Continental Kennel Club

Six Pack Beagle Hunt

I. CONDITIONS

In order to compete in any CKC Performance Event all dogs must be CKC registered and the owner must present the dog’s registration certificate or CKC Photo ID at the time of the event; registrant services will be offered to non-CKC registrants at the time of the event.
If a dog is registered the day of the event, the owner must submit a completed Continental Kennel Club Registration form.
No entry fees will be refunded.

II. MASTER OF HUNTS

A Master of Hunts will be appointed by Continental Kennel Club (CKC) and he will be in charge of hunting events for a designated region. The Master of Hunts or an Alternate Master of Hunts must be present for each hunt within his region. An Alternate Master of Hunts shall have the same authority as a Master of Hunts, if appointed by CKC to preside over a hunting event in the absence of the Master of Hunts. If an alternate Master of Hunts is present at a hunting event (presided by the Master of Hunts), he shall have no authority over the Master of Hunt, except in the case of a question concerning a dog owned or handled by the Master of Hunts. In this case, the Alternate Master of Hunts will have the authority to settle the question regarding the dog owned or handled by the Master of Hunts.
The duties of the Master of Hunts will be to: Post current CKC Hunt Rules, hunt entry dead lines and hunt deadlines for each and every hunt; to m ake sure that dogs entered in the hunt are registered with CKC or have applied for CKC registration; to organize hunting casts and distribute the cast scorecards; to appoint qualified judges for each cast; collect the completed scorecards from the cast judges and resolve any questions that may have arisen during the hunt; to determine the hunt winners, post the results of the hunt, and distribute the w inners' awards; to provide Continental Kennel Club with a record of each dog entered in the hunt, his score and any awards earned.

III. JUDGES

The Hunting Club that sponsors the hunting event will pick the cast judges.
Cast judges must be responsible, fair-minded, knowledgeable of CKC Hunt Rules and show no favoritism to any dog or handler.
The authority of a judge will begin when the Master of Hunts officially hands him the scorecard for his cast.
The authority of a judge ceases when he returns the signed and completed scorecard to the Master of Hunts.
The judges are responsible for carrying the scorecards for their designated cast, and they are responsible for entering all points earned or lost for each dog of the cast. They should also record time lost for time outs taken during the hunt, enter scores in plain view of the handlers, and inform any handler of the score for any dog and/or time outs recorded, upon request.
If there is a question about the score, a judge should score with a question mark (?) and present the question to the Master of Hunts immediately upon returning from the hunt (a questions will be considered if it was not made known to the Judge during the hunt and at the time the question arose).
A judge may also have a dog entered in the hunt and serve as a handler for his dog. If a Judge scratches his dog from the hunt, he may continue to judge, or he may pass the scorecard to another cast member capable of judging the rest of the hunt.
Judges are to keep hunters and spectators at a safe distance to keep them from interfering with the dogs. A judge shall have the authority to scratch a dog if the dog's handler or a spectator with the handler interferes with the hunt.
Judges may instruct the handlers to call in their dogs when necessary in order to keep the cast hunting together.

I V . HUNTING CASTS

All Beagles registered with Continental Kennel Club, measuring 15 inches or less at the withers, shall be eligible for CKC Beagle Hunting Events.
The Master of Hunts shall organize the Hunting Casts and enter the dogs for each cast on the scorecards.
T he casts shall be made up only after all the dogs have been entered in the hunt, and the deadline for entering dogs in the hunt is past.
Casts will be grouped in a random manner; not by the dogs' sex, age, or size. Owners having multiple entries may have their dogs placed in different casts.
Each cast is grouped into a 6-dog cast.
The Winners Cast shall be made up of the winners of each cast.

V . SCORECARDS

All information that is recorded on the scorecard by the Master of Hunts and by the Judges must be legible.
The Scorecard must be completed in the field by the judge and signed by each handler (even if a handler is protesting the Judge's decision about a score). If a handler does not sign the scorecard, his dog will be scratched.
Only the Master of Hunts can make changes on a scorecard once it has been signed by the cast Judge and handlers.
The sponsoring hunting club must keep the scorecards and make them available to the hunt contestants and Continental Kennel Club upon demand.

