

If you want to do your part to "get the politics addressed" start showing up and volunteering. The way I started getting calls to judge was by showing up to the trials and volunteering to Marshall. After a few trials of Marshalling, I started getting calls to judge. If you get home from the trial and get on the internet and bash the judges, Im sure you will never get an opportunity to judge and will never be able to "address the politics of our sport". After Marshalling and juging some trials, I realized there was more to it that what the gallery can see....

When Im back up to Michigan I will give you a bump and your dogs can stretch my dogs out.......that is if your not on a 10 mile run....

Keep em running,
Leave some for seed,
Mybeagles

[Ron Conroe]

ol chappy is good for the board is'nt maple, keeps guys off our back. . but really you guys can't take him seriously, i don't think he is all there.

[Lee Cockman]

GIFSoup

[toldyouso]

listen he has a opinion and if you gentlemen do not like it so be it. but come on he talks bad about one person and he is a nut case. The trial he is talking about who placed 1st and 2nd is he telling the truth. no one as addressed that part of his comment. Why. Why have I not ever been called to your trial to judge Mr. brian bush.I was one of the orginal members when north central was run out of a tent. or am i lying to. where was you when those days were going on. You know why I am not called or maybe I will let you answer that question. I have a license i took the seminar. I have been ask to judge at the run off in arha. world hunt. I understand you do not recognize this organization but almost everyone i know who started your club all run in this one time or another. I do not have anthing against the midwest and i do addmitt we all have problems and i have try to help fix ours. HA i moved the ohio river beagle club to cumberland fouond great running grounds but no one wanted to help just like our club in arha two people do most of the work. and thats ok. but there was no way i was going to work my but off to set aside and watch what was going on at that time in the midwest so i exited. But do you what to know what happened at ohio river after i gave it up. would you like to call mr. steve bradley the nicest guy in the world and ask him what a certain group of guys did to him when they knew what it cost for the club house. We have donated oever 10000 dollars to keep this place open for you guys to have a ohio river clu what have the gave. heck one time the didnot even pay steve for the clubhouse thats from steve bradley. You know how many issues i have had with dave dingey he runs aep grounds. because proper permission was not gotten and had to explain to him that i do not have anything to do with the ohio beagle club any more. Then i have to call mr. merdith who things i am trying to anbush his club when i am only trying to save mine. because if we do not do the right things no one will use the ground. do you want to know why the wilds grounds are not available no more. but ha amy is probley lying to and it was not us but again akc midwest club who ruining that but we all make up stuff and we are a little nuts. Ha you cannot make this stuff up. I am as honesty as the come i do not care who is on the other side of the lead strap and i will travel to judge what are you afraid of call me. I will not even bring a dog just my legs and heart. BUT I WILL NOT TAKE NO crap.

[Ohiohntr]

First of all....Mr. Miller.....I don't know you and obviously you do not know me because this is not Bryan Bush. Again, you guys make yourselves look foolish by using names and generalizations to grind some sort of axe from the past when many of these guys either do not care or they are long and gone out of the sport.

My name is Kelly Bonnette and this is my 2nd or 3rd year as FTS for NCOBC only because Shawn Fetty got tired of all the bs and there wasn't anyone who would step up and take the position....now I know why, and for good reason. Trust me, I have tried for the last 2yrs to get out of the club positions but I hate to see it fail because I still love the sport and feel there are some really good people within the organization.

As far as me not asking you to judge....I will not share all of the details out in the open, like you would, but from what I understand there were several issues with you at one of our trials (before I became part of the club). From the way I heard everything went down, true or not, it just sounded like a headache I did not need to bring back into the club when I have other judges whom people respect and obviously people like because our attendance is usually through the roof. Now...if you attended our trials, proved the stories wrong, and helped out....I would respect you as a person and most certainly ask you to judge. Why would I stake my reputation (or the clubs) when I have heard nothing good. Now, I am not saying your a dishonest guy so please quit spouting that. I don't know you, I only know you from hearsay....and that was more about arguing and fighting....I really don't need the hassle of being a referee at a field trial because I really don't like doing it in the first place. Would you bring the potential enviroment on yourself? Not me....I have better things to do with my time than trying to keep two grown men from fighting over dogs...seems so silly to me....and not something I care to have my daughters (who are usually with me) around.

