Oak Ridge
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 6168 |
quote: Originally posted by Clif Owen
So...if I understand this correctly; you are dividing them based on hunting style. OK then, how do you classify a feist type dog that operates like a cur? I believe the McAndrews dogs fit this style. I think they are mostly a get gone get treed type dog.
What I really think the problem is..based on comments I've seen is that when the idea of competition squirrel hunts first came up; UKC didn't seem to be interested. Now I may be mistaken; but I think that is the issue in a bunch of cases.
That being said; I truly hope the program takes off and is highly successful. I am trying to get our state association to consider hosting a couple in addition to the NKC hunts they have. Not sure yet if the idea will fly. I do know that I will need to "study up" if they do as I'm sure it will be my deal to run.
Clif,
Since I am the "Cur Advocate" in this conversation, I would say that the feist that operates as a cur would be called a "winner"
If the McAndrew's dogs are like you say, and the "Non-McAndrews" dogs are fundamentally different in the "style" then they should be able to simply outshine the competition......
A lot of the guys that own/hunt feist may think differently than I , but I'm unable to find an example of a feist winning the UKC world hunt in the "mixed" format....Just sayin
Now, let's look at the statement about UKC not caring about squirrel dog competition early on. I don't have concrete "facts" to back up my beliefs, but I have more questions...... First, who "owns" the responsibility of a successful program? Since UKC hasn't exactly been over-run with employees who own and hunt squirrel dogs....so the fact that they started a squirrel dog program in the first place tells me differently....unlike some of the newer "registries" that were formed by squirrel hunters with the sole purpose of holding events.
Secondly, there used to be a fairly successful squirrel dog program in one of UKC's competitors. PKC used to have a lot of what some folks say is "missing" in UKC, but PKC shut down it's program pretty early on for "lack of interest" on the part of squirrel hunters....
Now, having said that, I have to ask another question....was it UKC that didn't care, or was it that they simply didn't get the participation from squirrel hunters? I'm a relative newcomer, but I do know that there have been multiple attempts to grow the program. Each has been met with a "lukewarm" reception by squirrel hunters.....so I have to think that we may need to re-define what "success" is....
Because of UKC's success and industry leadership in the coon hound circles...we are all very quick to think that they should be drawing the same numbers of dogs at the hunts as the hound guys..... Man, I would love nothing more than to shadow the growth of squirrel dogs to that of hounds...but in reality, that isn't going to happen. I would truly love to be the guy that is responsible for working the deal for the Cur/Feist version of Autumn Oaks.....not likely going to happen.....
We as cur and feist owners are still struggling with questions like "what is a cur?" "how much hound is "acceptable" in a cur? "how much white can my dog have on it?", "which way should my dog's ears point?", yet we want a purebred registry to cater to our wishes as a group, when in reality almost everything that we do and/or want to do is contrary to the way breeds are recognized, and hunting programs supported in UKC.
They are truly "bending over backwards" to meet the needs and desires of both Cur and Feist owners while we figure out what we want to be when we grow up
So what can we, "the few and the proud" squirrel hunters ensure the success of BOTH programs? By showing up....by stepping up and supporting the creation of breed clubs that will represent our breed. By firing up a new squirrel hunt club and holding a few local hunts. By planning to attend Cur days or Feist Days, or a State/Regional hunt.... Quite simply by "becoming involved" at any level......
Heck, let's start by registering dogs BEFORE a hunt. Nearly every cur and feist that UKC registers is single registered the day of, or the day before a hunt.... I can speak to the Cur owners....we have multiple registries that we register our dogs....OMCBA, UMCA, NKC, NSD, USDC, WTDA, and LASTLY UKC..... Eight out of 10 cur owners don't even know how to register a dog in UKC, and don't know where to find the instructions!!!!!
So, I'm not ready to lay blame at the feet of the UKC for the success or failure of the squirrel program in the past.... And from what I'm seeing as far as commitment to their customers (us) today, I'm going to stand loud and proud and declare you won't be able to blame UKC for the success or failure in the future.....The UKC is willing to change the program, they are reaching out to the squirrel dog community, they are listening, and they are willing to make sweeping changes to meet the needs and demands of squirrel hunters.
The ball is fully in our court.....
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Joe Newlin
UKC Cur Advocate
Home of Oak Ridge Kennels
Last edited by Oak Ridge on 12-30-2016 at 12:41 PM
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