VI. STRIKE (Either 10 plus or 10 minus points)

A strike is 4 or more barks from a dog, after the dogs have been released in the field.
A dog that opens (a track) and is struck by the judge does not have to jump the rabbit to receive 10 strike points as long as another dog jumps or produces the rabbit within the allotted time of 2 minutes. (Example: Dog A barks 4 or more times on a track; Dog B barks in, and in the judgment of the judge, produces a rabbit; Dog A receives strike points.)
Strike points are given only once for each rabbit.
A dog that opened the track and struck by the judge shall receive 10 minus points if no dog in the cast jumps a rabbit within 2 minutes. If a rabbit is jumped by a judge, handler or a spectator, no strike or jump points shall be awarded.
After a dog opens, the judge shall give the dogs 2 minutes to produce the rabbit before calling the track dead, then the judge must asks the handlers to move their dogs at least 75 yards to another area (the dog that was struck in receives a minus 10 points).
The judge shall give the dogs strike in the allotted time on the track no matter what the other dogs do, unless the judge determines that another dog in the cast has jumped the rabbit (within in the 2 minutes allotted) that the dog was struck in on.
In a situation in which a judge cannot determine which dog barked on a strike he may ask the handlers, and in this case the majority vote of the handlers decides which dog receives the plus or minus points for the strike.

VII. JUMP (40 points)

A jump occurs when a rabbit has been flushed out in the open.
A jump occurs only at the beginning of the chase.
Only one jump can be scored for each rabbit.
The judge may not award jump points if he is unsure of which dog jumped the rabbit (ex. Dogs A, B, and C go under briars and a rabbit runs out, any of the dogs may have actually jumped the rabbit, but the judge cannot determine which dog made the jump so he does not have to award jump points).
A judge does not have to see the rabbit to award 40 jump points, however, he does have to determine which dog or dogs flushed the rabbit out.
If a dog jumps a second rabbit during a chase and the pack splits, it is up to the judge to call the other dogs in on the original rabbit.
No dog shall be given jump points unless he barks a t least one time.
Any dog that does not hark in or join the chase once the rabbit is jumped will not be scored even if he produces another rabbit.
The judge must judge the original rabbit and all the dogs on that chase. The other members of that cast will be brought up by their handlers to the original chase.
A judge does not have to see which dog jumped the rabbit in order to award jump points; if he chooses, he may asks the handlers to identify the dog that jumped the rabbit. The judge does not have to award any jump points unless a majority of the handlers agree on which dog jumped the rabbit.
Jump points are only awarded if a dog jumps a rabbit, and jump points are not awarded if anything or anyone else jumps a rabbit.
Jump points are not awarded by the presence of the dog, unless, that dog barks.
If the dogs have to be put on the rabbit no jump points or strike points will be awarded.

VIII. CHECKS (25 points)

A check is when it is evident that the dogs in pursuit of the rabbit have lost the rabbit for 15 seconds or more. The dogs do not have to stop barking for 15 seconds, but they must have stopped making forward progress for 15 seconds to be considered a check.
A dog must claim the check by barking and making definite forward progress after at least a 15 second loss.
Only one dog can score check points on each individual check.
A dog is issued a minus of 25 points when he barks and pulls other dogs out of the check area and does not produce a line on the rabbit.
Judges will continue scoring checks as long as a dog or dogs are making forward progress.
If all of the dogs make no forward progress and it is evident that no dog is progressing, it will be up to the judge to call a dead track.

IX. MINUS POINTS (- 10)

Each time a dog barks 4 times and is stuck in by the judge and does not produce a rabbit within 2 minutes that dog must receive a minus of 10 points.
A dog that pulls other dogs away from the check area without establishing a definite line (track) must receive a minus of 10 points.
A dog backtracking over 80 feet or more must receive a minus of 10 points every time the dog is observed backtracking at this distance (backtracking does not have to be on a different rabbit).
A dog barking on anything other than a rabbit must receive a minus of 10 points, unless the dog is barking on a deer, fox, bobcat or coyote, in this case the dog is scratched from the hunt.

X. DISQUALIFICATION (Scratched from the hunt)

If a dog receives 30 minus points in a cast, the dog will be scratched from the hunt.
If a dog runs a deer, fox, bobcat or coyote, the dog will be scratched from the hunt (The judge does not have to see the deer, coyote, fox, or bobcat to disqualify the dog(s); he may use his own discretion).
A dog fighting, attempting to fight or trying to mount another dog in the cast, thus preventing the other dog from hunting, will be scratched from the hunt.
A female that is in heat is disqualified from the hunt.
Any dog that measures over 15 inches behind his shoulders while standing straight is disqualified from the hunt. If the dog does not stand, the breed inspector must hold the dog in a straight up position.
If a dog refuses to hunt continuously for a 10-minute period in a cast, the dog will be scratched from the hunt.
If a dog handler is drinking alcohol, using un-prescribed drugs, uses abusive language, interferes with the judge and/or threatens or physically harms anyone at the hunt, all of his dogs and he will be disqualified from that hunt (the CKC Licensed Hunt Club officers will review his actions and further disciplinary actions will follow).
If a handler touches his dog without permission, the dog will be scratched from the hunt. The only exception is if the dog is in life threatening danger.
If handler carries on an argument with the judge, he may be disqualified from the hunt..
All cast members must be present at the clubhouse when the second or later casts are drawn out. A dog not present will be disqualified even if they are previous cast winners. In the event of this disqualification, the balance of the cast will be put down and run. No dog will be brought up to take the place of the disqualified dog.

