Macy earns her JC (Junior Courser) Title

Whew-we! It was a scorcher this past weekend at the Curry Farm on the outskirts of Columbia, KY. The Blue Grass Coursing Club (BGCC) ran over 100 dogs from Thursday, June 18 thru Monday, June 22. Over 30 Ibizan Hounds (beezers). Despite the heat and humidity it was a blast. Many thanks to everyone who worked on this: Lure Operators, Hunt Masters, Judges, Club officers, photographers, helpers and the Curry family who shared their farm. There's a world of difference in atmosphere between conformation (beauty contests) and lure coursing (simulated hunting). Much friendlier and laid back... everyone was relaxed and supportive. We loved it -- and more importantly -- the dogs seemed to love it! Can't wait for the next run!

Details: Lure coursing simulates the hunting experience. The dogs chase an artificial lure, in an open field and are judged by two judges, on the dogs overall ability, speed, endurance, agility, and how well they follow the lure.. The lure is three white plastic bags (referred to as "bunnies") tied to a string and pulled along the surface of the field via a pulley system. The course layout will vary (e.g. large oval, figure-eight). The Lure Operator sits on a raised platform where he/she can modulate the speed of the bunnies, engage the dogs, or safely "untangle" them if they get caught up in the line. The Hunt Master coordinates the start (yelling "tolly-ho") and looks out for the dogs' safety while they are on the field.

According to AKC rules, sight hounds earn a JC (Junior Courser) title after they successfully complete two qualifying runs (600 yards, 4 corners). The runs must occur on two days with two different judges. Macy completed her first on Saturday morning and her second on Sunday morning. That made her eligible to run in the trials alongside two other breed dogs in the afternoon. She had a slow start on the prelim trial, trailing the BIG dogs for about 100 meters until finally they left her in the dust. The second (final) trial was a total bust. She got spooked after a false start and threw it into reverse. LOL. It seems that running with other dogs (she's a bit intimidated) is something we need to work on as we build towards her Senior Courser (SC) title.

Photos by Randy Sartin
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