As for the other stuff in your post....I have no idea on all of that. I hear you ran a great Little World hunt and people were pleased, why not leave it at that. The only reason I responded to Chapko was because he started, again generalizing, also calling out the FTS's for what I consider...not doing their jobs. I have found that it must be real easy to be an armchair quarterback and tell everyone else how wrong they are but it is much harder to get involved and take on some responsibility (which it sounds like you do with ARHA, and that is great).

[Jay Schrader]

I told myself that I wouldn't get baited into another pointless Derek Chapko discussion. But I'm doing this just to set things straight about what went down Oct 25th, 2008 at Blue Water beagle club during the winners pack of the 15" males.

I have been the FTS for BWBC for about 6 years. I was staying right with Derek during that pack and enjoying a conversation. On this day Derek was very pleasant and his dog was doing well. The dogs were running a rabbit in very heavy grass and the running was not great at all. But Derek's dog did seem to make some good turns. When Tony Eyer and Todd Blackburn ordered up Derek's dog he went kinda beserk. I believe that Tony told him that they were picking up the dog just for having the lowest score. I believe there were still 7 dogs on the ground. Derek yelled at Tony Eyer telling him that he didn't know what he was doing and that he was being cheated. Tony told him to calm down. I escorted Derek out of the field with his dog. He continued to verbally abuse Tony Eyer. He also got into other verbal confrontations with members of the gallery as I was trying to escort Derek out of the area.

I got Derek, Matt Scianamanico (the field trial committee chairman) Bill Vandebogart (akc field rep) and myself and we had a meeting in private in the club house. Bill explained to Derek the severity of his actions and what type of disiplinary actions could be taken against him. Derek calmed down and apologized. After this Derek, Bill, Matt and I walked back out to where the trial was taking place and Derek apologized to Tony Eyer. Tony accepted his apology and said that he did not want to take any disiplinary action against Derek. On that day Tony Eyer and Blue Water gave Derek a break and let him off the hook to hopefully learn to control his emotion and grow up a little.

I'm not sure how long Derek actually stayed for after that. I ended up taking over for the field marshall. I believe my son was marshalling and he twisted an ankle. The pack did run rabbits after that. It wasn't great running but I personnally saw marked lines. I remember clearly seeing rabbits and the dogs on the line. I believe that they took the pack down to 3 dogs. Tony asked Todd to call who he thought the winner was. Tony agreed and we called field trial. I heard Tony tell Todd that he asked him to call the winner because one of the dogs was one that he gave away as a pup. He wanted Todd to be the one to make the final call just to try to avoid any potential finger pointing. But Tony did say that he also felt that the winning dog was his choice as well. As a field marshal I agreed with their discission that it was the best dog that day. The winning dog was a son of Tony's Geneo dog. I have 100% confidence in Tony Eyer and Todd Blackburn of their honesty and their commitment to try to pick the best dogs to improve the breed.

Let me also say that I have marshalled for Tony Eyer numerous times and I believe he is one of the hardest working, most knoledgable and honest judges in the country.

I have seen Derek since that time. He came to the 2009 licensed trial and he was a perfect gentleman.

[Bryan]

Frank,
Just so you know, I have never called you a liar, I was not involved in the North Central Ohio club when it was run out of a tent. That was before my time, I may have been in the Marines at the time, depending on the years you are talking about. I have run ARHA trials when I first started running trials, I now choose to run AKC trials, mostly Midwest Assoc and some in the Northern Michigan Assoc and also have been to NY.
As for judging, a judge is allowed to judge offspring from his dogs and is allowed to judge dogs he has owned or handled if it has been over a year since he owned or handled them.
Bryan Bush

[toldyouso]

Thanks bryan for the rule i know that rule it is the same in arha. I made a mistake and thought you was kelly sorry. I did not think we had a problem with each other. sorry again.

