Houndwoman Posted January 29, 2007 Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 We were hosts yesterday to a competition held by the Bloodhound Club at our house. We had to get permission from our neighbouring landowners so that we could hold the event as quite a bit of land is needed and as we only have a few acres it wasn't enough. The event was for the top working hounds of the last season. The lines followed had to be 8 hours cold and 2 miles long so quite a test for the hounds. Only 2 hounds took part and although they did eventually find their quarry they didn't prove good enough to win the trophy Two of our friends walked the lines as the quarry.The first one had to be walked at 2am in the morning and the other had to go out at 4.30am with nothing but themselves, a map, a torch and a lot of courage. I know the land very well but not brave enough to do it Great fun and a lovely few hours spent walking the countryside. Pics will follow as Koshka came along and kindly obliged. Expect they will be posted soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koshka Posted January 29, 2007 Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 I had a great day watching the bloodhounds work and it was nothing like I expected. I imagined it to be like the old movies with baying hounds, straining at their leashes to catch an escaped-criminal! It was a much slower and sedate pace. Start of the event with the 1st owner being told where to start...... In harness and raring ( ) to go...... Midday break with port and mince pies........ Houndwoman after enjoying the midday port.......... 2nd owner (we did get a bit of escaped-criminal baying from this hound at the start)...... but escaped-criminal escaped at this gate when the hound went the wrong way...... The end of the day.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix21 Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Lovely pics and dogs - hardly ever see bloodhounds they look like lovely dogs if a little sedate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 *thud* I'm in love - with the hounds that is! Especially the second one is scrummy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 what lovely droopy faces they have! Looks like loads of fun for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 That looks interesting I've never seen bloodhounds in action. I guess this was similar to a hound trail How many took part and do they all set off at once or is it a timed trial with staggered starts? What sort of countryside do they run over? Do they scale walls and jump fences? Sorry for all the questions Marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendbert Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 Gorgeous dogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndwoman Posted January 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 That looks interesting I've never seen bloodhounds in action. I guess this was similar to a hound trail How many took part and do they all set off at once or is it a timed trial with staggered starts? What sort of countryside do they run over? Do they scale walls and jump fences? Sorry for all the questions Marion Trials are when a single Bloodhound and it's handler follow a laid trail. In the case of the one we did on Sunday(The Millvery Trophy) the trail is laid 8 hours before the hound is put on to it and 2 miles long. Some trails can be 24 hours cold! The hound hunts the clean boot(a human scent with nothing added). They work over all sorts of terrain ie walls, gates fences etc. Due to their size they sometimes have to be helped over obstacles so the handler has to be pretty fit and strong Pack hunting means just that with anything between maybe half a dozen hounds up to 30 or 40. The pack I used to be involved with usually took out around 35 hounds. Packs have a mounted field also so they are followed by horses and riders. It is very fast and furious and great fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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