The 2016 Grand Course

By John E. Burchard

The National Open Field Coursing Association Grand Course, February 13-16,2016

Photo Fiona Bennelf

ach year, on Presidents' Day week­ and is glad when the hare escapes." Eend, the elite of open-field coursing "In some parts of the world In North America, the principal quarry Sighthounds meets for a competition that is both legal and available for coursing known as the Grand Course. The ability coursing has remained, right hounds is the jackrabbit, which is actually on which the dogs are evaluated is that of down to the present day, a way not a rabbit but a hare. Hares and rabbits coursing, which is the pursuit of live game look similar, but are very different biologi­ in its own terrain. The object of the exer­ of putting meat in the pot." cally. Most notably, unlike rabbits, hares cise nowadays is not, as one might think, to are born fully furred, with eyes open, and catch the quarry- though that is certainly and Central Asia, coursing has remained, are able to run swiftly almost from birth. In foremost in the minds of the hounds. In an­ right down to the present day, primarily a this they resemble other animals of the open tiquity, coursing, like other forms of hunting, way of putting meat in the pot. plains, such as antelopes. was a matter of subsistence. Elsewhere it has become a sport, gov­ There are, in fact, four species of jack­ With the assistance of swift hounds, emed by the principle set forth by Flavius rabbits, or desert hares, as they should more people were able to capture fteet-footed An·ianus in 139 A.D.: "For the true spmts­ properly be called, in the western United game animals, such as gazelles or hares. man does not take out his hounds to destroy States. Two of these, the black-tailed and the In some parts of the world, notably in the the hares, but for the sake of the chase and of white-tailed jackrabbits, are common and steppes and deserts of North Africa, Arabia the contest between the hounds and the hare, widely distributed in their respective ranges,

SIC.,IIT\IOUND RLVI[W 51'1\11\G IssuE Judging California s(),fe! Pholo Fiona Bennett Photo Fiona Bennelt and those are the ones that are coursed. walk in line abreast to either side as a "gal­ Both species are open-country animals that "Two or three hounds will be taken lery," so as to flush any hares that may be depend on running speed, agility and guile 'in slips' by their owners [and] hiding in grass or bushes. When a hare does to escape the predators that are part of their get up and begins to run away, the hounds everyday lives. Being chased by hounds is released instantly when desired." in slips are released when the hare has a suf­ therefore no different from their everyday ficient head sta1t (remember, the object is not experience, and they are well equipped to to kill the hare), and a judge then scores the found, two or (usually) three hounds will be deal with it. The great majority of them live events in the resulting course. taken "in slips" by their owners- held on a to run another day. The course ends, usually after about "sliplead," so designed that the hound can be one to three minutes, when the hounds have released instantly when desired. Those hold­ n formal coursing competition, as caught the hare or, much more commonly, ing hounds in slips walk forward over the practiced in the western United States, when it has escaped and the hounds have I ground. Any other members of the "field" where alone suitable quarry is to be given up the pursuit. The hounds then return

Pholo Fiona Benne//

51'1\lt--G IssuE SIGIITIIOUND REvu:w PAGE II] Photo Fiona Bennett

run again. After the second round the scores are added up and first, second, third, fourth and fifth placements determined. Points Photo John Burchard awarded for each placement depend on the number of hounds slipped in that stake, up to "Coursing events are held a maximum of ten. First place is wo11h four times the number slipped, second place three each weekend throughout times, and so on, down to fifth place, which the cool season of the year." is worth one-half the number of hounds slipped. Hounds within each breed compete to the gallery to be leashed by their handlers, against each other in what are called "breed" and the next pair or trio of hounds is put "on events. There are also "mixed" events, in the line." When all hounds present have had which hounds are drawn together regardless their turn, the scores are tallied; usually a of breed. Because the capabilities of the vari­ second round is drawn, including the win­ ous breeds are distinctly different, "mixed" ners of each of the first-round courses and hunts sometimes provide interesting insights any other hounds that the judge wishes to see into the relative merits of different hunting Magyar Agars. Photo Fiona Bennett

Photo John Burchard

SIGHTHOUND 1\EVIEW SrRI 'G IssuE are added and the top half of each breed advances as finalists to compete io a mixed event on the third day, again in a new location, judged by both judges independently of each other. At the end of the third day, each of the finalists Photo John Burchard therefore has four scores, styles under different conditions might be called Group A under one judge two from each judge. Those scores are added Coursing events are held each weekend and in Group B under the other judge- ob­ together to detennine placements. The top throughout the cool season of the year­ viously in different locations. On the second roughly from October through the end of day, the judges swap group assignments and

"Due to the shortage of hares

and to the unseasonably warm

weather it was not possible

to fi nish the mixed fi nals ..."

move to new locations. By the end of the second day, if all goes according to plan, each dog will have run twice in breed com­ petition, once under each judge. The scores Photo Fiona Bennett

