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"Success Isn't Going To Happen Overnight" Laura Bell In the outreaches of Owatonna, Minnesota, you can often hear the sounds of late night barks emerge from the woods, while the owner of the coonhounds contently listens to the track unfold. The track barks fade and soon the Walker hounds have fallen treed deep in the timber, and without a doubt, they have the coon. Making his way to the hounds is their owner, 16-year-old Brandon Becker, who spends many nights like this in the woods with his hounds - nearly every night in the week, he says.

You may know or have heard of Brandon through the local hunts, the bigger state hunts, youth events, or even the 2007 Treeing Walker Days where he received one of the Presidential Youth Awards. Now you’ll also know Brandon as the 2007 TWBFA winner of the UKC/CB Horizon Award. I don’t know Brandon personally, but from reading what he has told me about his Walkers, I can honestly say he has a great devotion for the Treeing Walker breed and the dedication it takes to keep the breed going strong for years to come. He said he was very honored to have been chosen. For Brandon, it was a great feeling to be there with everyone involved with the breed and receive the award. It makes him proud to see how many are dedicated to the breed.

Brandon grew up coon hunting with his dad, Travis Becker. They would spend one night a week together in the woods running their dogs. Brandon was younger at the time and the coon hunting bug had yet to sink its teeth deep in his skin. When Brandon turned 13 years old, the bug bit down hard, and from then on Brandon has been more serious about coon hunting. He ventures out hunting nearly every night. With him these nights are his prized Walkers: GR NITE CH GR CH ‘PR’ S-N-B’s Stylish Rebel (co-owned by his dad, Travis, and Jon Sorensen), and NITE CH ‘PR’ Maple River Tucker...

For the entire article, check out the January 2008 COONHOUND BLOODLINES.

In This Issue of Coonhound Bloodlines... "Success Isn't Going To Happen Overnight" Laura Bell In the outreaches of Owatonna, Minnesota, you can often hear the sounds of late night barks emerge from the woods, while the owner of the coonhounds contently listens to the track unfold. The track barks fade and soon the Walker hounds have fallen treed deep in the timber, and without a doubt, they have the coon. Making his way to the hounds is their owner, 16-year-old Brandon Becker, who spends many nights like this in the woods with his hounds - nearly every night in the week, he says. Read more here Learn more about Coonhound Bloodlines

This Weekend At UKC Bluetick Days Robinson, Illinois - The nation’s largest UKC Bluetick event for six years running, National Bluetick Days will gather Bluetick Coonhound fanciers in Palestine, Illinois from May 15 to 17. Sponsored by the Bluetick Breeders of America, a UKC Chartered Breed Association, and hosted by the Wabash Valley CHC, the event kicks off Thursday and will feature coonhound nite hunts and bench shows, with Purina Points events Friday and Saturday. For more information, check out the upcoming events page. Find an event in your area.

About UKC Coonhounds Hunting with hounds is an American Tradition that still enjoys immense popularity. UKC's competitive hound programs offer events for coonhound enthusiasts belonging to over 1,300 clubs throughout the United States and Canada. In fact, one of the UKC's series of events enters more than 17,000 coonhounds annually and ranks as the largest sporting dog event of any kind in the world! Read more here.