The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-14
BEAGLE FANC|ERS
MEET THIS MONTH
Great Sporting Event at shad-
we'll, Albemarlc
County.
---------------
TRYING OUT THE HARRIERs
Rich Men and Poor, United in
Love Of the Miniature
I'oxhound.
TRYING OUT THE HARRlERs

Beagles have been hunted In Eng
lhpd as long as packs of foxhounds.
and there have been barriers in this
country for "a hundred years, but
founded on imported dogs. The Ma
tional Beagle Club OF America Is only
of yesterday In comparison, yet the
eighteenth annual field trials are to be
held at Shndwel. Albemarlc county, Va.
about five miles from charlottesville,
beginning October 2ith.
Rich men and poor are united In
the love OF the miniature foxhounds,
for the beagles are copies of their big
cousins In conformation. color and
hunting attributes. and at each Held
trial enthusiasts gather from all parts
of the East and tho South. The beagle
cult MS to field trials does not seem
to be strong in the West, although
many dogs OF champion stock are
owned there.
The winners Of the New England
pennsylvania, Southern and other local
trials meet at the national trials each
year in the browning tests or superb
GRITTY. a popularity Of the trials is
that while hundred men may take
part In the sport, not one OF them will
carry a gun.
a rabbit is not killed unless run
down In the open by the dogs, and
r'''''S oti Tic scent Ifla DeuElG
is slow footed. so that Br'er Rabbit Is
more often chased than caught The
running Is to reveal the sagacity of
the dogs and not TO I'll the pot.
The ciasses ut the trials are in me-
ctrdance with the height or the
beagles. exactly as ut the bench shows.
They are for those over thirteen and
not exceeding fifteen inches. and for
those OF thirteen Inches and under.
The Derby.
There is an annual Derby for two
year-olds of fifteen inches and under.
There are also trials for packs of four
and OF eight.
A great event is the competition for
the natitnal challenge cup. the gift
OF W. G.. Rockefeller. president of the
club. for packs of four. Performances
and show qualities count an equal NUM-
Der OF points for the cup. The packs
are first hunted to bring out their
working skill and then lined up for
Judgment on their good looks.
Hunting ability is all that is regard
ed in the other classes, except that
there are usually special prizes for
dogs placed in a trial to be awarded
only on bench show qualities.
AS with foxhounls. the show and
working types OF beagle are not great
~ divergent. One OF the aims Of the
club Is to prevent the creation of a
show beagle. only good TO look at.
The classes are run In heats. dog
against dog. but each pack works
alone. The Derby is TO bring out the
merit OF the young dogs, the class
best educated for their iifcwork with
some Who HIVE Entered.
Fancicrs of the breed Will make en-
tries for the class or pack compett-
tons from places far apart. They will
pr. I'll. d. Brunes. New Orleans: a. J.
burlington. Palmer, Mass Gill and
Cronmiller. Queenstown. Md; George b.
Post Somerset Beagles. New Jersey,
nels. Greenwich. Conn: II. O. Walton,
llempdeld Bcagles. Greensburg. Pa: c.
+. Brook. Standing Springs. Md. Chef
wood Smith. president OF the New
England Field Trials: Chandler Bar
nard Bryn Mawr. P.,, G. F. Reed.
Barton VT; John caswell. dean OF the
brotherhood Pride's Crossing. Mass:
IT. d. Griffith. Midland. Nd: Rockcliffe
Beagles. Hampstead. N. y. Samuel
rockingham. of ..enox. Mass; Willis
Sharpe, kilmer. Blnghamton, n. ";
Charles r: Stevenson. secretary OF the
club. Camden, n. j.: Ramsay Turnbuli.
Bernardsville. y. J.; Henry W. Warner,
Manhattan; o. Staley Doub. Frederick.
IND. and II. Dudley shlSSS, one OF the
seven brothers of Baltimore, famous
in princeton football. now OF Hartford,
Conn.
Harry t. Peters. of 1slip. who owns
the Windholme beagles and wins many
prizes at the bench shows, no longer
attends the field trials, but he formerly
ran his dogs at Westbury.
The national trials We're in Maryland
last year, and they have not been at
westbury since 1894 when II. p. Whit
ney followed a custom began by his
father and gave the club the use of the
grounds. The trials were held on
bushy knoll between the windmill and
the paddocks on the Whitney estate
". C. Whitney had broad paths clear
ed through the woods. like the ran
ways in an English covert. To help
the sport Of the beagle fanc'ers. Thanks
to the ubiuuitous pothunter. rabbits
were net plentiful at the last trials
in Westbury. and when the dogs ran
one from the bushes to the grassland
they were checked to save the cotton
tail for another hunt.
Whether the owner hunts his beagle
pack on foot or horseback he may take
the title of master of barriers. They
hunt l,ares with them in England,
hence the term.