January. Hounds having achieved a certain minimum number of placement points dur­ ing the season then receive an invitation to participate in the Grand Course, which is always held on Presidents' Day weekend. The location is decided by vote of delegates from the National Open Field Coursing Association member clubs; it is usually, but not always, held in one of the areas where coursing meets have been held throughout the season. The Grand Course follows a special format. Two judges are chosen by delegate vote to judge. When all the entries are in, the breeds present are divided into two groups, such that the numbers of dogs in each group are approximately equal. On the first day, Photo Ky Boe hounds run in breed competition in what

SPRING IssuE 51GHTHOUND REVIEW PAGE 119 Photo Ky Boe

United States and Canada, occasionally still farther afield; the overall winner a few years back was a Saluki whelped in Switzerland. The largest contingents usually come from California and New Mexico. There were 3 Afghan Hounds, 4 Borzoi, 6 Galgos, 2 Grey­ "Entries fo r the Grand Course hounds, 4 lbizan Hounds, 3 "Rare Breeds" come fro m all over the U.S. (2 Pharaoh Hounds and one Silken Wind­ hound), 16 Salukis and 6 Whippets. "Rare and Canada, occasionally Breeds" are those present, at any given time, in such small numbers so as not to have still fa rther afield ..." a breed club represented on the NOFCA Board. This year, for various reasons, some At that point the demands of people's real­ eligible breeds, such as Irish Wolfl10unds world lives prevented us from continuing. or Scottish Deerhounds, were not present at This is, as far as I know, the first time the the Grand Course. Since tbe "mixed" events Grand Course has concluded without being could not be completed, it was impossible to able to select the "Top Ten" overall winners. determine overall placements or to evalu­ ate breeds relative to one another. Only the n all, 44 Sighthounds in eight breed Photo Fiona Benne/1 results of the "breed" competitions could be groups accepted the invitation to com­ I evaluated. pete in the 2016 Grand Course. Entnes Basenjis and Ridgebacks are not ten placements receive rosettes, various for the Grand Course come from all over the considered true Sighthounds by NOFCA. prizes and trophies. The biggest hitch in all this is, of course, the caveat "if all goes according to plan" ... There are several unknowns that can upset the best-laid plans. Weather is ob­ viously one- it is very difficult to course in a downpour, and some of the fields become impassable when it rains. Another unknown, the decisive one this year, is the presence and numbers of hares. California, and indeed most of the American Southwest, is now in the fourth year of a severe drought. Under drought conditions, forage for hares is apt to be scarce, and the hares may move from their usual haunts in search of better condi­ tions. In that case, finding them becomes a matter of luck. In 2016 our hare-finding luck deserted us, and due to the shortage of hares and to unseasonably warm weather it was not possible to finish the mixed finals even by continuing the event on the fourth day.

PAGE 120 SIGIITIIOUND REVIEW SI'RII\G ISSUE Photo John Burchard

ABOUT Expedition across the Sahara (1965). Teach­ THE ing & research at the University of fbadan in AUTHOR: Nigeria (1965-67), the American University John E. o.fBeirut in Lebanon (I 967-70). Lived in Burchard Saudi Arabia 1970-1985 as environmental 3rd, Ph.D., consultant for ARAMCO and at the Research was born in Institute o.fthe University of Petroleum and Boston on Minerals. Falconer since 1958; spent much January 15, time with hawks and Salukis in the Arabian 1932. Studied desert. Acquired Saluki foundation stock physics and fi"om Bedouin hunterj;.·iends in Saudi Arabia

Photo Herb Wells biology at in 1971- '72; their descendants still live in Princeton his house. Currently General Manager of University (A.B. and Ph.D.). Did postdoctor­ a small water district in drought-stricken al research in animal behavior with Konrad California. Lorenz in Germany at the Max Planck Insti­ tute for Behavioral Physiology, 1958-1965.

PhotoKyBoe

Having been in the field with both, I have to agree. Indeed, Pharaoh and lbizan Hounds are also not true coursing hounds. They have a quite different hunting style, involving scent and hearing as much as sight. Some lbizans are, however, quite successful at open field coursing because of their versatil­ ity.

PhotoKy Boe

SPRING ISSUE StGIITIIOUND 1\[Vlf.W PAGE 121 PhotoKyBoe

THOSE "PINCH" PRONG COLLARS ...

Photo KyBoe The so-called prong, or "pinch," collars that

TOP SCORING DOGS lbizan Hound Boone, owned by Alicia are sometimes used in the field look scary .. . IN EACH BREED Kittrell and Mark Grabowski. Sighthound Review asked a few participants Rare Breed, Silken Windhound Sci­ about their use. rocco Warrior Fires (Karly), owned by Rick Afghan Hound High Flying Kepi of FIONA BENNETT: Steele. Synergon (Kepi), owners Ernie Abresch and Saluki Fadi (Fadi), owned by Jose Gon­ Michael O'Neill. zalez and Charlotte Wrather. Pinch collars are just that- for pinch­ Borzoi Kirov Mariposa (Monkey), Whippet The Sexy Beat at QuiXand ing. Dogs like Whippets and Greyhounds owned by Karen Zydner. (Sexy Beast), owned by Frank Morales, will go so crazy when a rabbit breaks close Galgo Chinatown (Chinatown), owned Kathy Courtney and Merrill Woolf. that they will break a regular collar or pull by Chris Mason. so hard that a choke collar will damage their Greyhound Breeze Luna (Luna), owned trachea. The pinch collar gives a little pinch by Aaron Reeves.

