Spent the weekend at the Rideau Derby, getting my plow cleaned by some friends, countrymen and a few dang Yankees.
Beautiful spring weather, one hundred and thirty eight eager young hounds, a bunch of well conditioned coyotes and 700 acres of hard rock and heart break. It don't get much better than that.
The running was very good the first day. Big packs, young hounds laying it on. It was much better the second day -- better scenting conditions, hounds settled in better.
They rocked. They rolled. They ran their hearts out from a minute after cast til well after call-off.
It's THAT kind of running that makes me feed hounds and scoop poop. It's THAT kind of running that makes me want to test them against other people's best.
Maybe hunting is what thrills you about fox chasing. Maybe it's watching an open trailing hound work a track. Maybe you just like to sit and look at a good-looking hound.
They are worthwhile pursuits, but aren't all of them merely preludes to the toe nail pulling?
Highlights of the weekend, for me, included watching a young #66 hound bird dogging a coyote across the pasture, fifty yards ahead of a big pack. That spring-loaded speed that yotes possess always makes me admire them and a hound that can breathe the same air makes me admire it as well.
Watching big old #167 smoking a coyote across the field in front of a dozen other hounds and telling the world about it in a voice that would shake the trees was another Kodak moment for this old trouper, even if the sucker was, in all likelihood, at least half July.
Field trials at Mallens are three day speed and drive events. You can tilt the rules any way you like but with a pen full of well-conditioned coyotes, the true test will always be which hounds can get up and fire and keep firing for three days.
Love field trials that feature those qualities and hounds that demonstrate them. Just wish I owned a couple.

Hey Eric was wondering if you could get the results would love to see them. Thanks

Hey Colin--Will post later tonite