A not-too-theoretical question -- Suppose you had five or six qualifying hunts held in the same pen with pretty much the same judges; you had VERY few hounds in these hunts scratched for barking faults; in the final at the same pen with pretty much the same judges, you had 10-20 per cent of the field scratched for barking faults; why?
I would assume that the final would have a lower percentage of scratches since all hounds that qualified for it had gone through a previous trial fault-free.
Possible reasons I can think of:

1. Judges were lax all year; tighten up for what's considered a more important event.

2. Different scenting conditions.

3. A judge or judges more perceptive than their colleagues.

4. A judge or judges with an agenda.

5. A season-long desire by many judges to encourage entries, that wears thin as the season progresses.

6. Over-stimulation

Just one of the many issues I wonder about in this wonderful crazy hound world of ours. Any ideas?

6. Hound owners "go to em" little bit more for the finals!!

I'm gunna agree with Cary Don! Been there done it....It's wrong, but true!

Could be all the above....could also be the owners themselves with it being more of a prestigious hunt giving the hounds 1cc too much.

7. Hounds were scractched for barking faults in previous trials, owners are in denial because hounds can put up points so it continues.

Could it be that it is the last one of the year there and most of these hound have been in 5 or 6 trials. There beat up sore tired running sore BUT still have a big heart and cant get there like they want so get a little loose lipped. JMO
Thanks, Wade

Eric I was not at this hunt but let me tell you finding judges for our field trials is the hardest job in the whole thing and I take offense that you would even suggest that some one might have a grudge these people come to our hunts and work very hard to get all the scoring they can for us you should know this as you have judged some of our trials.
I agree with wade grey these dogs have just come of a season of very hard run hunts and some are hurting in places they did not know they could hurt and that makes for mistakes

2/ they are running against the best hounds in Canada and are being pushed to their limits

3/ the trees are loosing there leaves right now and the judges can see a considerable more than during the summer hunts

4/ judges are in the field for one reason only to record what they see and score and scratch accordingly not make up anything DOGS SCRATCH THEMSELVES JUDGES JUST RECORD IT and usually these hounds are seen by a lot more than one judge

5/ judges do not take or get entrees the club running our hunts do

6/ I think you owe the good men and women who gave up their weekend and their own money to do this job for this club to help judge the our hounds at the classic an apology

7/ as far as over stimulation take a long hard look in the mirror are you sure you want to bring this up I hate the idea that some one winning because he gave the dog some thing to help them through the last day I know that I do not and you can test my hounds any time after a hunt will you but it might be something the governing bodies should look at in the future if you are saying it is a problem they do it with grey hound racing

John, Thank you for your input. As always, it is borderline entertaining and marginally factual.
I'm fully aware of how hard it is to get honest, competent judges having undertaken that task more than once. Thank you also for informing me of a judges' role in scoring/scratching hounds. I've done it a number of times while you were pontificating at the club house, but there's always more to learn.
If you read my post again, slowly, you'll see that I did NOT say ' a judge came with a grudge'. I offered a number of reasons, including the possability that a judge or judges might have an 'agenda'. One of the more common agendas I've seen judges come with is an inability to score and a desire to be noticed. Some judges, unfortunately, fall into that category occasionally. It's the same desire that leads some to score back to 27th place, so they'll have something to contribute in the meeting.
Again, there were a number of possabilities mentioned. Wade brought up another. It's possible, although some hounds are qualified for the Classic well in advance. Some may be over-conditioned, but on the whole, hounds this time of year in Canada should be in the best shape they'll be in all year and most top competitors will be bringing them in that condition.
As for me needing to 'look in the mirror' and not 'wanting to go there' regarding PED's, that has crossed the border from partial fiction to outright untruth.
You do, however, offer some good, possible reasons that might or might not be the cause of the mystery.
Anyway, drama aside, I find it interesting that a hunt composed of hounds that have all finished trials sees more hounds scratched for barking faults that the previous qualifiers run in the same place, with the same hounds and basically, the same judges.
I find it an interesting puzzle. The answer(s) is probably here some place, but I'm still not sure which one(s).
Again, thanks for your input.