Buried an old friend today. His name was Newnham's Heavy Chevy. I just called him Chevy.
I've written about him in the past, probably too much. There were no letters in front of his name. He was never in the count of sires. Don't believe he ever stood on a bench.
He was just a stocky, reddish brown Walker foxhound with a flag tail, a big squall mouth, a cheerful disposition and a heart that was bigger than Alberta.
I got him at around three years of age from Perry Newnham who bred, raised and trained him. Perry had some of the fastest hounds I've ever seen and, despite winning the speed and drive in two three-day hunts, Chevy didn't have quite enough oomph to suit him.
I ran him outside for a couple of years and he suited me. He'd hunt all day, had a good nose and ran the track and still hasn't run a deer. He was born deer proof.
I've heard the theory that deer proof hounds lack gameness. Well, when he was a youngster of eight or nine and hunted all day, you still had to go into the woods and catch him come evening or you'd be spending a good portion of the night there.
When I cut way back on my outside hunting, I let several friends hunt him. He started fox and coyotes in the hardwoods of New York State and the rocky ridges of New Liskeard; on Wolfe Island and Amherst Island and the mainland as well.
I've said it on here before and I'll never say it again, but it bears repeating one more time -- when I mentioned to my friend Danny Fawcett that ' I really like that old dog', he came up with the best compliment you could pay a hound -- ' Eric', he said ' if you don't like Chevy you don't like hounds'.
He was whelped Nov. 3, 1999 and died some time yesterday afternoon, I think of heart failure. It was the only time in twelve years, I ever knew of his heart letting him down.

Great post Mr. Emerson, sorry for your loss.

THINK JUST THE OTHER DAY WE HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET A COUPLE MORE GYPS BED TO THE OLD HOUND. SEEMS LIKE IT ALWAYS WORKS LIKE THIS. I AM SORRY FOR THE LOSS.

Eric---

I had one hound in my life that meant as much to me---His name was Flying Sam Raider---He lived to be almost 11 years old---I'll never own another as good as Sam---Grandson of Flying Brownie Raider on the top side and Liquor bred on the bottom---

Sorry to hear about Chevy, I always loved listening to stories from you and Dan about good old Chevy.

Eric--

Very sorry for your loss of old Chevy.
I have to say that right now I have a tear running down my face, I never got to hunt with old Chevy but I would have loved to.

Your post above reminded me of an old dog my dad had when I was a kid, I cried when he died also.

Eric, thank God that he let you have such a great hound, and thank him for all the memories you have.

Your friend
Kevin Harris

Sounds like a hound True Grit would love to have owned.

Sorry for your loose, remember the good times and keep striving for another like him and if the Good Master is gracious enough then you might just come up with one one day, probably not but you can always hope for one.

Lord Bless and sorry to hear of this loose you have had to come to your kennel.

True Grit,

Jonathan Blakeley

He must have been a great hound.Sorry for your loss.

Ed, Not a great hound. Red Gal is a great hound. Mighty Man is a great hound. He was just a good, solid hound who ran the track with good speed, who hunted hard and stayed til it was over; he had a great squalling tenor mouth and came back to where you cast him and had personality plus.
We've all had those good hounds that just made you like em and we miss em when they're gone. He was one of them.

I lost one of mine Wednesday Eric. Just like what you said he wasn't the best, or the fastest hound by no means. He wasn't registered and nobody outside of my hunting club knew much of him. Just an old lemon and white male dog that truly loved to hunt. Never would give up on a track he might would slow down, but never would drop it. Had him stay behind a yote for 17 hrs once cause I couldn't get to him. One of the first hounds I ever bought after high-school me and him shared the passion for hunting.. He ran his race tho, it's just tough to know you won't ever hear him do it again.