Beagle Field Rep Announcement
Posted on 08/17/2012 in Beagles.
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The United Kennel Club is pleased to announce four new members to serve as Field Representatives within their respective region. Each of them will serve with primary goals directed specifically towards the UKC’s beagle programs.
The Hunting Beagle format has been a highly successful program as evident by the standards set by its participants and the industry. This is due largely in part to those fine individuals who believed in, promoted and served as a Field Representative from day one to the present. The recent passing of Dale Prunty of West Virginia, an instrumental part of UKC’s beagle programs, left a pair of shoes we could not ask any other to fill. Neither would we even expect it. Instead, the individual selected comes with the earned respect of many of his peers as well as the knowledge and integrity to capably carry on the tradition and promotion of UKC Field Trials in the region. And we know Mr. Dale would be proud of the selection.
The Performance Pack format, UKC’s newest program considered to be in its infancy still, has also experienced a plethora of interest and is quickly becoming a very successful format in its own right. In order to reach its potential however it requires UKC to not only provide good leadership but also have qualified and capable field representatives in place strategically around the country, as deemed necessary. Three individuals have been selected and added to its team of Performance Pack Representatives. We are confident that each of them will provide an instrumental impact on the program given their experience, knowledge, integrity and capable promotional and communication skills when it comes to the success of the Performance Pack in moving forward.
The United Kennel Club has the potential to be the leader within the industry in Beagle Field Trials, as it is with most all of its performance events. Its leaders and field representatives play a huge part in reaching and maintaining those credentials. Therefore, it is vital that those individuals 1) always place the sport ahead of personal agendas, 2) are knowledgeable, honorable and reputable, 3) motivated 4) have the skills required to direct, lead, listen, promote, and teach.
The United Kennel Club is confident that each of the following individuals will be an asset to the beagle programs in their own unique way. We welcome each of them to a team of outstanding Field Representatives.
Jason Butcher, WV UKC Hunting Beagle Field Representative
Jason Butcher and his wife Loarie live in the Charleston, West Virginia, area where they raise their two young boys Jay and Bryce, a husky and a half malamute half wolf mix! Though the boys are not quite able to keep up on cast, the whole family enjoys traveling to the beagle events. Jason looks forward to the day when him and the two boys are all three cutting dogs loose in UKC events and upping his kennels odds!
Jason is by some standards fairly recently involved in the sport and most certainly came up through the UKC ranks. Him and his brother Andy are kennel partners and run mostly the White River and Shenango bloodlines. But Jason is a student of the game and under such supervision as that from the late Dale Prunty has come a long way in a hurry. He has a dual grand to his credit in the form of GRCH GRHBCH ‘PR’ Butcher’s White River Rascal. He is a member of the Big Otter Beagle Club where he serves as the Corresponding Officer and the National Hunting Beagle Association. He doesn’t even have to think about it when he responds that the UKC Hunting Beagle Nationals is his favorite event.
When he takes a break from the beagles it is most always with a fly rod in hand and traveling as far as necessary to find a hatch on some premier trout water. He enjoys spending some time in a tree stand each fall. And though we are unsure as to whether to disclose this or not, he does admit that he is a fan of Notre Dame football.
What Jason lacks in years of experience he more than makes up for in honesty and integrity and knowledge of the sport. UKC beaglers will enjoy working with Jason to advance the UKC Hunting Beagle Program. Welcome aboard Jason!
Guy Russell, MI UKC Performance Pack Field Representative
Guy Russell got an early start in the sport of beagling having owned beagles since he was 15 years old. In 1993 he started competing in ARHA events and soon learned that he preferred the more line control type dog that participated in the progressive pack format. With that in mind, he built a kennel around the Indian Hills Major, Dingus Macrae, Ruckus Hill and Lizzard Creek bloodlines that he still runs today. Like most of us, Guy says it’s pretty hard to pick one favorite hound but he will mention such names as Trueheart Keenfollower YoYo, Russells Kelly, Russells Sears Dani, Russells Patchwork Polly and Russells EZ Check if you really press him.
