UKC Coonhound Weekly Bulletin, Edition 18

August 26, 2025

Source: Trevor Wade, Coonhound Program Manager
Email: twade@ukcdogs.com

If you didnt already know, its Autumn Oaks week. If you are reading this, I would say you are one of the top supporters of the program and have been fully aware of this for a while now. As a matter of fact, I would venture to say some of you are either making preparations to leave, in route to the venue, or already there. It is going to be an awesome week, full of fun, fellowship, and friendly competition. I think the thing that Im most excited about is the weather forecast. After fighting temperatures in the mid to high 90s all week last year, this years forecast looks like a coon hunters paradise. Lets just hope the weather folks arent too far off. Lets dive in.

PAST EVENTS

As Im typing this up, I havent yet received the results for the Missouri State or Iowa State Youth Championships. I did, however, receive the reports for the Wisconsin State Championship from Lee Hogan, thank you Lee!

- Wisconsin State Championship Results

As soon as I get the other two, and as time permits, the results will be on the results page here: Coonhound Standings and Results

UPCOMING EVENTS

There is only one event on any schedule this weekend, and that is the 66th Annual Autumn Oaks. Be there or be square. Here are some places you should be sure to keep up with this weekend so you dont miss out on any of the action:

- UKC Coonhounds Facebook Page
- UKC Coonhound Standings and Results Web Page
- Houndsman Advantage for Autumn Oaks Web Page (make sure to get your Houndsman Advantage membership!)

For all things Autumn Oaks, the ad is on the Autumn Oaks web page here: Autumn Oaks

Last week I mentioned that I wanted to give a shout out to the Autumn Oaks sponsors in this weeks bulletin. I say this anytime I can, but when we are shopping or browsing the choices before we make a purchase, whether at Autumn Oaks, online, or however else, don't forget to support the ones who support you. Personally, I want to thank all of the following sponsors for helping make the prize list at Autumn Oaks, what it is. Your support means a lot to not only me but the entirety of United Kennel Club. Here are this years sponsors of Autumn Oaks in alphabetical order. Click on the name of the company to visit their web or Facebook page.

Bad Habit Hunting Supply
Bright Eyes Lights Inc
Coondog Wear
Dan's Hunting Gear
Dark: 30 Hunting Supply
Diamond Deluxe
Dog & Hunt Supply
Houndsman Advantage
Kelley's K-Light Supply
Mule Brand Gear and Apparel
Okie Dog Supply LLC
Outlaw Light Company
Owens Products
Yoder Nylon
Zepp's Coon Squallers

And then of course, Eukanuba, the Official Dog Nutrition Partner of UKC.

WHATS HAPPENING?

We are ONE WEEK away from the entry deadline for the 2025 UKC World Championship! You have one week from today to get your qualified dog entered. For this one, there are no walk-ups, your dog has to be entered before the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday, September 2nd, or your run will be over before it ever starts. There are no exceptions to that deadline. You enter right here: Coonhound World Championship

I was looking through some notes on past World Championships, and this years World Finals will be in Portland, Indiana for the second time in the 48-year history of the event. The first and only time it was in Portland, the Nite Hunt World Champion was the youngest World Champion in the events history still to this date, and the Bench Show World Champion was the first Redbone male to win the title, and is still one of only four Redbone Coonhounds to achieve that title. Those hounds were:

2005 NH World Champion - WLDNITECH GRNITECHPR BOLDEN AND TURPIN'S INSANE JANE
2005 BS World Champion - WSHOWCH GRWCH GRFCH GRCHPR ONLY IN AMERICA

Who will join them and add their name to the record books? Time will tell.
For a full list of past World Champions, see here: Coonhound World Historical Winners
For more results from past World Championships, see here: Coonhound World Championship History

Get those dogs entered and I hope to see you in Portland!

DOG OF THE WEEK

When I am looking for outliers or dogs that have accomplished incredible things, my mind is liable to go in any direction. At this minute, I have just finished looking at a program for Thursdays GRCHHOF Bench Show at Autumn Oaks. I will admit, there may be more dogs that have done this. At the time it happened a few years ago, it was only the second such instance that I was aware of. I am talking about a hound that accomplished not only the feat of achieving a four-way grand title but also racked up 100 Grand Champion wins over the course of his competition Bench Show career. That dog is GRFCH CCH GRWCH GRNITECH GRCHHOF 'PR' Preacher John the Rock. Lets find out some more about him.

Name: GRFCH CCH GRWCH GRNITECH GRCHHOF 'PR' Preacher John the Rock
Breed: Treeing Walker Coonhound
Date of Birth: 9/19/2009
Owned by: Michael and Myra Seets of Stonefort, Illinois
Bred by: Vera Bergbauer
Three-Generation Pedigree:
--- WCH GRCH 'PR' Red Eagle Flying Hawk
- WSHOWCH GRCH CCH 'PR' Red Eagle Comin'2 Your City
--- GRCH 'PR' Currens & Voight's Smooth Suke
GRFCH CCH GRWCH GRNITECH GRCHHOF 'PR' Preacher John the Rock
--- GRCH 'PR' My All American Joe
- GRCH 'PR' Diamond Ridge All American Girl
--- GRCH 'PR' Hidden Lake Tammy Sue

Like a lot of the hounds we feature, John got his start young. He won his first show in August of 2010 and made Champion a short time later in October of 2010. He met the Grand Champion criteria in May of 2011, which would jump start a multi-year run of excellence on the show scene. He had seven GRCH wins in 2011, 22 GRCH wins in 2012, 27 GRCH wins in 2013, three GRCH wins during 2014, and then 21 in 2015, followed by a couple in 2016. Sitting at 82 GRCH wins, Rock seemed to be retired. He didnt enter a show from June 2016 to May 2020. Then all the sudden, the Seets broke him out for one last run, winning 18 GRCH classes from June 2020 to June 2021, where he got his 100th win in the show. Not bad for a dog that was past his 10th birthday.

