There were over 50 running dogs competing in the Inland Wilderness Hunt Club Test and Trial on Oct. 28-29 on the soccer field at BC. IWHC is regulated and sanctioned by the American Kennel Club. The competition is called Lure Coursing.
According to Field Secretary Renee Davis, 46, of San Diego, these sight hounds are bred to hunt with their eyes.
The dogs race in groups of three, along a track which consists of a lure attached to a continuous line that can vary from 600 to 1,000 yards long. The line is a big loop that is held taut around numerous stakes that make it turn sharply at every corner.
The lure is made of plastic, and how fast it moves is controlled by the lure operator. The lure operator uses a remote that controls a wheel that turns the line around the track.
Tammy Carver, 41, lure operator on Saturday, said her job was to get the dogs around the track and to simulate hunting a rabbit, “which can be difficult.”
Carver explained one of the biggest challenges was keeping the lure ahead of the fastest dog, because some dogs cheat and cut the track.
Sebastian Franzen, 39, from Garden Grove, was a judge and lure operator on the second day.
Franzen is originally from Sweden, where his parents raised show dogs, which he explained started his love for dogs.
Franzen, along with his wife Tess, 36, had five greyhounds at the competition, which consisted of Star and Phantom and their three offspring.
The dogs are almost all dual champions, which means they have placed in dog shows and coursing. “I have a full-time job, but dogs are our passion,” said Franzen.
Field Secretary Renee Davis said, “My job is to make sure everyone else is doing their job basically.”
Davis said her main goal was to make sure the dogs were safe and handle any complaints.
Davis owns a Scottish deerhound, which competed in the event.
Like Davis, most of the people competing had a job to make the lure coursing trials run.
There are 14 breeds of dogs including Afghan hounds, greyhounds, Rhodesian ridgebacks and whippets that are allowed to compete.
The dogs must be at least one year old, and they have to pass an examination to make sure they are fit to compete.
These specific breeds are known for their sight because that is how they have historically hunted.
The dogs first race in threes by their particular breeds.
Judging is split into five categories worth ten points each.
The first is the overall ability of the dog. Next is Follow, which is how well the dogs can follow the lure and the course.
Third is Speed, how fast they can finish the course.
Fourth is Agility, which is the dog’s dexterity reflexes.
Last is Endurance. This is how well the dogs can keep a competitive pace while running the course.
The dog that finishes best in each breed is eligible to compete in the Best in Field competition, except Italian greyhounds.
Although the dogs run with different breeds and sizes, they are judged by how their particular breed is supposed to run the course.
For example, according to Davis, greyhounds chase with their heads close to the ground, and are expected to be fast, but they often cut the course. Therefore, if a slower dog races a greyhound, and finishes behind it, as long as the dog performs as its breed is expected to, it can score better in the five categories and actually win.
On Saturday, a Pharaoh hound named Stinky won Best in Field.
Jennifer Benus, 35, and Joseph Taylor, 50, own the hound and transported him to BC to compete.
According to Benus, the hound is a rookie to the competition and has only competed a handful of times, but Benus said that “he loves to chase squirrels and lizards.”
Benus said she didn’t choose the breed for its competition, but after getting the hound, the breeder recommended Coursing.
According to Benus, there was no special training to prepare the dog other than regular exercise, “He knows it all himself, we just let him go and he knows it.”
A Pharaoh hound also won Sunday’s competition. The hound was named Killian.
Although winning is always a plus, dog owners agreed that it is all for fun.
Lisa and Mike Patterson, 42, of Norco own Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, which compete.
“They (the dogs) don’t care what their score is; they love it,” said Mike.
The couple has been entering competitions for about 13 years, and, according to Mike, “it’s what we work for.” Lisa added, “our dogs are our kids. we are the canine (owners’) equivalent of soccer moms.”
The IWHC is held at BC two times a year, on the soccer field in the fall and in the stadium in the spring.
“This is probably one of the best fields,” said Mike Patterson. “There are no gopher holes, it has running water, facilities and bathrooms.”
He later added, “thank you to the college for letting us do this. We appreciate the opportunity.”
Dennis and Teri Mustoni, from north of San Diego, own a dog called Cosmo.
The Afghan hound competes in all events and loves to race, according to its owners. “This is the best field, and it runs very well,” said Dennis.