Photo Ky Boe

PAGE 122 SIGHTHOUND REVIEW Sl'lliNG ISSUE when the dogs pull against it, so they stop nylon collar is an emergency back-up in case pulling. the pinch collar fails. Also note the dog's neck. Whippets KY BOE: have notoriously thin skin. This picture was taken at the Grand Course after two straight Prong collars are a critical piece of days in the field wearing that pinch collar. equipment out in the field and a VERY Fwthermore, he had been run almost every misunderstood tool. Anyone who has done weekend for three and a half months straight open-field coursing for a while uses them. prior to the Grand Course, and he had worn We get flakall the time from the unin­ that pinch collar eve1y minute he was in the formed, especially anyone from Europe, gallery. Yet there is not a single mark on his where they are banned and outlawed. If neck. the collars show up in your magazine, be prepared for a firestonn. People who don't GRAND COURSE RESULTS course their dogs in the open field don't know what it feels like to walk a prey-driven Runners who qualified for the Mixed dog for eight hours on a lead with random Run and moved forward. Results courtesy of hares popping up at any given time. Fiona Bennett I could write a whole dissertation on Afghan Hound High Flying Kepi of the topic and have tried to enlighten people Synergon (Kepi) Photo Ky Boe about their use in the past, but have pretty Afghan Hound Humbabarauma of Syn­ much given up, because they mostly have jump up and down and bark instead of trying ergon (Humbaba) their preconceived ideas, don't want to listen to drag you to the ground. They can pull Borzoi Kirov Mariposa (Monkey) to my explanations of how they work, or on them, and some dogs still do, but they Borzoi Valeska Rarest of the Rare will ever really experience (or need to) a dog are never injured by them. They are a much (Lay Ia) pulling on a flat collar vs. a prong collar out kinder collar than choke chains, Haiti col­ Gal go TSH Chinatown (Chinatown) in the field. lars, etc. Galgo Jucaro Spy Fiona (Fiona) Let's just say they have helped save Galgo TSH Amadeus (Amadeus) many dogs and handlers from painful injury FRANK MORALES: Galgo Randeros Dominic of Scirocco over the years, and l don't know ANY­ (Diego) BODY who loves their hounds more than Hounds only get to run a maximum of Greyhound Point Breeze Luna (Luna) an open-field hunter, so why would they use two hares at an open-field coursing event. lbizan Hound Sweetwaters Buckskin anything that would hurt their dogs? I could However, of course they want to run after Boone (Boone) go on for hours about this topic .. . every hare they see. Without a pinch collar Ibizan Hound Ch. Wirtu's Airs Above they will pull, jump and struggle every time the Ground (Airheart) ROBYN BROWN: a hare gets up, all day long. They will also Ibizan Hound Wirtu's Madam Will You continually pull forward as they try to scent Talk (Madam) The prong collar is made up of blunt or flush a hare. This can really tire out both Silken Windhound Scirocco Warrior prongs. They are not sharp and do not pierce the hound and the handler. Furthermore, Fires (Karly) the dog's skin even it can also be very Pharaoh Hound Mirare Churuka Mia La if the dog pulls hard. dangerous. My wife, Vie En Rose (Valencia) The prongs apply Cathy, suffered a tom Saluki Fadi (Fadi) "They can pull on them, and even pressure on rotator cuff holding Saluki AI Sayad Gaia Tor Mjolnir Ni- the dog's neck that some dogs still do, but they are our Greyhound, Ah haati (Hammer) mimics their mother's Pook, who was not Saluki JuJuBe's Ali (Ali) never injured by them. They corrections to them as wearing a pinch collar Saluki Jujube (Jujube) a pup. are a much kinder collar than at the time. Cathy was Saluki AI Sayad Gaia Valkyrie (Kyrie) The dogs just pulled to the ground. Saluki Ch ?Seas Parfait Whoa Is Me choke chains, Haiti collars, etc." don't pull on them; When used Whoa they save their energy properly these collars Saluki Eleazar (Eli) for the run. I intro- are extremely safe and Saluki AI Sayad 4Continents Ice Road duced them to the field when they first came humane, far less damaging than choke col­ to Anubis (Bukra) out because I had a dog that pulled so badly lars. Saluki Desert Roses (Rosie) all day long that my hands would blister and I've attached a picture taken by Ky Boe Whippet Kentfield The Sexy Beast at bleed. He was obedience trained and well of my Whippet, Sexy Beast, to this email. QuiXand (Sexy Beast) behaved, except in the field. Nothing worked This photo shows him intently watching a Whippet Shadow Run Blue Shark until I saw a prong collar and tried it. We've hare in the distance on the second day of this (Blue) never looked back- now everyone uses year's Grand Course. Note the position of Whippet Mischiefs Running for the Red them. the pinch collar. No pressure is applied what­ Light (Meatloaf) When a rabbit comes up, the dogs just soever. Yet he does not pull into it. The black

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