C.H.B. F.C. Slab Town Boogie Man Story
It all began with Slab’s breeding pure rabbit dogs. That’s all that needs to be said. It all goes back to Cocoa Bear, Blue Creek Bear, and Piney Creek Bear breeding. F.C. Cocoa Star and Carolina Judy. Of the litter of five, Slab included, all had first place rosettes in last year’s derby trial. We knew we had a special one at Green Rivers Derby Trial that day because he won over an outstanding young male, F.C. Check A Pack Ricky Bobby- still a derby (Congratulations Lynn Hudson). So it was off to UBGF National Derby run off where Slab placed fifth out of eighty-one in the field. He also placed second in show and left as the Grand Final Runner up. We left the run-off with a real desire to see what slab had as a natural rabbit racing machine, we worked, just him and I, for hours in brutal temperatures and I began to see this little dog mature at each outing after two months of serious set up.
Slab is twenty-six months and off to his first A.K.C. licensed trial at Friendship Hill Beagle Club in Maryland. Mr. Todd Herndon handled Slab in this gun dog brace trial with a class of 62 in ninety degree temperatures. The judge said it was nothing but a dust ball. Slab dominated the field and earned his first win. The buzz was out on Slab so the pressure began to build about this little male from South Carolina. His next trial took him to Mebane, North Carolina, Quail Farm Beagle Club with a class of 92 little males. Slab won his second ever A.K.C. Field Trial, Judge Ronnie Smith turned around to the gallery at one time and said "He can eat a rabbit!". He was awesome to watch on that day as the judges and gallery all agreed he was something special. Now the pressure. We were hoping he could be the only thirteen inch male to ever go undefeated in his A.K.C. quest for championship. We researched to find out if any other dog had accomplished this feat and found none.
Our next trial took us to Mountain Valley where Slab would be denied but would place fourth that day. Still a remarkable showing to win his first two and place in his third! We were still very excited as there was some talk about only one dog to have every finished in four straight trials. We could not verify that so we set our hopes on his next trial the following week. He was in a class of 51 at Cove Creek Beagle Club in Pickens, South Carolina where he won first place and finished as an A.K.C.C.H.B.F.C. in four straight trials with 211 points. Now that is an outstanding male. Now let me say just a word about his ability in brief because I’m not going to sell his semen in my ad. You will just have to come see him do what he does best. Will he produce? We’re sure going to find out. Slab is all business. From the time you snap the lead, he knows what his business is, and it’s not peeing on every bush or sniffing every dog in the pack; its rabbit hunting. He gets busy like he doesn’t want any other dog to jump it first. He has a smooth style, head down chop, very clean and straight. His check work is as close as it needs to be. He is a back to the point first check dog with sweeping head and tail using his brains; no random bouncing around hoping to hit a line. He looks with his nose. He loves to run 2nd or 3rd until a pack mate drops it and when he gets it he totes the train from the engine room with authority and control. He makes the turns look easy. I’ve seen him work doubles that were so close I could not believe he kept it right. Jason Potts (judge) said he keeps the line between his legs; there’s no left; there’s no right; it’s straight up the middle.
One outstanding thing I noticed about Slab is that the longer you run him in a pack, the better he gets. His wins came with 1st, 2nd, 3rd series and lengthy runs in the winners pack in the heat of the day. This little dog has tons of stamina and desire to win. Slabtown just has a presence about him. He looked his best in the winner’s packs when he really had to compete. He literally loves to run Mr. Rabbit with dogs of his caliber. He is a beagler’s dream. Judge Ronnie Smith said, “If you want some to run like the teacher, get some from the Preacher”, talking about Slab. He’s an intelligent little dog for sure. Someone asked me what I was going to do with him since I finished him. There is one answer. We are going to rabbit hunt with him and have more fun with him. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway? Running, gunning, and funning.
A special thank you to my G&S boys: Nathan, Jared, Jeremy, and Brandon Griffith, as well as handlers Todd Herndon and James Williams.
Thanks for all your support! It’s a Slabtown world.
The Preacher
|
