The Masters Executive Board of Directors has made the following changes, clarifying/defining the exact age for Derby hounds and placing limitations on Bench Show Eligibility. The Bench Show Eligibility rule goes into effect May 1, 2022 for all Masters affiliated field trial bench shows held after the first days cast.
1. Clarification to Derby Age Hounds– Derby age will be defined as “hounds under two years of age whelped on or after the first day of cast”.
2. If a Bench Show is being held after the first day of running, a scratch hound or a hound not eligible to run the second day based on a percentage cut due to a pen limit, etc., is not eligible to be shown. This eligibility rule applies to All-Age hound classes (Male & Female) and Derby hound classes (Male & Female).
Re: Masters Rules Updates to Associated Affiliations
Regarding the bench show rule, what you will have can not be considered an "open" show and historically the winner would not be considered worthy of a championship because the winner did not compete against the full field of hounds willing to be shown in the ring.
I fear there are not enough people in the right positions who understand foxhound history and understand why things have been set up the way they have been for so long.
It's not even logical to do it that way. To be consistent you would have to disqualify scratched hounds that place on the bench if the show were held before the first days running.
I don't know who is on the board and I'm sure you're wonderful people who are probably friends of mine but that bench show rule wasn't thought out very well.