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Beagles top dogs at Jackson club
Source:
Cranberry Eagle
Written by:
Bob Schultz
Published:
August 18, 2010
JACKSON TWP — The sound of baying beagles is music to the ears of hunting and gun dog trialing enthusiasts.
That usually means the hounds are hot on the scent of a rabbit.
For Breakneck Beagle Club President Robert Dorsch, the opportunity to run his beagles in the trials is a passion.
Although a hunter in his younger years, the retired mechanical engineer from Foreman Architects-Engineers in Zelienople now participates solely in trials.
Dorsch, who bought his Lancaster Township farm 48 years ago after moving from Pittsburgh, has been involved with the club for 12 years.
He originally became involved with gun dog trials through his son, Gregory, who lives in Maryland.
The younger Dorsch owned beagles and asked if his father would like to run some of his of dogs in the trials.
Dorsch now keeps the male beagles, all six of them, while his son keeps seven females "so that we don't have any accidental breedings," he said.
"It's great exercise for us and the dogs," said Dorsch of the benefits of dog trialing. "Plus, there's a really good group of guys here."
The trials are dog competitions where the beagles are judged under simulated hunting conditions.
The beagles accumulate points based on their finish and the number trials attended.
Once a dog acquires three first place finishes and 100 points, it is considered a field champion, an honor earned by exceptional beagles.
"The biggest challenge we have here is predators and controlling them," said Dorsch, who added the club hires a professional trapper during the designated seasons to control animals that prey on rabbits.
The club was founded by the late George Bender of Evans City. According to meeting minutes, the club held its first meeting in late 1945.
Bender later bought the farm on Ridge Road in 1948 for $1,700, which now is the club's permanent home.
"I'm glad George had the foresight to buy this land, because you couldn't afford this today.
"I think it (the beagle club) will be here forever," said Dorsch, who is serving his third and final year as president.
The club has about 45 active members, 20 life members, and six junior members under 18.
Members are required to attend four work days per year, which amounts to about 16 hours.
"We try to keep improving the grounds and adding brush," said Dorsch, who added the club used discarded Christmas trees to provide rabbit habitat.
The club also traps rabbits from other locations and even raises Eastern Cottontails in pens to make sure there is an ample population to conduct the trials.
"One of the misconceptions people may have is that we're killing rabbits," said Dorsch, who said the trials are a hunting simulation and no rabbits are shot.
The club's grounds are 220 acres that are mostly fenced except several areas where the dog trials are not run. The grounds are mostly flat with a few hills that make for easy judging and smooth trials.
Dorsch said there are rooms in the clubhouse where dog trialers from out of town can spend the night. There also are kennels for overnight stays and for holding dogs as they await their turns on the course.
The club hosts three events annually, a qualifier points trial in February and two American Kennel Club licensed trials in April and October. It is a member of the Pennsylvania Beagle Gun Dog Association, one of 29 such clubs in the state.
The trials draw contestants from several states, including Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Michigan, Kentucky and Maryland.
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