Lets quickly look at his other accomplishments in the Hunting Ops events. Rock won his first Nite Hunt cast in October of 2011 and finished to NITECH in February of 2012. A few years later, he finished to GRNITECH in July of 2015. In the Water Race, he got his WCH title in October of 2012 and finished to GRWCH in June of 2014. And lastly in the Field Trials, he finished to FCH in November of 2018 and then finished his quest to four-way Grand by making GRFCH in June of 2019. Quite the accomplishment.

Rocks accomplishments at major events across the United States can stack up with most any dogs resume. To list them all would require an entire article rather than a section in this bulletin. However, we can surely take the time to give him his well-deserved praise for his illustrious career.

UKC HUNTING OPS PODCAST

Last weeks episode of the podcast was Part One of Allens interview with Rick Stretch, running through some of the top dogs hes been associated with during his lifetime in the sport. While on the ride to Oaks, be sure to take some time to listen and if you enjoy hearing accounts of the storied dogs of the past youll enjoy Rick painting a picture of these great hounds through his story telling ability. You wont want to miss this one.

UKCS ALL-QUARTER CENTURY CAST

Last weeks poll saw us shift towards Autumn Oaks winners from the past quarter century, with you all voting between the 2000 2004 winners. When the dust settled, moving onto the Autumn Oaks Finals was NGRNCH GRNITECH 'PR' Wild-N-Blue Lou with 31.75% of the vote.

This week while we are all at Oaks, the 2005-2009 Autumn Oaks winners will be up for your vote. The field of five hounds is made up of two Treeing Walker males, two Treeing Walker females, and a Bluetick male. Who will move on to the Autumn Oaks Final? That is up to you. Lets look at your options.

2005 Winner - NGRNCH GRNITECH 'PR' Stone Cold Steve Austin 316
Treeing Walker Male
Owned by Ernie Thompson of Indianapolis, Indiana
Out of 'PR' Stone Cold Max & 'PR' Stylish Wild Sugar
Born 12/30/1998 and bred by Ernie Thompson
- 2005 National Grand Nite Champion of Autumn Oaks with 1200+
- Qualified for World Zones 2 times (2003, 2005)
- Cast win at 2002 Indiana State Championship
- 10 cast wins on record
- 8 wins have scores recorded totaling 4,825+ averaging 603.1+ in those cast wins

2006 Winner - NGRNCH GRNITECH 'PR' Treeslammin Blue Hillbilly
Bluetick Male
Owned by Gerald Wayne Risner of Albion, Michigan
Out of GRNITECH GRCH 'PR' Northern Blue Hammer XVIII & NITECH 'PR' Treeslammin Blue Queen
Born 7/24/1998 and bred by Kerry Oswalt
- 2006 National Grand Nite Champion of Autumn Oaks with 1700+
- Qualified for World Zones 4 times (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006)
- Cast win at 2002 Bluetick Days
- 13 cast wins on record
- 11 wins have scores recorded totaling 8,650+ averaging 786.4+ in those cast wins

2007 Winner - NGRNCH GRNITECH GRCH 'PR' Potomac River Son
Treeing Walker Male
Last owned by Michael Gibson of Winslow, Arkansas
Out of GRNITECH 'PR' Tar Heel Nitro's Son & GRNITECH 'PR' Night Rockin Mandy
Born 12/4/2004 and bred by Todd Brady
- 2007 National Grand Nite Champion of Autumn Oaks with 1025+
- Qualified for World Zones 3 times (2007, 2008, 2009)
- 13 cast wins on record
- 6,550+ compiled in 13 cast wins, averaging 503.8+ per win

2008 Winner - NGRNCH GRNITECH 'PR' Hark Knockin Big Mama
Treeing Walker Female
Owned last by John Teeters of Alexandria, Ohio
Out of NITECH 'PR' Skuna River Fred & NITECH 'PR' Allen Hard Knockin Sugar
Born 5/3/2004 and Bred by Norman Allen
- 2008 National Grand Nite Champion of Autumn Oaks with 1750+
- Qualified for World Zones 6 times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
- 2008 Winter Classic Champion with 1100+ CW
- Cast wins at 2007 Bluetick Reunion, 2009 World Zones, and 2010 World Zones
- 22 cast wins on record
- 12,763 plus points in 20 reports with recorded scores (638.2+ average)

2009 Winner - NGRNCH GRNITECH 'PR' Stylish Kate
Treeing Walker Female
Owned by Mike Carmack and Shane Groves of Liberty, Indiana
Out of NITECH 'PR' Skuna River Fred & GRNITECH 'PR' Kirby's Stylish Kit
Born 1/6/2003 and bred by Dennis Kirby
- 2009 National Grand Nite Champion of Autumn Oaks with 1275+
- Qualified for World Zones 2 times (2005, 2009)
- Cast wins at 2005 Ohio State Championship, 2006 Treeing Walker Days, 2009 Bluetick Days, 2009 Plott Days
- 13 cast wins on record
- 6,325 plus points in 10 reports with recorded scores (632.5+ average)

You will have until Monday, September 1st at 11:45 PM EST to cast your vote. You vote right here: VOTE NOW

Guided by the belief that dogs make a difference by being the best partner a human can have in the field, on the job, or in a competition event, UKC is a community for people and dogs to pursue excellence together. Founded in 1898, UKC has been dedicated to enhancing the lives of Dogs That Do More, and their owners, by providing essential resources to help owners and breeders make informed decisions. The dog-human bond is celebrated through family-friendly programs highlighting the instincts and heritage of purebred and mixed-breed dogs alike at over 18,000 licensed events annually.