Guy has served at almost every level in the sport including the club formation process when the Southern Michigan Beagle Club was formed. Along with being a Master of Hounds for a couple local clubs, he has held most club officer postions at one time or another and currently serves as the VP for Southern Michigan Beagle Club and VP of the National Beagle Performance Pack Association. In addition to the fun of running and competing with hounds, Guy readily admits that it’s the fellowship with other beaglers that he very much enjoys and the reason that he is as active as he is in the sport.
Guy and his wife Deb have five sons; Shane, Shad, Michael, Chris and J.P, and they live in the farming community of Hillsdale in south central Michigan. He does a take short break from running beagles to do a little deer hunting or fish now and then. Guy and Deb also raise Boxers and he enjoys riding and training horses. Join us in welcoming Guy Russell to the UKC Staff as an Official Field Representative and please introduce yourself to Guy if you haven’t already when you seen him at the events.
Rick Giermata, NY UKC Performance Pack Field Representative
Rick’s background with United Kennel Club events started more than 30 years ago which was long before UKC offered any beagle field trialing formats. Rick’s introduction to hounds and the hound sports came in the form of a Redbone Coonhound that he carried to the local nite hunts, bench shows and water races. But while the State of New York might feel like it is on the very edge of the coonhound world, it is very much in the heart of beagle field trialing. It almost seems impossible not to become a full time beagler living virtually in the back yard of some of the most influential hounds and houndsmen in the sport of beagling.
Rick has been involved in the sport of beagling in many different levels and in many different formats creating a resume’ within the sport that is hard to match. He has at one time or another; founded the New Empire Beagle Club, served as Event Coordinator for the Western NY International Rabbit Hunting Derby, served as VP for the Mid-West Gundog Association, Treasurer of Northern Chautauqua Beagle Club, VP of Java Village Beagle Club, etc. , etc., etc., and most recently Chairman of the Board for the National Beagle Performance Pack Association. A self described student of the sport, it’s the new people, the new places, the dogs, the pedigrees, the different formats and everything else there is to learn that motivates Rick.
The Branko and Eaton Brook bloodlines made up the base for what has become five generations of Rick’s own Smokes Creek bloodlines. IFC Branko’s Proper Baron, IFC Stoney Hill’s Tamarack, and FC Salt River Lucy are among his favorites that he did not own. Many of Rick’s own hounds have done very well however it’s probably a hound name Syris McGee that was the first to accomplish finishing as an AKC Field Champion, a UKC Hunting Beagle Champion, an ARHA Little Pack Champion and a CHB in the Mid-West Gundog Association that he is most associated with.
We hope you join us in offering Rick a big thank you and all of our support as he serves as a UKC Field Representative for the UKC Performance Pack program.
Randy Harris, VA UKC Performance Pack Field Representative
Living in the Grottoes, Virginia area, Randy has been married to wife Buffy for 23 years. Together they have four children, two son-in-laws and a granddaughter. And perhaps the most unique thing of all….the whole family is very much involved with the beagles!
Randy has had beagles his whole life and grew up spending lots of time learning the woods and fields and dogs with a grandfather who also enjoyed beagles. It hasn’t been until the last seven years or so that Randy took an interest in competitive beagling. But it didn’t take him long to get really involved!
Randy is a member of the Rockingham Beagle Club where he is currently serving a term as President. He has also sat on the Board of Directors for the NBPPA. Randy tries to attend most of the major UKC events including the Performance Pack Nationals, Performance Pack World, Hunting Beagle Nationals and the Don McVay Memorial. To stay involved at that level it takes more than just the enjoyment of turning a dog loose and even that of chasing trophies and championship degrees. It’s about the friendships and memories that it creates every time out. It’s about a concern for preserving the sport so that future generations like his granddaughter will have it to enjoy.
Some of the best hounds he has seen do not have a Ch in front of their name. They are hounds like that of his grandfather’s that seemed to know where every rabbit was and every direction it took. The best hound he has ever hunted with is his good friend’s Sally dog as she will make you shake your head and wonder how did she do that day in and day out. The bloodline that currently suits him best is Ranger Dan & Mark V Ace in the Hole.
In his spare time Randy also enjoys deer and duck hunting. And he does keep a couple Labs around to help pick up ducks. You might find him on the sidelines coaching football. But you won’t find him far from family and friends enjoying the simple things in life.
Thank you Randy for your commitment to United Kennel Club and the UKC Performance Pack community.
