Spring 2008 Voice - The Dachshund Club of America, Inc.

thrilled by this move. The beagle club’s 70 fenced acres were well stocked with rabbits … a welcome
change after years of struggling with too few bunnies at other sites.
The Connecticut Yankee DC was inspired by DCNJ’s field trial endeavor and began offering fun days
and later sanctioned trials. It held its first licensed event on May 2, 1971. Clubs in California, New
York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio also became licensed over the next decade as interest grew among
fanciers. This expansion of the sport — particularly its spread beyond the Northeast — ultimately
generated interest in a “national” trial which could be held in conjunction with the yearly DCA
specialty. This idea came to fruition in 1984.
In many respects, 1984 was watershed year for Dachshund field trials. The Dachshund Association
of Long Island became licensed to hold trials. Meanwhile out west, the first ever regional trial was
held on March 24 th in California under the aegis of DCA I. That event and the Northern California DC
trial the next day represented the first two-event circuit in Dachshund field trial history. Most
significant of all, however, DCA hosted two trials in 1984: its annual fall event and an additional trial
held “in association” with the national specialty. This extra trial took place on June 25 th at the
Central Jersey Beagle Club in Sergeantsville. [The national specialty host club in 1984 was the
Dachshund Fanciers Association of Berks County. The conformation show and annual meeting were
held in suburban Philadelphia.]
Some people maintain that this event was the first DCA
National Field Trial, but it was never officially designated with
that name. The minutes from the 1984 DCA Annual Meeting
do, however, record that a motion was made and passed “to
hold a Dachshund Club of America National Field Trial in
conjunction with the National Specialty Show”. As a result,
the 1985 DCA trial held in Yelm, Washington is generally
considered to have been DCA’s first national field event.
The winner of the 1985 National
Field Trial was Robert and June
Kelly’s CH Ivic Cevan’s Foxfire CDX.
This talented standard longhaired
dog would eventually finish his
competition career as DC Ivic
Cevan’s Foxfire CDX TD CG VC.
DCA has held a National Field Trial every year since 1985 with the location rotating around the
country along with that of the club’s national specialty show. Despite the introduction of this new
event, there was a keen interest among fanciers — particularly in the Northeast — to preserve the
history and traditions of the yearly fall DCA sponsored trial in New Jersey. As a result, that event
has continued to be held. It is now referred to as the Annual Field Trial, however, in order to
distinguish it from its newer DCA counterpart.
Given that the Annual and the National field trials are officially hosted by DCA rather than local clubs
or regions, the parent club created distinct trophy plans for both events. At the National, the
Absolute winner receives an 11 inch bronze plaque while 8 inch plaques are awarded for first place
in each stake. [11 inch plaques are awarded on just two occasions each year. The other plaques go
to the variety winners at the DCA National Specialty Show.] The Annual offers an 8” plaque for the
Absolute Winner and 5 inch plaques to each stake winner.
Once the “National” tradition was established, the idea of pairing it with a Host Club Trial was not
far behind. Host club events not only provide additional opportunities for points and placements;
they also offer dogs the chance to work what is often an unfamiliar locale before the “big event”. In
2005, DCA recognized the caliber of competition present at these associated events when the Board
decided to allow host clubs to offer the same trophy plan it utilizes for the Annual.
The Buckeye Invitational is the latest addition to the ever growing list of events available to the
Dachshund field trial community. This non-AKC event is sponsored by the Buckeye Dachshund Club.
It began in 2004 and has been held each November since at the Buckeye Beagle Running Grounds in
Dundee, Ohio.
The Invitational’s procedures are unique and represent a considerable departure from the AKC
system for Dachshund trials, which are firmly rooted in the traditions of brace Beagling.
Competitors at the Invitational are run in braces on rabbit, but there are very few other similarities
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