Beagle Questions and Answers
Question: On a four-dog cast, all dogs are struck in. The rabbit is completely circled and seen by a cast member. The judge is present as Dogs A, B and C score on the line. Dog D misses the line. On the second circle, a line is marked and the cast agrees to pick the dogs up after they score it. Again, Dogs A, B and C score. Dog D misses it again. How do you score dog D’s strike points?
Answer: The answer to this question is to minus Dog D his strike points. Here is why.
As I have discussed in this column many times before, there are only four ways you can plus your strike points. They are to: 1) score speed and drive; 2) catch a rabbit; 3) if the majority of the cast sees a rabbit and it goes to a place of refuge; and 4) if the majority of the cast sees a rabbit and the time runs out in the hunt. The fact that the other three dogs scored Speed and Drive is not enough to plus Dog D’s strike points. Only those dogs scoring Speed and Drive receive plus strike points. So now we have ruled out plus points.
It is pretty obvious that we cannot score Dog D’s strike points as circle points. Below is rule 5, “points will be circled.”
POINTS WILL BE CIRCLED:
Circle points will count neither for, nor against, dog except when ties are to be broken.
In case of running into a hole or place of refuge, a rabbit that has not been seen by the majority of cast or the non-hunting Judge (cast must make an attempt to locate hole, majority of cast or non-hunting Judges decision).
If dog(s) are trailing when hunting time is finished.
If Judge has to call time out because of nearness to livestock, building, highway, etc.
As you can see, none of the criteria for circle points was met. Therefore, we have one more choice, minus. The big discussion that many people have on this subject is whether to minus the dog his strike points or 50 points. As I stated above, the right call is to minus the dog his strike points.
The following comes from rule 15(b):
“At time rabbit is seen, Judge or majority of cast if hunting Judge is used, must decide whether to allow dog(s) to continue on trail or pick up dog(s) in order to find new ground or another rabbit. Speed and drive points are awarded in order that dogs pass, splitting points when positions cannot be determined. After first dog has been scored on Speed and Drive, there is a one-minute time limit to score remaining dogs on that line. Dog(s) must be open on the majority of chase in order to be scored. If allowed to continue on trail, score initial strike points and each time rabbit is circled and seen, score speed and drive only. Speed and drive may be scored three (3) times only on the same rabbit. If loss occurs before completion of any additional circle, each dog declared struck to be scored 50 minus points in the losses/recoveries column. However, in case of split tracks, see rule 3(d). Otherwise, no dog(s) to be called off a trail without those points being minused.”
Okay, it was decided before the Speed and Drive was scored. This essentially makes it just like the cast is scoring their third Speed and Drive. This was Dog D’s last chance to lock in his strike points. He did not, so his points are minus.
You will also see where this rule states, “If loss occurs before completion of any additional circle, each dog declared struck to be scored 50 minus points in the losses/recoveries column.” No loss occurred, as it was predetermined that the dogs were going to get picked up after the line was scored so this rule would not apply. Only one of the four dogs is going to receive minus in this situation and they have not “locked in” their strike points. Therefore they are to get their strike points minused.
Question: When scoring a line, is there a distance on each side of the actual “line” (left or right) that the rabbit took that is considered “too far.” What should these distances be? Should these distances be stated by the judge before the dogs come through? Is there a right or wrong or does this strictly depend on the judge?
Answer: UKC has never and will never give a measurement. We are already carrying stopwatches and scorecards, and a tape measure would weigh us all down further.
Seriously, there is no way to put a measurement on it. First of all, the fact is that in only one season in the north is it possible to measure. That would be when there is snow on the ground. The rest of the year, the dogs nor the rabbit leave a track that we could find and measure. This is the most obvious reason why there is not a measurement.
The second and biggest reason why there is not a measurement is the fact that every line scored is differently. We have wind, rain, snow, heat, cold, humidity, foliage, cover and many other things affecting each line we score. Two are never the same. In the middle of the summer on a hot day the dogs will be closer on the line than they will be in the middle of heads-up spring running.
The rule for scoring Speed and Drive as it pertains to this question is Rule 15 (b), it states:
“Judge to score dogs on speed and drive as rabbit is circled and seen by a cast member. Dogs to be scored as they trail through the line at the approximate location that rabbit is seen. It must be obvious that a dog is NOT trailing in order to deny the dog on Speed and Drive.”
We have always stressed that it is important for the host club to assign responsible judges to each cast. This is a good reason why they should. You need to assign a judge who knows Beagles, and knows when they are or aren’t running a rabbit. Yes, it is ultimately the judge’s decision, but any cast member can ask for a vote of all cast members if they do not agree with the judge’s decision. So, sorry, there is not a foot measurement.
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