XI. TIME-OUTS

Only judges have the authority to call time outs.
Judges will announce time outs as soon as they occur and add the time back to the hunt.
No points are awarded in time outs (If a dog gets a strike, jump and/or a check during a time out, he must receive no points.) however, the judge may elect to turn other dogs on the dog that has produced the rabbit and start with the first check.
If a judge gets tired or sick in a cast, he can call a time out but the judge must add this time back to the cast.

XII. DEAD TRACK

The judge must announce to the handlers when he calls dead track. It is not mandatory to call time out after announcing dead track.
The judge should move the dogs 75 yards away from the dead track.
A judge should call dead track when the dogs stop making definite forward progress and it is evident that no dog is progressing on the rabbit.

XIII. HANDLERS

A handler is someone who takes a dog to the field, and a handler can have more than one dog in each cast.
If a judge asks the handlers to vote on something in the field and a handler has more than one dog, he gets to vote only one time.
Spectators or owners never have the right to vote or comment on a cast unless they are handling a dog or dogs in the cast.
Judges may ask the handlers to stay in a group or at a distance that does not interfere with the cast.
Handlers are to remain quiet until the end of the cast and the handlers may not ask the judge questions unless the judge asks him a question regarding the cast. Handlers that do so will have their dogs scratched. Any handler that argues with the judge will have all their dogs scratched from the hunt.
The judge cannot be told how to score by the handlers. Handler cannot encourage or discourage his dog during the cast.
A handler that uses abusive language, threatens, or strikes a judge or anyone at the hunt will be banned and his actions will be reviewed by the Hunt Club.
A handler or spectator that has been banned from a CKC licensed six-pack beagle event will be banned from all future CKC licensed six-pack beagle events, and their name will be sent in to CKC.
If a handler doesn’t agree with the judges score card at the end of the hunt, he should not sign the scorecard, and should file a protest with the Master of Hunts. The handler is to remain civil and not to argue with the judge.
If a dog is running, but is not running with the pack that the judge is judging, the handler may then bring up the dog to that pack. The handler is not to call that dog in a manner that interferes with the pack that the judge is currently judging.
A handler can never under any circumstances, have a shock collar on his dog at a six-pack beagle event.
Handlers are not to lift their dogs over briars, fences, or any other obstacles unless instructed by the judge.

XIV. SPECTATOR

Spectators are expected to abide by the same rules as handlers and owners in the field.
Judges may ask spectators to either stay at the truck or a safe distance from dogs.
Spectators can never talk to the judge or have any input on the cast.
With the permission of the judge, a spectator may help catch dogs in the cast.
The judge should never ask the spectators for their opinion on anything happening in the cast.
A spectator may however, be a witness to a handler or another spectator that has broken the rules.
Judges may ask spectators if they saw where the rabbit crossed.

XV. RUNNING TIME

55 minutes is the time limit on each cast for the first round.
If the dogs have to be run to break a tie, they will run 15 additional minutes. At this time the judge must pick the dog that he believes hunted and ran the rabbit best.
The winner packs may run a minimum of 30 minutes with a maximum of 55 minutes.
If a dog strikes in with less than 2 minutes remaining in the cast and no rabbit is produced, that dog would receive neither plus nor minus points.

XVI. BREAKING TIES

If 2 or more dogs have the same number of points at the end of the cast, the tie should be broken by: (A) the dog with the fewest minus points; (B) the dog with the most jump points; (C) the dog with the most check points; (D) the dog with the most strike points.
If they are still tied, the judge will break the tie by awarding 10 points to the dog that the judge feels like hunted and ran the rabbit best. Other dogs that are tied under these conditions shall be placed on hunting and running the rabbit as best seen by the judge.
If the judge cannot determine which dog hunted and handled the best, then he may use a coin flip to determine which dog or dogs have won the cast. This is done only when rules 1 and 2 have failed.
In a final cast where no rabbit has been produced, the judge shall run the dogs with zero points for an extra 15 minutes. A dog with minus points would not run these 15 minutes. If still tied, go back to the above to break the tie.

