2010 UKC World Championship Judges Announced

First Round Bench Show Judge Mark Hauck

Mark Hauck resides in Stockton, Illinois having retired from the US Army and moving there after 22 years of duty station at Fort Bragg, NC. Mark was started into the Bluetick coonhounds and hunting by his Grandfather Floyd Hauck of Sardina, OH where Mark grew up and enjoyed the tradition of Coon Hunting, Fox hunting with his other Grandfather (Marion Koehler) of Ripley, Ohio. Hunting and farming was in the family for most all of Mark’s relatives.

Mark Has judged many of the major Southern State Championships, American Redbone Days, National Bluetick Days, The Grand Bluetick Reunion, PKC World Championship and Autumn Oaks. Mark has shown and owned the 1995 #1 Bluetick GR CH'PR' Southlands So Blue Nancy Ann and her Daughter GR CH'PR' Southlands Blue Ebony who was also #1 and also was the 1st Bluetick to win Queen of Show at both National Bluetick Days and the Grand Bluetick Reunion within the same year.

Mark’s hunting interest has given him much enjoyment and some memorable females having owned several GR Nite Champion and Nite Champion females at one time in his kennel.

Mark is also the longest serving President of BBOA the UKC Chartered Bluetick Organization, stepping down last year after 10 years of service to BBOA.





Final Round Bench Show Judge Dan Shaw

Born and raised in MI, I graduated from Lakeview High School, joined the U.S. NAVY and was enlisted aboard the USS Tortuga as a main propulsion engineman stationed out of Virginia Beach, VA. I loved my job and the ship I was on. I didn't spend much time in VA but I did travel all over the world, including operations in and around the Gulf War. Taking a liking to engineering, I then enrolled at Purdue University and studied Mechanical Engineering and Technology. After college I moved back to MI and have been working for Shape Corp in Grand Haven. Shape specializes in custom rollforming and energy management systems for the automotive industry world wide as well as many other custom products. I am blessed with a beautiful wife and two wonderful kids! I'm not sure my wife can always distinguish who is the six year old, myself or Damon!

I started coon hunting with my dad as a young boy. My older brother and I tromped through many fields and wood lots doing the "work" carrying coon, skinning coon, scraping coon, and combing coon! My dad taught my brother and I the ethical way to hunt, how to shoot a gun, and how to skin a buck. I wouldn't have had it any other way! I'll never forget the night Dad and I were carrying several coon across a field of tall grass, moon light shining, lights off, heading back to the truck. All of a sudden something in the dark jumped up and stung us violently in the mid section and knocked both of us right off our feet! We both laid there in the dark on our backs in shock. My Dad said "you alright boy?" "I think so." I'm sure you can guess what it was that "stung" us. Bibs might be waterproof but they sure aren't "electric" proof!

Almost 15 years ago I bought a hound from a man in Shelbyville TN. It seems like only a few years ago but I have been running dogs ever since, chasing coon, cats, and bears. I have traveled all over the states with dogs and have hunted in Canada several times. I have been fortunate enough to win the MI state championship nite hunt and bench show, Black and Tan days Queen of Show several times, and won the World championship Black and Tan Female. I have hunted all over MI running dogs up one hill and down the other! Over the years I have met some fantastic people that have dedicated a lot of their lives to the betterment of hounds. I have not been around at many of the hunts in the past several years. Too busy playing with the kids! I still get out in the woods behind dogs just not as much as I use to. The one thing I have learned over the years about dogs is that their shape and "makeup" play such key characteristic to their overall ability and performance. Having been a bench show judge for as long as I have hunted I have seen a ton of dogs, some have it, some don’t. The ones that don’t still might make for a good hound but in today's availability of gene pool's were all looking for the same thing, great hounds! A few years ago I judged Autumn Oaks in Richmond and was able to put my hands on some of these dogs.

The great thing about cat or bear hunting is you get to see the dogs go, you can see who is in front and who is not. Take a close look at the ones that are not up front, could be they are not as "well" built as the others and cant keep up for the long haul. Anyone that has run a small bear knows exactly what I’m talking about, those little guys run all day and will wear out truck loads of dogs! My point is this, a good hound has to be built to "run!" In order to tree game a hound has to put a ton of pressure on his quarry and he has to get it done by running hard and staying on track. When I’m looking over a dog I want to see solid running gear and strength from his hind legs to his head. They don’t have to be pretty but they better be built to get through the woods, be it swamp or three feet of snow!

I would like to thank the UKC for choosing me as your 2010 World Champion Show judge!

Good luck to everyone hunting and showing dogs!