The Chase Magazine
June, 1954
Page Two and Three
Foxhound Evaluation
O.L. Childress
Foxhunting is the one sport so closely identified with nature that it is not, nor can ever be, too much
affected by the “streamlining” process so much indulged in by most activities.
It takes a fox, a creature of nature, to make the sport possible. Except where nature has made it
impossible, the fox acts just about the same as he always did. It is quite evident that there is no
intention on the part of the fox to operate in a manner to suit those of us who might desire
something different. He runs his race as directed by nature and it is up to the foxhunter to produce
a hound that meets that requirement rather than attempting to persuade the fox to change his ways.
Wherever foxhound people get together there is always the question of the kind of evaluation that
can be applied to field work of the hounds that will best bring out the desired qualities most suitable
to all hunters and all sections of the country. This is a rather tough assignment because of
conditions that exist by nature.
Most of us realize this as being the age of speed. We make airplanes to go 900 miles per hour for
no other purpose than to catch an enemy plane going 800 miles an hour. However, the men who
drive them, when they travel under their own power, go at the rate of about 4 miles per hour. The
reason, Nature Controls Man, and man can do nothing about it.
This speed crazes has somewhat invaded foxhunting. There are now some who believe that, in the
evaluation of field trial work by the hound, that more consideration should be given to Speed and
Driving, as it applies to Endurance, in arriving at the Highest General Average.
The Rulemakers set up, as a basis, of field work evaluation requirements in the order of: Hunting,
Trailing, Speed and Driving and Endurance. We believe, taking first things first, this arrangement is
sound. The Rulemakers had the idea of an all-round hound, not a specialist.
We cannot believe any experienced foxhunter would take issue with the soundness of this order.
The complaint, if any, would be on the method of application.
There is a vast difference between a hound that stays busy in the field and one that is actually
hunting. There is no connection between a trailing hound and a “potterer.” The foxhound being a
member of the “Trail Hound” family must depend on scent. Therefore, he cannot have more speed
than he has “nose” to go with it. (To our mind the greatest fault a hound can have is more speed
than “nose”). We cannot help but believe that the most common fault today is too much speed
rather than the lack of it.
Finally the hound must have the desire, the stamina, and physical strength to endure a race to its
end. This we call endurance. We doubt, for reasons which are obvious to any experienced
foxhunter, whether there can ever be any system used at field trials that can adequately determine
endurance.
Foxhunting cannot readily lend itself to the “Specialist” hound. A hound could not be called a good
hunter if he never found a trail. He would not be a good trailer if he could not get close enough to
make the fox run. He would be too slow if he could not keep the fox on the go, and too fast if he
traveled at a rate beyond his ability to scent.
If he excelled in all these and then quit after a few hours running he would not be acceptable. It
takes it all to be able to say you have a “good” foxhound.
Most of what any of us know on any subject was taught to us by others. Our teacher was Nat Taylor,
one of the really great foxhunters of all time. Nat has owned as many good foxhounds as any hunter
living, and his appraisal of hound work was always on the side of “Balance.” Nat always claimed that
a “near perfect” hound would be one that you could taking hunting by himself, that would find a fox
trail and run it alone. Nat never believed in Specialists in hounds. His one outstanding requirement
was Endurance, or in other words, Gameness.
Most foxhunting in America is done at night and with packs, therefore, the real enjoyment is to listen
to the hounds in cry. It is reasonable then, to obtain the most pleasure, we must have a balanced
pack. A hound in a pack with excessive speed is just as much a detriment to a good race as one too
slow, if not more so.
An example of what we mean is this: A pack of 13 well trained beagles can and will run a rabbit to
earth or catch him in short order. Try catching the same rabbit with some big fast hounds that
spend most of their time locating “checks.” There you have the answer to persistence vs. sheer
uncontrolled speed.
Do not get the idea we advocate slow hounds. We do not. We merely advocate co-ordination
between the head and the rest of his body.
Go hunting with any hound that has the reputation for outrunning other hounds and watch
proceedings closely. You will rarely find justification for granting endurance on the basis of speed.
We believe the formula for evaluating field trial work, as now set forth in the Rules, is sound. We
believe the unity of work; Hunting, Trailing, Speed and Driving are correct in that order. The manner
of figuring Endurance can always be debatable but certainly it should not be applied by over-
emphasis being put on any one of the three basic requirements.
There can be a lot done by improving our judging technique. Better interpretation and clarification
of the running rules are in order. We doubt if the Rules need changing. Certainly not to meet the
requirements of the “Specialists.”
There are not too many of us who completely understand what is meant by an all-round foxhound. If
you care to find out go visit with one of the “forks-of-the-creek” hunters in your neighborhood. Go
hunting with him and he will show you. He may have never attended a field trial, but he will show
you the kind of hound to take. If you will accept his advice you will know before you go to the trials
what kind to take. Whether you place your hound on the “Board” or not, will be only an incidental
happening
It will be like a country hunter told us one time when asked if a certain hound was good enough to
take to the trials. His answer “Son, I don’t know what they use at field trials, but if they use “Fox
dogs” she will do.” And she did.
As stated in the beginning of this article, foxhunting is very close to nature. Nature is a wonderful
plan. When distortions or imperfections come they are not a part of the Plan, but are due to failure
of the individual to harmonize with Nature’s Law. Maybe foxhunters are a part of the Great Plan.
Maybe if we could synchronize our hounds with those natural laws we could refer to all our troubles
in the past tense, with still no general need for changing the Rules.