Spring 2017 Saber Tails 13
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Club of America
for us. It started with high humidity, low clouds and fog.
As the day went on though, the fog cleared and the sun
tried to peek out on occasion,” she said.
There were six runs started on Saturday; two were packs
and four were Hunting Instinct Tests (HIT). All six dogs
that started in the packs qualified. There were 12 HIT dogs
started, and eight qualified, Lora added.
“Saturday
night, a cold
front moved
through bring-
ing thunder-
storms, wind,
and rain. On
Sunday, we still
had the wind
that came with
the front. This
made tougher
hunting con-
ditions for the
dogs; however,
we still had suc-
cess in the field
despite the
windy condi-
tions,” she said.
On Sunday, there were four runs started; three were packs
and one HIT. Once again, there were many qualifiers on
the day. At the end of the hunt test weekend, two dogs
earned PCJH titles; 10 dogs received their HC, and of those
qualifiers, three received their first leg toward a PCJH.
“Since the dogs had great success, it made the handlers
very excited to enter another PBGVCA Hunt Test,” Lora
said.
First-time attendee Mendy Marshall of Austin is relatively
new to PBGVCA, but she came and supported the event
despite not having a dog to run. “She was the photogra-
pher, and she caught some great moments in the field
and the essence of the weekend,” Lora said.
For Mendy, the hunt was a tremendous experience. “I’ve
seen PBGVs chase birds, squirrels, and each other, but I’ve
never seen a group of them on scent and chasing a rab-
bit,” Mendy said. “Seeing a PBGV doing what they were
bred to do was a very rewarding experience. Plus, hearing
a group of peebs howl is one thing, but the indescribable
sound they make when they are chasing a rabbit is true
joy; it sends chills up your spine.”
Carol and Joe Quaranta came from Leander with their
peebs, Strudel and Mulligan, and as Carol explained, the
four-hour drive from their home near Austin was well
worth it.
Strudel seems quite happy with her prizes she
earned by passing her Hunting Instinct Test
Proving he’s not just a pretty face, Top 10
ranked Cody (2016) passed his HIT
Events like these depend on volunteers - Mendy
(L) provided the photos and Carol (R) was in
charge of the raffle and other activities
Thanks to the Toenjes who drove a long way to
judge and bring this fantastic experience to our
novices
Cont’d next page
Cont’d from previous page