The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-06
Beagle Trials
at Oxford.
WORK OF THE WEEK.
Entries We're of a Uni
formly High Standard.

Oxford, Nov. 5.-The New England
Beagle Club is to be congratulated on
the success of it's sixth annual field
trials which were held here this week.
All Of these trials have been held in
this pretty village. In reviewing the
history of the club, one fails to find a
year ir which the attendance of SPORTS
men has been larger, the entries com
posed of finer beagles, or the interest
better sustained throughout the week
Indeed, the rapid growth in popular
ity of the beagle is surprising, even to
the lovers Of this charming little hound.
dozen years ago a beagle was rarely
seen, and even in the bench shows, the
classes were small in numbers and
made up of poor specimens Now,
thanks to the various beagle clubs-and
to none more than to the New England
Club-all this is changed. The merry
little hounds are winning their place in
the sportsmen's esteem which they so
wen deserve AS pets, they are affec-
tlonate and intelligent, and in the hunt
ing field their musical voices and their
| dash and energy appeal to every lover
Of the dog and gun.
10 the uninitiated, the inner work
ing of a field trial is somewhat of a
mystery, and few words of explana-
ton will not be out of place. To be
eligible for entry at trial, a. beagle
must be 10 inches or under in height
at the shoulder, and as a matter of
course, he must know how to hunt. The
stake in which he is to be entered is
determined by his age and previous
record. II he was wheIped on or after
Jan l OF the preceding year, he can
run with the other young hounds i'm
the Derby But if he is too old for
llat stake, ne is put into the all-age
OF lIlto the champion stake-into the
former IL ne has never won a first prize
ana INTO the latter il he has a first
| prize win to his credit
Having divided the beagles into their
proper classes, they are hunted on
game, two at time, and it is the duty
OF the judges to follow the hounds
closely and see which one does the bet
ter work in hunting for a trail, in fol-
| lowing the trail till the rabbit is start
ed, and IN driving the rabbit till it seeks
| refuge in the ground or is lost When
all the entries In stake have been seen
on game, the judges select the best
| ones TO run again, and this continues
TIL the prize winners have been select
| ed.
To judge the merits of the beagles
properly, one must have had a long ex-
perlenee in hunting, and must also be
| able to run or walk from morning fin
night in thickets and briars or wher-
ever the cunning rabbit runs to throw
of his keen-scented pursuers. To make
the trials enjoyable for the spectators.
an. open country, where the little
! hounds can be easily followed, is neces-
sary, and this is found in the large
bushy pastures about Oxford Rabbits
OF course must be plentiful, and In past
years they have been found in abund-
ance. This year however, they were
not found in as great numbers as at
former trials, and few Of the races
were long drawn-out on account of the
scarcity of game. Probably this scar
| city is only temporary, and next year it
! is hoped that rabbits will be as easily
started as in past seasons.
The admirers of the beagle claim that
IN few years this tiny hound will be
at the very front of the hunting dogs
| OF New England. They base this
claim on the fact that the beagle is
small and easily cared for, that a half
dozen can be slowed away under the
| scat Of a hunting wagon, that rabbits
/ can always be found in the outskirts
of the largest cities, and that hunter
with little pack of beagles is always
within hearing of his hounds, because
the rabbit will not run far from the
point where it is found. The fox hunt
er, on the other hand, frequently loses
his hounds altogether, and does not
know whether they have run to the
west or into the next county on the
east. The bird shooter, too, in the1e
days of scarcity of quail and grouse,
is liable to tramp the hills for many a
weary hour without finding bird. But
the rabbit hunter-so the beagle men
say-is always ''in the hunt" and never
fails to find game.
The trials of last week brought into
notice number of fine beagles. Among
the good ones which ran for the first
time i field trials, were Hampstead
beagles Bellman, who showed remark
able speed and wonderful ability in
driving the rabbit. He is one that is
sure to win honors at future field
trials. Another beagle which came
here unknown, but which departs with
the highest honors-the title of field
champion-is Dimes Della. She is a
pretty, Winsome little hound and as
smart and as active in the field as she
is pretty. She belongs to William Sax
by of lion. N. y, IS does Bessie, who
also won the title of champion, and
Balance, a good one that ran in the
Derby. Indeed, this seemed to be Mr.
SaXby's year, and ever since the judges
announced their decisions he has been
receiving congratulations from friends
far and near, by telephone and in per-
son.
There are a number of noted beagles,
winners at field trials, owned in Wor-
cester and vicinity. Prominent among
these are Trick and Cora j., belonging
to the pack Of II. S. Joslin Of Oxford.
A. d. Fiske of Worcester has also a
number of celebrated beagles in his
pack. Here are Champion Clyde, the
sire of many field trial winners and
Champion Lady Novice, They are the
veterans Of the pack, and with them
make sweet music over tie hills of
Quinnebaug, where the kennels are sit
uated.
The field trials of the New England
Beagle Club are an event to which
many sportsmen look forward with
pleasure. Next years meet will be-.
gin on Nov. 2, and already the mem
bers are beginning to wonder who will
be at oxford and what hounds will
win.
BRADFORD S. TURPIN.
IT STARTS OFF WE'LL.
Worcester Basket Ball Team Won Its
Maiden Game.
Millbury, Nov 5. - A very interesting
game of basket ball was played in the