[toldyouso]

kelly you start out with what i hear then you go to respect like no one respects me. You are right you do not know me and what reputition are you talking about. you act like what you do is any different then what i do or i have done and if its such a hassel then why do it. do not believe everything you have heard and pay attention who you hear it from. for me sprouting off and putting names on the board big deal. what are we undercover do we not want to upset someone because they might judge my dog. Like i said before i only care about the dogs not the other end of the lead strap and for that i understand why you would not want me to judge. Lets look at it like this when it comes to accomplishment. you know what i am not even going to get into that because it should not matter one way or another. I do know this we are alot a like. you are holding a conversation with me about nothing you know about except hear say and i am doing the samething because you are right what is going on in akc today i know nothing about. Oh i did pick the winners at a trial the other day and was not even there. I ask eric who was judging and who was still on the ground and this was only in the first series just lucky i guess.

[old blood beagles]

kelly you start out with what i hear then you go to respect like no one respects me. You are right you do not know me and what reputition are you talking about. you act like what you do is any different then what i do or i have done and if its such a hassel then why do it. do not believe everything you have heard and pay attention who you hear it from. for me sprouting off and putting names on the board big deal. what are we undercover do we not want to upset someone because they might judge my dog. Like i said before i only care about the dogs not the other end of the lead strap and for that i understand why you would not want me to judge. Lets look at it like this when it comes to accomplishment. you know what i am not even going to get into that because it should not matter one way or another. I do know this we are alot a like. you are holding a conversation with me about nothing you know about except hear say and i am doing the samething because you are right what is going on in akc today i know nothing about. Oh i did pick the winners at a trial the other day and was not even there. I ask eric who was judging and who was still on the ground and this was only in the first series just lucky i guess.

Frank, when you said that you were able to pick the winners of this last trial because of who was judging is a horrable statement. I don't know who won the 15 inch male class but when you look at the other 3 winners I think that they are the high hounds of the year for the Mid-West and it is very easy to pick them as winners, as they have proven track records.

The 13 inch male -FC Smart Sammy-----Owner Steve Mullins: one of the best 13 inch hounds of all times. I have seen him on his not so good days and he was still better than 80% of the field (my 13 inch included) He is a medium speed, line control freak that will cut a pack from the middle. He is a hound that will be talked about for years to come.

The 15 inch female- FC White Oakcreek Jadas Bella-----Owner Scott Music: I have ran against her in one trial and am not able to tell you that much about her but looking at the different judges and different parts of the county that she has ran in and won/placed she is one tough bitch. I have talked with several people that run against her at just about every trial and they will all tell you the same thing. Ask the people running in the trials to see what they say about her?

The 13 inch female-FC Jump-N-Run Xena-----Owner Jeff Martin: I have seen and ran against Xena several times and she is as tough as they come. I have been to trials that she has won hands down and I have also been to trials that she did not make it back to the winners pack, both under the same judges. I will tell you this she is one of the best 13 inch females to ever run in a trial. I have had people tell me that she is hurting the numbers in the 13 inch class as people dont want to run against her, and all that I can say is that I hope she keeps running in them so when my little bitch wins I can say that she has won over one of the best small bitches to ever run in AKC Mid-West.

To the 3 owners of these 3 fine hounds, it is a pleasure to run with you in the trials. You all have great hounds that will be talked about for years to come. I wish you all great luck in the future as you will need it as my hounds are young and are coming on strong.

I look forward to seeing all of you at the next trial.
Frank, come on down and see for yourself what type of hounds they are and you just might see why they have won so many trials. You just might also see my hounds and see if they can keep up with yours.

Duane