XVII. SELECTION OF WINNERS

Only cast winners advance.
Any dog disqualified in the final cast will have no other dog moved up in that dogs place to round off 1 - 10.

Progression sequence method of determining how dogs are placed: Reasons for using this method are some casts may find several rabbits and have high scores, while other casts may find few rabbits and have low scores. A dog scored second in his cast would not be placed lower than dogs that scored third in another cast. Example: Cast 1 first place dog has 200 points, second place dog has 175 points, third place dog has 150 points, fourth place has 125, fifth has 100, and sixth has 75. Cast 2 First place dog has 150 points, second place dog has 125, third place dog has 100, fourth place has 75, fifth place has 50, and sixth place has 25. In this case, both dogs that placed first in casts 1 and 2 would move on to determine first and second place in the hunt. Third place in the hunt go to the second place dog in cast 1 with 175 points. Fourth place would go to the second place dog in cast 2 with 125 points. Fifth place would go to the third place dog in cast 1 with 150 points. Sixth place goes to the Third place dog in cast 2 with 100 points. Seventh place goes to the fourth place dog in cast 1 with 125 points. Eighth goes to the fourth place dog in cast 2 with 75 points. Ninth place would go to fifth place dog in cast 1 with 100 points. Tenth place would go to the fifth place dog in cast 2 with 50 points.

XVIII. SIX PACK CHAMPION & GRAND CHAMPIONS

To make a six -pack rabbit champion, a dog must have a first place win and a total of 125 points. All points must come from CKC licensed hunts.
To make a six-pack grand rabbit champion, a dog must have a first place win and a total of 200 points all coming from sanctioned hunts.
Six pack beagle point system is: 1st place, 60 points; 2nd place, 45 points; 3rd place, 40 points; 4th place, 35 points; 5th place, 30 points; 6th place, 25 points; 7th place, 20 points; 8th place, 15 points; 9th place, 10 points; 10th place, 5 points.
Any open dog that has made six pack rabbit champion must move up to the six-pack rabbit champion class.
Any six-pack rabbit champion that has made six pack grand rabbit champion must move up to the six-pack grand rabbit champion class.

XIX. GENERAL RULES

It is a privilege, and not a right, to hunt in six pack beagle dog competitions, therefore the sponsoring club or CKC has the right to exclude anyone from the hunts if they feel that they could be harmful for their club or the six-pack beagle dog division.
Anyone caught stealing a dog will be banned from six-pack beagle dog events.
Anyone hitting or abusing dogs will be banned from six-pack beagle dog events.
Anyone that shoots or kills another persons dog will be banned from the six-pack division for life. (Unless asked to do so by owner)
No one is to carry a firearm with them on a six-pack hunt or at the clubhouse. All guns should be kept in a case and unloaded.
Anyone threatening a dog or person with a gun or any other weapon will be banned for life.
One judge is all that is required per cast and his judgment always stands unless changed by the Master of Hunts or he decides to do so himself.
The judge can judge a dog that belongs to him in a cast as long as he has a secondary judge in the cast. If a judge has to ask which dog made a strike, jump, or check then it would take a majority of the cast, otherwise, one judge must see a strike, jump, or check and the other judge agree with him.
Master of Hunts can instruct all casts a reasonable time to be back at the clubhouse, and if any cast is not back they would be scratched.
Only six-pack club members can participate in six-pack beagle hunts.
Each cast will consist of no more than six dogs and no less than three dogs. The only exception is in the winners pack, and it may consist of two dogs.

XX. COMPLAINTS

If questions arise in the field concerning CKC Beagle Hunting Rules, the Master of Hunts will have the authority to settle any questions brought to him by a handler. The Handler with the question must go to the Master of Hunts immediately upon returning from the hunt, along with the cast judge and the cast members. The handler will be given a chance to state his claim, and time will be allowed for the Judge and other cast members to report what they know; the final decision in regard to CKC Beagle Hunting Rules will rest in the hands of Master of Hunts.
All complaints must be brought to the Master of Hunts within 30 minutes after the cast scorecard is turned in.
If a handler believes that the Master of Hunts has not acted in accordance with CKC Beagle Hunting Rules, he may write a formal complaint to Continental Kennel Club - Complaint Dept. He should provide complete details of the problem and have at least one other witness from the cast (preferably 2 others) sign the complaint.

For information on competing or hosting events contact

CKC Events Department at 1-888-CKC– 8042 or visit us at WWW.CKCUSA.COM

Continental Kennel Club, Inc. reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.

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