Hunting Thursday March 16, 2006 10:00AM
Hill ‘n Hound Farm, Kane, IL
Western Challenge Kickoff

Huntsman: Eleanor Hartwell
Whips: Jill Wagenknecht, Mary Hensel, John Korenak, Lil Lewis, Gene Deutch, Lee Deutch, Tommy Jackson

Judges: Duncan and John

First Field: Werner Kugler, Betsy Park (Millbrook Hounds), Lynn Loyd (Red Rock Hounds), Kathy Tourney (Arapahoe Hounds), Deb Daugherty, Lei Ruckle, Tom Neese, Jean Mutrux, Sarah, Leslie Granger + Other out of town guests

Hilltoppers: Gerda Kugler, Geri Waushausen, Jane Liesmann, Leslie Ayers, Gigi Harrow, Annie Hoagland,

Car Followers: Bob Wilmott, Michael Murphy, Tess Fleishli

GPS readings 17.55 miles 2 hrs 57 minutes moving 2 hrs 02 minutes stopped. Max speed 26.7 mph
Moving average 4.8 mph

12.5 couple, many of the young hounds. Inky, Nabisco, Cheerful, Stroller, Vice, Versa, Flanker, Freedom, Jargon, Jester, Sentry, Symbol, Tumble, Zorro, Daphne, Jackson, Julep, Twilight, Truffle, 2005 entries Needle, Racer, Slipper, Wonder

It was a warm and windy day. This was the kickoff of the Western Challenge competition. I didn’t get the names of all the guests. It was a fun turnout though. There was quite a good show of people. The temperature started at 61 degrees and increased to 66 degrees. Barometric pressure was falling at the start and rising at the end. It was warmer than predicted. Winds were from various directions at 2 to 12 mph. The sun was shining.

The warmth and the winds were working against the scenting conditions this day. We moved off from behind the house and headed north across the corn fields to the river. She drew the hounds along the river but got nothing. She then tried the rough area in the middle of the jump course and again got nothing. We moved over to the fingers and the hounds got on a short run and were sounding pretty good but soon lost the scent. We then tried the grove of trees in the bottoms but found nothing. She took the hounds across the road and into the woods again. Again there was a short run but the hounds soon lost again. At this point we had been out quite some time and we were far away from home so she gathered up the hounds and we headed for home. We got back to the meet at 2:45pm.

Annie Hoagland and her husband prepared the brunch. There was a selection of soups and chicken salad sandwiches and home made cupcakes.